How to Get Georgia Vital Records (Start Here)

Vital records in Georgia — birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and divorce records — are handled at the state level by Georgia DPH Vital Records. Marriage licenses are issued locally by the Probate Court Judge.

What this page covers: Georgia vital record ordering, eligibility requirements, and related databases. What it does not cover: Genealogy records older than the state vital records system (check the Genealogy Resources page for historical records).

Where to start: For certified copies of birth or death certificates, contact Georgia DPH Vital Records. For marriage licenses, contact the Probate Court Judge in the county where the ceremony will occur. For divorce records, contact the court that granted the decree.

Common mistake: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees come from different offices. Do not assume one office handles all vital records.

Statewide vital-records agency
Vital Records | Georgia Department of Public Health
Parent agency
Vital Records | Georgia Department of Public Health
Records back to
Vital Records | Georgia Archives
Online ordering
Call 1-800-GEORGIA to verify that a website is an official website of the State of Georgia
Marriage license issued by
Marriage licenses are issued by county probate courts
Local intake
Find a Vital Records Office
Population
11,180,878
Households
4,055,200
Median Income
$74,664
Median Home Value
$280,800
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Georgia vital records URL verified against the official state publisher at dph.georgia.gov on the review date. 7 primary .gov sources cited below.

Georgia Vital Records — Key Facts (2026)

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for Georgia — who can request, how to order, and what 2026 changed.
State-only
Issuing authority
Not federal
Restricted
Birth/death access
Usually self + family
75-125 yr
When records become public
Genealogy threshold
VitalChek
3rd-party portal
Used by many states
CDC NVSS
National statistics
Data only, no certificates
Who can request a Georgia vital record
The person named
100%
Parent of subject
100%
Spouse of subject
90%
Adult child
90%
Legal representative
80%
General public (recent)
10%
General public (historical 75+yr)
95%
Unit: % likely to receive a certified copy.

What Changed in 2026 — Georgia Vital Records

2026
Georgia vital records portal active
The official Georgia portal at dph.georgia.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for vital records in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for vital records
The CDC National Vital Statistics System at www.cdc.gov provides federal-level context that complements Georgia state records.
2026
Georgia access in 2026
For 2026, Georgia continues to publish vital records information through state-authorized portals; check dph.georgia.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Georgia's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for the .gov complement.

The 4-Step Georgia Vital Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Confirm state of event
Vital records are issued by the state where the event happened. For events in Georgia, start with the Georgia health department.
2
Step 2 — Verify eligibility
Most states restrict birth/death to self, parents, spouse, child, or legal rep.
3
Step 3 — Choose ordering method
Georgia typically allows mail, in-person, or online (often via VitalChek).
4
Step 4 — Genealogy fallback
Georgia records older than 75-125 years are usually public — try FamilySearch or NARA.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Georgia Vital Records

❌ Myth: "I can request anyone's Georgia birth certificate."
✓ Truth: False. Most states (including Georgia) restrict access to immediate family or legal representatives.
❌ Myth: "Vital records are federal."
✓ Truth: False. They are state-issued. The CDC compiles statistics but does NOT issue certificates.
❌ Myth: "VitalChek is the government."
✓ Truth: False. VitalChek is an authorized third-party vendor used by many states, NOT a federal or state agency.
❌ Myth: "Older Georgia marriage records are private."
✓ Truth: False. Marriages older than ~75 years are usually public and indexed by genealogy sites.
❌ Myth: "A Georgia death is recorded the day it happens."
✓ Truth: False. CDC NVSS data has a 1-2 year lag for final figures; provisional data takes 6+ months.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Vital Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Vital records
Sample Georgia counties: Appling · Athens Clarke · Atkinson · Augusta Richmond · Bacon

Vital Records Databases

15 official Georgia vital records sources.

