Access Bleckley County Death Records

Bleckley County obituary and death records are available from the Bleckley County Health Department in Cochran. This health department serves as a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and processes death certificate requests for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia since 1919. Cochran is a small city in central Georgia, and the health department on North 8th Street is the local place to get Bleckley County death records. You can also use the state's online system or mail a request if you cannot visit in person.

Bleckley County Health Department

The Bleckley County Health Department handles death certificate requests at 152 North 8th Street in Cochran. This small office serves as the vital records agent for Bleckley County and can access the statewide system to issue certified copies. The health department is easy to find in downtown Cochran near the courthouse.

To get a Bleckley County death certificate in person, bring a photo ID and the $25 fee. Extra copies are $5 each when ordered together. Cash and money orders are the typical forms of payment at this office. The staff can usually print recent Bleckley County death records on the spot. Older records may need to be pulled from the state system, which takes more time. Because Bleckley County is small, the health department does not see a high volume of vital records requests. That generally means shorter wait times for walk-in visitors compared to bigger counties.

How to Get Bleckley County Death Records

Visiting the health department in Cochran is the fastest method. But there are two other ways to get Bleckley County obituary and death records if you cannot go in person.

The ROVER online system lets you order a death certificate from any Georgia county. The cost is $25 plus an $8 processing fee. Enter the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the county of death. ROVER mails the certificate to you. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks for Bleckley County records and all other Georgia counties.

You can also mail a request directly. Write a letter with the decedent's name, date of death, and place of death. Include your own name and mailing address, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for $25 payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Send it to the Bleckley County Health Department in Cochran or to the state DPH at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, all deaths in Georgia must be registered within 10 days after they occur. The funeral director files the death certificate within 72 hours. So Bleckley County records are typically available soon after the death.

Bleckley County Death Certificate Eligibility

Georgia law limits certified copies. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, only those with a direct and tangible interest can get a certified Bleckley County death certificate. Eligible parties include the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and legal representatives. Insurance companies with a financial interest in the death qualify as well.

Certified copies are on security paper. They bear a raised seal and signatures from the State and County Registrar. This is the version needed for legal proceedings, estate settlements, and insurance claims. Everyone else can request a non-certified copy of the Bleckley County obituary record. The non-certified version has the Social Security number removed but shows all other details, including the name, date, place, and cause of death. It is suitable for genealogy research and personal records. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it a crime to forge or falsify vital records in Georgia.

Georgia Resources for Bleckley County Records

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office is the statewide resource. Located at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, they accept walk-in, mail, and phone requests. Call (404) 679-4702 for help with Bleckley County death records.

Historical death records from 1919 to 1943 are at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Some old Bleckley County obituary records may be available through their online Virtual Vault. Under DPH Regulation 511-1-3, funeral directors in Georgia must keep detailed case records for every death they handle. The fee schedule page on the DPH site shows current costs for all vital records, including Bleckley County death certificates.

Here is the DPH location page for the Bleckley County Health Department in Cochran, showing address and contact details.

Confirm hours and directions on the DPH page before visiting the Bleckley County office.

Nearby Counties

Bleckley County is in the center of Georgia. These neighboring counties have offices that can also issue death certificates from the state system.