Who Keeps Archives in Georgia: The State Archive and 159 Counties

Georgia divides its historical and official records among a state archive, 159 county courthouses, school districts, universities, and local collections. Which office holds a document depends on the type of record, its age, and the county that created it. A 1920 land deed sits in a different place from a 2015 birth certificate, and a school transcript follows a third path. Knowing that split before you drive anywhere saves hours. This page explains who keeps what, how metro Atlanta differs from rural Georgia, and how to use the listings in our directory without wasted trips.

The central repository is the Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow, in Clayton County. It appears in our directory as Morrow Archive, phone 678-364-3700. Since 2012 it has operated under the University System of Georgia, after years under the Secretary of State. Its collections include permanent state government records, land lottery records, Confederate pension files, and county records that were transferred or microfilmed. Reading room hours and appointment rules change, so phone before you go and ask which record series you need to request in advance.

The Georgia Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-90 and the sections that follow, governs how state and local agencies create, keep, and dispose of public records. Retention schedules decide what goes to an archive and what is destroyed after a set period. That is why a county may keep commission minutes permanently but discard routine paperwork after several years. Access to those records is governed by a separate law, the Georgia Open Records Act, covered further down this page.

Which Georgia Office Holds Which Record

Most requests fall into a handful of categories. Matching your need to the right custodian is the single most useful step you can take.

Metro Atlanta and Rural Georgia: Two Different Archive Experiences

In the Atlanta region, records are spread across large, busy offices. Our listings include the Atlanta Cannon Records Archive at 3455 Peachtree Road Northeast (678-310-9699) in Fulton County, plus two DeKalb entries: the Atlanta Doraville Records Archive at 3750 Park Avenue and the Decatur Pawn Shop Records Archive at 3630 Camp Circle. DeKalb County has four listings in total. South of the city, Clayton County hosts the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The Cobb County Records Archive in Marietta (1772 County Services Parkway, 770-528-1153), the Fayette County Records Archive in Fayetteville (1 Center Drive, 770-716-4290), and the Forsyth County Vital Records Archive in Cumming (112 West Maple Street, 770-781-2140) round out the suburban ring. Metro offices usually have more staff and more online tools, but they also have longer queues and tighter parking. Appointments help.

Rural Georgia works differently. In Statesboro, the Bulloch County Birth & Death Records Archive at 601 Northside Drive West (912-764-5969) is one of four listings in Bulloch County, which ties Fulton and DeKalb for the most of any county. Smaller offices such as the Irwinton Vital Records Archive at 100 Bacon Street (478-946-2222) in Wilkinson County, the Butts County Records Archive in Jackson (625 West 3rd Street, 770-775-8210), and the Polk County Attorney's Records Archive on Prior Street in Cedartown (770-749-2113) often run with a few staff members who cover several duties. Hours may be shorter, offices may close at midday, and a call ahead is the safest plan. In return, you often get one-on-one help from someone who knows the county's record books.

Regional hubs fill the gap between those extremes. Rome's Vital Records Archive at 16 East 12th Street Southwest (706-295-6305) serves Floyd County. In Hall County, the Vital Records Archive sits at 1290 Athens Street in Gainesville (770-531-5674). The Troup County Archive at 136 Main Street in LaGrange (706-884-1828) anchors Troup County. Athens has the University of Georgia Records Archive at 1125 Whitehall Road (706-542-2411) in Clarke County, and Augusta's Vital Records Archive is at 1916 North Leg Road (706-667-4335). On the coast, the Glynn County Vital Records Archive is at 2747 4th Street in Brunswick (912-279-3346), and the Bibb County Records Archive is at 171 Emery Highway in Macon (478-755-0208).

Georgia Open Records Act: Requests, Fees, and Timing

Public access to government records in Georgia is governed by the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 and the sections that follow. Agencies must respond to a written request within three business days. That response may be the records themselves, a cost estimate, or a statement of when the records will be ready. Agencies may charge ten cents per page for standard paper copies and may bill for staff time spent searching and retrieving. They may also withhold certain records, including some personal identifying information and files tied to open investigations.

Older material works differently. Once a record has moved to the Georgia Archives, you request it through the archive's own procedures, and the three-day deadline for the originating agency no longer applies. Certified vital records are also not ordinary open records. Georgia limits birth and death certificate copies to the person named, close family members, and legal representatives, and you will need photo identification.

A Practical Plan Before You Visit

Start by naming the record and the county where the event happened. Phone the office listed in our directory and confirm three things: whether it holds the record, its public hours, and whether it accepts walk-ins. Ask about accepted forms of payment, since small offices may take only cash, checks, or money orders. Bring a government photo ID and, for family records, proof of your relationship. Write down the full name, date, and county, plus alternate spellings. If the county courthouse burned in the past, ask whether copies were rebuilt or microfilmed at the state level.

