Brookhaven Death Record Search

Brookhaven obituary and death records go through the DeKalb County vital records office. Brookhaven is in the northern part of DeKalb County, just northeast of Atlanta. Like all Georgia cities, Brookhaven does not have its own vital records office. The county handles all death certificate requests. If you need to find a Brookhaven obituary record or get a certified copy of a death certificate, you will work with the DeKalb County system or the Georgia Department of Public Health.

DeKalb County Records for Brookhaven

The DeKalb County Vital Records office issues death certificates for all Brookhaven obituary record requests. The main office is in Decatur, the county seat. Brookhaven residents can visit this location to get copies. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Extra copies of the same Brookhaven death record cost $5 each. You need a photo ID and a completed request form. Walk-in service is the fastest option, with same-day turnaround when the record is on file.

DeKalb County has a Medical Examiner's office that deals with certain death investigations. If the death in Brookhaven was sudden, unattended, or involved unusual circumstances, the medical examiner may have handled the case. In those situations, the death certificate might take longer to finalize because the ME needs to determine the cause. For standard natural deaths in Brookhaven, the vital records office in Decatur can help without any delay once the funeral home has filed the paperwork.

How to Get Brookhaven Obituary Records

In-person requests at the DeKalb County office are straightforward. Bring a photo ID and the details you know about the person who died. The staff will search for the Brookhaven death record. If found, you pay $25 and get the certified copy. Additional copies of the same record are $5 each when ordered at the same time. Walk-ins can often get their records the same day.

Mail requests take longer. Send a completed application, a photocopy of your ID, and a $25 money order or certified check to the DeKalb County Vital Records office. Expect one to three weeks for processing. The fee covers the search and is non-refundable even if the Brookhaven obituary record cannot be located. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, funeral directors must file the death certificate within 72 hours, so most records become available within a few weeks of the death.

You can also use the Georgia DPH website for forms and instructions that apply to Brookhaven death certificate requests.

Access Rules for Brookhaven Death Certificates

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Brookhaven death records are given to people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. The spouse, parents, adult children, adult siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren all qualify. Legal representatives and insurance companies with a financial interest can also get certified copies. A certified copy has a raised embossed seal, the registrar's signature, and is printed on special security paper. This is the type needed for legal matters, insurance claims, and bank transactions.

General public members can request informational copies of Brookhaven obituary records. These have the Social Security number redacted and lack the embossed seal. They still show the cause, date, and place of death. Informational copies work for family research, genealogy, and general information needs. No proof of relationship is needed to get this type of copy.

Online Tools for Brookhaven Death Records

The ROVER online portal is the state system for ordering death certificates. You can use it to get a Brookhaven death record without visiting the DeKalb County office. The online fee is $25 plus an $8 processing charge. Standard orders arrive in 8 to 10 weeks. Rush processing is also available for an extra cost.

Use the Georgia DPH office locator below to find the nearest vital records office to Brookhaven.

The locator tool above shows all vital records offices in Georgia, including the DeKalb County location serving Brookhaven residents.

For historical records, the Georgia Archives holds death records from 1919 to 1943. These are digitized and searchable. If you need an older Brookhaven-area death record, this is a good starting point. The DPH fee page has the latest pricing for all types of vital records.

The ROVER system above is how you order Georgia death certificates online from any county, including DeKalb County for Brookhaven.

Georgia Statutes on Death Records

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-23 governs corrections to Brookhaven death records. If you find an error, the correction process goes through the DPH. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30 allows matching of birth and death records to prevent fraud. DPH Regulation 511-1-3-.36 requires funeral homes to maintain their own records, which can serve as an additional source of Brookhaven obituary information when the county office cannot help right away.

Nearby Cities

Brookhaven is surrounded by several other cities in the north metro Atlanta area. Most are in DeKalb County or neighboring Fulton and Gwinnett counties.