| Restrictions
By Florida law, death certificates and fetal death certificates without cause of death are public record and may be obtained by anyone, no identification required. Death certificates and fetal death certificate with cause of death may be obtained by the following persons, upon valid identification and payment of the proper fee
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spouse, mother, father, grandchild or sibling
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to any person who provides proper documentation they are beneficiary of an insurance policy or benefactor of a will, or other document that demonstrates his or her interest in the estate of the decedent
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guardian or legal representative of one of the individual named above with proper documentation or by court order
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If you are eligible to receive the birth certificate, you may
use this form to name another person to receive the birth certificate for you:
Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information
Records Available
The Lee County Health Department Vital Statistics Office is able to provide a certified copy of a death certificate for deaths which
occurred in Lee County for the year 2009 to present
How to Obtain a Death Certificate
In Person: You may go to the Lee County Health Department Vital Statistics Office. Most certificates can be issued while you wait. The Vital Statistics office can issue a certified copy of any Lee County death certificates only.
By Mail: Download and
print a Mail-in Application:
Send the application, valid proof of identification, self-addressed postage-paid envelope, and appropriate fee to:
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LCHD Vital Statistics
83 Pondella Road
North Fort Myers, FL 33903 |
Online: You may order certificates through a service provider called VitalChek,.Note that there is an additional fee for using this service.
·By Phone: You may order certificates through a service provider called VitalChek, by calling 1-800-255-2414. Note that there is an additional fee for using this service
Fees
· In Person: $10.00 for the first copy, $10.00 for each additional copy
Only cash or credit card accepted
· By Mail: $10.00 for the first copy, $10.00 for each additional copy
Only business check or money order accepted, made payable to “LCHD”
· Online: $15.00 for the first copy, $10.00 for each additional copy
Pay by credit card using our service provider VitalChek,.
Note that there is an additional fee for using this service.
· By Phone: $15.00 for the first copy, $10.00 for each additional copy
Pay by credit card using our service provider VitalChek,.
Note that there is an additional fee for using this service.
Questions
If you have questions, please call (239) 332-9572
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Death Amendments
If a death record contains errors, it may be possible to correct the record.
All amendments are initiated by the funeral establishment
Demographic Amendments
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•Depending on the type of correction, documentary evidence to support the requested correction may be required.
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•A non-refundable fee of $20.00 which includes one certification of the record is required by Florida law.
Form Instructions (.pdf / 58kb)
Affidavits: English (.pdf / 370kb)
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•To amend the medical certification or cause of death section on the death certificate requires the certifying physician or medical examiner to complete and file the notarized Affidavit of Amendment to Medical Certification of Death, DH 434A (2005 Version) or Affidavit of Amendment to Medical Certification of Death, DH 434 (2004 and prior). This includes not only the cause of death and manner of death, but also"...the date of death, hour or time of death or the place of death other than street address..."
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•There is no amendment fee associated with a medical amendment; however, if a certification of the amended death record is desired, a fee of $5.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each subsequent copy ordered at the same time is required. Questions on the medical affidavit should be directed to (904) 359-6900, extension 1088.
Apostille Death Certificates
A death certificate which is prepared to give to a foreign country is called an apostile.
The following situations are examples of when a apostile death certificate could be required:
•Burying a deceased family member in a foreign country
•Settling an estate of a deceased family member in a foreign country
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