Franklin County Obituary Search
Franklin County obituary and death records are managed by Columbus Public Health and the Franklin County Probate Court. As the most populated county in Ohio, Franklin County processes a high volume of vital records each year. Columbus Public Health holds death certificates from 1908 to the present, while the Probate Court has older death records going back to 1867. The Columbus Metropolitan Library adds another layer with its large genealogy collection. This page covers every major source for finding obituary and death records in Franklin County.
Franklin County Overview
Franklin County Death Certificates
Columbus Public Health handles death certificates for Franklin County. Their Office of Vital Statistics is at 240 Parsons Ave. in Columbus. They hold death records for Franklin County deaths from 1908 to the present. They can also issue birth certificates for any Ohio birth since 1908. The fee is $25 per certificate. You can order in person or by mail. Email VS@columbus.gov or call (614) 645-7331 with questions.
To request a death certificate, you need the full name of the person, the date of death, and the place of death. Having the Social Security number helps but is not always required. Under Ohio Revised Code 3705.24, the fee covers both the search and the copy. If no record is found, you still pay the search fee. Mail requests should include a check or money order made out to Columbus Public Health, plus a self-addressed stamped envelope.
| Office | Columbus Public Health - Office of Vital Statistics |
|---|---|
| Address | 240 Parsons Ave., Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Phone | (614) 645-7331 |
| VS@columbus.gov | |
| Fee | $25 per certificate |
Franklin County Probate Court Obituary Records
The Franklin County Probate Court is on the 22nd Floor at 373 S. High Street in Columbus. This court holds death records from 1867 to 1908, birth records from the same period, and marriage licenses going back to 1803. Estate and probate records are also here. For obituary research, the Probate Court is your best bet for anything before 1908.
The court offers a General Case Index Search online. This lets you look up cases without visiting the courthouse. Copy fees are low. Certified copies cost $1 per page. Regular copies cost $0.10 per page. Digital copies on CD cost $1 each. You can pay by cash, certified check, money order, or credit card with a 3% service charge. Call 614-525-3108 for the Marriage Department or email probate@franklincountyohio.gov for general questions.
Estate files at the Probate Court often contain details about the deceased that you will not find on a death certificate. Wills name heirs. Inventory files list property. These records paint a fuller picture when you are trying to piece together a family story or confirm a death.
Note: Under Ohio Revised Code 3705.231, researchers can photograph or copy vital records during in-person visits to the Probate Court.
Franklin County Obituary Research Tools
The Columbus Metropolitan Library has one of the best genealogy collections in Ohio. Their resources include the Columbus News Index covering 1931 to 1997 and My History digital collections. You can search for obituaries that were published in Columbus newspapers, which cover most of Franklin County. The library is free to use and the genealogy staff can help you with your search.
Online tools give you more options. The Ohio Death Record Index has free searchable indexes for death certificates from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970. You can filter results by Franklin County. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library runs the Ohio Obituary Index with over 3.7 million entries from newspapers across the state, including Franklin County papers.
FamilySearch has digitized Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. These images are free to view with a free account. For Franklin County, this is a strong resource because it covers the early decades of statewide death registration when Columbus was growing fast and many deaths were recorded here.
Ohio State Obituary Resources
The Ohio Department of Health at 4200 Surface Road in Columbus holds death certificates from 1971 to the present. The fee is $21.50 per record. You can order online, by mail, or in person. Since the state office is right in Columbus, Franklin County residents have easy access. The Ohio History Connection holds death certificates from 1908 through 1970. Their fee is about $15 for non-certified copies.
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705 sets the legal framework for all vital records. Section 3705.23 requires registrars to provide copies on request. Death records older than 50 years may be transferred to the Ohio History Connection under Ohio Administrative Code Section 3701-5-11. These laws apply to Franklin County the same as every other county in Ohio.
Franklin County Record Sources
The Franklin County Probate Court website provides online case search tools and information about available records. Below is a view of their portal.
The Probate Court is located in downtown Columbus and handles pre-1908 death records, estates, and marriage licenses for all of Franklin County.
The Columbus Metropolitan Library is a major genealogy resource. Their website provides access to digital collections and research guides for Franklin County obituary searches.
The library's genealogy department holds newspaper indexes, obituary files, and local history materials that cover Franklin County and surrounding areas.
Cities in Franklin County
Franklin County includes Columbus and several suburbs. All death records are filed through Columbus Public Health or the Probate Court.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Franklin County. If the person you are searching for lived on the edge of Franklin County, their records may be in a neighboring county.