Clayton County Death Records Lookup

Clayton County death records are filed at the Probate Court in Jonesboro, Georgia. Clayton County is part of the southern Atlanta metro area and has a population of nearly 300,000 people. The Probate Court on Battlecreek Road serves as the local vital records registrar and issues certified copies of death certificates. You can visit in person, use the state ROVER online system, or send a mail request to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Clayton County is home to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and is one of the busier counties in the metro area for vital records requests.

Clayton County Probate Court

The Clayton County Probate Court handles death certificates and other vital records for the county. The office is at 1117 Battlecreek Road in Jonesboro. This is a busy office that serves a large population. Wait times can be longer than smaller counties, so plan to arrive early. 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.

The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Each extra copy in the same order costs $5. The Clayton County Probate Court can access death records from any county in Georgia through the state system. This means you can get a copy even if the death did not happen in Clayton County. The DPH Vital Records page lists Clayton County as a registrar location.

The office is close to several major roads in the Atlanta metro, which makes it easy to reach for residents across the south side. If the Clayton County office is too busy, remember that any other county vital records office in Georgia can pull the same record.

Ordering Clayton County Death Certificates

There are three ways to get a death certificate from Clayton County. You can go to the Probate Court in Jonesboro. You can order online. Or you can mail a request. Each gives you the same certified copy of the death record.

Online ordering uses the ROVER system. This is the state portal for vital records requests. Enter the deceased person's details, upload your photo ID, and pay by card. The cost is $25 for the certificate plus $8 for processing. Your order ships from Atlanta. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for delivery. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, fees are due before service and are not returned once the search is done, even if no record is found.

Mail orders go to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Include the full name, date and place of death, your relationship to the person, a photo ID copy, and a money order or certified check for $25 made out to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Personal checks are not accepted. Allow 8 to 10 weeks for processing. You can check on an existing order by emailing DPH-VRCC@dph.ga.gov.

Who Can Get Clayton County Death Records

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

Members of the public can request Clayton County death records too. They get a plain paper version with the Social Security number removed. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, any local custodian can issue copies upon written request. This plain copy works for research or as general proof. Everyone must provide a valid photo ID when requesting a death record from Clayton County.

Death Certificate Filing in Clayton County

When someone dies in Clayton County, a death certificate must be filed per state law. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the certificate is due within ten days of the death. The funeral director who first takes custody of the body must file it with the county registrar within 72 hours. A physician certifies the cause of death. If the cause is unclear within 48 hours, "pending" goes on the record until the review is done.

Clayton County's Probate Court forwards completed certificates to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. The state has held death records since 1919. For older Clayton County records, the Georgia Archives may have historical indexes. Because Clayton County developed mainly in the mid-to-late 1900s, most death records on file start in more recent decades.

Clayton County Death Certificate Fees

A certified copy costs $25 in Clayton County. Extra copies in the same order are $5 each. ROVER adds a $8 processing fee for online orders. Third-party vendors like VitalChek and GO Certificates have their own service fees on top of the base cost. At the Clayton County Probate Court, check what payment methods are accepted before you visit.

For ROVER and online vendors, credit and debit cards work. For mail requests, use a money order or certified check. Cash may work at the walk-in office. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, fees are not given back once the search is done.

Note: Due to the high population in Clayton County, the Probate Court may have longer wait times than smaller Georgia counties.

Cities in Clayton County

Clayton County has several cities in the south metro Atlanta area. Jonesboro is the county seat. All death records for these communities go through the Clayton County Probate Court on Battlecreek Road. No city in the county has its own separate vital records office.

Cities in Clayton County include Jonesboro, Riverdale, Forest Park, Lake City, Morrow, and Lovejoy. All use the Clayton County Probate Court for death certificates.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clayton County south of Atlanta. If you need a death record and are not sure which county handles it, check where the death took place. Any county vital records office in Georgia can issue death certificates from any county.