Georgia Department of Public Health 2026: Services, Phone & Records
Most people searching for the Georgia Department of Public Health need the correct official route for one task: a Georgia birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record, divorce confirmation, immunization record, county health department, WIC, restaurant complaint, public health emergency, open records request, or professional license lookup.
This guide is written in plain U.S. English for Georgia residents, seniors, parents, caregivers, families, employers, license applicants, facility users, and out-of-state users who need a Georgia record. It helps you choose the right official page before you call, pay, mail forms, upload ID, visit an office, or share private information.
Quick answer: what the Georgia Department of Public Health helps with in 2026
The Georgia Department of Public Health, often searched as Georgia DPH, Georgia health department, GA Department of Public Health, or DPH Georgia, handles statewide public health programs, vital records, immunizations, GRITS shot records, WIC, public health districts, environmental health, disease reporting, health data, open records, emergency preparedness, and county health department routing.
| What you need | Best official route | Prepare first | Senior-friendly tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Department of Public Health phone number | DPH Contact page | Your topic, county, callback number, and whether it is urgent | Ask, “Which DPH program or county office handles this?” |
| Georgia birth certificate | Georgia DPH Vital Records birth records page | Full name, date of birth, county/city, parents, valid ID, eligibility proof, payment method | Newborn birth certificates are not automatically mailed; you must request one. |
| Georgia death certificate | Georgia DPH Vital Records death records page | Decedent name, date of death, county of death, requester proof, ID, legal need | Ask the bank, insurer, attorney or benefits office how many certified copies it needs. |
| Georgia marriage record | DPH for June 1952 to August 1996; county Probate Court outside that period | Names, date, county, marriage license county, ID and requester relationship | Certified marriage application copies can have requester restrictions. |
| Georgia divorce record | County Superior Court Clerk where divorce was granted | Names, county, case number if known, decree date, ID if required | DPH can confirm some older divorces, but copies usually come from Superior Court. |
| Georgia immunization records | GRITS / Immunization Records Request | Name, date of birth, contact email, provider/school details, parent/guardian proof if needed | GRITS is not guaranteed to include every vaccine record, especially older records. |
| County health department services | Find a Location / Public Health Districts / local county health department | County, address, service, appointment need, insurance or ID question | Call the local office before visiting because county services and hours vary. |
| Restaurant, hotel, motel, campground, pool, septic, mold, rabies or body art complaint | County Environmental Health Office | Business/property name, full address, county, date, issue, photos or receipt if available | County and address matter more than only the business name. |
| Georgia doctor, nurse or professional license lookup | Georgia Composite Medical Board, Georgia Secretary of State GOALS, Georgia Board of Nursing, or related board | Name, license number, profession, board, city or facility name | DPH is not the lookup route for many individual professional licenses. |
If the task is a birth, death or certain marriage record, use Georgia Vital Records. If it is a shot record, use GRITS or the immunization record request form. If it is a restaurant, pool, hotel, septic, mold or rabies issue, use county Environmental Health. If it is a doctor or nurse license, use the proper licensing board, not a general DPH contact page.
Georgia Department of Public Health route finder: choose the correct official page before calling, paying or visiting
Use this task router for common searches like Georgia department of public health phone number, Georgia department of public health birth certificate, Georgia DPH immunization records, Georgia vital records, Georgia health department locations, and Georgia DPH license lookup.
Georgia Health Route Finder
Select your need. The safest next step appears below.
Georgia Department of Public Health phone number, 24/7 emergency line and call script
Georgia DPH lists its main telephone number as 404-657-2700. For 24/7 public health emergencies, DPH lists 1-866-PUB-HLTH / 1-866-782-4584. For Vital Records, Georgia DPH lists 404-679-4702. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.
404-657-2700
Use for general Georgia DPH routing during posted office hours when you do not know which program owns the issue.
Open contact1-866-PUB-HLTH
Use for public health emergencies. This is not a substitute for 911 when someone needs emergency medical care.
Emergency contact404-679-4702
Use for Georgia birth, death, marriage and Vital Records questions, including order status support.
Open recordsUse a short call script
Say: “I need help with [birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record, immunization record, WIC, restaurant complaint, county health department, public health emergency, open records, or license lookup]. My county is [county name]. Which official Georgia DPH page or office should I use next?”
If your issue has a physical address, say the county and full address early. Restaurant, hotel, motel, campground, pool, septic, well, rabies, body art, mold and local clinic issues often depend on county-level routing.
