Find Wayne County Death Index

Wayne County death index records are stored at the Register of Deeds office in Goldsboro, North Carolina. You can search these records to find death certificates for people who died in Wayne County. The death index goes back to 1913 when the state of North Carolina started to require death registration. The Wayne County Register of Deeds works with the state Vital Records office to file and store all death certificates. Staff can help you search by name or date. Copies are available in person and by mail.

Wayne County Death Index Office

The Wayne County Register of Deeds is the central office for death records in this county. The office is at 224 E Walnut Street in Goldsboro. Staff maintain vital records for Wayne County. This means birth, death, and marriage certificates. They also handle land records, plats, and notary oaths. The Wayne County Register of Deeds can search the death index and issue copies to people who qualify.

Wayne County is in the eastern part of North Carolina. Goldsboro is the county seat and the largest city in the county. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base sits near the city. The base brings a large number of military families to Wayne County. All death records in the county are filed at the Register of Deeds. The office follows North Carolina law on record keeping and access.

Below is a view of the Wayne County government website.

The site covers all Wayne County departments, including the Register of Deeds office where death records are kept.

Search Wayne County Death Records

There are a few ways to search for death records in Wayne County. You can visit the Register of Deeds in Goldsboro. You can also send a request by mail. The best method depends on what you need and how soon you need it.

To search the Wayne County death index in person, go to 224 E Walnut Street in Goldsboro during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID. Staff can look up records by the name of the dead person or by date of death. Most requests are completed the same day at the Wayne County office. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (919) 731-1449 before your visit to check if the record you need is on file.

Wayne County accepts requests by mail as well. Complete the vital records form and include the $10 fee per copy. Send a copy of your photo ID. Use a money order or bank check for payment. Mail to Wayne County Register of Deeds, 224 E Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530. Include a stamped return envelope and a daytime phone number. Mail requests from Wayne County usually take a few business days.

Note: Always confirm the current fee and accepted payment types with the Wayne County Register of Deeds before sending a mail request.

Wayne County Death Record Access

Not everyone can get a certified death record from Wayne County. Under N.C.G.S. 130A-93, North Carolina law limits who can receive a certified copy. This rule protects the privacy of the dead and their kin.

Those who can get a certified copy from Wayne County include the spouse, parents, stepparents, grandparents, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and siblings of the dead person. People with a legal claim tied to the record also qualify. Attorneys and agents with proof of authority may request a certified copy too.

If you do not qualify, uncertified copies are open to the public from the Wayne County Register of Deeds. These copies cost less and are fine for research and non-legal uses. This makes the Wayne County death index a useful tool for all types of family history work.

North Carolina Death Index State Records

If Wayne County does not have the record you need, the state office can help. North Carolina Vital Records in Raleigh keeps death certificates from 1930 to the present. You can order by mail or in person by appointment. The state fee is $24 per three-year search. This is more than the Wayne County fee and takes longer to process.

For older Wayne County death records, the North Carolina State Archives holds death certificates from 1913 to 1975 and has an index from 1913 to 1979. These records are important for tracing Wayne County families. The archives is in Raleigh and open to researchers at no charge.

Wayne County Death Index Research

Family researchers use the Wayne County death index to trace roots in this part of North Carolina. A death certificate from Wayne County shows the name of the dead, date and place of death, cause of death, names of both parents, and place of burial. It may also include the birth date, occupation, and marital status. For Wayne County families, these facts are key to building complete family trees.

The North Carolina Genealogical Society says the county Register of Deeds should be the first stop for research. Wayne County offers uncertified copies at low cost, and these arrive much faster than state copies. Statewide death registration began in 1913 in North Carolina, with general compliance by 1920. Wayne County has records from 1913 to the present. For deaths before 1913, check church records, cemetery logs, or local historical groups in the Goldsboro area.

Wayne County has a rich history. The area has been a center of trade and farming since the colonial era. Death records from this county can help researchers connect with that long past.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Wayne County. If a death took place outside Wayne County, contact the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred to search their death index.