Pierce County Death Records

Pierce County death index records are managed by the Health Department in Blackshear. The office handles death certificate requests for deaths that happened in Pierce County. It falls under the Southeast Health District and sits on Allen Street. You can visit in person, send a mail request, or use online state tools to search for death records. This page explains the full process for getting Pierce County death certificates, the costs, who can request them, and where to look for older death records tied to this part of southeast Georgia.

Pierce County Health Department

The Pierce County Health Department is at 2570 Allen Street in Blackshear, GA 31516. This is where you go for death certificates in Pierce County. Walk-in visits are the fastest way to get a copy. Bring a valid photo ID and the full name and date of death for the person on the record. Staff can search the files and print a certified copy while you wait.

Pierce County belongs to the Southeast Health District, which serves several counties in southeast Georgia. The district maintains vital records for the region and can help if the Blackshear office cannot find a specific record. Sometimes a death that occurred near a county border gets filed in the next county over. A phone call to the Health Department before your visit can save time and confirm that the record is on file.

Note: Call the Pierce County Health Department before visiting to confirm hours and check if the record you need is available.

Death Certificate Fees in Pierce County

A certified death certificate from Pierce County costs $25.00 for the first copy. Each extra copy is $5.00 when ordered at the same time. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26 sets these fees for all Georgia counties. Cash, debit, and credit cards work for walk-in visits. Money orders and certified checks are accepted for mail orders. Personal checks are not taken at the Pierce County Health Department.

The extra copy discount only applies during the same transaction. A separate request later means paying the full $25.00 fee again. If you need multiple copies for estate or insurance purposes in Pierce County, order them all at once.

How to Search Pierce County Death Index

Several ways exist to search for death records in Pierce County. The Health Department in Blackshear does direct lookups. Staff search by name and date of death. Online state tools offer access from home as well.

Georgia's ROVER system lets you order death certificates online. Create an account, type in the details, and submit. ROVER covers Georgia deaths from 1919 to the present. Delivery by mail takes a few weeks. VitalChek is another option that processes orders faster but charges an added service fee. GO Certificates also handles online orders for Georgia death certificates. All three services can access Pierce County death records through the state database.

Historical death records are available through the Georgia Archives. Their digital collection of death records from 1919 to 1927 is free to browse. The FamilySearch Georgia Death Index covers 1933 through 1998 and is free to use.

Who Can Get Pierce County Death Records

Georgia law limits who can receive a certified death certificate. O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15 requires you to have a direct and tangible interest in the record. Spouses, parents, children, and legal representatives of the deceased qualify. Funeral directors who handled the case can also request copies. If you are settling an estate or filing an insurance claim in Pierce County, bring proof of your role.

Informational copies are open to anyone. They are not certified and cannot be used for legal purposes. The same facts appear, but the copy is stamped as informational only. Genealogists and family researchers use these copies for their work. Georgia Rules 511-1-3 have the full eligibility rules for both types of copies.

Pierce County Vital Records by Mail

Mail requests for Pierce County death records go to the Health Department at 2570 Allen Street, Blackshear, GA 31516. Include a money order or certified check for $25.00 payable to the Pierce County Health Department. Provide the full name of the deceased, date of death or a range, and your relationship to the person. Attach a copy of your photo ID.

The state vital records office also accepts mail requests. Send those to Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Call (404) 679-4702 for questions. State requests take 8 to 10 weeks. The Pierce County Health Department usually processes mail requests in 2 to 4 weeks. Walk-in visits to Blackshear are the fastest option.

Georgia DPH Vital Records Page

The Georgia DPH vital records page lists all the ways to request a death certificate for Pierce County and the rest of the state.

This page covers the full range of options for getting death records from Pierce County, including in-person, mail, and online requests.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Pierce County. If you are not sure where a death was recorded, check the neighboring offices.