Find Dunwoody Obituary Records

Dunwoody obituary and death records are managed by the DeKalb County vital records office, which serves as the local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health. Dunwoody is in the northern part of DeKalb County, bordering Fulton County and the city of Sandy Springs. All death certificate requests for Dunwoody residents go through the DeKalb County system. You can request records in person, by mail, or through the state's online ordering tool.

DeKalb County Vital Records for Dunwoody

The DeKalb County Vital Records office processes all Dunwoody obituary and death certificate requests. The main office is located in Decatur, the DeKalb County seat. Dunwoody residents can visit during normal business hours. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a Dunwoody death record, and each extra copy of the same record costs $5 when ordered at the same time. A valid photo ID and completed request form are needed for all requests.

DeKalb County also has a Medical Examiner's office that handles death investigations for cases involving accidents, sudden death, or unknown cause. If a death in Dunwoody was investigated by the medical examiner, the death certificate may take longer to complete because additional testing or investigation may be needed. For most Dunwoody deaths from natural causes, the standard vital records process applies and the certificate is usually available within a few weeks.

How to Get Dunwoody Death Certificates

Walk-in visits to the DeKalb County office are the quickest way to get a Dunwoody obituary record. The office is in Decatur, a short drive south from Dunwoody. Bring your photo ID, fill out the request form, and pay the $25 fee. If the record is on file, you can often get it that same day. Cash, money orders, and certified checks are standard payment options.

Mail requests are another way to get Dunwoody death records. Send a completed form, a photocopy of your ID, and a $25 money order or certified check to the DeKalb County Vital Records office in Decatur. Mail-in processing takes one to three weeks. The fee is non-refundable since it covers the search itself. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, the funeral home files the death certificate within 72 hours of the death. The county then registers it within 10 days. Most Dunwoody obituary records are available at the county office within a few weeks.

Forms and instructions for Dunwoody death record requests are on the Georgia DPH website.

Dunwoody Death Certificate Eligibility

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26 determines who gets a certified copy of a Dunwoody death record. Family members with a direct interest qualify. That means the spouse, parents, adult children, adult siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal representatives and insurance companies with documented financial interest also get certified copies. These copies have the embossed seal, registrar signature, and security paper that legal and financial institutions need.

Anyone else can still request a Dunwoody obituary record. They receive an informational copy, which has the Social Security number removed and lacks the embossed seal. It still includes the date, place, and cause of death. Informational copies are perfectly fine for genealogy research, personal records, and general information about a Dunwoody death. No family relationship is needed to order this version.

Online Tools for Dunwoody Obituary Records

The ROVER online system is the state portal for ordering death certificates. You can order a Dunwoody death record through ROVER for $25 plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. Rush options are available if you need the record sooner.

The DPH office locator tool helps Dunwoody residents find the closest vital records office.

Use the locator above to find the DeKalb County vital records office or any other county location in Georgia.

The Georgia Archives maintains death records from 1919 through 1943, all digitized and searchable. For older Dunwoody-area obituary records, this is a good starting point. You can search online or visit the Archives facility in Morrow. The DPH fee page has the current cost schedule for all vital records.

The ROVER system above lets you order certified death certificates online from any Georgia county, including DeKalb County for Dunwoody.

Georgia Statutes on Dunwoody Death Records

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-23 covers corrections and amendments to death certificates in Georgia. If a Dunwoody death record has an error, you file a correction through the DPH. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30 allows the State Registrar to match birth and death certificates to prevent fraud and identity theft. When a match is made, the birth certificate gets marked "Deceased." DPH Regulation 511-1-3-.36 requires all funeral directors in Georgia to keep their own detailed case records. These can serve as a backup source for Dunwoody obituary information when the county office has a delay.

Nearby Cities

Dunwoody is in the north Atlanta metro area, close to several other cities in DeKalb and Fulton counties.