Access Wilkinson County Death Records
Wilkinson County death records are kept by the probate court in Irwinton, Georgia. The probate court serves as the local registrar for vital records in this central Georgia county. Staff at the Bacon Street office can search the statewide database for death certificates from any county. If you need a death certificate for legal, insurance, or personal purposes, you can visit the Irwinton office for same-day in-person service. The state also offers mail and online ordering for those who cannot come to the courthouse.
Wilkinson County Quick Facts
Wilkinson County Probate Court Vital Records
The Wilkinson County Probate Court on Bacon Street in Irwinton is where you go for death certificates in person. The office connects to the statewide vital records database as the local registrar. The clerk can search for death records from any of Georgia's 159 counties. You do not need to go to the county where the death happened.
Under OCGA § 31-10-2, Georgia runs one central vital records system. All local registrars tie into it. The Wilkinson County Probate Court gives you the same access to records as the state office in Atlanta. Certified copies work for legal use, and plain paper copies work for genealogy or personal records.
The Wilkinson County Probate Court page on the Georgia DPH website shows the office information for death record requests.
The state listing above confirms the Irwinton address and identifies the Wilkinson County Probate Court as the vital records office for this county.
| Office | Wilkinson County Probate Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 Bacon Street, Irwinton, GA 31042 |
| Type | Probate Court (County Registrar) |
Note: A valid photo ID is required for all death record requests at the Wilkinson County Probate Court.
How to Get Wilkinson County Death Certificates
Three ways exist to get a death certificate in Wilkinson County. Walk in to the probate court in Irwinton, send a mail request to the state, or order online. The base cost is $25 for each method.
For walk-in visits at the probate court, go to 100 Bacon Street in Irwinton. Bring your photo ID and have the full name, date of death, and place of death ready. If the record turns up in the database, you get a certified copy that day. The first copy costs $25 and additional copies from the same order are $5 each. The office takes cash and cards but not personal checks.
Mail orders go to the Georgia DPH at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Fill out Form 3912 and send it with a money order or certified check for $25. Processing takes 8 to 10 weeks. All orders ship by first class USPS.
Under OCGA § 31-10-27, the state sets uniform fees for all certified copies. The fees do not change based on ordering method.
Order Wilkinson County Death Records Online
Georgia uses ROVER for online vital record orders. ROVER stands for Request Official Vital Events Records. You can order a Wilkinson County death certificate from home through this system. It adds an $8 processing fee to the $25 base cost. Standard processing is 8 to 10 weeks.
VitalChek also processes Georgia death record orders by phone at 877-572-6343. Third-party vendors charge their own service fees. Some offer rush shipping options, but the state processing time stays the same. All orders ship from the DPH office in Atlanta by USPS.
Note: If no record is found, you get a "not on file" letter. The search and processing fees are not given back.
Who Can Get Death Certificates in Wilkinson County
Under OCGA § 31-10-25, certified death certificates go to people with a direct and tangible interest. Spouses, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal reps, and insurance beneficiaries all qualify.
Anyone can get a plain paper copy of a Wilkinson County death record. These copies have the Social Security number blacked out. They work for genealogy and personal use but not for legal matters like estate settlements or insurance claims. Bring proof of your relationship to the deceased if you need a certified copy. A birth certificate, marriage license, or court order will serve as proof.
Wilkinson County Death Certificate Filing
When a death occurs in Wilkinson 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 physician completes the medical section with cause and manner of death. If the cause cannot be set within 48 hours, "pending" is entered on the form.
After the Wilkinson 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 and local office can then issue certified copies. You can get a Wilkinson County death certificate from the Irwinton probate court or from the state office. Both are legally valid.
If a Wilkinson County resident died in another part of Georgia, a copy of the death certificate also gets sent to Irwinton. The local office may hold records for residents who died elsewhere in the state.
Older Death Records in Wilkinson County
The state system holds death records from January 1919 to the present. For Wilkinson County deaths before 1919, the Georgia Archives in Morrow is the best place to look. Call (678) 364-3700 for genealogy help.
The Wilkinson County Probate Court may have local files from before the state system started. Church records, cemetery logs, and old newspaper death notices from the Irwinton area can also help fill gaps for older deaths. The Georgia Archives keeps microfilm of many early Georgia vital records that are open to the public.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Wilkinson County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue death certificates from any county in the state.