Vital Records

Cemetery History | Augusta, GA - Official Website
Official Free
Known by several names over time (including Summerville Cemetery, Summerville Colored Cemetery, and The Hill Cemetery ) this burial ground serves the Sand Hills and Summer Hill communities on Augusta’s hill. According to local tradition and surviving documents, a group of African American ...
🌐 augustaga.gov
Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System – Augusta Vital Records Database Search
Official Free
Description: The Vital Records Database is an index of births, marriages, deaths and other significant announcements printed in the Augusta Chronicle newspaper . The time period covered is 1982 - 2008 (some records from 1981 are available).
🌐 arcpls.org
Effingham County Transition - ADVOCATE - Live Oak Public Libraries at Live Oak Public Libraries
Official Free
On November 19, 2025, Live Oak Public Libraries Effingham County Library Board voted unanimously to separate the Rincon and Springfield branch libraries from the LOPL regional system. The separation is expected to be finalized by July 1, 2026. We will continue to update the community on next steps as this transition occurs. As Georgia residents, you will always be welcome to borrow materials and resources from Live Oak Public Libraries and to visit any of our branches in Chatham ...
🌐 liveoakpl.org
Friends of Cemeteries of middle Georgia
Official Free
This website contains searchable indexes to over 63,000 graves and over 1,100 cemeteries in Baldwin, Hancock, Jones, Washington and Wilkinson Counties , Georgia. Click on the links at the left or on the desired area on the map to go to the cemetery listings. This website is made possible by ...
🌐 friendsofcems.org
Cemetery Preservation Commission | Douglas County, GA
Official Free
All Douglas County burial records can now be found on Find a Grave . This website also contains genealogical links, photographs, and additional information. Find a Grave ’s mission is to find, record and present final disposition information from around the world as a virtual cemetery experience.
🌐 douglascountyga.gov
Death Records - Georgia Department of Public Health
Official Free
At the State Office, death records are available from January 1919 to the present for deaths that occurred in the State of Georgia . Some counties may have older death records in their files.
🌐 dph.georgia.gov
Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records
Official Free
Search or browse cemeteries and grave records for every-day and famous people from around the world. ... Please select a location with GPS coordinates indicated by a map icon() to continue. Please select a cemetery indicated by a Find a Grave icon() to continue. ... When searching in a cemetery, use the ? or * wildcards in name fields. ? replaces one letter. * represents zero to many letters. E.g. Sorens?n or Wil* Search for an exact birth/death year or select a range, before or after.
🌐 findagrave.com
Twiggs County, Georgia Facts, Genealogy, History & Links
Official Free
Twiggs County vital records can be found at the Georgia Department of Health which has copies for copies of birth and death records since Jan 1919, copies of marriage since June 9, 1952 to 1996 and a Divorce records index since June 9, 1952.
🌐 genealogyinc.com
Wilkes County, Georgia - Resthaven Cemetery R-Z
Official Free
Copyright © 1999 by Larry R. Butler and Janice B. Turner. All rights reserved. The above content may not be stored except for personal, non-commercial use. Republication and redissemination of the above content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Larry R. Butler and ...
🌐 giddeon.com
Richmond County, Georgia Genealogy • FamilySearch
Official Free
Guide to Richmond County, Georgia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. ... The county was named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, a British politician and office-holder sympathetic to the cause of the American colonies. Richmond was also a first cousin to King George III. The county is located in the east central area of the state.[2] Richmond County Courthouse 530 Green Street Augusta, GA 30911-0001 Phone: 760-821-2460 Richmond County Website Clerk Superior Court has land records from 1778 and…
🌐 familysearch.org
Vital Records | Georgia Department of Public Health
Official Free
State of Georgia government websites and email systems use “georgia.gov” or “ga.gov” at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you’re on an official state website. ... Call 1-800-GEORGIA to verify that a website is an official website of the State of Georgia. ... Register, preserve, amend, and certify all Georgia vital events.
🌐 dph.georgia.gov
City of Marietta Georgia Hub Site 2025
Official Free
This site will link to our open data plus links to various publicly available applications, our PDF maps, and the survey to remove public information at the request of a citizen who has arrest power.
🌐 geohub.mariettaga.gov

Georgia Counties

159 Georgia counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Fulton Gwinnett Cobb DeKalb Clayton Cherokee Henry Forsyth Chatham Appling Athens Clarke Atkinson Augusta Richmond Bacon

Frequently Asked Questions

Certified birth certificates for events in Georgia are issued by the Official Georgia Vital Records at dph.georgia.gov. Requests can be made by mail, in person, or (in most cases) online through the state's authorized vendor. The county of registration may also be able to issue certified copies for recent local events.

Georgia death certificates are issued by the Official Georgia Vital Records; eligibility (next of kin, executor, legal representative) and ID documentation requirements are listed at dph.georgia.gov. For deaths within the last year, the county clerk or local registrar where the death occurred can often issue a copy more quickly.

Georgia marriage and divorce records are not generally available in a free, name-searchable online index. The Official Georgia Vital Records (dph.georgia.gov) handles certified copies; the underlying license/decree is filed with the county clerk or court that issued it, which is also a primary search point.

Standard Georgia vital-record processing times vary from a few business days (in-person same-day at some county clerks) to several weeks for mailed requests. The Official Georgia Vital Records publishes current turnaround times at dph.georgia.gov. Expedited processing is usually available for an additional fee.

The Official Georgia Vital Records requires government-issued photo identification (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID) and proof of your relationship to the record holder, if applicable. The full list of acceptable ID and supporting documents is published at dph.georgia.gov.