Death Index Records in Boone County
The Boone County Death Index provides the official record of deaths in Harrison and across this northwest Arkansas county, covering all registrations from 1914 forward and giving researchers and family members a path to search names, request certified copies, and trace family history in local and state archives. Death records are held at the state office in Little Rock, but the Boone County Clerk maintains marriage and probate records going back to 1869 that support broader research. This page covers every step of the process, from searching the index to requesting a certificate to using genealogy resources in Harrison.
Boone County Death Index Overview
Boone County Death Certificate Requests
Death certificates for Boone County residents are not available locally. All Arkansas death records are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Call (501) 661-2174 or toll-free (800) 637-9314. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in requests must be submitted by 3:00 PM for same-day service. Harrison is roughly 130 miles north of Little Rock, so most Boone County residents find mail or online requests more practical than the drive.
The first certified copy of a Boone County death certificate costs $10.00. Additional copies of the same record in the same order cost $8.00 each. A $10.00 non-refundable search fee applies even when no record is found. Photo ID is required for all requests. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-305, records less than 50 years old are restricted to immediate family members, legal representatives, and those with a documented legal need. Older records are public, but non-relatives must request those by mail.
Online orders go through VitalChek. The service adds $5.00 for processing and $1.85 for identity verification on top of the certificate cost. You can also visit the Boone County Health Department locally. Staff there accept applications and forward them to the state office. The certificate comes back by mail, so the local visit does not result in a same-day copy. It is a convenient option if you need help completing the paperwork.
Boone County Clerk and Court Records
The Boone County Clerk and Circuit Clerk office is at 220 North Arbor Drive, Suite 101, Harrison, AR 72601. Phone: (870) 741-8428. Fax: (870) 741-9724. The office maintains marriage records from 1869, land records from 1869, divorce records, court records, and probate filings. Boone County was established April 9, 1869, carved from Carroll and Madison Counties. Records since that founding date are intact, which puts Boone County in a better position than counties that experienced courthouse fires or other record losses.
Probate records are the most useful secondary source for death index research. When a Boone County resident died with property, the estate often went through probate court. Those case files contain the date of death, names of heirs, estate inventories, and sometimes letters testamentary. Marriage records going back to 1869 help build family timelines around a death. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page, with certified copies carrying an additional $5.00 fee.
Court records are available online through the "Search ARCourts" portal, which gives public access to case indexes statewide. The Arkansas CourtConnect portal covers probate matters and lets you search Boone County estate cases from anywhere. Under Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-101, written records requests must be answered within 3 business days, and document copies cost $0.25 per page. Exceptions apply to juvenile cases, adoption records, mental health proceedings, and certain domestic matters.
Historical Death Records and Genealogy Resources
The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock holds the statewide Death Index for 1914 through 1949. That index is alphabetical and provides the name, date, and county for each registered death. It does not include the full certificate, but it gives you the certificate number needed to order the document from the Department of Health. The Archives also maintains the In Remembrance Database, which covers 1819 through 1920 using church publications, cemetery records, and mortality censuses. For Boone County deaths before 1914, this database and church records are often the only available sources.
The Arkansas Digital Archives Death Records Index is free to search online and covers 1935 through 1961. Search by name or county to confirm a record exists before ordering the certificate. FamilySearch covers Boone County with birth records from 1914, marriage records from 1869, death records from 1914, and census data from 1870. All FamilySearch resources are free and searchable without an account. The FamilySearch Arkansas Vital Records wiki explains which digital collections are available and how to access them.
Arkansas death certification and digitization efforts have made many Boone County death records searchable online through free public tools, reducing the need for in-person archive visits.
Arkansas Death Registration Laws
Death registration in Arkansas has been required since February 1, 1914. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-601, all deaths must be registered within 10 days of the event. The attending physician has 3 business days to complete their portion of the certificate. Electronic registration is now the standard method across Arkansas, replacing paper forms for most new filings. For Boone County, that means recent deaths are typically recorded faster and more accurately than older paper-based registrations.
The State Registrar has authority under § 20-18-203 to maintain and verify death records, including a system that matches birth and death records statewide. This matching system is part of how the state prevents identity fraud using deceased persons' information. When you order a Boone County death certificate, the Registrar's office verifies the request against both the death record and your identification before issuing a copy.
The Arkansas Genealogical Society provides statewide support for researchers and can help connect you with members who specialize in Boone County and northwest Arkansas genealogy. For a national perspective on the request process, the CDC vital records guide for Arkansas outlines steps, required documentation, and what to do when no record can be found.
The Arkansas CourtConnect portal gives online access to Boone County probate and court case indexes, a useful tool when a death led to estate proceedings that created additional records.
Boone County Name and County Origin
Boone County was named not for Daniel Boone but to signal that the county would be a "boon" for settlers moving into the area. It was carved from Carroll and Madison Counties and established April 9, 1869. No courthouse fire or major record disaster is documented in Boone County, which means local records from 1869 onward are generally intact. That record continuity makes Boone County more straightforward for genealogical research than some Arkansas counties where fires, floods, or other events disrupted official files.
Harrison, the county seat, sits in the Ozark hills of northwest Arkansas. The area drew settlers from surrounding states in the mid-to-late 1800s, and the death records from those families make up much of what genealogists search today. For early deaths before 1914, church records and cemetery indexes are the best surviving sources. The Boone County Historical and Genealogical Society has compiled local data over the years, and the state's In Remembrance Database may include Boone County church deaths from the 1800s.
Cities in Boone County
No cities in Boone County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page. Harrison is the largest community and county seat. Use the resources on this page for death record searches tied to any Boone County location.
Nearby Counties
Deaths near the Boone County border may have been filed in an adjacent county. Check these nearby pages for courthouse contacts and local search resources.