Find Harris County Death Records
Harris County death records are managed by the county health department in Hamilton, Georgia. As part of the West Central Health District, the Harris County Health Department serves as the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for anyone who died in Harris County are filed here. The office handles walk-in requests and can search for death records from any other Georgia county through the state database. You can also order Harris County death certificates by mail or online.
Harris County Quick Facts
Harris County Health Department Death Records
The Harris County Health Department on Forest Hill Drive in Hamilton is the local registrar for death records. Unlike many Georgia counties where the probate court handles vital records, Harris County uses the health department. The office is part of the West Central Health District. Staff there can search for death records and issue certified copies. You need a valid photo ID when you visit. Walk-in requests are processed the same day in most cases.
Georgia operates a single vital records system under OCGA § 31-10-2. The Harris County Health Department connects to the same central database as all other county offices. This means you can get a death certificate from any Georgia county at the Hamilton office. You do not need to go to the county where the death happened. The Harris County office can search any record in the state database and print a certified copy for you.
The Georgia DPH vital records office finder can help locate offices across the state, including the Harris County Health Department in Hamilton.
The office finder page above helps residents locate their nearest vital records office, including the Harris County Health Department for death certificate requests.
| Office | Harris County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 210 Forest Hill Drive, Hamilton, GA 31811 |
| Type | Health Department (West Central Health District) |
How to Get Harris County Death Certificates
There are three ways to get a Harris County death certificate. Go to the health department in person, mail a request to the state, or order online. The fee is $25 no matter which method you use. Online orders have an extra processing charge added on top.
For walk-in requests, head to the Harris County Health Department at 210 Forest Hill Drive in Hamilton. You need photo ID and the information about the person who died. Provide their full name, date of death, and place of death. If the record is in the system, staff can print a certified copy the same day. The first copy is $25. Additional copies from the same order cost $5 each. Cash, credit, and debit cards are accepted. The office does not take personal checks for death record orders.
Mail requests use Form 3912 from the Georgia DPH. Send it with a $25 money order or certified check to 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Plan on 8 to 10 weeks for processing and delivery by first class USPS.
Note: If no record is found, the state sends a "not on file" letter and does not refund the $25 search fee.
Order Harris County Death Records Online
Georgia's ROVER system handles online death certificate orders for all counties. You can order a Harris County death certificate through ROVER for $25 plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. All orders ship from the Atlanta state office by USPS first class.
Third-party vendors like VitalChek also process Harris County death record orders. VitalChek can be reached at 877-572-6343. These vendors charge their own service fees. Some offer faster shipping, but the state processes all orders at the same pace. Per OCGA § 31-10-27, the state sets uniform fees for certified copies, and those fees do not change based on how you order.
Who Can Get Harris County Death Certificates
Georgia law sets rules about who receives certified death certificates. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, you need a direct and tangible interest. Eligible requestors include:
- Spouses of the deceased
- Adult children, parents, and siblings
- Grandparents and grandchildren
- Legal representatives and estate executors
- Insurance beneficiaries named in a policy
The public can also order copies of Harris County death records. Public copies are on plain paper with the Social Security number removed. These are fine for genealogy and personal research. They do not work for legal or financial purposes. For a certified copy, bring proof of your relationship to the person who died.
Harris County Death Certificate Filing
After a death in Harris County, the certificate must be filed within ten days. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director files it within 72 hours. The attending physician signs the medical certification covering cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be determined within 48 hours, "pending" is entered on the certificate until the doctor finishes.
Once the Harris County Health Department receives the certificate, it goes to the State Office of Vital Records for registration. After state registration, both the state and the Harris County office can issue certified copies under OCGA § 31-10-26. If a Harris County resident dies in another county, a copy of the death certificate is also sent to the Hamilton office.
Older Harris County Death Records
State death records go back to January 1919. For Harris County deaths before that date, records are limited. The Georgia Archives in Morrow has some older records. Call (678) 364-3700 for help with historical searches.
The Harris County Health Department may have some local records from before 1919. Call the Hamilton office to ask. Church records, cemetery logs, and newspaper death notices can also help trace older deaths in Harris County. The state archives keeps microfilm of many early Georgia vital records that may include Harris County entries.
Nearby Counties
These counties are near Harris County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county in the state.