Lee County Death Index Search
Lee County death records are at the health department in Opelika. Staff can find death certificates for deaths that took place anywhere in Alabama.
Lee County Quick Facts
Lee County Health Department
The Lee County Health Department is on Corporate Drive in Opelika. About 174,000 people live in Lee County. Auburn is the biggest city here. It is home to Auburn University. The health department uses the state ViSION system. Staff can look up Lee County death certificates and print them for you.
You can get a death certificate from here for deaths in any county in Alabama. Most in-person requests take less than an hour. The office is part of the Alabama Department of Public Health network. They follow state rules for who can get copies of death records in Lee County.
| Address | 1801 Corporate Drive Opelika, AL 36801 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 745-5765 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | alabamapublichealth.gov/lee |
Lee County Coroner's Office
The Lee County Coroner looks into certain deaths. These include deaths from violence, accidents, suicide, or unknown causes. The coroner has a website with info about the office. When someone dies under odd causes in Lee County, the coroner finds the cause and manner of death.
Deaths that the coroner looks into include car crashes, work accidents, drownings, drug overdoses, murders, and any death where the cause is not clear. The coroner may ask for an autopsy from the state lab in Alabama.
| Website | leecountyalcoroner.gov |
|---|
How to Request Death Certificates
You can get Lee County death records in three ways. Pick the one that works best based on time and travel.
In Person at the Health Department
Go in person. This is the fast way. Bring a photo ID like a license. Know the name of the person who died. You need the date of death and their age too. Staff can print the record while you wait. Most visits take 15 to 30 minutes in Lee County. You can pay with cash, check, or money order in Alabama.
By Mail
Send your request to Montgomery. Download the form from the state site. Fill it out. Add a check for $15. Make it out to Center for Health Statistics. Mail to P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625. It takes 7 to 10 days in Alabama.
Online Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the state vendor. Go to their site or call 1-888-279-9888. You can use a credit or debit card. Standard orders take 7 to 10 days. Rush orders cost more. VitalChek adds fees on top of the $15 state fee. This is a good option if you cannot visit Lee County in person.
Who Can Get Death Certificates
State law sets rules for Lee County death records. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates stay private for 25 years. After that, anyone can get a copy. The record becomes public at that point in Alabama.
For deaths in the past 25 years, only some people may get Lee County death certificates. The list is shown below:
- Parents of the person who died
- Spouse of the deceased
- Children and grandchildren
- Brothers and sisters
- Legal reps acting for the estate
- The informant named on the certificate
- Anyone with a direct interest in Alabama
State and local agencies can get records for work. Researchers may ask for data with a written deal. Firms cannot get records for marketing lists in Lee County.
Death Certificate Fees
The State Board of Health sets fees for Lee County death records. Alabama Code Section 22-9A-23 controls these rates. They are the same at any county office or the state office in Alabama.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Search with one certified copy | $15.00 |
| Additional copies in same order | $6.00 each |
| Expedited processing | $15.00 extra |
| Amendment or correction | $20.00 |
You pay even if no record is found. You get a Certificate of Failure to Find. Fees are not given back in Lee County. VitalChek adds its own charges in Alabama.
Historical Death Records
Alabama started death records on January 1, 1908. Lee County death records from that date are at the state office in Montgomery. Records over 25 years old are now public in Alabama.
To find death info from before 1908, you must look at other sources. Some early death logs exist from 1881, but not all deaths were in them. Good places to search for old Lee County death records are listed below:
- Probate court records with wills and estates
- Church records of burials and funerals
- Cemetery records and tombstones
- Newspaper obituaries from Opelika and Auburn papers
- Federal mortality schedules from 1850 to 1880
The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has microfilm of old records. FamilySearch has a free database called Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974. It has images of death certificates in Alabama.
Cities in Lee County
Lee County has many cities and towns. Auburn is the biggest. It is home to Auburn University. Opelika is the county seat. The health department serves all cities for death records in Lee County.
Other areas in Lee County include Opelika, Phenix City (partly), Smiths Station, Loachapoka, Beauregard, and Salem. All death records for these areas go through the county health department in Alabama.
Nearby Counties
Lee County borders Georgia and other Alabama counties. All county health departments use the same state database. You can get death records from any site in Alabama.
Start Your Search
Use the tool below to find death records in Lee County or other parts of Alabama.