Clarke County Death Record Search

Clarke County obituary and death records are managed through the Clarke County Health Department in Athens. As a unified city-county government, Athens-Clarke County has one vital records office that serves the entire area. The health department on Harris Street acts as the local agent for the Georgia DPH. Death certificates for any Georgia death from 1919 to the present are available here. If you need a Clarke County death record, this office in Athens is the best place to start.

Clarke County Health Department

The Clarke County Health Department at 345 N. Harris Street in Athens is the local vital records office. Staff handle death certificate requests for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia. Walk-in service is available during regular business hours.

Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a Clarke County death certificate. Each extra copy costs $5 when ordered at the same time. The office takes cash and money orders. Most walk-in requests finish the same day. Clarke County is home to the University of Georgia, so the area has a larger population than many Georgia counties. The health department stays busy, especially during peak hours. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, all deaths in Georgia must be registered within 10 days.

The Clarke County Health Department also serves nearby communities that may not have their own vital records office. If you live in a surrounding county, you can still request death certificates here since any Georgia vital records office can pull records for deaths that occurred anywhere in the state.

How to Get Clarke County Death Records

Three options exist for getting Clarke County obituary and death records. Visit the health department in Athens. Order by mail. Or use the state online system. All methods cost $25 for the first certified copy.

The Georgia ROVER system processes online orders for death certificates from all Georgia counties. You need the full name of the deceased, date of death, and county of death. ROVER charges the $25 state fee plus an $8 processing fee. Delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. For faster service on a Clarke County death record, visit the Athens health department.

For mail orders, send a signed request to the Clarke County Health Department or to the state DPH office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Include your name, address, phone number, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for $25. List the full name and date of death for the person whose Clarke County death certificate you need.

Who Can Get Clarke County Death Certificates

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26 limits who can get certified copies of Clarke County death records. You must have a direct and tangible interest. The spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren qualify. Legal representatives and insurance companies also meet the standard.

A certified copy comes with a raised seal and registrar signatures on security paper. This is what banks, courts, and insurance firms require. If you lack a direct interest, you can still get a non-certified copy of a Clarke County death certificate. The non-certified version removes the Social Security number but keeps the cause of death, date, and place. It works for genealogy and general research into Clarke County obituary records.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, forging or tampering with a death certificate is a criminal offense in Georgia.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office processes requests from all 159 counties. Visit them at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 or call (404) 679-4702. They handle walk-in, mail, and phone orders for Clarke County death records.

Historical Clarke County obituary records from 1919 to 1943 are held at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The Virtual Vault makes some of these older records available online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 sets the standards for vital records maintenance statewide.

The DPH fee schedule page lists current pricing for all vital record types. Check it before sending payment for a Clarke County death record.

Below is the Clarke County Health Department page on the Georgia DPH website, where you can find contact details and directions for the Athens office.

Confirm hours and get driving directions before you visit the Clarke County Health Department.

Cities in Clarke County

Clarke County operates as a unified government with Athens. Athens is the county seat and the only major city. Residents use the Clarke County Health Department for all death certificate requests.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clarke County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue a death certificate for a death that occurred in the state. A neighboring office may be more convenient for your Clarke County death record request.