Harris County Obituary Records

Harris County obituary and death records are managed through the Harris County Health Department in Hamilton. This office acts as a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and issues certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Georgia from 1919 to the present. If you need to find a Harris County death record or get a copy of a death certificate, the health department on Forest Hill Drive in Hamilton is the place to go. The state's online system and mail orders also work for getting Harris County death records.

Harris County Health Department

The Harris County Health Department serves as the local vital records office. Staff can issue certified death certificates for deaths that happened anywhere in Georgia. The office is at 210 Forest Hill Drive in Hamilton, the Harris County seat. Walk-in visits are the most common way to get records.

Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a Harris County death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record costs $5 when ordered at the same time. Cash and money orders are accepted at the Harris County office. Walk-in requests are usually processed same day. Some Harris County obituary records may take longer if the file needs to come from state archives. Harris County is in western Georgia, just north of Columbus. For mail requests, send a completed application with a copy of your ID and a money order payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

How to Search Harris County Death Records

Three options exist for getting Harris County obituary and death records. Walk in at the health department in Hamilton. Order by mail. Or use the state online system. Each costs $25 for the first certified copy.

The Georgia ROVER system lets you order death certificates from any county online. You need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and the county where the death happened. ROVER charges the $25 state fee plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a Harris County death record sooner, going to the health department in Hamilton is faster. 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. Most Harris County death records are in the system within two weeks.

Mail orders go to the Harris County Health Department or the state vital records office. Include a signed request with your name, address, phone number, and a copy of your photo ID. List the full name and date of death for the person whose Harris County obituary record you need. Payment should be a money order payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Who Can Get Harris County Death Certificates

Georgia law controls who gets which type of death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Harris 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 deceased. Legal representatives and insurance companies qualify too.

A certified copy has a raised seal and signatures from the State and County Registrar. It is printed on security paper. Banks, courts, and insurance firms require certified copies. If you do not have a direct interest in the Harris County death record, you can still get a non-certified copy. This version removes the Social Security number but still shows the cause, date, and place of death. It works for genealogy and general research into Harris County obituary records. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it a crime to forge or tamper with a death certificate. Providing false info on a vital records application is also illegal.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

Beyond the Harris County Health Department, the state has more options. 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 Harris County death records and records from every Georgia county.

For historical Harris County obituary records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow holds death records from 1919 through 1943. These are also on the Georgia Archives Virtual Vault online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 governs vital records maintenance, and funeral homes must keep detailed records under these rules. The DPH fee schedule page lists current costs for all vital record types. Check it before sending payment for a Harris County death record.

The image below shows the Harris County Health Department listing on the Georgia DPH website, where you can get contact details for the Hamilton office.

Check this page for current hours and directions before your visit to the Harris County health department.

Nearby Counties

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