Find Polk County Death Records

Polk County obituary and death records are managed through the Polk County Probate Court in Cedartown. As a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health, this court issues certified death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia from 1919 to the present. If you need a Polk County death record or want to get a copy of a death certificate, the Probate Court on Prior Street is the local place to go. You can also use the state online ordering system or send a mail request to the state vital records office.

Polk County Probate Court

The Polk County Probate Court in Cedartown is the local vital records office for Polk County. Staff at this court handle death certificate requests for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia. The office is located on Prior Street in the Polk County seat. Walk-in service is the most common way people get their obituary and death records here.

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

How to Search Polk County Death Records

There are three main ways to get Polk County obituary and death records. You can walk in at the Probate Court in Cedartown. You can order by mail. Or you can use the state's online portal. Each method has a base fee of $25 for the 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 $25 state fee plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a Polk County death record sooner, visiting the Probate Court in Cedartown is the 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 certificate within 72 hours. So most Polk County death records show up in the system within two weeks.

Mail orders go to the Polk County Probate Court or the state office in Atlanta. 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 Polk County obituary record you need. Send a money order for the total amount.

Who Can Get Polk County Death Certificates

Georgia law controls who can get what type of death certificate. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Polk County death records go to people with a direct and tangible interest. That means the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased. Legal representatives and insurance companies also qualify for certified copies of Polk 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 do not have a direct interest in a Polk 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 for general look-ups of Polk County obituary records. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it illegal to forge or tamper with a death certificate.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

Beyond the Polk County Probate Court, the state has 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 Polk County death records and records from all 159 Georgia counties.

For historical Polk 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 the state. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30, the state registrar can issue certified copies from the statewide file. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-31 requires funeral homes to maintain their own records for at least five years.

The DPH fee schedule page lists current costs. Check before sending payment for a Polk County death record request.

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

Use this page to confirm hours and get driving directions before visiting the Polk County Probate Court.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Polk 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, it may be easier to get your record there.