Dawson County Obituary Lookup

Dawson County obituary and death records are handled by the Dawson County Health Department in Dawsonville. This office is a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and can issue certified death certificates for deaths that took place in any Georgia county from 1919 to the present. Dawson County is in the north Georgia mountains, and it has seen steady growth in recent years. If you need to search for a death record or get a certified copy of a death certificate in Dawson County, the health department on Highway 53 East is your closest option. Mail and online ordering are also available.

Dawson County Health Department

The Dawson County Health Department is the local vital records office for Dawson County residents. The office can issue certified death certificates for deaths that happened anywhere in Georgia. It sits on Highway 53 East in Dawsonville. Walk-in visits are the fastest way to get a Dawson County death record.

Bring a valid photo ID and $25 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy of the same Dawson County death record costs $5 if you order them at the same time. Cash and money orders are accepted. Walk-in requests are processed the same day in most cases. Some older Dawson County obituary records may take more time if the file has to be pulled from the state archives. For mail requests, send a completed application, a copy of your ID, and a money order payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Make sure to include the full name and date of death for the person whose Dawson County record you need.

How to Search Dawson County Death Records

You can get Dawson County obituary and death records in three ways. Visit the health department in Dawsonville for same-day service. Send a mail request. Or use the state online portal. All three methods have the same $25 base fee for the first certified copy.

The Georgia ROVER system is the online option. You need the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the county where the death occurred. ROVER charges $25 plus an $8 processing fee. Delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. For faster service, the Dawson County Health Department in Dawsonville handles most requests the same day you walk in. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, all deaths in Georgia must be registered within 10 days of occurrence. The funeral director files the death certificate within 72 hours of taking charge of the remains. So most Dawson County death records enter the system within two weeks.

Mail orders should include a signed request with your name, address, phone number, a photo ID copy, and a money order for $25. Send the request to the Dawson County Health Department or the state DPH office in Atlanta.

Who Can Get Dawson County Death Certificates

Georgia law determines who gets what type of death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Dawson County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. Eligible parties include the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Legal representatives and insurance companies with a financial interest also qualify for certified copies of Dawson County death records.

Certified copies have a raised seal and signatures from the State and County Registrar. They come on security paper. Courts, banks, and insurance firms need this type. If you do not have a direct interest in the Dawson County death record, you can still get a non-certified copy. The non-certified version removes the Social Security number but still shows cause of death, date, and place of death. It works for genealogy and general research into Dawson County obituary records.

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it illegal to forge or tamper with vital records. This applies to death certificates issued by any office in Georgia.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 handles death record requests from across the state. Call (404) 679-4702 or visit in person. They process walk-in, mail, and phone orders for Dawson County death records and records from all 159 Georgia counties.

Historical Dawson County obituary records from 1919 through 1943 are available at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The Virtual Vault provides online access to some of these older files. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 sets the rules for how vital records are stored and maintained statewide. Funeral homes must keep their own records of each case under these regulations.

The DPH fee schedule page shows current costs for all vital record types. Always check before sending payment for a Dawson County death record request.

The image below shows the Dawson County Health Department page on the Georgia DPH website, where you can find contact details for the Dawsonville office.

Check this page to confirm office hours and get driving directions before your visit to the Dawson County office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Dawson County. Any vital records office in Georgia can issue a death certificate for a death that happened anywhere in the state. If you are closer to one of these offices, you can request your record there.