Access Putnam County Death Records

Death records in Putnam County are managed by the probate court in Eatonton, Georgia. The Putnam County Probate Court on South Jefferson Avenue acts as the local registrar for vital records. Eatonton is a small town in the middle part of the state, known for Lake Oconee nearby. The probate court handles death certificate requests, both for local records and records from other Georgia counties. Staff can search the state database and issue certified copies during regular business hours for walk-in visitors.

Putnam County Probate Court Death Records

The Putnam County Probate Court at 100 South Jefferson Avenue in Eatonton is the local office for death certificates. The court also handles birth certificates and marriage licenses. Staff connect to the statewide vital records database and can search for records and issue certified copies. A valid photo ID is needed for every request. The courthouse is in downtown Eatonton with parking available nearby.

Georgia maintains a centralized vital records system under OCGA § 31-10-2. The Putnam County Probate Court plugs into this system. So they can access death records from any of Georgia's 159 counties. You do not have to visit the county where someone died to get the certificate. If you live in Putnam County but need a death record from Chatham County or Hall County, the Eatonton office can pull it for you from the central database.

See the Putnam County Probate Court page on the Georgia DPH site for office details and services.

The DPH page confirms the Putnam County vital records office in Eatonton and lists the services for death certificate orders.

How to Get Putnam County Death Certificates

You can request a Putnam County death certificate in person, by mail, or online. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $5 each.

In-person requests at the Eatonton probate court are the fastest option. Bring your photo ID and the deceased person's full name, date of death, and place of death. The clerk will search the database. If the record is found, you get a certified copy the same day. The office takes cash, credit cards, and debit cards. They do not accept personal checks for vital records. Eatonton is a smaller office, so you usually will not have to wait long.

Mail orders go through the state. Fill out Form 3912 and send it with a $25 money order or certified check to 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Mail processing takes 8 to 10 weeks. Orders ship by first class USPS from Atlanta.

Note: The search fee of $25 is not refunded if no record turns up. A "not on file" letter is sent to you instead.

Order Putnam County Death Records Online

Georgia's ROVER system handles online orders for death certificates from all counties. For Putnam County, the system adds an $8 processing fee to the $25 base cost. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. VitalChek is also available for phone orders at 877-572-6343.

Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the state sets all fees for certified copies. Third-party vendors charge their own service fees on top of the state base price. Every order processes through the state office in Atlanta and goes out by USPS. For quicker service, go to the Putnam County Probate Court in Eatonton.

Who Can Get Putnam County Death Records

Certified death certificates are restricted under OCGA § 31-10-25. They go to people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. This includes spouses, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal representatives and insurance beneficiaries also qualify for certified copies.

The general public can get plain paper copies with the Social Security number blacked out. These work for genealogy and research. They do not work for legal matters like estate settlement or insurance claims. To get a certified copy from Putnam County, bring documentation of your relationship to the deceased. Birth certificates, marriage licenses, and court orders are accepted.

Note: A valid photo ID is required for all requests at the Putnam County Probate Court, no matter what type of copy you need.

Putnam County Death Certificate Filing

Deaths in Putnam County require a death certificate to be filed within ten days. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director files the certificate with the local registrar within 72 hours. A physician signs the medical certification, covering the cause and manner of death. If the cause is not clear within 48 hours, "pending" is entered on the certificate.

After local filing, the certificate goes to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta for state registration. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both state and local offices can then issue certified copies. A death certificate from the Eatonton probate court is legally equal to one from the state office. If a Putnam County resident dies elsewhere in Georgia, a copy of the certificate gets sent back to the local office.

Older Putnam County Death Records

Georgia state records go back to January 1919. For deaths before that in Putnam County, the Georgia Archives at (678) 364-3700 in Morrow can help. They hold some pre-1919 records and assist with genealogy. The Putnam County Probate Court may have local records from before the state system too. Church records, cemetery records, and old newspaper death notices from the Eatonton area are other useful sources for tracking down historical death records in Putnam County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Putnam County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county.