Pulaski County Death Index
Pulaski County holds more death records than any other county in Arkansas, and searching the Pulaski County Death Index gives you access to decades of data from the state's largest population center. Little Rock, the state capital, sits here, which means the Arkansas Department of Health offices that hold all statewide death records are located within the county itself. This guide walks you through how to search the death index, request certified copies, use local archives and libraries, and find historical records for family research or legal needs in Pulaski County.
Pulaski County Death Index Overview
How to Access Pulaski County Death Index Records
All death certificates in Arkansas, including those for Pulaski County, are held by the Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. The office is located at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. That address puts the records office right in the county you are searching. You can call (501) 661-2174 or the toll-free line at (800) 637-9314. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and walk-in requests need to be submitted by 3:00 PM for same-day processing.
Arkansas death records less than 50 years old are restricted. Only immediate family members, legal representatives, and those with a documented legal right can get copies of recent records. Researchers without a family connection can access records that are 50 years or older. Under Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-101 et seq., non-relatives requesting older records must submit their request by mail rather than in person or online. When no record is found, a $10.00 search fee still applies and is not refunded.
You can also visit the Pulaski County Health Unit at 3915 West 8th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204. Phone: (501) 661-2726. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The local health unit accepts death certificate applications and forwards them to the state office. This is a solid option for people who want in-person help without going to the main Department of Health building.
Online orders go through VitalChek, the official online partner for Arkansas vital records. VitalChek adds a $5.00 processing fee and a $1.85 identity verification charge to your order. The first copy costs $10.00. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $8.00 each.
VitalChek handles online orders for Arkansas death certificates, including Pulaski County records, and processes requests directly with the Department of Health in Little Rock.
Note: Little Rock city records exist as far back as 1881, which makes Pulaski County one of the few places in Arkansas where some pre-1914 death records may be available through city archives.
Pulaski County Clerk and Probate Records
The Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk is located at 401 West Markham Street, Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72201. The main phone number is (501) 340-8500. For court records specifically, call (501) 340-8766 or send email to courtrecords@pulaskiclerk.com. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Terri Hollingsworth currently serves as Clerk.
The Clerk's office does not hold death certificates. However, it maintains probate records, which can be valuable secondary sources when searching for death information. Probate records include wills, letters testamentary, estate inventories, and guardianship documents. When a Pulaski County resident died and left assets, a probate case was often opened, and those case files frequently contain the decedent's date of death, place of death, and names of heirs. Marriage records from 1838 to the present are also on file with the Clerk and can help you build a family record around a death.
Real estate records and deeds are searchable online at pulaskideeds.com. Property deed transfers around the time of a death can sometimes confirm dates and surviving family members when other records are hard to find. Certified copies of court documents cost $5.00, with standard page copies at $0.25 per page.
The Pulaski County Clerk's office holds marriage records, probate filings, and court documents that support death index research when certificate access is restricted or records predate 1914.
Genealogy and Historical Death Records in Pulaski County
Pulaski County has one of the richest sets of historical resources in the state for death record research. The Arkansas State Archives, located at One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, phone (501) 682-6900, holds the statewide Death Index covering 1914 through 1949. This index is alphabetical and provides names, dates, and counties. It does not include actual certificates, but it points you to the right record so you can order from the Department of Health. The Archives also maintains the In Remembrance Database, which covers 1819 to 1920 and pulls data from church publications, mortality censuses, cemetery records, and newspaper obituaries.
The Arkansas Digital Archives offers a free searchable Death Records Index for 1935 through 1961. You can search by name, death date, county, or certificate number. Once you find a match, take the certificate number to the Department of Health to request the actual document.
The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) in Little Rock provides exceptional genealogy resources at 100 Rock Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, phone (501) 918-3000. In-library access to Ancestry Library Edition gives you the Arkansas Death Certificates collection covering 1914 to 1969. FamilySearch has the Arkansas Death Index for 1914 to 1950 available for free online. CALS also holds obituary indexes, cemetery records, census records, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Historical Archive going back to 1867. The African American Heritage database at CALS is particularly important for Pulaski County research given the county's long history.
CALS offers free in-library access to Ancestry Library Edition and other major genealogy databases, making it one of the best free resources for tracing Pulaski County death records.
The Arkansas Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 26374, Little Rock, AR 72221-6374, also supports Pulaski County research. The Society maintains indexes and can connect you with volunteers who specialize in county-level records. FamilySearch Arkansas Vital Records is another free starting point that covers available digital collections for the state.
Death Record Laws in Pulaski County
Arkansas law governs how death records are created, stored, and accessed. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-601, a death must be registered within 10 days of occurrence. The attending physician has 3 business days to complete their portion of the certificate. Electronic registration is now the standard method across the state, replacing paper forms for most filings.
Arkansas Statute 20-18-305 establishes the 50-year access rule that determines who can get a copy of a death record. Records less than 50 years old go only to immediate family, legal representatives, or those with a documented legal right. Records 50 years and older are public. This rule applies county-wide, so Pulaski County deaths since the mid-1970s are currently restricted.
The State Registrar's authority comes from Arkansas Code § 20-18-203, which also establishes the birth and death record matching system used to prevent identity fraud. Under Arkansas FOIA, written requests are required for public records, and agencies have 3 business days to respond. Document copies cost $0.25 per page under FOIA.
Arkansas Code § 20-18-601 sets the registration timeline that creates the official record in the Pulaski County Death Index and every other county in the state.
Requesting Pulaski County Death Certificates
To request a death certificate for a Pulaski County resident, start by deciding how you want to submit. Online is the fastest option for most people. Go to VitalChek and fill out the form. You will need the full name of the deceased, date of death, and your own photo ID information for identity verification. The online platform charges a $5.00 processing fee plus $1.85 for ID verification on top of the certificate cost.
Mail requests go to: Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Records Division, 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Include a completed application form, a clear copy of your government-issued photo ID, and a check or money order payable to "Arkansas Department of Health." Non-relatives requesting records more than 50 years old must use mail. You cannot submit that request type online or by phone.
Walk-in service is available at the state office at 4815 West Markham Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Arrive by 3:00 PM for same-day processing. You can also visit the Pulaski County Health Unit at 3915 West 8th Street for help with paperwork. The health unit forwards applications to the state and the certificate is mailed to you, so the walk-in visit there does not produce a same-day result.
Probate court records related to deaths in Pulaski County can be searched through Arkansas CourtConnect, the statewide court records system. Probate case indexes are available online and useful when the person who died left an estate. The CDC vital records guide for Arkansas also outlines the full process for certificate requests if you need a national reference point.
Cities in Pulaski County
The following cities in Pulaski County have individual records pages with local courthouse details, health unit contacts, and search resources.
Nearby Counties
Death records for residents near Pulaski County borders may be held by a neighboring county. Check these nearby county pages for courthouse contacts and search options.