Access Pickens County Death Records

Death records for Pickens County are handled by the probate court in Jasper, Georgia. The Pickens County Probate Court on North Main Street is the local registrar for vital records in this north Georgia county. Jasper sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the courthouse is where all death certificate requests go. Staff at the probate court can search the state system and issue certified copies on the same day you visit. You can also order by mail through the state or use the online portal if you cannot make the trip to Jasper.

Pickens County Probate Court Vital Records

The Pickens County Probate Court at 50 North Main Street in Jasper is the local office for death certificates and other vital records. The court connects to the statewide vital records database managed by the Georgia Department of Public Health. Staff can search for records and print certified copies while you wait. A valid photo ID is required for all requests.

Georgia's vital records system is centralized under OCGA § 31-10-2. The Pickens County office can access death records from any county in the state through this system. You do not need to go to the county where the death occurred. If you live in Pickens County and need a death certificate from Bibb or Gwinnett or any other county, the Jasper office can pull it for you.

Visit the Pickens County Probate Court listing on the Georgia DPH site for full office details.

This DPH listing shows the Pickens County vital records office in Jasper with its address and available services for death certificate orders.

How to Get Pickens County Death Certificates

There are three ways to request a death certificate in Pickens County. Walk in to the probate court, send a mail request, or order online. The fee is $25 for the first copy and $5 for additional copies on the same order.

In-person requests are the fastest. Go to the Pickens County Probate Court at 50 North Main Street in Jasper with your photo ID. You need the full name of the deceased person, the date of death, and the place of death. The clerk will look up the record. If found, you get a certified copy right away. The court accepts cash, credit, and debit cards for payment. Personal checks are not taken for vital records.

To order by mail, fill out Form 3912 and send it with a money order or certified check for $25 to the state office at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks to process. They ship by first class USPS.

Note: If no record is found during the search, the state sends a "not on file" letter and does not refund the $25 fee.

Order Pickens County Death Records Online

Georgia's ROVER portal lets you order death certificates online. It works for all counties, including Pickens. The site charges an $8 processing fee on top of the $25 base cost. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. You can also call VitalChek at 877-572-6343 to order by phone.

The base fee for certified copies is set by the state under OCGA § 31-10-27. Third-party vendors charge extra for their own services, but the state portion stays the same. All orders, whether through ROVER or a third party, are processed at the state office in Atlanta and shipped by USPS.

Who Can Get Pickens County Death Records

Under OCGA § 31-10-25, certified death certificates go to those with a direct and tangible interest. This means the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren of the deceased. Legal representatives and insurance beneficiaries also qualify.

The public can get plain paper copies. These have the Social Security number blacked out. They work for genealogy and research but are not valid for legal purposes. To get a certified copy from Pickens County, bring proof of your relationship to the deceased. A birth certificate, marriage license, or court order serves as acceptable proof.

Pickens County Death Certificate Filing

Deaths in Pickens County must have a death certificate filed within ten days. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director files the certificate within 72 hours. A doctor signs the medical part with the cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be set within 48 hours, the form says "pending" until the physician finishes the review.

After filing, the record goes to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta for state registration. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state registrar and the local office can issue certified copies once the record is in the system. A Pickens County death certificate from the Jasper probate court holds the same legal weight as one from Atlanta.

Note: If a Pickens County resident dies in another Georgia county, a copy of the death certificate gets sent back to Pickens County.

Older Death Records in Pickens County

The state database has death records from January 1919 forward. For Pickens County deaths before 1919, the Georgia Archives in Morrow is the best resource. Call (678) 364-3700 to ask about older records. The Pickens County Probate Court may also have some local records from before the state system started. Church records, cemetery records, and newspaper death notices from the Jasper area can fill in gaps for historical research.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Pickens County. Since any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county, pick the closest office to you.