Find Brunswick County Death Certificates

Brunswick County death records are on file at the Register of Deeds office in Bolivia, North Carolina. The county first began registering deaths in October 1913. Since that time, the office has kept a record of every death that took place within the county. You can request death certificates in person, by mail, or through the online ordering system. The Brunswick County Register of Deeds staff can help you find the record you need and explain the fees involved.

Brunswick County Register of Deeds

The Brunswick County Register of Deeds is in Building I of the Brunswick County Complex at 75 Courthouse Drive in Bolivia, NC 28422. This office handles all death records, birth records, and marriage licenses for the county. Death records have been kept here since October 1913. The first marriage license was issued on November 23, 1867. Birth records have been officially kept since 1913, with some limited delayed births from 1876 to 1913.

Visit the Brunswick County birth, death, and marriage records page for details on all vital records services.

The page above shows how Brunswick County handles vital records requests including death certificates.

Note: Adoption records have been available through the Brunswick County Register of Deeds since January 1st, 2026.

In-Person Brunswick County Death Records

You can visit the Brunswick County Register of Deeds to get a death certificate in person. The cost is $10.00 for a certified copy. The office accepts cash, money orders, and certified checks. Personal checks, credit cards, and debit cards are not accepted for in-person payments.

Bring a valid photo ID. Tell the staff the full name of the deceased and the date of death. They will search the records for you. If the record is on file, you pay the fee and get your copy right away. The staff is there to help and can answer questions about what you need.

Under G.S. 130A-93.1, you must prove your identity and your relationship to the deceased to get a certified copy. The staff will ask you to fill out a short form. This is a state requirement that applies to all Brunswick County death record requests.

Order Brunswick County Death Records Online

The Brunswick County Register of Deeds offers an online ordering option for death certificates. This lets you request a record from home. The online system accepts orders for both certified and uncertified copies.

When you order online, there is a $1.00 mailing fee and a $2.00 convenience fee on top of the base cost. Orders placed before 4:00 PM are processed the same day. This makes the online method a fast choice for getting a Brunswick County death record without visiting the office.

The online system walks you through each step. You enter the name of the deceased, the date of death, your own details, and payment information. A credit or debit card is required for online orders. Once the order is processed, the Brunswick County office mails the death record to you.

Note: Online orders placed after 4:00 PM will be processed on the next business day.

Brunswick County Death Records by Mail

You can also request a death certificate by mail. Send your request to BCROD, P.O. Box 87, Bolivia, NC 28422. Include the full name of the deceased and the date of death. Add your name, mailing address, and a copy of your photo ID.

For a certified copy, include a check or money order for $10.00 made out to the Brunswick County Register of Deeds. For uncertified copies, the cost is $0.25 per page. This is a good option for people who only need a copy for personal records or genealogy research. The office will process your mail request and send the Brunswick County death record to you.

Mail requests take longer than in-person or online orders. Allow a week or more for the office to receive your letter, process the request, and mail back the record. If the staff has questions, they will contact you before sending the death record.

Eligibility for Brunswick County Death Certificates

North Carolina law controls who can get a certified death certificate from Brunswick County. Under G.S. 130A-93, only certain people may receive a certified copy. You must show ID and state your relationship to the deceased.

Those who may request a certified Brunswick County death record include:

• The surviving spouse
• A parent or adult child
• The personal representative of the estate
• A legal guardian
• An attorney acting on behalf of an eligible party
• A funeral director involved in the case

Anyone can request a non-certified copy of a Brunswick County death record. These copies do not have the raised seal. They show all the same facts and work well for family history research. The cost is much lower at $0.25 per page.

Brunswick County Death Record History

Death records in Brunswick County date back to October 1913. That is when the state of North Carolina first required counties to register deaths. Before that date, few formal records were kept. Any death records from before 1913 would be found in church records, family papers, or at the North Carolina State Archives.

Over the past century, Brunswick County has grown from a small rural county to one of the fastest-growing areas in the state. The volume of death records has grown along with the population. The Register of Deeds keeps all these records safe and available to the public under North Carolina law. G.S. 130A-26A requires both the county and the state to maintain complete and accurate vital records.

The Brunswick County office also holds birth records from 1913, with some delayed births from as early as 1876. Marriage licenses go back even further, to November 1867. Together, these vital records form a detailed picture of life and death in Brunswick County over more than a hundred years.

State Vital Records and Brunswick County

The North Carolina Division of Public Health keeps a copy of every death record filed in the state. If the Brunswick County office does not have the record you need, the state office may. You can order from the state at vitalrecords.nc.gov. The state also has downloadable forms at their forms page.

The North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds keeps a directory of every county office. This is helpful if you need death records from more than one county. Each county office has its own contact details and hours. The directory links directly to each office's website.

For historical research, the North Carolina State Archives is the best resource for very old records. Researchers looking for Brunswick County death records from before 1913 should start there. The archives hold a wide range of historical documents from every part of the state.

Note: The state vital records office fees may differ from Brunswick County fees, so check the state website before placing an order.