Barbour County Death Records
Barbour County death records are available through two health department offices. The main office is in Eufaula. There is a branch in Clayton, which is the county seat. Both can pull up Barbour County death certificates from the Alabama ViSION database.
Barbour County Quick Facts
Barbour County Health Department
Barbour County has two health department offices. Both handle Barbour County death certificates. Pick whichever one is closer to you. They have access to the same state records system in Alabama.
Eufaula Office
| Address | 634 School Street Eufaula, AL 36027 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 238 Eufaula, AL 36027 |
| Phone | (334) 687-4808 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
Clayton Branch Office
| Address | 39 Browder Street Clayton, AL 36016 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 775-8324 |
Both offices are part of the Alabama Department of Public Health. Staff at either location can search for Barbour County death records and issue certified copies.
Requesting Death Certificates
You have three ways to get a Barbour County death certificate. Each method has its own pros and cons.
Walk In Requests
The fastest way is to go in person. Bring a photo ID. Fill out a request form. Tell the clerk the name of the person who died. Give them the date of death. If you only know the year, that works too. It might take longer to search. Most walk in requests get done in 15 to 30 minutes in Barbour County.
Mail In Requests
You can send a written request by mail if you can not make it in person. Include the full name of the deceased. Add the date and place of death. Include your own name and address. Add a check or money order for the fee. Make it out to Alabama Department of Public Health. Mail it to the Eufaula office. Plan on waiting one to two weeks for a response in Alabama.
Online Orders
Alabama lets you order Barbour County death certificates online through VitalChek. Go to the Alabama Center for Health Statistics website. Look for the link to order vital records. VitalChek charges a service fee on top of the state fee. However, you can pay by credit card and track your order status in Alabama.
Eligibility to Request Records
Not everyone can get a death certificate in Alabama. The state has rules about who qualifies. It depends on how old the record is.
Under state law, Barbour County death records stay confidential for 25 years after the date of death. Once a record passes that 25 year mark, it becomes public. Anyone can order a copy without proving a relationship in Alabama.
For deaths less than 25 years ago, only certain people can get copies. The surviving spouse qualifies. Parents qualify. Children qualify. Brothers, sisters, and grandchildren qualify too. Lawyers, funeral directors, and government workers can get copies for official purposes. A court order allows anyone to get a copy in Barbour County.
Not sure if you qualify? Give the health department a call. They handle these questions all the time in Alabama.
Death Certificate Fees
Fees are set by the state. Barbour County charges the same as every other county in Alabama. The fee structure is as follows:
| First Copy | $15.00 |
|---|---|
| Additional Copies | $6.00 each (same order) |
| Expedite Fee | $15.00 extra |
| Amendment | $20.00 |
The fee is not refundable. If they search and find nothing, you still pay. You get a Certificate of Failure to Find instead. Make sure you have good information before you request a search in Barbour County.
Barbour County Health Department handles death certificate requests through the statewide ViSION system.
What You Get on a Death Certificate
Barbour County death certificates pack a lot of information onto one page. Here is what you will find on them.
The top section has basic facts. It shows the full legal name. It shows the date of birth. It shows the date of death. It shows the place of death. You also see the home address, Social Security number, race, and sex of the deceased in Alabama.
The middle part covers medical details. It lists the cause of death. It shows any other health conditions that contributed. It shows whether an autopsy was performed. The name of the doctor or coroner who certified the death appears here too in Barbour County.
The bottom section tells you about disposition. This means what happened to the body. It shows whether the person was buried or cremated. It names the funeral home. It tells where the remains were laid to rest in Alabama.
Alabama Death Records Law
The rules for Barbour County death records come from the Alabama Vital Statistics Act of 1992. It is found in Title 22, Chapter 9A of the Alabama Code.
Section 22-9A-14 says every death in Alabama must be registered within five days. The funeral home or whoever is in charge of the body files the certificate. A doctor or coroner fills out the cause of death section. If the cause is unknown at first, they mark it "pending" and update it later in Alabama.
Section 22-9A-21 covers who can get copies. It sets the 25 year confidentiality rule. It lists who can request recent Barbour County death records.
Section 22-9A-22 says certified copies are just as good as the original for legal purposes. Courts, banks, and insurance companies have to accept them in Alabama.
Historical Records in Barbour County
Alabama did not have a statewide vital records system until January 1, 1908. For deaths before that date, you will not find a state Barbour County death certificate.
Even after 1908, recording was spotty at first. The state says 90% compliance did not happen until 1925. So deaths between 1908 and 1925 might or might not have records on file in Barbour County.
For pre-1908 deaths, try these sources in Barbour County. Church records often noted deaths of members. Cemetery records list burial dates. Sometimes they list cause of death. The Probate Court has estate files that include death dates. Family bibles sometimes have death records written in them in Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has some early death records. They can point you to other resources too.
Other Places to Look
The health department is the main source for Barbour County death certificates. However, other offices have death related records too in Alabama.
The Barbour County Probate Court keeps records on estates and wills. If someone died with property, there is likely a probate file. These files have the death date. They have lots of information about what the person owned in Barbour County.
Local newspapers ran obituaries for many years. The Eufaula Tribune and other papers are good sources for death notices. Public libraries often have old newspaper collections on microfilm in Alabama.
Alacourt.com has court records for Barbour County. You can find legal documents related to a death there. This includes guardianship and estate cases in Alabama.
Cities in Barbour County
Barbour County includes several communities. Clayton is the county seat. Eufaula is the largest city. Other towns include Clio, Louisville, and Blue Springs. None of these have a population over 50,000. All residents get Barbour County death certificates through the county health department in Alabama.