Access Macon County Death Index

The Macon County death index holds records of deaths that occurred in this southwestern North Carolina county. Macon County has kept death records since 1913 through the Register of Deeds office in Franklin. The county shares a border with Georgia and was named for Nathaniel Macon, a noted North Carolina political leader. You can search the Macon County death index to find death certificates and related vital documents. This guide covers how to request death records from Macon County by mail, online, or in person.

Macon County Register of Deeds Office

The Macon County Register of Deeds is at 5 West Main Street in Franklin, NC 28734. The phone number is (828) 349-2097. The current Register of Deeds is Todd Raby. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, except county holidays.

The Macon County Register of Deeds keeps birth and death records from 1913 to the present. Marriage records go back to 1878. Land records date to 1820. The office also has some delayed birth records from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These delayed records were obtained by families through the state after 1913. The office only holds records for persons born, married, or deceased in Macon County, North Carolina.

The image below shows the NC Vital Records fees page, which is a helpful reference when comparing state and county costs for Macon County death records.

The standard fee at the Macon County level is $10 for one certified copy of a death certificate. This is much less than the $24 state-level fee. Uncertified photocopies cost $0.25 each at the Macon County office.

Macon County Death Index Certificates

The Macon County death certificates page has full details on getting a copy. Each certified copy costs $10. Non-certified photocopies are $0.25 each. You can purchase a record online with a credit card through the Macon County online vital record request portal.

To request a death record by mail, fill out the Macon County death record request form. The form asks for the full name of the person, the date of death, the number of certified copies you need, and the number of photocopies. Send the form with payment to the Macon County Register of Deeds at 5 West Main Street, Franklin, NC 28734. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for faster return.

Payment can be made by cash, check, or money order. For online orders, credit card is accepted. The following people may get a certified copy of a death record in Macon County:

• Spouse of the deceased
• Parent or stepparent
• Grandparent of the deceased
• Child, stepchild, or grandchild
• Brother or sister
• Funeral director or licensee
• Authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative

Making a false request for a vital record is a felony under state and federal law. The Macon County office takes this seriously.

Macon County Death Index Common Questions

The Macon County FAQ page answers many common questions. All documents filed in the Register of Deeds office are public record. Anyone may view or get a copy. But only the person, their close family, an authorized agent, or legal representative may get a certified copy of a vital record. These can be purchased in person, online, or by mail.

Most records in the Macon County Register of Deeds office are open to the public. The only records with restricted access are military discharges due to the sensitive nature of those documents. All other records, including death records in the Macon County death index, can be viewed by anyone.

For divorce records in Macon County, contact the Clerk of Court at (828) 349-7200. Divorces are court matters and are not kept by the Register of Deeds. The Macon County vital records page has an overview of all services offered by the office.

Note: Macon County has delayed birth records from the late 1800s and early 1900s, but delayed death records from that era are rare.

Macon County Genealogy and Death Records

The FamilySearch Macon County genealogy guide covers records held by the Register of Deeds and the Clerk of Superior Court. The guide lists online collections that include North Carolina Deaths and Burials from 1898 to 1994, North Carolina Deaths from 1906 to 1930 and 1931 to 1994, and North Carolina Death Certificates from 1909 to 1975.

The Macon County NCGenWeb records page has more genealogy data. Resources there include cemetery records, census transcriptions from 1850 to 1940, deaths and obituaries, deeds, military records, newspapers, and wills and estates. These sources can help when the Macon County death index alone does not have what you need.

North Carolina State Death Index

If you cannot find a record in the Macon County death index, the state office may help. North Carolina Vital Records in Raleigh has death certificates from 1930 to the present. The fee is $24 per three-year search. This is not refundable. The state office is at 225 N. McDowell St. in Raleigh.

For records before 1930, try the North Carolina State Archives. They hold original death certificates from 1913 to 1975. Some go back to 1906. North Carolina required death registration starting in 1913, but not all Macon County deaths from that early period were recorded. The county office is cheaper and faster for any death that occurred in Macon County from 1913 onward.

FamilySearch also provides free online access to North Carolina death certificates from 1906 to 1930. These digitized records include scanned images of the originals. If you are looking for an early death in Macon County, this free tool is a strong starting point before contacting the state office or the local Register of Deeds in Franklin.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Macon County in western North Carolina. Death records are filed where the death occurred. Check neighboring counties if you are unsure of the location.