Berrien County Obituary Records

Berrien County obituary and death records are managed by the Berrien County Probate Court in Nashville, Georgia. As a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health, this office can issue certified copies of death certificates for any death in the state from 1919 to the present. Nashville is the Berrien County seat, and the probate court on North Davis Street handles death record requests alongside its other duties. If you are searching for a Berrien County death record, this guide covers how to request copies in person, by mail, or through the state online system.

Berrien County Probate Court

The Berrien County Probate Court is at 201 North Davis St., Room 175, in Nashville. The office is in the Berrien County Courthouse. Staff there handle death certificate requests along with probate matters and other court business.

Walk-in service at the Berrien County Probate Court requires a photo ID. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Additional copies of the same Berrien County death record are $5 each. The office accepts cash and money orders. Most recent death records can be printed the same day. For older Berrien County obituary records, it may take a bit longer to pull the file from the state database. Nashville is a small town, so the office is usually not too busy. But it is still smart to call before making a long trip, just to make sure the staff can find the record you need.

How to Get Berrien County Death Records

Three methods work for getting Berrien County death certificates. Visit the Nashville office in person. Use the state's online system. Or send a request by mail.

The ROVER online portal lets you order from home. It costs $25 plus an $8 processing fee. You fill in the details about the death and pay by credit card. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. That wait applies to Berrien County records and records from all other Georgia counties ordered through ROVER.

Mail requests need a signed letter that includes the full name and date of death of the person whose Berrien County record you need. Also include your own name, mailing address, and a photocopy of your ID. Attach a money order for $25 payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Send the request to the Berrien County Probate Court in Nashville or to the state DPH office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15 requires that deaths be registered within 10 days, so most Berrien County deaths are in the system within a couple of weeks.

Access to Berrien County Death Certificates

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Berrien County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. That list includes the surviving spouse, parents, adult children, adult siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and legal representatives. Insurance companies with a financial interest in the death also qualify for certified Berrien County death certificates.

The certified version comes on security paper. It has a raised seal and signatures from both the State Registrar and the County Registrar. This is the type that banks, courts, and insurance companies need for legal and financial transactions. If you do not have a direct interest, you still can request a Berrien County death record. You will get a non-certified copy that omits the Social Security number. This copy works for genealogy and general research into Berrien County obituary records. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, falsifying information on a vital records request is a criminal offense in Georgia.

Georgia State Resources

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 handles requests from every Georgia county. Phone: (404) 679-4702. You can visit in person, mail a request, or call for help with Berrien County death records.

The Georgia Archives has historical death records from 1919 through 1943, some of which are available online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 requires funeral homes to maintain case files, which can sometimes be helpful for research. The state fee schedule shows current costs for all vital record types.

The image below shows the Georgia DPH location page for the Berrien County Probate Court in Nashville.

Use this page to check the current hours and get directions to the Berrien County courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Berrien County is in south Georgia. If the Nashville office is not close by, these neighboring counties can help with your death certificate request.