Catoosa County Death Records

Catoosa County death index records are on file at the health department in Ringgold. This county sits in the far northwest corner of Georgia, right along the Tennessee state line. The Catoosa County Health Department is part of the North Georgia Health District and serves as the local registrar for vital records. You can request death certificates here for deaths that took place in Catoosa County. The office processes walk-in, mail, and phone requests during business hours. If you need a death record from this area, the health department is the first place to check. The state office in Atlanta also has copies of Catoosa County death records from 1919 forward.

Catoosa County Death Certificate Office

The Catoosa County Health Department is the local office for death records. Staff can search the death index, verify records, and issue certified copies when the person asking meets the state eligibility rules. The office is on Catoosa Circle in Ringgold. It is a fairly busy office given the county's population of around 67,000 people.

You need to bring a photo ID when you visit. Fill out the vital records application at the front desk and tell them you want a death certificate. Give them the full name of the person who died and the date of death if you have it. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy costs $5. Payment is by cash or money order only. No personal checks. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, the registrar has to check your eligibility before handing over a certified Catoosa County death record.

Note: Catoosa County borders Tennessee, so deaths of residents who passed away across the state line would be filed in Tennessee, not here.

Ways to Get Catoosa County Death Records

Walk-in service is the most direct way to get a death record from Catoosa County. You go to the health department, fill out the form, pay, and wait. Most requests take less than an hour if the record is in the system. Same-day service is common for recent deaths. Older records might take a bit longer to pull up.

Mail requests work too. Send a letter to the Catoosa County Health Department at 145 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, GA 30736. Include the name of the person, date of death, your relationship, a copy of your ID, and a money order for $25. Mail requests usually take two to four weeks. The health department will mail the certified copy back to you once they process it. If they cannot find the record in the Catoosa County death index, they will let you know.

Online ordering through VitalChek is another path. This service adds a processing fee on top of the $25 certificate cost. You can also try GO Certificates for online orders. Both route your request through the state vital records office in Atlanta.

Catoosa County Health Department

The Georgia DPH listing for Catoosa County shows the office address and contact details for vital records.

The North Georgia Health District runs this office along with health departments in several other northwest Georgia counties. They all follow the same rules for processing death certificates.

Who Qualifies for Catoosa County Death Certificates

Not everyone can get a certified death certificate in Georgia. The law is clear on this. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15, you have to be a close family member or a legal representative. That means spouses, parents, children, grandparents, and grandchildren. An attorney or executor of the estate also qualifies. Funeral directors who handled the case can get copies for the family they served.

Everyone else can ask for an informational copy of the Catoosa County death record. This version has the same facts but is stamped so it cannot be used for legal matters. People doing genealogy work or family history research often use informational copies since they contain the same details. The state rules under Rules 511-1-3 lay out the full list of who can get what type of copy.

State and Online Death Index Resources

The state vital records office at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 is the backup for any Catoosa County death record request. Call (404) 679-4702 with questions. They have every death record from 1919 on. Mail requests to the state take 8 to 10 weeks on average.

For historical records and genealogy, check the Georgia Archives. They keep older records that may not be in the regular system. The FamilySearch Georgia death index is free and covers a wide range of years. The ROVER system from the state is another way to search across agencies for records tied to Catoosa County.

Note: Historical death records from before 1919 may only exist at the county level or through the Georgia Archives.

Nearby Counties

Catoosa County sits at the northwest tip of Georgia. These neighboring counties each have their own death index and registrar office. If a death took place outside Catoosa County, you will need to contact the right county.