Augusta Death Record Search

Augusta obituary and death records are managed through the Richmond County Department of Vital Records. Augusta and Richmond County operate as a consolidated government, so city and county services are combined. Death records for Augusta go back to 1904 at the local level, and the county office can also issue certificates for deaths anywhere in Georgia from 1919 forward. The vital records office is inside the Richmond County Health Department on North Leg Road.

Richmond County Vital Records for Augusta

The Richmond County Department of Vital Records handles all Augusta obituary and death certificate requests. This office is located inside the Richmond County Health Department at 1916 North Leg Road, Augusta, GA. You can call them at 706-667-4319 for questions about any Augusta death record. The office serves as the local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and can issue certificates for deaths that happened anywhere in Georgia from 1919 to the present.

Walk-in service costs $25 for the first certified copy of an Augusta death record. Each extra copy of the same record is $5 when ordered at the same time. The $25 fee is a non-refundable search fee that includes one certified copy if the record is found. You need to bring a valid photo ID and know the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Georgia law requires all vital record requests to include ID and a signature. Payment can be made by cash, credit card, or debit card for walk-in visits.

Augusta Coroner and Death Investigations

The Augusta-Richmond County Coroner's Office plays a role in many Augusta death records. Coroner Mark Bowen and his staff respond to calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They investigate and determine the cause and manner of death in cases of homicide, suicide, accidental death, undetermined deaths, and natural deaths that are sudden, unexpected, or medically unattended. This office handles a significant number of death cases in the Augusta area each year.

When the Coroner's investigation and post-mortem examination are complete, the Coroner or a Deputy Coroner will complete the death certificate that was started by the funeral home. The certificate goes back to the funeral director, who is then responsible for having it certified. The family gets the death certificate after the funeral or services. After that initial period, copies of an Augusta obituary record can be purchased from the Richmond County Department of Vital Records by calling 706-667-4319. This process means there can be a short delay before Augusta death records are available for public requests.

How to Get Augusta Death Records

You have three main ways to get an Augusta obituary or death record. Walk in to the Richmond County Health Department for same-day service. Order online through the ROVER system run by the state. Or mail a request to the county vital records office. Each method has the same $25 base fee for the first certified copy.

The ROVER online system charges $25 plus an $8 processing fee for a total of $33. Standard ROVER orders take 8 to 10 weeks to arrive by mail. If you need an Augusta death record faster, walk-in service at the Richmond County office is your best option. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, every death in Georgia must be registered with the local registrar within 10 days. The funeral director files the certificate within 72 hours. So most Augusta death records are in the system within a few weeks of the death.

The state DPH office locator can help you find the right office for your area.

Use this tool to search by zip code or city name for the nearest vital records office to you in the Augusta area.

Augusta Death Certificate Access

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Augusta death certificates go to people with a direct and tangible interest. The legal spouse, adult children, adult siblings, parents, grandparents, and grandchildren all qualify. Legal representatives of the family and insurance companies with a financial interest can also get certified copies. You must show proof of your relationship when you ask for a certified Augusta death record.

A certified copy has an embossed seal, the signatures of the State and County Registrar, and is printed on security paper. This is the version banks, courts, and insurance companies need. Members of the public who do not have a direct interest can still get an Augusta death record, but they receive a plain paper copy with the Social Security number taken off. That copy still shows the cause of death, the date, and the place. It works for genealogy and general lookups.

Historical Augusta Obituary Records

Augusta has local death records going back to 1904. This is 15 years before the state of Georgia started its own system in 1919. For deaths that happened in Augusta before 1919, the Richmond County office may have records the state does not. The Georgia Archives in Morrow has state death certificates from 1919 through 1943 that you can search in person. The Virtual Vault has some digitized records available online.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, the state keeps vital records indefinitely. This means old Augusta death records should still exist somewhere in the system. If the Richmond County office does not have what you need, try the Georgia Archives or the state DPH office. For very old records, church records and cemetery records in the Augusta area may also help fill in gaps. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30, the State Registrar matches birth and death records to prevent fraud and mark birth certificates as "Deceased" when appropriate.

State Resources for Augusta Death Records

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 is another option for Augusta obituary records. You can call them at (404) 679-4702. The state fee schedule is the same $25 base cost. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-31, these fees cover the cost of maintaining vital records across Georgia. The state office accepts walk-in, mail, and phone requests for any Georgia death record.

The ROVER system shown above is the state's official portal for ordering death certificates from any location in Georgia, including Augusta.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Augusta also have their own obituary and death record pages on this site. Each uses its own county vital records office for death certificate requests.