Search Towns County Death Records

Towns County death records are managed by the probate court in Hiawassee, Georgia. This mountain county sits in the northeast corner of the state, bordering North Carolina. The probate court serves as the local registrar for vital records. Whether you need a death certificate for legal purposes or research, the Hiawassee office handles it. You can walk in for same-day service, order by mail through the state office, or use the ROVER online system. The court connects to Georgia's statewide database and can access death records from any county.

Towns County Probate Court Vital Records

The Towns County Probate Court on River Street in Hiawassee handles all death certificate requests. Staff can search the state vital records system, verify record details, and issue certified copies. Walk-in service is available during business hours. Most same-day requests get processed quickly. Bring a valid photo ID. That is the rule for every vital records request.

Under OCGA § 31-10-2, Georgia maintains a centralized vital records system. All local registrars link to the same state database. The Towns County Probate Court can pull death records from any Georgia county through this system. You don't have to visit the county where the death took place. The Hiawassee office can handle records from the entire state.

The Towns County Probate Court listing on the Georgia DPH website shows the office location and services for death certificate requests.

The listing confirms the Hiawassee address and contact details for Towns County vital records.

How to Get Towns County Death Certificates

You have three ways to get a death certificate from Towns County. Go in person to the Hiawassee probate court, send a mail request, or order online. All methods cost $25 for the first copy. Extra copies run $5 each from the same order. Walking in is the fastest choice.

For in-person requests, visit the probate court on River Street in Hiawassee. You need a photo ID and the basic information about the deceased: full name, date of death, and place of death. Staff search the state database and print certified copies on the spot. Cash, credit, and debit cards work for payment. Personal checks are not accepted. Towns County is a small mountain county, so check the office hours before making the drive. The roads through the mountains can add travel time.

For mail requests, fill out Form 3912 from the Georgia DPH. Send it with a $25 money order or certified check to 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Processing takes 8 to 10 weeks. The state mails all orders by USPS first class.

Note: If the search turns up no record, you get a "not on file" letter and the $25 fee is not returned.

Order Towns County Death Records Online

Georgia's ROVER online system is the official way to order death certificates from home. It covers Towns County and every other Georgia county. The cost is $25 plus an $8 online processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. All orders ship by USPS from the state office in Atlanta.

VitalChek is another option at 877-572-6343. Third-party vendors add their own service charges. Some have faster shipping, but the state's processing time does not speed up. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the department sets uniform fees for certified copies regardless of how you place the order.

Who Can Get Death Certificates in Towns County

Georgia law restricts certified death certificates to people with a direct and tangible interest. Under OCGA § 31-10-25, that means spouses, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal reps, and named insurance beneficiaries.

Others can get plain paper copies. These have the Social Security number removed and work for genealogy or general research. They won't hold up for legal matters like estate settlement. For a certified copy at the Towns County Probate Court, bring proof of your relationship to the deceased. Accepted documents include birth certificates, marriage licenses, and court orders.

Towns County Death Certificate Filing

After a death in Towns County, the funeral director files the certificate with the local registrar within 72 hours. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the full certificate must be filed within ten days. The physician signs the medical section covering cause and manner of death. If the cause can't be set within 48 hours, "pending" goes on the form.

Once filed locally, the certificate is sent to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta for central registration. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state and the Towns County Probate Court can then issue certified copies. Residents of Towns County who die in other parts of Georgia also have their certificates forwarded to the Hiawassee office.

Older Death Records in Towns County

The state database has records from January 1919 forward. For Towns County deaths before 1919, try the Georgia Archives in Morrow at (678) 364-3700. They hold older records and can help with family history research.

The Towns County Probate Court might keep local records going back before 1919. Church records, cemetery logs, and newspaper obituaries from the Hiawassee area are also valuable for tracing older deaths. The mountain communities in this part of Georgia sometimes kept their own local records that the state did not track. The Georgia Archives has microfilm copies of many early vital records from counties across the state.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Towns County in the northeast Georgia mountains. Any vital records office in Georgia can issue death certificates from any county in the state.