Find Limestone County Death Records
Limestone County death records are at the health department in Athens. Staff can find death certificates for deaths that took place anywhere in Alabama.
Limestone County Quick Facts
Limestone County Health Department
The Limestone County Health Department is on Clyde Mabry Drive in Athens. About 106,000 people live here. This is a fast-growing north Alabama county. It sits just south of Tennessee. Parts of Madison city and Decatur city cross into Limestone County.
The health department uses the state ViSION system. Staff can look up Limestone 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 visits take 30 minutes or less in Limestone County.
| Address | 20371 Clyde Mabry Drive Athens, AL 35611 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (256) 232-3200 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | alabamapublichealth.gov/limestone |
How to Get Death Certificates
You can get Limestone County death records in three ways. Each has its own pros and cons based on your needs.
In Person Requests
Go in person. This is the fast way. Bring a photo ID like a license or passport. 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 Limestone County. You can pay with cash, check, or money order in Alabama.
Mail Orders
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 Ordering
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 Limestone County in person.
Who May Request Death Records
State law sets rules for Limestone 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 Limestone County death certificates. The list is shown below:
- Parents of the deceased person
- Spouse of the deceased
- Children and grandchildren
- Brothers and sisters
- Legal reps of the estate
- The informant listed on the certificate
- Others who can show a direct interest in Alabama
State and local agencies can get records for work. Researchers may ask for data with a written deal. Firms that want mailing lists cannot get death certificates in Limestone County.
Death Certificate Fees
The State Board of Health sets fees for Limestone 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 to record | $20.00 |
You pay even if no record is found. You get a Certificate of Failure to Find. Fees are not given back in Limestone County. VitalChek adds its own charges in Alabama.
Historical Death Records
Alabama started death records on January 1, 1908. Limestone County death records from that date are at the state office. 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 Limestone County death records are listed below:
- Probate court wills and estate records
- Church burial and funeral records
- Cemetery records and tombstones
- Newspaper obituaries from Athens papers
- Federal mortality schedules from 1850 to 1880
The Alabama Department of Archives and History has microfilm of old records. FamilySearch has a free database called Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974. It has images of death certificates in Alabama.
Death Investigations
The Limestone County Coroner looks into certain deaths. These include deaths from violence, accidents, suicide, or unknown causes. Alabama uses an elected coroner system in most counties. The coroner finds the cause and manner of death in Limestone County.
If an autopsy is needed, the coroner works with the state. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences runs the Huntsville lab. This lab serves Limestone County. They handle autopsies and forensic tests for death cases in Alabama.
Cities in Limestone County
Limestone County has Athens and parts of other cities. Some cities cross county lines. The health department serves all areas for death records in Limestone County.
Madison city and Decatur city cross into Limestone County from other counties. Parts of these cities are in Limestone County. Other parts are in Madison County or Morgan County in Alabama.
Nearby Counties
Limestone County borders Tennessee 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 Limestone County or other parts of Alabama.