Find Quitman County Death Records

Death records for Quitman County are handled by the probate court in Georgetown, Georgia. Quitman County is one of the least populated counties in Georgia, sitting along the Chattahoochee River on the Alabama border. The Quitman County Probate Court on Old School Road serves as the local registrar for vital records. Despite its small size, the office connects to the same statewide database as every other vital records office in Georgia. Staff can search for death records and issue certified copies for any county in the state.

Quitman County Probate Court Vital Records

The Quitman County Probate Court at 46 Old School Road in Georgetown is the local office for death certificates. The court handles all vital records for this small southwest Georgia county. Staff can search the state database and print certified copies for walk-in visitors. You need a valid photo ID for any request.

Under OCGA § 31-10-2, Georgia's vital records system is centralized. The Quitman County office connects to this system, so they can pull death records from any county in the state. You do not need to go to the county where the death happened. Even though Quitman County is small and remote, the Georgetown office can access the same records as the biggest county offices in metro Atlanta. This is a real convenience for people living in this rural part of the state.

The Quitman County Probate Court listing on the Georgia DPH website provides office details and contact info.

The screenshot above shows the Georgia DPH listing for the Quitman County vital records office in Georgetown.

How to Get Quitman County Death Certificates

Three methods are available for getting a death certificate from Quitman County. You can go to Georgetown in person, mail a request to the state, or order online. The fee is $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra copy on the same order.

Walk-in requests at the Quitman County Probate Court are the fastest way to get a copy. Bring your photo ID and know the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and where the death occurred. The clerk will look up the record. If found, you walk out with a certified copy the same day. The office accepts cash, credit cards, and debit cards. No personal checks for vital records. Because the county is so small, you are unlikely to face a wait.

Mail requests go to the state office. Use Form 3912 from the Georgia DPH and send it with a money order or certified check for $25 to 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks. They ship by first class USPS.

Note: If the state cannot find the record, they send a "not on file" letter. The $25 search fee is not returned.

Order Quitman County Death Records Online

The state's ROVER portal allows online death certificate orders for every Georgia county, including Quitman. ROVER adds an $8 processing fee to the $25 base cost. Standard delivery is 8 to 10 weeks. VitalChek at 877-572-6343 is another option for phone orders.

Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the state prescribes uniform fees for all certified copies. Third-party vendors charge extra on top of the state fee. All orders process through the state office in Atlanta and ship by USPS. For same-day service, the Georgetown probate court is the only local option in Quitman County.

Who Can Get Quitman County Death Records

Georgia law controls who receives certified death certificates. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, you must have a direct and tangible interest. This covers spouses, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal reps and insurance beneficiaries are included as well.

Anyone can request a plain paper copy. These have the Social Security number blacked out. They work for genealogy or general research but not for legal purposes. For a certified copy from Quitman County, bring proof of your relationship to the deceased. Birth certificates, marriage licenses, and court orders are all accepted as documentation.

Note: Valid photo ID is required for every death certificate request at the Quitman County Probate Court.

Quitman County Death Certificate Filing

When a death takes place in Quitman County, the death certificate must 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 section with the cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be set within 48 hours, "pending" is entered on the form.

The certificate then moves to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta for registration. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state and local offices can issue certified copies once the record is in the system. A death certificate from the Georgetown probate court is legally the same as one from the state office. If a Quitman County resident dies in another county, a copy of the certificate is forwarded to the local office.

Older Death Records in Quitman County

State records start in January 1919. For deaths before that in Quitman County, the Georgia Archives in Morrow can help. Call (678) 364-3700 for assistance. The probate court may also hold some older local records. Quitman County has always been sparsely populated, so pre-1919 death records can be especially hard to find. Church records, cemetery logs, and old newspaper notices are some of the best sources for tracking down historical death records in the area.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Quitman County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county in the state.