Forsyth County Death Records Search
Forsyth County death records are managed by the Probate Court in Cumming. This is one of the fastest growing counties in the Atlanta metro area with a population over 260,000. The probate court serves as the local vital records registrar and can search the statewide database for death certificates from any Georgia county. You can visit the Cumming office in person for same-day service, use the state ROVER system to order online, or mail a request to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Below is a full guide to getting death records in Forsyth County.
Forsyth County Quick Facts
Forsyth County Probate Court Vital Records
The Forsyth County Probate Court is at 100 West Courthouse Square, Suite 008, in Cumming. This office handles all death certificate requests at the county level. Given the large and growing population, the Cumming office processes a high volume of vital records requests. Staff can search the statewide database and issue certified copies during regular hours. Walk-in visits are the fastest way to get a Forsyth County death certificate.
Bring a valid photo ID. Have the full name of the deceased, date of death, and place of death ready. The staff will search the state system for the record. Under OCGA § 31-10-2, Forsyth County connects to the statewide vital records registration system, so the office can pull death certificates from any of the 159 Georgia counties.
The Georgia DPH Vital Records page has details about how the statewide system works and how county offices like Forsyth County's probate court process death certificate requests.
The DPH page shows all the ways Georgia residents can request death certificates, from in-person visits at county offices to online and mail options through the state.
| Office | Forsyth County Probate Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 W Courthouse Square, Suite 008, Cumming, GA 30040 |
| Type | Probate Court (Local Registrar) |
How to Get Forsyth County Death Certificates
Walk-in visits to the Cumming probate court are the fastest method. Mail and online orders both take 8 to 10 weeks through the state system.
For in-person requests, go to 100 West Courthouse Square in Cumming. Bring your photo ID and the details about the deceased. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy and $5 for each extra copy in the same order. If the record is in the state database, Forsyth County staff can give you a copy the same day. The office can get busy during peak hours given the county's population, so arriving early helps.
Mail orders go to the Georgia DPH, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Use Form 3912 and include a $25 money order or certified check with a copy of your photo ID. Processing takes 8 to 10 weeks from receipt. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, fees are required before the search and are not refundable.
Forsyth County residents may also visit the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta at 1680 Phoenix Blvd. That office handles walk-in requests for all Georgia counties and is about 45 minutes south of Cumming.
Order Forsyth County Death Records Online
The ROVER system is the state online portal for death certificate orders. You can order a Forsyth County death record from home. ROVER charges $25 plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks by USPS from Atlanta.
VitalChek and GO Certificates are third-party vendors approved for Georgia death records. VitalChek takes phone orders at 877-572-6343 and offers rush processing. Both add their own service fees. The DPH online ordering page lists the vendors and explains the pricing for Forsyth County death certificate orders.
Note: ROVER expedited processing has been put on hold, so the standard 8 to 10 week delivery time applies to all online orders.
Who Can Get Forsyth County Death Records
Georgia law controls who gets certified death certificates. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, certified copies go to those with a direct interest: spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal representatives, and insurance beneficiaries.
The public can request plain paper copies from the Forsyth County Probate Court. These have the Social Security number removed. They work for genealogy and research but not for legal use. All visitors must show a valid photo ID at the Forsyth County office before any death record is released.
Death Records Filing in Forsyth County
When someone dies in Forsyth County, the funeral director files the death certificate with the local registrar within 72 hours. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, a physician must certify the cause of death. The certificate must be filed within ten days. The Forsyth County registrar sends the record to the state office in Atlanta for permanent storage in the central database.
The state has death records from 1919 forward. For older Forsyth County deaths, the Georgia Archives in Morrow may have early records. Church records and cemetery logs from the Cumming area can help with research into deaths that happened before the state system started in 1919.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Forsyth County in the north Atlanta metro area. Any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county in the state.