Find Colquitt County Death Records
Colquitt County death records are managed by the Probate Court in Moultrie. This south Georgia county sits in the heart of farm country, and the probate court serves as the local vital records registrar. Residents can get death certificates from the courthouse in downtown Moultrie. The office handles all requests for death records tied to Colquitt County and can also access records from any other county in the state through the Georgia vital records system. This page covers how to search for, order, and understand death records in Colquitt County.
Colquitt County Death Records Quick Facts
Colquitt County Probate Court Vital Records
The Colquitt County Probate Court acts as the local registrar for death records. It is located at 214 West Central Avenue in Moultrie. The probate court handles death certificate requests along with its other duties like wills, estates, and marriage licenses. Staff can search the state database and issue certified copies of death certificates for any death in Georgia.
Under OCGA § 31-10-2, Georgia runs a single vital records registration system. This means the Colquitt County Probate Court connects to the same central database as every other county office in the state. You can get a death certificate for a death that took place in Fulton County, Chatham County, or anywhere else in Georgia right from the Moultrie courthouse. You do not have to travel to the county where the death happened.
Walk in with your photo ID and the details of the person who died. The clerk will run a search. If the record is on file, you can get a certified copy right then. This is the fastest way to get a death record in Colquitt County. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Additional copies in the same order cost $5 each.
| Office | Colquitt County Probate Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 214 W Central Ave, Moultrie, GA 31768 |
| Role | Local Vital Records Registrar |
Note: Hours may vary around holidays, so call the probate court before you make the trip to Moultrie for death records.
Order Colquitt County Death Records Online
The ROVER system is the online way to order death certificates in Colquitt County. ROVER stands for Request Official Vital Events Records. It is run by the Georgia Technology Authority and the Department of Public Health. You can access it at services.georgia.gov/gta/rover. The site walks you through each step to place your order for a Colquitt County death record.
ROVER charges the standard $25 fee plus an $8 processing fee. All orders ship by USPS from the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for delivery. Missing info or documents will slow things down even more. Due to high volume, expedited services through ROVER have been paused. The DPH online ordering page has full instructions for the process.
The ROVER portal below is the state system that handles all online death certificate orders for Colquitt County and every other Georgia county.
This state portal walks you through each step to order a Colquitt County death record from home.
You need the following info to order a Colquitt County death record through ROVER:
- Full name of the person who died
- Date of death
- Place of death (city and county)
- Your relationship to the person
- A valid photo ID
Third-party vendors like VitalChek and GO Certificates also handle Georgia death record orders. They add their own service fees but can offer faster turnaround. VitalChek can be reached at 877-572-6343.
Colquitt County Death Records by Mail
You can request a death certificate by mail for someone who died in Colquitt County. Send your request to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Include the name of the person, date and place of death, number of copies, your relationship, and a copy of your photo ID. Pay with a money order or certified check made out to Georgia Department of Public Health.
Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks to process. That clock starts when the state gets your complete packet. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, fees must be paid before any service is done and are not refunded if the record is not found. Personal checks are not accepted. If your request stays open for more than a year, the state will close it and you would need to send a new one.
You can check on an existing mail order by emailing DPH-VRCC@dph.ga.gov. That email is for order status only. For general questions about Colquitt County death records, contact the probate court in Moultrie or call the DPH at (404) 679-4702.
Who Can Get Colquitt County Death Certificates
Not everyone gets the same type of copy. Georgia law under OCGA § 31-10-25 sets rules on access. Close family members can get a full certified copy. This means the spouse, parents, adult children, adult siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal reps and parties with a tangible interest, like insurance companies, can also get certified copies of Colquitt County death records.
Members of the public can order a plain paper copy. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, the state registrar or any local custodian can issue copies upon written request. The plain paper version has the Social Security number blacked out. It works for research or general proof but is not certified. A photo ID is required no matter what type you order.
How Death Certificates Are Filed in Colquitt County
When a person dies in Colquitt County, the funeral home starts the death certificate. A doctor or medical examiner signs it and certifies the cause of death. The funeral director then files the certificate with the Colquitt County registrar within 72 hours. This is required under OCGA § 31-10-15. The local registrar sends the record to the state office in Atlanta where it is stored for good.
If the cause of death is unclear, the case goes to a coroner or medical examiner. The investigation must wrap up before the certificate is finalized. If the cause cannot be found within 48 hours, "pending" goes on the record. Once the investigation is complete, the certificate gets updated and filed. From that point on, copies are available from both the Colquitt County Probate Court and the state office.
The DPH Vital Records page has more details on how death certificates are handled across Georgia, including forms for corrections and amendments.
Historical Death Records in Colquitt County
The state has Colquitt County death records from 1919 to the present. Before that, records are harder to find. The Georgia Archives in Morrow has historical death indexes and some older documents that came before the modern state system. Colquitt County was created in 1856, so some scattered records may go back to around that time.
The Colquitt County Probate Court may also have older estate records, wills, and guardian papers that contain death information. These can be useful when no formal death certificate exists. For deaths that took place before the state started keeping records, these alternate sources are often the only option in Colquitt County.
Cities in Colquitt County
Colquitt County includes Moultrie, Norman Park, Doerun, Berlin, and Ellenton. None of these cities meet the threshold for their own page. All death records in this area are handled by the Colquitt County Probate Court in Moultrie.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Colquitt County. Each has its own vital records office for death certificates. Check the address where the death took place to find the right county.