Find Coosa County Death Records
Coosa County death certificates are on file at the health department in Rockford. The state has kept death records in Alabama since 1908. You can get a copy of any death record for someone who died in Coosa County. This page tells you how to get copies, what they cost, and who can ask for them under state law in Alabama.
Coosa County Quick Facts
Coosa County Health Department
The Coosa County Health Department is where you go to get death certificates in Coosa County. The office is on U.S. Highway 231 in Rockford. Staff can help you find Coosa County death records and print copies while you wait. They use the state ViSION system to search for deaths that took place in Alabama.
| Address | 9518 U.S. Highway 231 Rockford, AL 35136 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (256) 377-1068 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | Alabama Public Health - Coosa County |
You can use the health department to get a death record for any death in Alabama. The staff can search the whole state database. This means you do not have to go to the county where the death took place.
How to Get Records
There are three ways to get Coosa County death certificates:
Walk In
To get a death record in person, bring your ID to the health department. You will fill out a form with the name of the person who died and the date of death. The staff will search for the record and print it. This takes about 20 minutes in Coosa County. You pay the fee when you pick up the copy.
To get a death record by mail, send a letter to the health department. Put in the full name of the person who died. Add the date of death and place of death if you know it. Write your name and address so they can mail the copy to you. Send a check or money order made out to Alabama Department of Public Health. Wait one to two weeks for the copy in Coosa County.
Online
You can order Coosa County death records online through VitalChek. Go to the Alabama Center for Health Statistics site and click the link. You will pay by card. There is an extra fee on top of the state fee. The site lets you track your order.
Who Can Request
Under state law, not all death records are open to the public in Alabama. Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21 sets the rules for who can get a copy.
Records more than 25 years old are public in Coosa County. Anyone can ask for them. You do not need to show a reason or prove you are kin. Just fill out the form and pay the fee.
Records less than 25 years old are not public in Alabama. Only some people can get them. The list includes the spouse of the person who died, parents, children, siblings, and grandchildren. Estate lawyers and funeral homes can get copies too. So can government workers who need them for their job. If you are not on the list, you can ask a court for an order to get the record in Coosa County.
Fees
The state sets the fees for death records in Alabama. All counties charge the same amount:
| First Copy | $15.00 |
|---|---|
| Additional Copies | $6.00 each (same order) |
| Expedite | $15.00 extra |
| Amendment | $20.00 |
You can save by getting more than one copy at a time. The first copy is $15. Each extra copy in the same order is just $6. The fee is not refunded if no record is found in Coosa County.
Coosa County Health Department in Rockford processes death certificate requests.
Certificate Contents
A Coosa County death certificate has three main parts. The first part has basic facts about the person who died, like the full name, birth date, death date, and place of death. It also shows the home address, Social Security number, race, and sex.
The second part has medical facts. This means the cause of death and any other health issues that led to the death. It shows if there was an autopsy. The name of the doctor or coroner who signed it is there too.
The third part tells what was done with the body. It says if there was a burial or cremation. The name of the funeral home is on it. So is the place where the remains were put to rest in Alabama.
Legal Framework
Death records in Alabama fall under the Alabama Vital Statistics Act of 1992. You can find the law in Title 22, Chapter 9A of the Alabama Code. Here are the key parts that apply to Coosa County death records:
Section 22-9A-14 says every death must be filed within five days. The funeral home sends in the form. A doctor or coroner fills in the medical part.
Section 22-9A-21 keeps death records private for 25 years in Alabama. After that, they are open to the public.
Section 22-9A-22 says a certified copy is just as good as the original for legal use in Coosa County.
Historical Records
Alabama began keeping death records on January 1, 1908. For deaths before that date, there is no state record in Alabama. The state did not reach full compliance until 1925. This means some deaths from 1908 to 1925 may not be on file in Coosa County.
To find a death from before 1908 in Coosa County, you can try other sources. Church records often list deaths. Cemetery logs show when people were buried. Family bibles have death dates too. The Coosa County Probate Court may have estate files with death info. The Alabama Archives can help with old records in Alabama.
Other Sources
The health department is the main place to get death records in Coosa County. But other offices have files that may help.
The Coosa County Probate Court keeps estate and will files. These often show when someone died in Coosa County. You can search court records online at Alacourt.com.
Old newspapers ran death notices and obituaries. Local libraries may have copies you can search in Alabama.
Cities in Coosa County
Coosa County has a few small towns. Rockford is the county seat. Goodwater and Kellyton are also in Coosa County. None of these towns has more than 50,000 people. All residents use the county health department to get death records in Coosa County.