Dade County Death Records Search
Dade County death records are held at the Probate Court in Trenton. This is the northwesternmost county in Georgia, tucked between Lookout Mountain and the Tennessee and Alabama borders. The Dade County Probate Court serves as the local vital records registrar and handles death certificate requests for the county. With about 16,000 residents, it is a small county but has full access to the state vital records system. This page covers how to search, order, and understand death records in Dade County, Georgia.
Dade County Death Records Quick Facts
Dade County Probate Court Vital Records
The Dade County Probate Court manages death records at 255 West Crabtree Street in Trenton. The probate judge acts as the local vital records registrar for the county. This office handles death certificate requests, marriage licenses, estates, and wills. Staff can search the state database and print copies while you are there.
The DPH page for Dade County lists the probate court as a vital records registrar in the state system.
All county vital records offices in Georgia connect to one central database. Under OCGA § 31-10-2, the state keeps a single registration system. The Dade County Probate Court can pull death certificates from any county in the state. If a family member died in Fulton County or Chatham County, you can get the certificate right here in Trenton without making a long trip.
Walk in with your photo ID and the name of the person who died. You also need the date of death and place of death. If the record is on file, you can walk out with a certified copy that same day. The fee is $25 for the first copy. Each extra copy in the same order costs $5.
| Office | Dade County Probate Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 255 W Crabtree St, Trenton, GA 30752 |
| Role | Local Vital Records Registrar |
Order Dade County Death Records Online
The ROVER system lets you order a death certificate from home. Go to services.georgia.gov/gta/rover and follow the steps. The system charges $25 for the certificate and $8 for processing. All orders ship from the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta by USPS. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for delivery.
Due to high volume at the state office, expedited orders through ROVER have been paused. Third-party vendors like VitalChek (877-572-6343) and GO Certificates handle Georgia death record orders too. They charge their own fees but can sometimes deliver faster. The DPH third-party ordering page lists these options.
To complete your ROVER order for a Dade County death record, you need:
- Full name of the person who died
- Date of death
- Place of death (city and county in Georgia)
- Your relationship to the person
- A valid photo ID uploaded to the system
Note: If the record is not found on ROVER, you still get charged the $25 fee and the $8 processing fee for a Dade County death record search.
Dade County Death Records by Mail
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 who died, the date and place of death, the number of copies you need, your link to the person, and a copy of your photo ID. Pay with a money order or certified check made out to Georgia Department of Public Health. Personal checks are not accepted.
Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks once the state gets your complete packet. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, fees must be paid up front and are not sent back if the record is not found. If a request stays open for more than one year, the state will close it. You would have to send a new request with new payment to get a Dade County death record after that.
Check on an existing order by emailing DPH-VRCC@dph.ga.gov. For general questions about Dade County death records, call the probate court in Trenton or the DPH at (404) 679-4702.
Who Can Get Dade County Death Certificates
Georgia law under OCGA § 31-10-25 sets rules on who gets certified copies. Close family has full access. That means the spouse, parents, adult children, adult siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal reps and parties with a tangible interest, like insurance companies, also qualify for certified Dade County death records.
Members of the public can get a plain paper copy. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, copies go out to anyone who makes a written request and shows a photo ID. The Social Security number is blacked out on these plain copies. They work for research or general proof purposes but are not certified.
Death Certificate Filing in Dade County
When a death takes place in Dade County, the funeral home starts the death certificate. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director must file it with the county registrar within 72 hours. A doctor signs the medical section. If the cause of death is not clear, the Dade County Coroner investigates. The county registrar then sends the record to the state office in Atlanta.
If the cause cannot be determined within 48 hours, "pending" goes on the certificate until the investigation is done. Once filed, the Dade County death certificate becomes available at both the local probate court and the state office. Amendments cost $10 plus the price of a new certified copy. Current year corrections are free. The DPH Vital Records page has the amendment forms.
Historical Death Records in Dade County
The state has death records from 1919 forward. Dade County was created in 1837, so local deaths may have been recorded in various forms long before the state system started. The Georgia Archives in Morrow is the best place to look for pre-1919 death records in the area. They hold historical indexes and documents from before the modern system began.
The Dade County Probate Court may also have old estate records, wills, and guardian papers that contain death dates. These can fill gaps when no formal certificate exists. Dade County has a unique history. It was sometimes called the "State of Dade" because of its isolation on the other side of Lookout Mountain. Some early records may have been kept apart from other Georgia counties for this reason.
Cities in Dade County
Dade County includes Trenton and Wildwood. Neither city meets the population threshold for its own page. All death records for this area go through the Dade County Probate Court in Trenton.
Nearby Counties
Dade County borders one other Georgia county and also touches Alabama and Tennessee. For Georgia death records, here is the neighboring county.