Search Dade County Obituary Records

Dade County obituary and death records are handled by the Dade County Probate Court in Trenton. The probate court serves as a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and issues certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Georgia from 1919 onward. Dade County sits in the northwest tip of Georgia, bordered by Tennessee to the north and Alabama to the west. If you need a Dade County death certificate, the probate court on West Crabtree Street in Trenton is the local option. You can also get records online or by mail through the state vital records office.

Dade County Probate Court

The Dade County Probate Court is the local vital records office. Staff here can process requests for death certificates covering deaths that took place anywhere in Georgia. The office is on West Crabtree Street in Trenton. Walk-in service is the fastest way to get a Dade County death record.

You will need a valid photo ID to request records in person. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy of the same Dade County death record is $5 when ordered at the same time. Payment options include cash and money orders. Most walk-in requests are processed the same day. Some Dade County obituary records from decades ago might take extra time if the state office needs to locate the file. For mail requests, send your application, a copy of your ID, and a money order to the Dade County Probate Court or the state vital records office. Be sure to include the name and date of death of the person whose record you need.

Dade County's location near the Tennessee and Alabama borders means some residents may also need to check records in those states if a death occurred outside Georgia.

How to Get Dade County Death Records

Three options exist for getting Dade County obituary and death records. Visit the probate court in Trenton. Mail a request. Or order online through the state system. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy regardless of which method you choose.

The Georgia ROVER system handles online death certificate orders. You need the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the county where the death took place. ROVER adds an $8 processing fee on top of the $25 state fee. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for delivery. For quicker service on a Dade County death record, visit the probate court in person. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, every death in Georgia must be registered within 10 days. The funeral director files the certificate within 72 hours. So most Dade County death records are available within a few weeks of the death.

Mail requests should include a signed application, your full name and address, phone number, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for $25. Send it to the Dade County Probate Court or the Georgia DPH office in Atlanta.

Dade County Death Certificate Access

Not everyone can get the same type of copy. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Dade County death records are limited to people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Eligible parties include the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal representatives and insurance companies also qualify.

A certified copy has a raised seal and the signatures of the State and County Registrar. Banks, courts, and insurance firms require this version. People without a direct interest can still get a non-certified copy of a Dade County death record. The non-certified version has the Social Security number removed. It still shows the cause, date, and place of death. This is enough for genealogy research and general lookups of Dade County obituary records. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it a crime to forge or tamper with any vital record in Georgia, including death certificates.

If the cause of death is still under review, the certificate may show "Pending" as the cause. This does not stop you from getting a copy.

Georgia State Resources for Death Records

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 serves all 159 Georgia counties. You can call (404) 679-4702 or visit in person. They handle walk-in, mail, and phone orders for Dade County death records.

For historical Dade County obituary records, the Georgia Archives holds death records from 1919 through 1943. The Virtual Vault provides online access to some of these older records. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 sets the rules for how funeral homes and vital records offices maintain death records across the state. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30, the State Registrar can match birth and death certificates to flag deceased individuals and help prevent identity fraud.

The DPH fee schedule lists the most up-to-date costs for all vital record types in Georgia.

The screenshot below shows the Dade County Probate Court page on the Georgia DPH website, where you can confirm contact information for the Trenton office.

Check this page for current hours and driving directions before making the trip to the Dade County office.

Nearby Counties

Dade County borders just two other Georgia counties. Because of its location in the northwest corner of the state, your nearest Georgia vital records office may still be the Dade County Probate Court in Trenton.