Find Lee County Death Records

Lee County death records are maintained by the probate court in Leesburg, Georgia. The Lee County Probate Court acts as the local registrar for vital records in this southwest Georgia county located next to Albany. Death certificate requests go through the Leesburg office for walk-in visitors. The probate court connects to the statewide vital records database, which means staff can pull death records from any county in Georgia. You can also order certificates online through the state's ROVER system or by mailing a request to the Atlanta office.

Lee County Probate Court Death Records

The Lee County Probate Court is at 100 Leslie Highway in Leesburg. This is the office where you request death certificates for Lee County. The probate court staff can search the state database and issue certified copies to eligible requestors. A valid photo ID is required for all death record requests. Walking into the Leesburg office gets you the fastest service since copies can often be provided the same day.

Under OCGA § 31-10-2, Georgia operates one centralized vital records system. The Lee County Probate Court connects to this system just like every other county. That means the Leesburg office can pull death records from any of the 159 Georgia counties. This is especially useful for Lee County residents who might also need records from neighboring Dougherty County, where Albany is the county seat. You do not have to visit each county separately.

The Lee County Probate Court listing on the Georgia DPH site shows the office address and confirms vital records services.

The listing above confirms the Lee County Probate Court as the local vital records office in Leesburg for death certificate services.

Getting Lee County Death Certificates

You can get a Lee County death certificate three ways: walk in, mail a request, or order online. The cost is $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy from the same order. These fees apply no matter which method you use, though online orders carry an extra processing charge.

For in-person requests, go to the Lee County Probate Court at 100 Leslie Highway in Leesburg. You need your photo ID and basic information about the deceased: full name, date of death, and the county where the death took place. The staff will search the state system and can give you a certified copy the same day in most cases. They accept cash, credit, and debit cards. Personal checks are not taken at the Lee County office for death record orders.

Mail requests use Form 3912 from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Complete the form, include a $25 money order or certified check, and mail it to 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Processing takes 8 to 10 weeks. The state sends completed orders by first class USPS.

Order Lee County Death Records Online

Georgia's ROVER system processes online death certificate orders for Lee County and every other Georgia county. ROVER charges the $25 base fee plus $8 for processing, bringing the online total to $33. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks from the time the state handles your order.

VitalChek also processes Lee County death record orders by phone at 877-572-6343. Third-party vendors have their own service fees. Some offer rush shipping, but the state office processing time stays at 8 to 10 weeks. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the department prescribes uniform fees for certified copies of vital records. The base $25 charge applies across all ordering methods.

Note: If no record is found for your request, the state sends a "not on file" letter. The $25 search fee is not refunded.

Who Can Request Lee County Death Certificates

Certified death certificates have restricted access under state law. Per OCGA § 31-10-25, you need a direct and tangible interest in the record. Qualified requestors include the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal representatives, and insurance beneficiaries. Be ready to prove your relationship to the deceased when you visit the Lee County Probate Court.

Anyone can still request a plain paper copy of a Lee County death record. These public copies have the Social Security number removed. They work for genealogy and general reference but are not valid for legal uses like estate settlement or insurance claims. A photo ID is required for all death record requests at the Leesburg office, no matter which type of copy you want.

Lee County Death Certificate Filing

When someone dies in Lee County, the death certificate must be filed with the local registrar within ten days. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director files the certificate within 72 hours. A physician signs the medical section with the cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be set within 48 hours, "pending" goes on the form.

After filing at the Lee County Probate Court, the death certificate moves to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. The state registers it in the central database. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state registrar and local custodian can issue certified copies. A Lee County death certificate from Leesburg holds the same legal weight as one from the state office. If a Lee County resident dies in another county, a copy of the death certificate is also sent back to the Leesburg office.

Older Lee County Death Records

The state system covers death records from January 1919 to the present. For deaths before 1919 in Lee County, records are harder to locate. The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds some older vital records. Their number is (678) 364-3700.

The Lee County Probate Court in Leesburg may have local records from before 1919. Call the office to check. Church records, cemetery logs, and newspaper death notices from the Leesburg area can help with research into older Lee County deaths. The Georgia Archives maintains microfilm of early vital records from across the state that may include this county.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lee County. Any vital records office in Georgia can pull death certificates from any county, so visit whichever is closest to you.