Certified Copies in Georgia: Where and What It Costs
Certified copies
Ordering Certified Copies in Georgia
Where to order a certified vital record or corporate record issued in Georgia, what it costs, what the office requires, and what happens to it afterwards.
- Birth certificate
- $25.00, additional copies $5.00
- Death certificate
- $25.00, additional copies $5.00
- Marriage
- $10.00
- Divorce
- $10.00 verification letter only
Vital records
Issued by: Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records
Post to: Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349
Verify current fees: (404) 679-4702
| Record | Certified copy |
|---|---|
| Birth | $25.00, additional copies $5.00 |
| Death | $25.00, additional copies $5.00 |
| Marriage | $10.00 |
| Divorce | $10.00 verification letter only |
What Georgia requires
- Certified check or money order only, payable to Georgia Department of Public Health.
- A photocopy of valid government photo ID is required.
- State holds marriage and divorce only for June 1952 to August 1996; otherwise go to the county.
Corporate records
A certificate of good standing and certified copies of formation documents for a Georgia entity come from Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), not the Secretary of State, normally online and often the same day.
Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), not the Secretary of State
- Order from the state where the entity was formed, not where it trades.
- A certificate of good standing is a statement of current status. A certified copy of the articles is a different product; if a foreign authority asks for the formation documents, you need the latter.
- Ask for a certified or exemplified copy. A plain download from the state website carries no seal and cannot be authenticated.
What happens next
Once you hold the certified copy, authentication in Georgia goes through Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), not the Secretary of State, at $3.00 per apostille. Note that Georgia also requires a county-level step for notarised documents, though a certified vital record issued by the registrar skips it.
Questions people actually ask
Where do I order a Georgia birth certificate?
From Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records. Post to Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. A certified copy is $25.00, additional copies $5.00.
Does the Georgia Secretary of State issue birth certificates?
No. Vital records come from the health department; the Secretary of State handles corporate records and, in most states, the apostille. They are separate offices with separate fees.
What will Georgia reject?
Certified check or money order only, payable to Georgia Department of Public Health.
Can I have it apostilled straight away?
Yes, and that is the right order. Order the certified copy first, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp or laminate it in between, and do not open a sealed envelope.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
