Statesboro Death Record Search

Statesboro obituary and death records go through the Bulloch County Health Department. Statesboro is the county seat of Bulloch County, located in southeastern Georgia. It is the largest city in the county and home to Georgia Southern University. The Bulloch 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 in Georgia from 1919 to the present. For a Statesboro death record, the county health department is where you go.

Bulloch County Health Department for Statesboro

The Bulloch County Health Department is the main office for Statesboro obituary and death records. It serves all of Bulloch County, including Statesboro and the surrounding area. Since Statesboro is the county seat, the health department is in town. The office acts as the local agent for the Georgia DPH and can issue certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in any Georgia county from 1919 forward.

A Statesboro death certificate costs $25 for the first certified copy. Each extra copy of the same record is $5 when ordered at the same time. This is the standard Georgia fee set by the DPH and applied at every county office. The $25 is a non-refundable search fee. If the record is found, one certified copy is included. You will need a valid photo ID and the full name and approximate date of death for the person you are searching for. Walk-in requests at the Bulloch County Health Department are usually processed the same day.

How to Get Statesboro Death Records

You can get a Statesboro obituary or death record in several ways. The fastest option is to walk into the Bulloch County Health Department in Statesboro. Same-day service is the norm for records in the system. Bring your photo ID and $25. If you are not local, you can mail a request. Send a completed application, a copy of your ID, and a money order for $25 to the Bulloch County Health Department. Mail orders take about 2 to 4 weeks. Personal checks are not accepted at most Georgia vital records offices.

The ROVER online system is another way to order a Statesboro death record. ROVER is run by the Georgia DPH and lets you order from anywhere. The cost is $25 plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you are a Statesboro resident, going to the health department in person is much faster. ROVER is better suited for people who live far from Bulloch County.

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

Search by zip code to find the closest office to your location.

Who Can Get a Statesboro Death Certificate

Georgia law controls who gets a certified death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies are for those with a direct and tangible interest. That means the legal spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, or a legal representative. Insurance companies and financial institutions with a legitimate need qualify too. You must prove your relationship when you request a Statesboro death record at the Bulloch County office.

A certified copy of a Statesboro death certificate has an embossed seal, the signatures of both the State and County Registrar, and is printed on security paper. This is what banks, courts, and insurance companies need. If you are not an eligible party, you can still order a Statesboro obituary record. The public version is a plain paper copy with the Social Security number removed. It still shows the cause, date, and place of death. It works for genealogy and general research.

Historical Statesboro Obituary Records

Georgia started statewide death registration in 1919. The Bulloch County Health Department can issue death certificates for Statesboro deaths from that year forward. For deaths before 1919, there is no central system. Some records from that era may survive in church logs, old newspaper obituaries, or early county files. The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds death certificates from 1919 through 1943 that can be searched in person or online through the Virtual Vault.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, the state keeps death records indefinitely. Old Statesboro death records from the early 1900s should still be on file. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, every death must be registered within 10 days, with the funeral director filing the certificate within 72 hours. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30, the State Registrar can match birth and death certificates to prevent identity fraud. These rules have kept the system reliable for over a century.

Georgia State Resources

If the Bulloch County Health Department cannot help with your Statesboro obituary search, 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 help. The state fee schedule is $25 for the first copy. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-31, these fees cover the cost of maintaining Georgia's vital records.

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

ROVER works for any Georgia death record, not just Statesboro or Bulloch County records.