Search Union County Death Records

Union County death records are managed by the probate court in Blairsville, Georgia. This north Georgia mountain county uses the probate court as its local registrar for vital records. Whether you need a death certificate for legal use or family research, the Blairsville office can help. Walk-in requests get same-day processing. You can also order by mail from the state office in Atlanta or use the ROVER online system. The probate court connects to Georgia's statewide database and can access death records from any county in the state.

Union County Probate Court Vital Records

The Union County Probate Court on Courthouse Street in Blairsville handles death certificate requests for the county. As the local registrar, this office can search for records, verify information, and issue certified copies. Walk-in visits are the fastest way to get a death certificate. Most requests are processed the same day. A valid photo ID is required for every request. No exceptions.

Georgia's vital records system is centralized. Under OCGA § 31-10-2, all local registrars connect to the same state database run by the Department of Public Health. The Union County Probate Court can access death records from all 159 Georgia counties. You don't need to travel to the county where the death occurred. The Blairsville office can handle records from anywhere in the state.

The Union County Probate Court listing on the Georgia DPH website shows the office details for vital records services in Blairsville.

The listing above confirms the Blairsville address and services offered at the Union County vital records office.

How to Get Union County Death Certificates

You have three options for getting a Union County death certificate. Walk into the Blairsville probate court, send a mail request, or order online. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Extra copies from the same order cost $5 each. In-person visits are the quickest method.

For walk-in requests, go to the Union County Probate Court on Courthouse Street in Blairsville. Bring your photo ID, the deceased person's full name, date of death, and place of death. The staff will search the state database and print a certified copy if found. Payment by cash, credit card, or debit card is accepted. Personal checks are not taken for vital records orders. Union County is in the north Georgia mountains, and the drive can be slow in bad weather. Call ahead to make sure the office is open, especially in winter.

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

Note: The $25 search fee is not refunded if no record is found. The state sends a "not on file" letter instead.

Order Union County Death Records Online

The ROVER online system is the state's portal for ordering death certificates from home. It works for Union County and every other county in Georgia. The cost is $25 plus an $8 processing charge. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks from the state office in Atlanta. All orders ship by USPS.

VitalChek is another option at 877-572-6343 for phone and online orders. Third-party services charge their own fees on top of the state cost. Some offer expedited shipping, though the state processing time remains the same. Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the department sets uniform fees for all certified copies.

Who Can Get Death Certificates in Union County

Under OCGA § 31-10-25, certified death certificates are limited to people with a direct and tangible interest. Spouses, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal representatives, and insurance beneficiaries all qualify.

Anyone can request a plain paper copy. The public version has the Social Security number blacked out. It works for genealogy and general research. It does not work for legal matters like estate settlement or insurance claims. For a certified copy from Union County, bring proof of your relationship to the deceased. Birth certificates, marriage licenses, and court orders are accepted documentation.

Union County Death Certificate Filing

The funeral director files a death certificate with the Union County registrar within 72 hours of taking custody of the body. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the complete certificate must be on file within ten days. The attending physician signs the medical section with cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be set within 48 hours, "pending" is entered on the form.

The Union County registrar forwards the certificate to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta. It gets registered in the central database. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state and the local office can issue certified copies after registration. Union County residents who die in other parts of Georgia have their certificates sent back to the Blairsville office as well.

Older Death Records in Union County

The state database has death records from January 1919 to the present. For Union County deaths before 1919, the Georgia Archives in Morrow is your best resource. Call (678) 364-3700 for help with older records.

The Union County Probate Court may have local files that go further back than the state system. Church records, cemetery logs, and old newspaper obituaries from the Blairsville area are good sources for tracing earlier deaths. Mountain communities in north Georgia sometimes kept their own records that the state did not collect. The Georgia Archives has microfilm of many early county vital records from across the state.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Union County in the north Georgia mountains. All Georgia vital records offices connect to the same state database, so you can visit whichever office is closest.