Seminole County Obituary Search

Seminole County obituary and death records are handled by the Seminole County Probate Court in Donalsonville. This court acts as a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and can issue certified death certificates for deaths that took place in Georgia from 1919 to the present. Seminole County sits in the far southwest corner of the state, right along the Florida and Alabama borders. If you need a Seminole County death record, the probate court on South Knox Avenue is the local office to contact. Records can also be ordered through the state online system or by mail.

Seminole County Probate Court

The Seminole County Probate Court is the local vital records office for the county. Staff at this office help you request death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Georgia. The court is located at 200 South Knox Avenue in Donalsonville, the Seminole County seat. Walk-in service is the most common way to get records here. Due to its location near the state line, some Seminole County residents may also deal with vital records offices in Florida or Alabama for deaths that occurred across state lines.

Bring a valid photo ID to the office. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Each extra copy of the same Seminole County death record 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. Some Seminole County obituary records may take a bit longer if the state archive needs 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 name, date of death, and any other details you have about the person.

How to Search Seminole County Death Records

You have three main ways to get Seminole County obituary and death records. Walk in at the probate court in Donalsonville. Order by mail. Or use the state online system. Each method charges the same $25 base fee for a first certified copy.

For online orders, the Georgia ROVER system lets you request death certificates from any county. You need the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the county where it happened. ROVER charges the standard $25 fee plus an $8 processing fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a Seminole County death record sooner, visiting the probate court in Donalsonville is your best bet. 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 Seminole County death records are in the system within about two weeks.

Mail orders go to the Seminole 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 Seminole County record you need. Send a money order for $25 with the application.

Who Can Get Seminole County Death Certificates

Georgia law sets out who can get certain types of death certificates. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies of Seminole 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.

A certified copy has a raised seal and the signature of both the State Registrar and County Registrar. It is printed on security paper. Banks, courts, and insurance companies need this type. If you do not have a direct interest in a Seminole County death record, you can still get a non-certified copy. This version has the Social Security number removed but shows the cause, date, and place of death. It works for genealogy and general research into Seminole County obituary records. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27, forging or tampering with a death certificate is a crime in Georgia. False information on a vital records application also breaks the law.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

Beyond the Seminole County Probate Court, the state has other resources for death records. The Georgia DPH Vital Records office in College Park handles requests from across the state. 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 Seminole County death records and records from all 159 Georgia counties.

For historical Seminole 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. Funeral homes keep their own detailed records of each case under these rules as well.

The DPH fee schedule page lists current costs for all vital record types. Check this page before you send payment for a Seminole County death record request.

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

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

Nearby Counties

These counties border Seminole 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 to you, it may be more convenient to get your record there.