Burke County Death Records

Death records in Burke County are on file at the Probate Court in Waynesboro, Georgia. The Probate Court serves as the local registrar for vital records and issues certified copies of death certificates. You can visit the courthouse in person for a quick search, order online through ROVER, or mail a request to the state office in Atlanta. Burke County is one of the largest counties in Georgia by land area, and the single Probate Court office on 6th Street serves the whole county. If you need a death certificate for legal work, an insurance claim, or family research, the Burke County Probate Court is the local starting point.

Burke County Probate Court Office

The Probate Court at 200 6th Street, Room 208, in Waynesboro handles all death record requests for Burke County. Staff can search the vital records database and issue a certified copy of a death certificate while you wait. Bring a valid photo ID and the key details: the full legal name of the person who died, the date of death, and the county or city where the death took place. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.

The Burke County Probate Court listing on the DPH website confirms this office as the local vital records registrar.

That DPH page shows the Burke County Probate Court is authorized to issue death certificates. Under Georgia Code § 31-10-26, the local registrar issues certified copies upon written request. All Georgia vital records offices are linked to the same statewide database now, so the Burke County office can pull death certificates for deaths that happened anywhere in the state. You do not have to visit the county where the death occurred.

How to Get Burke County Death Records

Walking into the Probate Court in Waynesboro is the fastest method. Same-day service is the norm. You fill out a short form, show your ID, pay, and get your death certificate. If you live in Burke County or nearby, this is the best way to go.

Online orders use ROVER, the state portal run by the Georgia Technology Authority and DPH. Enter the death details, pay $25 plus an $8 processing fee, and wait 8 to 10 weeks for the certificate to arrive by mail. ROVER handles Burke County death records and records from every other Georgia county through the same system. It is open around the clock, so you can place an order any time.

You can also mail a request using Form 3912 to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Include a copy of your photo ID and payment by money order or certified check. Personal checks are not accepted. The DPH death records page has the form and instructions. Under § 31-10-27, fees must be paid up front and are not given back after the search is done. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks to process.

Note: If no record is found for your Burke County death record request, the state sends a "not on file" letter and the fee is not refunded.

Access to Burke County Death Certificates

Certified copies of Burke County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. Georgia Code § 31-10-25 lists the eligible parties: the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and legal reps. Estate attorneys and insurance companies also qualify when they have a claim or legal matter tied to the death.

Members of the public can get Burke County death records on plain paper with the Social Security number redacted. These are good for genealogy, family research, and informational use. The fee is $25, same as a certified copy. The Burke County Probate Court processes both types of requests the same way at the window. You just need to state your relationship to the deceased on the request form so the office knows which type of copy to issue.

What Burke County Death Certificates Show

A death certificate from Burke County includes the name, date of birth, age, sex, race, and marital status of the deceased. It shows the date, time, and place of death. The medical section lists the cause of death, any contributing conditions, and the manner of death. Under § 31-10-15, the funeral director files the death certificate with the local registrar within 72 hours. The physician fills out the medical certification within 72 hours as well. Deaths that need investigation may take longer for the cause of death to appear on the record.

Once filed, the Burke County Probate Court sends the record to the state office for registration under § 31-10-2. After state registration, the record enters the statewide database and any authorized office in Georgia can issue copies. Death records from 1919 to the present are in the state system. Older records may be at the county level or at the Georgia Archives.

State Resources for Burke County Death Records

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office in Atlanta has death records from January 1919 onward for all Georgia counties including Burke. Call (404) 679-4702 for questions. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM. For historical records, the Georgia Archives at (678) 364-3700 keeps older death records that may not be in the state system.

Third-party vendors like VitalChek and GO Certificates also process orders for Burke County death records. They add their own service fees on top of the $25 state fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks through these vendors. Expedited shipping may be available at an extra cost depending on current processing times at the state office.

Cities in Burke County

Waynesboro is the county seat and largest city in Burke County. Other towns include Midville, Sardis, Girard, and Vidette. No cities in Burke County have a population over 25,000. All death record requests for Burke County go through the single Probate Court office in Waynesboro.

Nearby Counties

Burke County is in east-central Georgia near the South Carolina border. These neighboring counties each have their own vital records registrars. The Burke County Probate Court can also pull death records from any of them.