Government archives in Georgia are administered by the state archives and records management division, which is typically housed within the Secretary of State's office or a dedicated cultural affairs agency. The state archives preserves official government records while also maintaining collections of historical significance to Georgia residents.

Archives locations are available in 31 cities across Georgia. They are spread across 28 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Atlanta, Statesboro, Gainesville, which tend to have more archives facilities due to their roles as county seats, state capitals, or historic centers of government activity.

Residents of Georgia conducting genealogical or historical research should check whether their county or city maintains a separate archives in addition to the state repository, as many local records are held at the municipal or county level.

Archives by Counties

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Researchers in Georgia can often access digitized state archives records through the state library's online portal without visiting in person. For records not yet digitized, contact the archives office in advance to schedule a research appointment and confirm that the specific collection is available for public review.

Browse Archives by county across Georgia to find the nearest location.

Searching Archives Across Georgia's Regions

Georgia is large, and the right archive often depends on the region. In the northwest, Rome's Vital Records Archive, Dalton Gardens & Archive at 715 Chattanooga Avenue (706-278-0217) in Whitfield County, the Gordon County Records Archive at 788 Harris Beamer Road Southwest in Calhoun (706-629-1024), and the Polk County listing in Cedartown give researchers several stops within a short drive of one another. In the northeast, Gainesville, Cumming, Jefferson, and Athens form a corridor of county offices and the University of Georgia's records collection.

On the coast and in the southeast, the Glynn County Vital Records Archive in Brunswick, the Liberty County Records Archive at 107 West Memorial Drive in Hinesville (912-877-3453), and the Bulloch County office in Statesboro cover working ports, timber country, and the military community around Fort Stewart. Middle Georgia relies on Macon and Irwinton, west Georgia on Columbus and LaGrange, and the east on Augusta and Appling in Columbia County.

Search by the county where the event happened, not the city where you live now. Some listings carry unusual names, such as the Decatur Pawn Shop Records Archive, so phone before you travel and confirm what the office actually keeps, who may request it, and what it costs.

Georgia Archives Questions and Answers

The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow, in Clayton County, and appears in our directory as Morrow Archive (678-364-3700). It operates under the University System of Georgia, which took over from the Secretary of State in 2012. The collection covers state government records, land lottery records, Confederate pension files, and many transferred county records. Public research hours and appointment rules can change, so call before making the drive. If you plan to review original documents, ask which materials must be requested ahead of time and whether you may photograph items yourself.

Certified copies come from the State Vital Records Office, part of the Georgia Department of Public Health, and from county vital records offices, depending on the services each office offers. Georgia restricts copies to the person named, certain close relatives, and legal representatives, so bring a valid photo ID and proof of relationship if you are requesting for family. Our listings include county-level offices such as the Bulloch County Birth & Death Records Archive in Statesboro and the Hall County Vital Records Archive in Gainesville. Call first to confirm fees, accepted payment, and processing time, because these details vary by office and change over time.

Georgia birth records generally become open to public research after 100 years, and death records after 75 years. At that point the Georgia Archives holds them as historical records, and genealogists can search them without proving a family relationship. More recent certificates stay restricted to eligible requesters. If your ancestor was born in the early 1900s, check whether the record has crossed that threshold, and have the full name, birth year, and county ready. Staff can tell you which index to search and whether a microfilm copy or a digital image is available.

Marriage licenses and wills are kept by the probate court in the county where the license was issued or the estate was opened. Deeds, plats, and divorce decrees are recorded by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county involved. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority offers a statewide index for land records that can help you identify a document before you visit. Because these are county-level records, the right place for a Troup County deed is different from the right place for a Floyd County deed. Identify the county first, then call the courthouse to confirm hours and copy costs.

Under the Georgia Open Records Act, an agency must respond within three business days of receiving a written request. The response may supply the records, give an estimate of cost and timing, or explain why records are being withheld. Agencies may charge ten cents per page for standard paper copies, plus staff time to search and retrieve. Keep your request specific by naming the record type, date range, and county. Send it by email or letter so you have a dated record. Sheriff and attorney files, like those in the Columbia County and Polk County listings, often include exempt material that staff must redact.

Georgia lost many county records to courthouse fires, floods, and Civil War damage, so gaps are common in older research. Start by asking the clerk or probate court which volumes survive. Next, check the Georgia Archives in Morrow, which holds microfilm and transferred records for many counties. Neighboring counties may hold related records, especially where boundaries changed over time. University and regional collections, including the University of Georgia in Athens, may hold newspapers, deed copies, and family papers. Calling the nearest archive in our listings is a good next step before you travel.