Georgia Vital Records
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Georgia vital records are official reports that provide information about critical events that occur within the state, such as fetal deaths (stillbirths), induced termination of pregnancy, deaths, births, marriages, and divorces. Per Georgia Code Chapter 31-10, and Georgia Department of Public Health Regulation 511-1-3, the Georgia Department of Public Health's (DPH) State Office of Vital Records is the State Register and custodian of vital records. Thus, the office is responsible for maintaining, registering, certifying, and amending most types of vital records in Georgia at the state level.
Georgia vital records are also preserved at the county level by different public offices and courts, depending on the type of record. For instance, birth, death, and marriage records are maintained by the probate court in the county where the event took place. Conversely, divorce records are preserved by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was finalized.
Public Access to Georgia Vital Records
Georgia vital records are generally exempt from the Georgia Open Records Act, codified in OCGA § 50-18-70 through 77. Furthermore, OCGA § 50-18-76 expressly exempts vital records that are temporarily maintained by a local court clerk's office from public access.
As a result, most Georgia vital records are considered confidential. They are available only to specific eligible individuals, including the person(s) named on the record, their immediate family members, and other authorized individuals. Notwithstanding, official record custodians may release uncertified or heavily redacted copies of certain types of vital records they maintain to the general public or to persons with a tangible interest in the record.
It is worth noting that vital records maintained by the State Register (i.e., the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records) are transferred to the State Archives upon reaching a designated age under OCGA § 31-10-25(e). The designated retention period for birth records is 100 years, and for all other vital events, including death, marriage, and divorce, it is 75 years.
Types of Vital Records Available in Georgia
There are four (4) main types of vital records in Georgia: divorce, birth, death, and marriage records. These records are reported to and maintained at the state level by the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. At the county level, birth, death, and marriage records are generated and preserved by the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred. Meanwhile, divorce records are generated and maintained at the county level by the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was finalized.
Birth records are strictly confidential and are only issued as certified copies to eligible individuals. On the other hand, death and marriage records may be available in certified and uncertified forms. Certified copies of these records are confidential, while uncertified copies are public and are only provided for informational purposes, often with sensitive details redacted. It is worth noting that although Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records may confirm divorces, original copies of divorce records are available only from the clerk's office of the Superior Court where the divorce was finalized.
Georgia Birth Records
Georgia birth records are official documents that provide pertinent information about births recorded in Georgia. Also known as Georgia birth certificates, they may be required for different official purposes, including but not limited to:
- Tax purposes
- School enrollment
- Obtaining health insurance
- Driver's license application
- Establishment of an individual's identity
Per OCGA § 31-10-26, birth records are only issued to the registrant and other individuals with a direct or tangible interest in the record. These include the registrant's immediate family members, such as their parent(s), grandparent, spouse, adult child or sibling, and authorized legal guardian or agent, as well as legal representatives of the family.
Eligible record seekers may get a birth certificate in Georgia through the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records or the Probate Court in the county where the birth occurred. Generally, birth records from January 1919 to the present are available through the former, while the latter preserves records older than 1919.
Georgia Death Records
Georgia death certificates are official reports that contain noteworthy details about deaths that occured in Georgia. These details include the decedent's name, date, cause, and place of death. Death records may be used to settle estates, claim life insurance benefits, and claim pensions. These records may also be used for genealogical research and other lawful purposes.
Although certified copies of Georgia death certificates are confidential and released only to eligible individuals, informational copies of death records may be available to the general public. The primary difference between informational and certified copies is that the decedent's social security number and cause of death are not provided in the former.
Generally, record seekers may find death records in Georgia from January 1919 to the present through the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. Meanwhile, older death records (before January 1919) are available through the Probate Court in the county where the death occured.
Georgia Marriage Records
Georgia marriage records are legal documentation of a couple's marriage. There are various forms of marriage records in Georgia, including marriage applications, certificates, and verification letters.
A marriage certificate in Georgia serves as legal proof of a couple's marital union. It is also required for specific legal processes following a marriage, such as changing one's name and updating government records to reflect one's marital status. They may also be needed for divorce proceedings and legitimation purposes. Note that certified copies of marriage certificates and applications are only available to the parties named in the record, such as the bride and groom, and other eligible individuals. They may obtain these records for marriages recorded between June 1952 and August 1996 from the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. For marriages recorded outside the aforementioned timeframe, record seekers may query the Probate Court in the county where the marriage license was issued.
On the other hand, a marriage verification letter is an informational document that contains basic information about a marriage. These records are public and are issued by the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. However, they are only issued for marriages that occurred on or after January 1, 2014.