Georgia vital records: birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record, fees, office hours and vendors
The Georgia Office of Vital Records registers, preserves, amends and certifies Georgia vital events. Georgia DPH says birth and death records are available from January 1919 to the present at the State Office, while some counties may have older records. Marriage and divorce routing depends strongly on date and county.
Certified Georgia birth certificate
Used for school, driver license, passport, REAL ID, benefits, insurance, employment, tax and identity needs.
Birth guideCertified Georgia death certificate
Used for estate, banking, insurance, probate, benefits, pension, real estate, tax and family matters.
Death guideGeorgia marriage applications and certificates
DPH handles some marriage records, while county Probate Court handles records outside the DPH date window.
Marriage routeUse official ordering routes only
Georgia DPH lists approved online vendors for certified copies, including GoCertificates, ROVER and VitalChek. If a website asks for ID and payment, confirm that it is an official Georgia route or approved vendor before entering private information.
Check fees and payment before applying
Georgia DPH’s fee page lists birth certificates and death certificates at $25.00 plus $5.00 for each additional copy, marriage certificates at $10.00 plus $5.00 for additional copies, and amendments at $10.00 plus the cost of the certificate. DPH says personal checks are not accepted.
Know the Atlanta Vital Records office route
The State Office of Vital Records is listed at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Georgia DPH lists State Office Vital Records lobby hours as 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays. Always confirm before visiting.
Newborn birth certificates are not automatically mailed to parents. Information gathered in the hospital is used to register the birth, but you still must request the certificate online or through a vital records office.
Georgia birth certificate: school, REAL ID, passport, tax, driver license and insurance checklist
A Georgia birth certificate is an official record of a birth that occurred in Georgia. It may be used for establishing identity, tax purposes, enrolling in school, applying for a driver license, obtaining health insurance, a passport, REAL ID, benefits and family documentation.
| Prepare | Why it matters | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Full name on birth record | Matches the Georgia birth record being searched. | Using a married or current name instead of the birth name. |
| Date and place of birth | Confirms the event happened in Georgia and helps identify the county. | Ordering from Georgia when the birth happened in another state. |
| Parent names | Helps distinguish people with similar names. | Leaving parent fields blank when known. |
| Valid photo ID | Certified record requests usually require identity proof. | Uploading or mailing an expired, blurry or incomplete ID copy. |
| Eligibility or relationship proof | Birth certificates are not open to every requester. | Paying before checking whether you are allowed to receive the record. |
| Order method | Online, mail, State Office and county office options affect timing and convenience. | Driving to an office without checking availability, ID and payment rules. |
Start with the official birth records page
Georgia DPH says birth records are available at the State Office of Vital Records from January 1919 to the present. For records older than 1919, contact the county where the birth occurred or the Georgia Archives.
Use the county or state office route when needed
Georgia DPH says you may request a certified birth certificate copy from a local county office or the State Office of Vital Records, and you may also request copies online using approved third-party vendors.
Current-year corrections and amendments follow different rules. If the birth certificate needs a name correction, parent correction, paternity update or court-ordered change, check the official birth records and amendments guidance before ordering multiple copies.
Georgia death certificate: estate, insurance, probate, benefits and county-of-death checklist
A Georgia death certificate may be needed for banks, life insurance, probate, estate administration, property, vehicle titles, Social Security, pension benefits, veterans benefits, tax matters and family records. Georgia DPH says death records are available from January 1919 to the present at the State Office for deaths that occurred in Georgia.
For legal and financial use
Often needed for estate, insurance, banking, benefits, court, tax and title-related tasks.
County of death matters
Georgia DPH’s death request form notes that the county in which the death occurred must be provided.
Ask the receiving agency what it accepts
Before ordering several certified copies, ask the bank, insurer, attorney, pension office, benefits office or court whether it needs an original certified copy or whether a photocopy is acceptable after verification.
Plan for mail processing time
Georgia DPH’s death records page lists online, in-person and mail request options, and notes that State Office mail-in requests can have an 8 to 10 week processing time. Use the official page before mailing forms or payment.
Order only the number of certified copies you truly need. Some agencies keep an original certified copy; others only need to see it or may accept a copy after the original is reviewed.
Georgia marriage and divorce records: DPH date window, Probate Court and Superior Court routing
Marriage and divorce records are where many Georgia DPH records searches go wrong. Georgia DPH provides certified copies of Georgia marriage applications, certificates and verifications for records available at the State Office from June 1952 to August 1996. Marriage records outside that period are usually available from the county Probate Office where the marriage license was issued. Divorce record copies go through the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted.
