Access Heard County Death Records

Heard County obituary and death records are handled by the Heard County Probate Court in Franklin. This court is 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. Heard County is a small, rural county in western Georgia. If you need a death certificate or want to look up Heard County obituary records, the probate court on East Court Square in Franklin is where you start. You can also order by mail or use the state online system to request Heard County death records.

Heard County Probate Court

The Heard County Probate Court is the local vital records office. Staff here help residents request death certificates for deaths that took place in any Georgia county. The court is at 215 East Court Square in Franklin. Walk-in service is the main way people get records in Heard County.

When you visit, bring a valid photo ID. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy of a Heard County death certificate. Each extra copy of the same record costs $5 when ordered at the same time. The office accepts cash and money orders. Walk-in requests are typically processed same day. Some Heard County obituary records may take extra time if the file has to be pulled from state archives. Because Heard County is small, wait times at the probate court are usually short. For mail requests, send a completed application along with a copy of your ID and a money order payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

How to Search Heard County Death Records

You can get Heard County obituary and death records three ways. Walk in at the probate court in Franklin. Order by mail. Or use the state's online system. Each method 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 took place. ROVER charges the $25 state fee plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a Heard County death record sooner, visiting the probate court in Franklin is the faster route. 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 Heard County death records are in the system within two weeks.

For mail orders, send a signed request to the Heard County Probate Court or the state vital records office. Include your name, address, phone number, and a copy of your photo ID. List the full name and date of death for the person whose Heard County obituary record you need. Pay by money order made out to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Who Can Get Heard County Death Certificates

Georgia law sets who receives what type of death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Heard County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. The spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased all qualify. Legal representatives and insurance companies can also get certified copies.

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 need this kind. If you do not have a direct interest in the Heard County death record, you can still get 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 and general research into Heard County obituary records. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, forging or tampering with a death certificate is a crime in Georgia. Providing false information on a vital records application is also against the law.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

Beyond the Heard County Probate Court, the state has other options. The Georgia DPH Vital Records office handles requests from all Georgia 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 Heard County death records and records from every county in the state.

For historical Heard 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 how vital records are maintained across Georgia, and funeral homes must keep their own 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 Heard County death record.

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

Use this page to confirm hours and get driving directions before you visit the Heard County probate court.

Nearby Counties

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