Forsyth County Death Certificate Search

Forsyth County death records are kept at the Register of Deeds office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The office holds death certificates going back to 1913. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through an online portal. Staff can help you find the right record and tell you what forms and ID you need. This page explains how to search for Forsyth County death records, what to expect in terms of costs, and where to turn if the record you need is not on file at the local level.

Forsyth County Register of Deeds

The Forsyth County Register of Deeds is the main office for death records in the county. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Any requests that come in after 4:00 PM will be processed on the next business day. This is important to keep in mind if you plan to visit late in the day.

The office handles death certificates, birth certificates, and marriage licenses. Forsyth County death records go back to 1913, when North Carolina first required that all deaths be filed with the state. If you need a record from that year or later, the Register of Deeds is the right place to start. Staff can look up the record while you wait if you visit in person.

Bring a valid photo ID when you go. The staff will need to verify who you are before they can give you a certified copy of a death record. This step is the same for all vital record requests in Forsyth County.

Online Death Record Requests

Forsyth County accepts online orders for death records through a system called Permitium. This is a fast way to get a copy if you live far from Winston-Salem or cannot visit during office hours. The online system guides you through the request step by step.

Visit the Forsyth County online vital records portal to start your order.

The portal lets you pick the type of record you need, enter the details, and pay with a credit or debit card. A 3% card processing charge applies to all online and card payments. This is on top of the base cost of the death record.

Online orders are a good choice when you cannot get to the office. The system sends updates as your request moves through each step. You will get the Forsyth County death record by mail once it is ready.

Note: Orders placed after 4:00 PM will not be processed until the next business day.

Forsyth County Death Record Fees

A certified copy of a death certificate from Forsyth County costs $10. This fee is set by state law. An uncertified copy costs $0.50. The uncertified version has the same data but lacks the raised seal. It works well for personal use or family history research.

The office accepts business checks, bank checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards. Personal checks are not accepted. If you pay by card, a 3% processing charge is added to your total. Cash is accepted for in-person visits.

You can review the full list of fees at the Forsyth County Register of Deeds fee page.

The fee page lists costs for all types of records, including death certificates, birth certificates, and marriage licenses. Check it before you visit or place an order so you know what to expect.

Payment Methods for Death Records

Forsyth County has clear rules about how you can pay for death records. The office does not accept personal checks. This is different from some other counties in North Carolina. Make sure you bring the right form of payment when you visit.

These are the forms of payment the Forsyth County Register of Deeds accepts:

• Business checks
• Bank checks or cashier's checks
• Money orders
• Credit or debit cards with a 3% fee
• Cash for in-person visits

If you order by mail, use a bank check or money order. Do not send personal checks, as the office will not process them. Make your check out to the Forsyth County Register of Deeds. Include the right amount for the death record you need.

Who Can Get Forsyth Death Certificates

North Carolina law controls who can get a certified death certificate. The rules apply in Forsyth County the same as in all other counties. Only certain people have the right to a certified copy. Close family members can request one. That includes a spouse, parent, or adult child of the person who died.

Legal agents, attorneys who act for an eligible party, and funeral homes that handled the case also qualify. If you are not in one of these groups, you can still get an uncertified copy of the Forsyth County death record. It has the same facts but no raised seal. Under G.S. 130A-93, making a false claim to get a certified death record is a crime.

Forsyth County Historical Death Records

Death records in Forsyth County go back to 1913. That is when the state began its formal system of vital record filing. If you need a death record from before 1913, the county office will not have it. Those older records were not part of the official system.

The North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh holds records that predate the formal filing system. Church records, estate papers, and court files from Forsyth County may note a death from the 1800s or earlier. Cemetery records and old newspaper notices are also useful for filling in gaps. Local history groups in Winston-Salem may have guides to these sources.

Forsyth County has a long history. The county was formed in 1849 from Stokes County. Winston-Salem grew into one of the largest cities in the state. That means the volume of death records from the 1900s onward is quite large. The Register of Deeds office stores all of these records and can help you search through them.

Note: Early death records from 1913 to the 1920s were handwritten and may be harder to read than more recent files.

State Resources for Death Records

The North Carolina Vital Records office holds death records from all 100 counties. If the Forsyth County office does not have what you need, try the state. You can order through their online ordering page or by mail.

The NC Association of Registers of Deeds lists all county offices. This helps if the death took place outside Forsyth County. Each county keeps its own set of death records, so you may need to contact more than one office to find the right record.

The state office may take longer to process requests than the Forsyth County Register of Deeds. If speed matters, the local office or the online Permitium system is your best choice for getting a Forsyth County death record.