Clarke County Death Records

Clarke County death records are handled by the Clarke County Health Department in Athens, Georgia. Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county government and home to the University of Georgia. The health department on North Harris Street serves as the local vital records registrar through the Northeast Health District. You can get a death certificate in person at the health department, order online through the ROVER system, or send a request by mail to the Georgia Department of Public Health in Atlanta. The Clarke County office can also pull death records from any other county in Georgia through the state database.

Clarke County Health Department

The Clarke County Health Department on North Harris Street in Athens is the local registrar for death records. Unlike many Georgia counties that use the probate court, Clarke County routes vital records through the health department. The office is part of the Northeast Health District, which covers several counties in northeast Georgia. Walk-in service is available during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID and the details of the person whose death record you need.

The DPH listing for the Clarke County Health Department confirms this office as the local registrar and provides the address and contact details.

The fee is $25 for the first certified copy and $5 for each extra copy in the same order. The Clarke County Health Department can issue death certificates from any county in Georgia, not just Clarke County. This is convenient for University of Georgia students or staff who may need records from their home county. Call (706) 357-5411 for questions about Clarke County death records or to check office hours.

How to Order Clarke County Death Certificates

In person at the health department on North Harris Street is the fastest local option for Clarke County death records. Walk in with your photo ID, tell the staff the full name and date of death, and they will search the system. Most in-person requests are handled the same day. The Athens office can get busy, so going early is a good idea.

Online orders go through the ROVER system. ROVER stands for Request Official Vital Events Records. You enter the deceased person's info, upload your photo ID, and pay by card. The cost is $25 plus a $8 processing fee. Your order ships from the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for delivery by mail. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, all fees must be paid before the state processes your Clarke County death record request, and they are not refundable.

Mail requests go to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Send the person's full name, date and place of death, your relationship, a photo ID copy, and a money order or certified check for $25. No personal checks. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks. Missing info will add to the wait. Email DPH-VRCC@dph.ga.gov to check on an existing order.

Note: The Clarke County Health Department may have shorter wait times than the 8 to 10 weeks you get from the state office for online or mail orders.

Who Can Get Clarke County Death Records

Georgia controls access to certified death certificates. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, close family of the deceased can get full certified copies. This includes the spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal representatives and people with a tangible interest, like insurance companies and beneficiaries, can also get certified copies of Clarke County death certificates.

Anyone can request a death record from Clarke County. Non-family members get a plain paper copy with the Social Security number removed. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, the state registrar or any local custodian can issue copies upon written request. The plain copy works for research or general proof. A valid photo ID is required for every Clarke County death record request.

Death Certificate Filing in Clarke County

When a death occurs in Clarke County, state law requires a death certificate to be filed. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the certificate must be filed within ten days. The funeral director submits it to the local registrar within 72 hours. A physician certifies the cause of death. If the cause is not clear within 48 hours, "pending" goes on the record. The Clarke County Health Department sends the final certificate to the state office in Atlanta for permanent storage.

The state has Clarke County death records from 1919 forward. For older records, check the Georgia Archives. They have historical death indexes and documents from before the modern system started in Georgia. Some early Athens records may also be on file with local historical societies.

State Resources for Clarke County

The Georgia Department of Public Health runs the State Office of Vital Records at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Call (404) 679-4702 with questions about Clarke County death records. The DPH death record request page explains what you need for each type of order.

The registrar locations page helps you find the nearest vital records office. Any county office in Georgia can issue death certificates for any county. If the Clarke County Health Department is not near you, use another county office or order through ROVER online.

Cities in Clarke County

Clarke County and Athens operate as a unified city-county government called Athens-Clarke County. There are no separate cities within the county. All death records go through the Clarke County Health Department on North Harris Street in Athens.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clarke County in northeast Georgia. If you need a death record from this area, check where the death took place. The Clarke County office can also pull records from any county in the state.