Access Escambia County Death Records

Escambia County death records are at two health department sites. One is in Brewton. One is in Atmore. Both connect to the Alabama ViSION database. This means you can request death certificates for anyone who died in Alabama. Records go back to 1908. Deaths more than 25 years ago are public in Escambia County. Recent death certificates stay restricted in Alabama.

Escambia County Health Department

Escambia County has two health department sites. The Brewton site is the main office. It sits in the county seat. The Atmore site serves the north part of the county. Both can help you get Escambia County death certificates and other vital records in Alabama.

Brewton Office

Atmore Office

Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/escambia

Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. This is a must. For restricted Escambia County death records from the past 25 years, you need proof that you qualify. Family members should have papers that show their tie to the person who died in Alabama.

How to Request a Death Certificate

Escambia County residents have several ways to get death certificates. Each has different costs and time frames in Alabama.

Walk In to Either Office

Going to the Brewton or Atmore health department in person is the fastest way. Staff can search the state database. They can print your copy while you wait. Most visits take about 20 to 30 minutes. Bring cash, check, or money order to pay in Escambia County.

Mail Request to Montgomery

The Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery takes mail orders. You can use this for Escambia County death records or any county in Alabama. Download form HS-14 from the state health site. Fill it out. Send it with a check or money order to P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625. Make the check out to Center for Health Statistics. Plan for about two weeks total.

Order Online

VitalChek handles online orders for Alabama. You can pay by card. You can pick your shipping speed. VitalChek adds fees on top of the state fee. Expect to pay around $40 or more. Standard orders take 7 to 10 days to arrive in Escambia County.

Escambia County Death Certificate Fees

Alabama Code Section 22-9A-23 gives the State Board of Health authority over vital records fees. The same fees apply at both Escambia County offices. They also apply at the state office in Montgomery.

Fees are not refundable in Escambia County. Even if no record is found, you pay the fee. You get a Certificate of Failure to Find. Make sure you have the right details before paying in Alabama.

Who Can Get Escambia County Death Records

The rules for getting death certificates depend on the record's age in Alabama. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death records stay private for 25 years. After that, they become public. Anyone can request old Escambia County death records.

For deaths in the past 25 years, only certain people may request Escambia County death certificates:

• Spouse of the person who died
• Parents of the person who died
• Adult children of the person who died
• Brothers and sisters of the person who died
• Grandchildren of the person who died
• Legal reps with proper papers
• The informant named on the certificate

Others with direct stakes may qualify in Escambia County. Insurance companies often have valid reasons. Funeral homes do too. Attorneys handling estate matters can often get records in Alabama. Government agencies can access records for official work.

Death Investigation in Escambia County

Escambia County is one of only three Alabama counties that use a medical examiner. Most counties in Alabama use an elected coroner. Under Alabama Code Section 45-27-60, Escambia County got rid of its coroner post. It set up a medical examiner system. This means a medical pro handles death investigations in Escambia County.

When someone dies from violence, an accident, suicide, or suddenly without a doctor, the medical examiner takes over. They look at the facts. They decide if an autopsy is needed. Autopsies are done by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences at the Mobile lab.

For routine deaths under a doctor's care, the process is simpler in Alabama. The doctor certifies the cause of death. The funeral home files the certificate within five days per Alabama Code Section 22-9A-14 in Escambia County.

Historical Death Records in Escambia County

Alabama began statewide death registration on January 1, 1908. Full compliance took years. About 90 percent of deaths were being recorded by 1925 in Alabama. For Escambia County deaths before 1908, you need other record types.

Probate court records often contain death info in Escambia County. Estate files, wills, and guardianship records mention death dates. Church burial records are another good source. Cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions can help fill gaps in Alabama.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery holds early county records on microfilm. Staff can help you search newspapers, census records, and other sources. They give free access to Ancestry.com in the research room for Escambia County research.

FamilySearch offers a free database called Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974. You can search by name. You can view digital images of the original certificates at no charge in Alabama.

Nearby Counties

Escambia County sits in southwest Alabama near the Florida state line. These nearby counties also have health departments for vital records requests in Alabama.

Cities in Escambia County

Escambia County includes Brewton, Atmore, Flomaton, East Brewton, and other towns. Brewton is the county seat. Atmore has a branch health department office. No cities in Escambia County meet the 50,000 threshold for a city page.

For Escambia County death records of anyone who died here, visit either health department site above. The nearest major city with its own page is Mobile. It is about 55 miles southwest of Brewton in Alabama.