Franklin County Death Index

Franklin County death index records are on file at the Register of Deeds in Louisburg, North Carolina. The office holds death records going back to 1913. You can search the death index by name or date to find the record you need. Franklin County also offers an online system for ordering death records from home. This page covers how to search the Franklin County death index, what records are available, the fees, and where to find extra help across North Carolina.

Franklin County Death Records Office

The Franklin County Register of Deeds is the main office for death index searches. The office is on Main Street in Louisburg. It serves as the custodian for documents going back to 1776. These include deeds, deeds of trust, powers of attorney, maps, and vital records for Franklin County.

Birth and death records start in 1913 for people born or who died in Franklin County. Marriage records go back even further. The office holds marriage bonds from 1779 and marriage certificates from 1869. Brandi Smith Brinson serves as the Register of Deeds. She has been with the Franklin County office since 2001 and has served as Registrar since 2011.

The office can issue death records for deaths that took place in Franklin County. Through the state vital record system, the office can also pull death records from other North Carolina counties. Out of county death records go back to 2020 through this system.

Order Franklin Death Records Online

Franklin County now has an online ordering system for death records. The Franklin County online portal runs through Permitium. You can order certified or plain copies of death records from anywhere with a web connection.

The online system asks for the name of the dead person, the date of death, and your link to that person. You pay the fee online. Upload a copy of your ID. The office then mails the death record to your address. This is a good option if you live far from Louisburg or cannot visit the Franklin County office in person.

Note: Online orders may take a few extra days to arrive compared to in person pickup at the Franklin County Register of Deeds.

Search the Franklin Death Index

You can search the Franklin County death index in person, by mail, or online. Each method has its own pace and cost.

For in person searches, go to the Register of Deeds on Main Street in Louisburg. Bring your photo ID. Tell the clerk the full name and rough year of death. The staff will check the death index and pull the file. You can get copies on the spot. The fee is $10 for a certified death record in Franklin County.

For mail requests, send a letter to the Franklin County Register of Deeds at Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549. You can also email the office at bdavis@franklincounty.nc.us to ask about the process. Include the dead person's name, death date, your ID copy, and a $10 check. Add a self addressed stamped envelope. The office will mail back the death record.

The state level option is NC Vital Records in Raleigh. They hold death records from 1930 on. The fee is $24 per three year search. That is more than the Franklin County rate. But the state system works if you are not sure which county the death took place in.

Who Can Get Franklin Death Records

North Carolina law under NCGS 130A-93 sets who can get a certified death record. This applies in Franklin County and every other county in the state. Certified copies go to close kin only.

The list of people who can get a certified death record from Franklin County includes:

• The dead person's spouse
• A parent or child
• A sibling of the dead person
• A grandparent or grandchild
• A stepparent or stepchild
• Lawyers and legal agents for any of those kin

Plain copies are open to the public. They lack the state seal but show the same data. Most people doing family research in Franklin County use plain copies. They cost less and meet most research needs.

Franklin Death Index and State System

Franklin County Register of Deeds now connects to the North Carolina state vital records system. This lets the office pull death records from other counties in the state. Out of county death records go back to 2020 through this link. So if someone died in a different North Carolina county, the Franklin County office may be able to get that death record for you.

The state system also lets the office issue birth records from other counties back to 1971. There is an extra charge for out of county birth records. For death records, the standard $10 fee still applies in Franklin County. This state link makes the Franklin County office a one stop shop for many North Carolina vital records.

The North Carolina State Archives is the best source for old death records. They hold records from 1913 to 1975. The NC Archives Store has copies from 1906 to 1979. For Franklin County death index searches on older records, these tools fill the gaps.

Genealogy and Death Index Research

Franklin County has strong records for family tree work. The death index starts in 1913. Marriage bonds go back to 1779. Marriage certificates start at 1869. Real estate documents go to 1776. All of these sit in the same office in Louisburg.

A single visit to the Franklin County Register of Deeds can yield death, birth, and marriage records. Cross checking these records builds a fuller family picture. The NC Genealogical Society has a free guide that covers death index research across North Carolina. The NC State Library also has a vital records research guide.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit next to Franklin County. If the death took place near the border area, the record could be in a neighboring office.