In Texas how long does a person have to be missing declared dead?

There is no specific amount of time that a person must be missing before being declared dead in Texas. Texas law instead uses the concept of "presumed death" to address the legal status of a missing person.

Under Texas law, a person may be presumed dead if:

- The person has been continuously absent from their last known place of residence for a period of seven years or more; or

- The person is absent under circumstances that indicate a reasonable likelihood that they are dead; and

- There is no probable explanation for their disappearance.

If a person is presumed dead, their estate may be opened and administered as if they had actually died on the date of their presumed death. However, the presumption of death is rebuttable, meaning that it can be overcome if evidence later emerges that the person is still alive.