Franklin County Death Records

Franklin County obituary and death records are filed through the Franklin County Probate Court in Carnesville. This court serves as a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and can issue certified death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia from 1919 to the present. If you need to find a Franklin County death record or request a copy of a death certificate, the probate court on Highway 145 is the local office to visit. You can also use the state's online ordering system or send your request by mail to the state vital records office in Atlanta.

Franklin County Probate Court

The Franklin County Probate Court handles vital records for Franklin County residents. This office can issue certified death certificates for any death that took place in Georgia since 1919. The court sits on Highway 145 in Carnesville, the Franklin County seat. Walk-in service is the most common way people get records here. Staff can look up death records and print certified copies while you wait in most cases.

Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a Franklin County death certificate. Each extra copy costs $5 when you order at the same time. The office takes cash and money orders. Processing for walk-in requests is usually same day, but some Franklin County obituary records may take longer if the file has to be pulled from state archives. For requests by mail, you need to send a completed application with a copy of your ID and a money order payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Franklin County death record requests by mail go to the probate court in Carnesville or the state office in Atlanta.

How to Search Franklin County Death Records

There are three ways to get Franklin County obituary and death records. You can walk in at the probate court in Carnesville. You can order by mail. Or you can use the state's online system. Each has the same base fee of $25 for a first certified copy.

For online orders, the Georgia ROVER system lets you request death certificates from any county in Georgia. You will need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and the county where the death took place. ROVER charges the standard $25 state fee plus an $8 online processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a Franklin County death record faster than that, going to the probate court in Carnesville is your best option. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, every death in Georgia must be registered within 10 days. The funeral director files the death certificate within 72 hours of taking charge of the body. So most Franklin County death records show up in the system within two weeks of the death.

Mail orders go to the Franklin County Probate Court or the state vital records office. Include a signed request with your name, address, phone number, and a copy of your photo ID. Also include the full name and date of death for the person whose Franklin County obituary record you need. Money orders should be made out to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Who Can Get Franklin County Death Certificates

Georgia law sets rules on who gets what type of death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Franklin County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. That includes the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the person who died. Legal representatives and insurance companies can also get certified copies of Franklin County death certificates.

A certified copy has a raised seal and the signatures of both the State and County Registrar. It is printed on security paper. Banks, courts, and insurance firms need this type. If you lack a direct interest in the Franklin County death record, you can still request a non-certified copy. This version has the Social Security number removed but still shows the cause, date, and place of death. It works fine for genealogy research and general lookups of Franklin County obituary records. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, tampering with or forging a death certificate is a crime in Georgia. Providing false information on a vital records application also violates the law.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

Beyond the Franklin County Probate Court, the state has other places to search. The Georgia DPH Vital Records office in the Atlanta area handles requests from all 159 Georgia counties. You can visit at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, or call (404) 679-4702. They process walk-in, mail, and phone orders for Franklin County death records and records from every other county in the state.

For historical Franklin County obituary records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow holds death records from 1919 through 1943. These older records are also available through the Georgia Archives Virtual Vault online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 governs how vital records are maintained across Georgia, and funeral homes must keep their own detailed records of each case they handle under these rules. The DPH fee schedule lists current costs for all vital record types. Check before you send payment for a Franklin County death record request since fees can change.

The image below shows the Franklin County Probate Court page on the Georgia DPH website, where you can find contact details and directions for the Carnesville office.

Use this page to confirm hours and get driving directions before you visit the Franklin County office.

Nearby Counties

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