DPH or county Probate Court
Use DPH for June 1952 to August 1996. Use the county Probate Office for marriage records outside that period.
Marriage recordsCounty Superior Court Clerk
Copies of divorce records must generally be requested from the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted.
Georgia guideAsk which document is required
A name-change office, immigration office, court, school, employer, passport agency or benefits office may ask for a marriage application, marriage certificate, verification, divorce decree or certified court copy. The requested document determines the correct office.
Do not order a birth or death certificate product when the actual need is a certified marriage application, marriage certificate, divorce decree or full court record. Use the county Probate Court or Superior Court route when required.
Georgia immunization records, GRITS, school Form 3231 and urgent shot record requests
Georgia’s immunization registry is called GRITS, the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services. It is designed to collect and maintain accurate, complete and current vaccination records, but Georgia DPH notes that GRITS is not guaranteed to contain every old vaccine record, especially records before the registry was created in 2003 or records from providers that did not enter data.
Immunization Record Request Form
Georgia DPH says this form is generally the quickest way to receive records from the state office.
Request recordGRITS
GRITS stores immunization records entered by Georgia providers, local health departments, schools and other participating sources.
Open GRITSCertificate of Immunization
Georgia school and childcare requirements may involve Form 3231 and provider-generated immunization documentation.
ImmunizationsUse the online request form first
Georgia DPH’s immunization record request page says electronic requests are processed within 10 business days but may take up to 21 business days due to high volume. If the request is urgent, DPH says to visit your county public health department or private provider for possible same-day service.
If GRITS does not include every shot, contact the last doctor, clinic, county health department, school, insurance carrier, employer, military office or college that may have vaccine documentation.
Georgia county health departments and public health districts: local clinics, WIC, immunizations and environmental health
Georgia DPH funds and collaborates with 18 separate public health districts. Each district is made up of one or more of Georgia’s 159 counties and county health departments. Local offices are often the best route for county clinic services, immunizations, WIC, environmental health, food service, septic, rabies, birth/death record offices and local public health questions.
County health services
Use local offices for clinic services, appointments, immunizations, WIC and local health program questions.
County Vital Records offices
Many county health departments or probate offices can help with local Georgia vital record requests.
Environmental Health Office
Use county Environmental Health for restaurant, hotel, pool, septic, rabies, body art and local complaints.
18 public health districts
District offices help coordinate public health work across multiple county health departments.
For Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Athens, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Johns Creek, Albany, Warner Robins, Valdosta, Gainesville, Rome, Dalton, Brunswick and rural counties, always confirm the local office, hours, appointment rules and service availability before visiting.
Georgia WIC: food benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals
Georgia WIC helps eligible families by providing nutritious foods, health education, breastfeeding support and referrals to health care. WIC is not only for infants; it may help eligible pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and young children.
Check eligibility first
Use the official Georgia WIC page to understand eligibility, benefits, nutrition support and local WIC office routing.
Open Georgia WICUse county health department help
Many WIC questions are best handled through a local WIC clinic or county health department appointment route.
Find officeBefore calling WIC, write down household size, income questions, pregnancy or child age, county, preferred clinic, and whether you already have an appointment or EBT-related question.
Georgia environmental health complaints: restaurant, hotel, pool, septic, mold, rabies, body art and food safety
Georgia DPH Environmental Health covers topic areas such as food service, hotels, motels, campgrounds, indoor air quality and mold, insects and diseases, pools, rabies, sewage and septic systems, tanning, body art, lead and well water. For complaints, inspections, records, exams or locally related questions, Georgia DPH points users to the County Environmental Health Office.
| Collect this | Example | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Business or property name | Restaurant, hotel, motel, campground, pool, tattoo shop, septic property | Helps identify the correct regulated place. |
| Full address and county | Street, city, ZIP, county | County Environmental Health routing depends on location. |
| Date and time | When you ate, stayed, swam, observed or reported the issue | Creates a useful timeline. |
| Issue details | Food illness, sanitation, mold, septic, rabies exposure, pool safety, body art concern | Helps staff choose the correct inspection or complaint category. |
| Proof if available | Receipt, photos, room number, product label, menu item, witness details | Supports the complaint with facts. |
Start with the county Environmental Health Office
For complaints against a restaurant, hotel, motel, swimming pool or similar local concern, Georgia DPH directs users to the county Environmental Health Office. For after-hours public health emergencies, Georgia DPH lists 1-866-PUB-HLTH.
