Columbia County Obituary Records

Columbia County obituary and death records are filed through the Columbia County Probate Court in Appling. This fast-growing county in the Augusta metro area processes a large number of vital records requests. The Probate Court on Appling Harlem Road serves as the local vital records agent for the Georgia DPH. Death certificates from 1919 forward are available here. If you need a Columbia County death record, the Probate Court is your primary local option. Mail and online ordering are also available.

Columbia County Probate Court

The Columbia County Probate Court at 1956 Appling Harlem Road in Appling handles all vital records requests for the county. Staff can issue death certificates for any death that occurred in Georgia. Walk-in service is available during business hours.

Bring a valid photo ID to request records. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a Columbia County death certificate. Additional copies cost $5 each when ordered at the same time. The office accepts cash and money orders. Walk-in requests usually finish the same day. Columbia County has a large and growing population, so the Probate Court can get busy. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, all deaths in Georgia must be registered within 10 days. Funeral homes file the certificate within 72 hours.

Columbia County is the wealthiest county in the Augusta area and has been growing fast for decades. Evans and Martinez are the main communities where most residents live, though the Probate Court (and county seat) is in the small town of Appling. Many Columbia County death record requests come from Evans and Martinez residents who make the short drive to Appling.

How to Search Columbia County Death Records

There are three ways to get Columbia County obituary and death records. Visit the Probate Court in Appling. Order by mail. Or use the state online system. Each costs $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 $25 plus $8 for processing. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. For faster service on a Columbia County death record, visit the Probate Court in Appling.

For mail orders, send a signed request to the Columbia County Probate Court 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. Provide the full name and date of death for the person whose Columbia County death certificate you need.

Who Can Get Columbia County Death Certificates

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Columbia County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. That includes the spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal reps and insurance companies also qualify.

A certified copy bears a raised seal and registrar signatures on security paper. Courts and banks need this type. If you lack a direct interest, you can get a non-certified copy of a Columbia County death certificate. It removes the Social Security number but keeps cause of death, date, and place. Non-certified copies work for genealogy and general research into Columbia County obituary records.

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes forging or tampering with a death certificate a crime in Georgia. False statements on vital records applications are also against the law.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

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

The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds death records from 1919 to 1943. The Virtual Vault makes some older records available online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 governs vital records maintenance statewide.

Check the DPH fee schedule for current pricing before submitting a Columbia County death record request.

Below is the Columbia County Probate Court listing on the Georgia DPH website, showing the address and info for the Appling office.

Use the DPH page to confirm hours and directions before visiting the Columbia County Probate Court.

Cities in Columbia County

Columbia County includes the communities of Evans and Martinez, both of which have dedicated city pages on this site. These are the largest population centers in the county, even though Appling is the official county seat.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Columbia County. Any Georgia vital records office can issue a death certificate for a death that occurred in the state. If a neighboring office is more convenient, you can request your Columbia County death record there.