Canton Obituary Records

Canton obituary and death records are handled by the Cherokee County Health Department, which is located right in Canton. As the county seat of Cherokee County, Canton is home to the main vital records office for the area. The Cherokee County Health Department acts as the local registrar for the Georgia Department of Public Health and can issue certified death certificates for deaths that took place anywhere in Georgia from 1919 to the present. Canton residents have the advantage of being in the same city as the county office.

Cherokee County Health Department in Canton

The Cherokee County Health Department is the primary office for Canton obituary and death records. It serves all of Cherokee County, including Canton, Woodstock, and surrounding communities. Since Canton is the county seat, this office is right in town. You do not need to drive to another city to handle your request. The health department acts as the local agent for the Georgia DPH and can print certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in any Georgia county from 1919 on.

A Canton death certificate costs $25 for the first certified copy. Each extra copy of the same record is $5 when you order them together. This fee is set by state law and is the same at every county office in Georgia. The $25 is a non-refundable search fee. If the record is found, one certified copy comes with it. You will need to show a valid photo ID and give the full name and approximate date of death. Walk-in requests at the Cherokee County Health Department in Canton are typically handled the same day, which is a real advantage over mail or online orders.

How to Get Canton Death Records

There are several ways to get a Canton obituary or death record. The fastest is to walk into the Cherokee County Health Department in Canton. You fill out a form, show your ID, and pay $25. Most walk-in requests are done the same day. If you cannot come in person, you can mail a request. Send a completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for $25 to the Cherokee County Health Department. Mail requests generally take 2 to 4 weeks to process.

You can also use the ROVER online system run by the Georgia DPH. ROVER costs $25 plus an $8 processing charge. Standard orders take 8 to 10 weeks. Since the county office is right in Canton, most local residents find it easier to just go in person rather than wait for a ROVER order. But if you have moved away and need a Canton death record, ROVER is the simplest online option.

The DPH office locator below helps you find the nearest vital records office in Georgia.

Use this tool to search by zip code and find offices near your current location.

Canton Death Certificate Access

Georgia law restricts who gets a certified copy of a death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies are limited to people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. That means the legal spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, or a legal representative of the family. Insurance companies and financial institutions with a legitimate interest also qualify. You will need to prove your connection when you request a Canton death record at the Cherokee County office.

Certified copies have an embossed seal, both the State and County Registrar's signatures, and are printed on security paper. This is the version banks, courts, and insurance companies require. The general public can still get a Canton obituary record. It comes as a plain paper copy with the Social Security number taken off. That version still lists the cause, date, and place of death. It works for genealogy, family history, and general research purposes.

Historical Canton Obituary Records

Georgia's statewide death registration started in 1919. The Cherokee County Health Department can issue death certificates for Canton deaths from that year forward. For deaths before 1919, there is no central system. Some old records may be found in church logs, local newspaper archives, or early county files. The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds death certificates from 1919 through 1943. You can search in person or through their online Virtual Vault from home.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, Georgia keeps death records indefinitely. Even old Canton death records from over a hundred years ago should still be on file. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, every death must be registered with the local registrar within 10 days. Funeral directors have 72 hours to file. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30, the State Registrar matches birth and death records to stop identity fraud. These rules have kept the system reliable since 1919.

Georgia State Resources

If the Cherokee County office in Canton cannot help, the state has other options. The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 takes walk-in, mail, and phone requests. Call (404) 679-4702 for questions. The state fee schedule is $25 for the first copy and $5 for extras. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-31, these fees fund the vital records system statewide.

The ROVER system shown below is the state's official online portal for death certificates.

ROVER handles orders for any Georgia death record, not just those from Canton or Cherokee County.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Canton have their own obituary and death record pages. Woodstock is also in Cherokee County and uses the same health department.