If someone has severe symptoms, trouble breathing, signs of poisoning, serious allergic reaction, chest pain, confusion, severe dehydration or another emergency condition, call 911 or seek emergency care first. A complaint route is not emergency treatment.
Georgia disease reporting, SendSS and 24/7 public health emergency routing
Georgia DPH uses disease reporting for public health surveillance. Notifiable diseases and health conditions can be reported through SendSS, the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. Georgia DPH notifiable disease guidance says immediately reportable conditions should be reported to the District Health Office or 1-866-PUB-HLTH.
SendSS
Providers and reporting entities can use SendSS for notifiable disease and condition reporting.
Disease reporting1-866-PUB-HLTH
Use Georgia DPH emergency reporting guidance for immediately reportable public health conditions.
Reporting rulesDo not wait for a general email reply if a condition is immediately reportable. Use the district health office or the 24/7 public health emergency line listed by Georgia DPH.
Georgia Department of Public Health license lookup vs Georgia professional license lookup
People often search “Georgia Department of Public Health license lookup” for doctors, nurses, nursing aides, EMS, tattoo/body art, food service, hotels, pools or other regulated professionals and facilities. These do not all use the same official lookup.
Georgia Composite Medical Board
Use for physician, physician assistant and other GCMB-regulated medical license verification.
Verify medical licenseGeorgia Secretary of State GOALS
Use for many professional licensing board searches, including nursing board routes and other licensed professions.
Licensee searchGeorgia Nurse Aide Registry
Use for certified nurse aide status validation when the nurse aide registry is the correct credential route.
Nurse aide searchSeparate a person license from a facility or local permit
If you are checking a person, identify the profession first. Doctors usually route through the Georgia Composite Medical Board; nurses and many other professions route through the Georgia Secretary of State professional licensing system. Food service, hotel, pool, body art and environmental health permits often route locally through Environmental Health.
Search by license number first when you have it. If not, search by legal name, profession, board and city. Do not rely only on a screenshot or third-party profile for hiring, credentialing or patient-safety checks.
Georgia Department of Public Health records: open records, health data, vital records and medical record confusion
“Georgia Department of Public Health records” can mean different things. A birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record, divorce record, immunization record, open records request, health statistics request, provider license verification, restaurant inspection or patient medical record may require a different official route.
Open Records Request Portal
Use for public records maintained by Georgia DPH. Media and public requests should use the official portal route.
Open recordsOASIS and PHIP
Use OASIS for publicly available health data and PHIP for public health data not available in OASIS.
Health dataCertificates and corrections
Use Georgia DPH Vital Records for birth, death, eligible marriage records, corrections and amendments.
Vital recordsChoose the right record category
Use Vital Records for certificates, GRITS for immunization records, Open Records for agency public records, OASIS/PHIP for health data, county Probate Court for many marriage records, county Superior Court for divorce records and professional board sites for license verification.
Do not send Social Security numbers, IDs, certificates, medical records, complaint evidence, payment details or patient information to an independent guide page. Use only official Georgia.gov, DPH, county, court or licensing-board routes for final submission.
Georgia Department of Public Health Atlanta office map, Vital Records office and before-you-visit warning
Georgia DPH lists its main mailing address as 200 Piedmont Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30334. The State Office of Vital Records is listed separately at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Do not drive to an office for every task; certificates, county services, environmental complaints, open records and license lookups each have their own route.
| Need | Better than driving first |
|---|---|
| Birth or death certificate | Use online, mail, State Office or county vital records office rules from Georgia DPH. |
| Urgent travel certificate | Georgia DPH says to visit the nearest vital records office and notes it does not participate in same-day cruise rush requests. |
| County health clinic | Find your county health department and call before visiting. |
| Restaurant, hotel, pool, septic, rabies or mold complaint | Use the county Environmental Health Office for the location. |
| Open records request | Use the official Open Records Request Portal route. |
| Doctor, nurse or professional license | Use the Georgia Composite Medical Board, Georgia Secretary of State GOALS or the correct professional board. |
Call or check the official page first. A DPH address may be an agency, mailing, administrative or program address, not the correct customer counter for your certificate, county clinic, complaint, court record or license task.
