White County Death Records

White County death records are kept by the probate court in Cleveland, Georgia. The probate court serves as the local registrar for all vital records in this northeast Georgia county. Staff at the South Main Street office can search for death certificates from any county in the state and issue copies on the spot. If you need a death certificate for legal, insurance, or personal reasons, you can visit the Cleveland office for same-day service. The state also has mail and online ordering options available for those who cannot come in person.

White County Probate Court Vital Records

The White County Probate Court on South Main Street in Cleveland is where you get death certificates in person. The office acts as the local registrar and ties into the statewide vital records database. The clerk can search for death records from any of Georgia's 159 counties. You do not have to go to the county where the death took place.

Under OCGA § 31-10-2, the state runs a single vital records system. Every local office connects to it. A visit to the White County Probate Court in Cleveland gives you the same access as the state office in Atlanta. You can request certified copies for legal use or plain paper copies for genealogy and research.

The White County Probate Court page on the Georgia DPH website lists the office details for vital record requests in this county.

The listing above from the Georgia Department of Public Health confirms the Cleveland address and shows the White County Probate Court as the local vital records office.

Note: A valid photo ID is needed for every death record request at the White County Probate Court. No exceptions.

How to Get White County Death Certificates

There are three main ways to get a death certificate in White County. Walk in to the probate court in Cleveland, mail a request to the state, or order online. The base fee is $25 for all three.

For walk-in service at the probate court, go to 59 South Main Street in Cleveland. Bring your photo ID along with the full name, date of death, and place of death. The staff will search for the record. If found, you get a certified copy that same day. The first copy costs $25 and each extra copy on the same order is $5. Cash and cards are accepted. The office does not take personal checks.

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

Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the state sets uniform fees for all certified copies. These fees stay the same no matter how you order.

Order White County Death Records Online

Georgia uses ROVER for online vital record orders. ROVER stands for Request Official Vital Events Records. You can order a White County death certificate through this system from anywhere. It adds an $8 processing fee to the $25 base cost. Standard processing is 8 to 10 weeks.

VitalChek is a third-party vendor that also processes Georgia death record orders. Call 877-572-6343 to order by phone. These services charge their own fees on top of the state charge. Some have rush shipping, but the state processes the record on the same timeline regardless. All orders ship from the DPH office in Atlanta by USPS.

Note: If no record is found, a "not on file" letter is mailed to you. The $25 search fee and $8 processing fee are not refunded.

Who Can Get Death Certificates in White County

Under OCGA § 31-10-25, certified death certificates go to people with a direct and tangible interest. This covers spouses, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal reps, and insurance beneficiaries.

The general public can still get White County death records. Public copies come on plain paper with the Social Security number blacked out. These work for genealogy and personal use but not for legal matters. Bring proof of your relationship if you need a certified copy. A birth certificate, marriage license, or court order will serve as proof.

White County Death Certificate Filing

When someone dies in White County, the death certificate must be filed within ten days. Under OCGA § 31-10-15, the funeral director files the certificate with the probate court within 72 hours. A doctor signs the medical section covering cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be set within 48 hours, "pending" is listed on the form.

Once the White County Probate Court gets the death certificate, it goes to the State Office of Vital Records in Atlanta for registration. Under OCGA § 31-10-26, both the state registrar and local office can then issue certified copies. So you can get a White County death certificate from the Cleveland probate court or from the state office. Both are valid for legal purposes.

If a White County resident died in another part of Georgia, a copy of the death certificate also gets forwarded to the Cleveland probate court. The local office may hold records for residents who died elsewhere.

Older Death Records in White County

The state system holds death records from January 1919 to the present. For White County deaths before 1919, the Georgia Archives in Morrow is the best resource. Call (678) 364-3700 for genealogy help.

The White County Probate Court may have local files that go back further than the state system. Church records, cemetery logs, and old newspaper death notices from the Cleveland area can also help fill gaps for older deaths. The state archives keeps microfilm copies of many early Georgia vital records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border White County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county in the state, so pick the office that is most convenient for you.