Upson County Death Records

Upson County obituary and death records are handled by the Upson County Health Department in Thomaston. This office is a local agent for the Georgia Department of Public Health and can issue certified death certificates for deaths that took place anywhere in Georgia starting from 1919. The Health Department on East Lee Street is the main location where Upson County residents get death certificates and other vital records. Thomaston is the county seat, and the office is centrally located for most people in the county. You can also use the state's online ordering system or send a mail request to the state office in Atlanta.

Upson County Health Department

The Upson County Health Department on East Lee Street in Thomaston is where you go for death certificates. Staff at this office can process requests for Upson County death records and for deaths that happened in any Georgia county. Walk-in service is the most common and fastest method for local residents.

A valid photo ID is required when you request an Upson County death certificate. The first certified copy costs $25. Additional copies of the same Upson County death record are $5 each when ordered at the same visit. The office takes cash and money orders. Walk-in requests are usually processed the same day. Some older Upson County obituary records may require a few extra days if the state office needs to pull the file from archives. For mail requests, send a signed application with a copy of your ID and a money order payable to the Georgia Department of Public Health. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15 requires that every death be registered within 10 days, and the funeral director must file the death certificate within 72 hours of taking charge of the body.

How to Search Upson County Death Records

Three methods are available for getting Upson County obituary and death records. Visit in person at the Health Department in Thomaston. Order by mail. Or use the state online system. All methods cost $25 for the first certified copy.

The Georgia ROVER system is the state's online ordering portal. You can request Upson County death certificates from anywhere with an internet connection. You need the full name of the deceased, date of death, and county of death. ROVER adds an $8 processing fee to the $25 state fee. Standard delivery takes 8 to 10 weeks. If you need your Upson County death record sooner, visiting the Health Department in Thomaston is the best option for same-day service. Funeral directors file the certificate quickly under Georgia law, so most Upson County death records are in the system within two weeks of the death.

Mail requests should go to the Upson County Health Department or the state vital records office. Include a signed letter with your name, address, phone number, and a photocopy of your photo ID. State the full name and date of death for the person whose Upson County death record you need. Attach a money order for the $25 fee.

Who Can Get Upson County Death Certificates

Georgia law sets clear rules about who can get certified death records. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, you must have a direct and tangible interest. For Upson County death records, the spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased all qualify. Legal representatives and insurance companies with claims also have access to certified copies.

Certified copies feature a raised seal and signatures from the State and County Registrar on security paper. This is the format that banks, courts, and insurance companies need. If you do not have a direct interest in the Upson County death record, you can request a non-certified copy instead. Non-certified versions have the Social Security number removed but still show the cause, date, and place of death. They are fine for genealogy work and general research into Upson County obituary records. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-27 makes it illegal to forge or alter vital records, and providing false information on a request is a criminal offense.

Georgia State Death Record Resources

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 is the main state office. Reach them by phone at (404) 679-4702. They process Upson County death records and records from all 159 Georgia counties through walk-in, mail, and phone orders.

The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds historical death records from 1919 through 1943. These older Upson County obituary records are also available through the Georgia Archives Virtual Vault for free online. DPH Regulation 511-1-3 governs how vital records are maintained at every level in Georgia. The DPH fee schedule page has the latest costs for all vital record types. Always check before you send payment.

O.C.G.A. § 31-10-30 allows the state registrar to correct mistakes on Upson County death certificates. Reach out to the Health Department in Thomaston or the state office to start a correction. Delayed registrations are handled under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-31.

Below is the Upson County Health Department page on the Georgia DPH website, showing contact details for the Thomaston office.

Check the office hours and address on this page before you visit the Upson County Health Department.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Upson County. Any Georgia county vital records office can issue a death certificate for a death that happened statewide. You can request Upson County obituary records at any of these offices if they are closer to you.