Official Georgia Department of Public Health and Georgia links used in this guide
Use these official pages for final forms, fees, phone numbers, eligibility, ID rules, office hours, mailing instructions, complaints, records requests, immunization records, county locations and license verification. This independent guide does not process records, accept payments, verify licenses, file complaints, or collect private documents.
People also search for: Georgia Department of Public Health Google and Bing intent guide
These search phrases reflect common user intent around “georgia department of public health.” Use the matching route below instead of opening random third-party pages.
Georgia department of public health phone number
Use DPH Contact for 404-657-2700 and the 24/7 public health emergency line.
Phone routeGeorgia department of public health birth certificate
Use Georgia DPH Birth Records and approved online vendors or official office routes.
Birth routeGeorgia department of public health death certificate
Use Georgia DPH Death Records and provide county of death, requester proof and ID.
Death routeGeorgia vital records marriage certificate
Use DPH for June 1952 to August 1996 and county Probate Court outside that window.
Marriage routeGeorgia immunization records GRITS
Use the Immunization Records Request form, GRITS and county/provider routes for urgent needs.
Shot record routeGeorgia county health department near me
Use DPH Find a Location and Public Health Districts to find the correct county office.
County routeGeorgia DPH restaurant complaint
Use county Environmental Health for restaurant, hotel, pool, septic, mold, rabies and body art issues.
Complaint routeGeorgia department of public health license lookup
Use Georgia Composite Medical Board, Georgia Secretary of State GOALS or the correct professional board.
License routePrivacy, safety and independent guide notice
HealthDepartmentGuide.org is an independent guide. It is not the official Georgia Department of Public Health, not Georgia.gov, not GRITS, not VitalChek, not GoCertificates, not ROVER, not a county health department, not a court, and not a professional licensing board.
Do not send Social Security numbers, birth certificates, death certificates, driver licenses, passports, immunization records, medical records, complaint evidence, license documents, payment cards or patient information to an independent guide page. Use official secure pages for final submission.
Phone numbers, fees, forms, ID rules, eligibility, processing times, office hours, vendor options, county services, complaint routes and license systems can change. Confirm final details on Georgia.gov, DPH official pages, approved vendor pages, county offices, courts or the correct licensing board before acting.
Georgia Department of Public Health FAQs
What is the Georgia Department of Public Health phone number?
Georgia DPH lists its main telephone number as 404-657-2700. For 24/7 public health emergencies, DPH lists 1-866-PUB-HLTH / 1-866-782-4584. For Georgia Vital Records questions, DPH lists 404-679-4702.
How do I order a Georgia birth certificate?
Use the official Georgia DPH Birth Records page or the Request Vital Records page. Prepare the full name on the birth record, date and place of birth, parent names, valid photo ID, eligibility proof if required, order method and payment method.
Are Georgia newborn birth certificates automatically mailed?
No. Georgia DPH says newborn birth certificates are not automatically mailed to parents. Information gathered in the hospital is used to register the birth, but parents must request the certificate online or at a vital records office.
How do I order a Georgia death certificate?
Use the official Georgia DPH Death Records page. Prepare the decedent name, date of death, county where the death occurred, requester details, valid ID and proof of relationship or legal need if required.
Where do I get Georgia marriage records?
Georgia DPH provides certified copies of Georgia marriage applications, certificates and verifications for records available at the State Office from June 1952 to August 1996. Marriage records outside that period are available from the county Probate Office where the marriage license was issued.
Where do I get Georgia divorce records?
Copies of Georgia divorce records are generally held by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Georgia DPH can confirm some divorce information for a specific date window, but copies go through the court.
How do I get Georgia immunization records?
Use the Georgia DPH Immunization Records Request form or contact the county public health department or provider. Georgia’s immunization registry is GRITS, but it may not include every old or out-of-state vaccine record.
How do I find a Georgia county health department?
Use Georgia DPH Find a Location or the Public Health Districts page. Georgia DPH works with 18 public health districts across 159 counties. Call the local office before visiting because services, hours and appointment rules can vary.
How do I report a restaurant, hotel, pool, septic, mold or rabies complaint in Georgia?
Georgia DPH directs local environmental health complaints to the County Environmental Health Office. Prepare the business or property name, full address, county, date, issue details and photos or receipts if available.
Is HealthDepartmentGuide.org the official Georgia Department of Public Health website?
No. HealthDepartmentGuide.org is an independent guide that helps users find the right official route. It does not process certificates, accept payments, verify licenses, request immunization records, file complaints or replace Georgia.gov, DPH, GRITS, county offices, courts or licensing boards.