Find Cherokee County Death Records

Cherokee County death records are available at the Probate Court in Woodstock, Georgia. Cherokee County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the Atlanta metro area with a population over 260,000. The Probate Court on Main Street in Woodstock serves as the local vital records registrar and issues certified copies of death certificates. You can get a copy in person, order online through the ROVER system, or mail a request to the state office in Atlanta. Cherokee County is also home to Canton, the historic county seat, and several other growing cities north of Atlanta.

Cherokee County Probate Court

The Cherokee County Probate Court handles death certificates and other vital records for the county. The office is located at 7545 Main Street, Suite 100, in Woodstock. While Canton is the county seat, the Probate Court operates from the Woodstock location. This is a busy office given the size of Cherokee County's population, so wait times can vary. Try to visit early in the day for shorter waits.

Bring a valid photo ID and the details of the person whose death record you need. Staff will search the state database and print a certified copy while you wait in most cases. The fee is $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra copy in the same order. The Cherokee County Probate Court can also access death records from any other county in Georgia through the state system.

The DPH Vital Records page lists Cherokee County as a registrar location and provides general information on vital records services across the state.

How to Get Cherokee County Death Certificates

You have three main ways to get a death certificate from Cherokee County. In person at the Probate Court in Woodstock is the fastest for local residents. Online through ROVER works well if you cannot visit the office. Mail through the state is the third option.

The ROVER system is the state's online ordering portal for vital records. You enter the details of the person who died, upload your photo ID, and pay by credit or debit card. ROVER charges $25 for the certificate plus a $8 processing fee. Orders ship from the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. Plan on 8 to 10 weeks for delivery. Due to high volume, expedited services through ROVER have been put on hold. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, fees must be paid before service and are non-refundable once the search is done.

Mail requests go to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Include the full name of the person, the date and place of death, your relationship, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order or certified check for $25. Personal checks are not taken. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks from the date the state receives everything. Check on your order at DPH-VRCC@dph.ga.gov if needed.

Who Can Request Cherokee County Death Records

Georgia law limits who can get a full certified death certificate. Close family of the deceased can get certified copies from Cherokee County. This includes the spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal reps and people with a tangible interest, such as insurance companies and beneficiaries, also qualify. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, the state protects vital records and sets who sees the complete details.

Members of the public can request a Cherokee County death record as well. They get a plain paper copy with the Social Security number removed. This is fine for research or general proof. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, the state registrar or any local custodian can issue copies upon written request and valid photo ID. Everyone needs a photo ID to get any type of death record in Cherokee County.

Death Certificate Filing in Cherokee County

When a death occurs in Cherokee County, a death certificate must be filed per state law. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the certificate must be filed within ten days. The funeral director who first handles the body must submit it to the county registrar within 72 hours. A physician certifies the cause of death on the form. If the cause is unclear within 48 hours, "pending" is noted until the review wraps up. The Cherokee County Probate Court sends the final certificate to the state office in Atlanta for permanent storage.

The state holds death records from 1919 forward. Cherokee County death records from before 1919 may be at the Georgia Archives, which maintains historical death indexes and documents from the early days. Some of these are available through the digital vault online.

Cherokee County Death Certificate Fees

A certified death certificate in Cherokee County costs $25. Extra copies in the same order are $5 each. ROVER adds a $8 processing fee for online orders. Third-party vendors like VitalChek charge their own service fees on top. At the Cherokee County Probate Court, check with the office on accepted payment methods before you visit.

For online orders, credit and debit cards work. For mail requests, use a money order or certified check. Personal checks are not accepted by the state office. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, all fees are non-refundable after the search is done.

Cities in Cherokee County

Cherokee County has several cities and growing communities. Canton is the county seat. Woodstock, where the Probate Court is, is one of the larger cities. All death records for cities in Cherokee County go through the Probate Court on Main Street in Woodstock.

Other communities in Cherokee County include Holly Springs, Ball Ground, Waleska, and Nelson. All use the Cherokee County Probate Court for death certificates.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cherokee County north of Atlanta. If you need a death record and are not sure which county handles it, check where the death took place. The Cherokee County office can pull records from any county in the state.