Polk County Death Records Lookup

Death records in Polk County are handled through the probate court in Cedartown, Georgia. The Polk County Probate Court on Prior Street is the local registrar for vital records in the county. Cedartown sits in northwest Georgia, not far from the Alabama state line. The court office processes death certificate requests and connects to the statewide database maintained by the Georgia Department of Public Health. You can visit in person for quick service or use the state mail and online options if you cannot get to Cedartown.

Polk County Probate Court Death Records

The Polk County Probate Court is at 100 Prior Street, Room 102, in Cedartown. This is the local office for death certificates, birth certificates, and marriage licenses. The staff can search the Georgia vital records database and print certified copies during business hours. You need a valid photo ID for any request. Parking is available near the courthouse.

Georgia operates a centralized vital records system under OCGA § 31-10-2. The Polk County Probate Court connects to this system. That means you can get a death certificate from any Georgia county at the Cedartown office. You do not need to visit the county where the death took place. For people in northwest Georgia, this saves a trip to Atlanta or wherever else the death may have occurred.

The Polk County Probate Court page on the Georgia DPH site provides the office location and contact information.

The screenshot shows the Georgia DPH listing for the Polk County vital records office in Cedartown, confirming the address and services.

How to Get Polk County Death Certificates

You can get a Polk County death certificate in person, by mail, or online. The fee is $25 for the first copy. Extra copies cost $5 each when ordered together. The method you choose affects how long it takes but not the base cost.

For in-person service, go to Room 102 at 100 Prior Street in Cedartown. Bring photo ID and the information about the deceased. You need the full name, date of death, and place of death. The clerk searches the state database. If the record is found, you walk out with a certified copy the same day. The office accepts cash, credit cards, and debit cards. Personal checks are not accepted for vital records.

Mail orders go to the state office in Atlanta. Fill out Form 3912 and include a money order or certified check for $25. Send it to 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Processing takes 8 to 10 weeks. The state ships all mail orders by first class USPS.

Note: The $25 search fee is non-refundable even when no record is found. The state sends a "not on file" letter in that case.

Order Polk County Death Records Online

Georgia's ROVER system is the official online portal for ordering death certificates. It covers every county in the state, including Polk. ROVER charges an $8 processing fee on top of the $25 certificate fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. VitalChek is available at 877-572-6343 for phone orders.

Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the department sets uniform fees for certified copies. Third-party vendors add their own service fees. The state base fee stays the same regardless of how you order. All orders are processed in Atlanta and shipped by USPS first class mail. For faster service, visit the Polk County Probate Court in Cedartown.

Who Can Request Polk County Death Records

Georgia law restricts certified death certificates to people with a direct and tangible interest. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, this means the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren of the deceased. Legal representatives and insurance beneficiaries qualify too.

The general public can request plain paper copies. These come with the Social Security number removed. Plain paper copies work for genealogy and research purposes. They are not valid for legal use such as settling an estate or claiming benefits. For a certified copy from Polk County, bring documentation of your relationship to the deceased. A birth certificate, marriage license, or court order is accepted as proof.

Note: Photo ID is required for every request at the Polk County Probate Court, regardless of the type of copy.

Polk County Death Certificate Filing

When a death occurs in Polk County, the death certificate has to be filed with the local registrar within ten days. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director files the certificate within 72 hours of assuming custody. A physician signs the medical certification section, listing the cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be determined within 48 hours, "pending" is entered on the form.

Once filed locally, the record goes to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. The state registers it and adds it to the central database. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state and local offices can issue certified copies. A death certificate from the Cedartown probate court carries the same legal weight as one from the state office.

If a Polk County resident dies in a different Georgia county, a copy of the certificate gets forwarded to Polk County. So the probate court may have records for local residents who died elsewhere.

Older Death Records in Polk County

The state database covers deaths from January 1919 to the present. For Polk County deaths before 1919, try the Georgia Archives in Morrow at (678) 364-3700. The Polk County Probate Court may hold some local records from before the state system started. Church records, cemetery logs, and newspaper death notices from the Cedartown area are useful sources for older records. The Georgia Archives has microfilm copies of many early vital records from across the state.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Polk County. Since any vital records office in Georgia can issue death certificates from any county, visit whichever office is closest to you.