Oglethorpe County Death Records

Oglethorpe County obituary and death records are handled by the Oglethorpe County Probate Court in Lexington. As a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health, this court can issue certified death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia from 1919 forward. If you need an Oglethorpe County death record or want a copy of a death certificate, the Probate Court on East Boggs Street is the local starting point. You can also use the state online ordering system or mail a request to the state vital records office in Atlanta.

Oglethorpe County Probate Court

The Oglethorpe County Probate Court in Lexington serves as the local vital records office. Staff here process death certificate requests for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia. The office is on East Boggs Street in the Oglethorpe County seat. Walk-in service is the most common way residents get their obituary and death records.

Bring a valid photo ID when you visit the Oglethorpe County Probate Court. The fee for the first certified copy of a death record is $25. Each additional copy costs $5 if ordered at the same time. The court accepts cash and money orders. Walk-in requests for Oglethorpe County death certificates are typically processed the same day. Some older Oglethorpe County obituary records may require extra time if the state archives need to pull the file. 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. Include the full name and date of death for the person whose Oglethorpe County death record you need.

How to Search Oglethorpe County Death Records

There are three main ways to get Oglethorpe County obituary and death records. Walk in at the Probate Court in Lexington. Mail your request. Or use the state online system. Each method costs $25 for the first certified copy.

For online orders, the Georgia ROVER system lets you request death certificates from any Georgia county. You will need the full name of the deceased, 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 an Oglethorpe County death record sooner, visiting the Probate Court in Lexington 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 of taking charge of the body. So most Oglethorpe County death records show up in the system within two weeks.

Mail orders go to the Oglethorpe County Probate Court or the state 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 Oglethorpe County obituary record you need. Send a money order for the fee.

Who Can Get Oglethorpe County Death Certificates

Georgia law sets rules for who can get what type of death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Oglethorpe 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.

A certified copy has a raised seal and the signatures of the State and County Registrar. It comes on security paper. Banks, courts, and insurance firms usually need the certified version. If you do not have a direct interest in an Oglethorpe 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 research and general look-ups of Oglethorpe County obituary records.

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it a crime to forge or tamper with a death certificate. Giving false information on a vital records application is also illegal in Georgia.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

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

For historical Oglethorpe County obituary records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow holds death records from 1919 through 1943. These older records can also be viewed at the Georgia Archives Virtual Vault online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 governs how vital records are maintained across the state. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30 gives the state registrar authority to issue certified copies from the statewide file.

The DPH fee schedule page lists current costs for all vital record types. Fees may change, so check before sending payment for an Oglethorpe County death record.

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

Use this page to confirm hours and get directions before you visit the Oglethorpe County Probate Court.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Oglethorpe 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 more convenient to get your record there.