Georgia Divorce Records
Georgia divorce records are legal documents that contain information about the dissolution of a marriage. They include the initial divorce complaint and the divorce decree. Generally, a divorce complaint is used to initiate divorce proceedings, while a divorce decree is the court's final judgment regarding the terms of the divorce. These documents are public records and are available from the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was finalized.
How to Order Vital Records in Georgia
Record seekers may order Georgia vital records through the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. Generally, Georgia's birth and death certificates from 1919 to the present, as well as marriage records from 1952 to 1996, are maintained by and may be ordered from the department. Meanwhile, birth, death, and marriage records outside the specified timeframes are preserved by and may be obtained from the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred. However, divorce records are strictly available through the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was finalized.
It is worth noting that birth, death, and some marriage records are typically confidential in Georgia. As a result, these records are usually only released to eligible individuals. Additionally, requesters may be required to present a valid form of identification and pay any applicable fees when ordering these records.
The Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records offers different avenues for ordering vital records in its custody: by mail, online, and in person.
Mail Requests
Record seekers may complete and sign the appropriate request form for the requested vital record. These request forms include:
The completed and signed appropriate request form may be mailed with photocopies of the requester's photo ID and the required fee(s) payment to:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Online requests
Record seekers may use the State of Georgia's online service ROVER portal to request relevant vital records from the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records online. Required fees are payable via the portal using a major credit card.
In-person requests
Records seekers may request relevant vital records in person by visiting the State Office of Vital Records or the local Vital Records Office in the county where the event occurred.
Divorce records
Unlike other vital records, divorce records are not available through the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. These vital records may be ordered from the Clerk of the Superior Court in the County where the divorce was finalized. Therefore, individuals who wish to order a divorce record must ascertain the county of origin.
Depending on how a clerk operates, they may provide online resources that interested individuals use to request divorce records they maintain. A good example is the Augusta County Clerk of Superior Court Case Management Search portal. Some clerks may also provide a dedicated request form that individuals may use to make a request by mail. For instance, the Henry County Clerk of Superior Court provides a Record Requests form. Notwithstanding, most clerks accept in-person requests for divorce records during regular working hours. Interested persons may visit the Superior Court Clerks of Georgia website to obtain the contact information for the relevant clerks.
Who Can Request Georgia Vital Records?
Per OCGA § 31-10-26, Individuals who can access vital records in Georgia are limited to those with a tangible or direct interest in the record. Note that only birth, death, and some marriage records are subject to this limitation. Divorce records, by contrast, are public and generally available to the public.
The table below provides a broader breakdown of Georgia vital records eligibility requirements:
|
Record Type |
Eligible Requestors |
Required Documents |
|---|---|---|
|
Birth Certificate |
|
May require a valid photo ID or proof of relationship |
|
Death Certificate |
|
May require proof of relationship or official documents that show the requester's legal interest in the decedent. |
|
Marriage records |
|
May require a valid photo ID |
|
Divorce Record |
|
N/A |
Processing Times for Georgia Vital Records Requests
The processing time for Georgia vital records requests varies depending on different factors. These include the request method (i.e., online, mail, or in person) and the agency or public office from which the record is requested, such as the state Vital Records Registrar or a county Superior Court Clerk.
For instance, the processing time for vital records requests submitted to the state Vital Records Registrar (the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records) varies by request method, as outlined below.:
- Online request: two (2) to four (4) weeks for regular orders and up to five (5) business days for expedited orders
- Mail request: eight (8) to 10 weeks
- In-person request: same day
Meanwhile, the processing time for vital record requests submitted to a county vital record custodian, such as a county probate court or Superior Court Clerk, may vary by county. For instance, it may take up to 30 days to receive a birth or death certificate ordered from Jackson County's Probate Court.
|
Record Type |
Factors That Influence Processing Time |
Considerations |
|---|---|---|
|
Birth and Death Certificate |
|
|
|
Marriage Record |
|
|
|
Divorce Record |
|
|
Fees for Obtaining Vital Records in Georgia
Per OCGA § 31-10-27, the fees for obtaining vital records in Georgia are established by the Georgia DPH's State Office of Vital Records. According to the department's Vital Records Fee Schedule, a Georgia birth certificate costs $25; a death certificate also costs $25; and marriage certificates cost $10. Furthermore, additional copies of any of these records requested at the time of the initial order incur a further $5 fee. Note that the fees for obtaining divorce records are independently set by the County Clerk of Superior Court that maintains them.
How to Search Vital Records Online in Georgia
Interested individuals may search vital records online in Georgia through the State's ROVER website. However, only birth and death certificates are available through the website. Users are charged an $8 processing fee, in addition to the standard vital record fees, when ordering records through the website.