The Official Website of
Florida Vital
Records
Ordering a Florida Death
Certificate
If the death did not occur in Florida,
please go to the following link to order certificates from other states:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm
The Bureau of Vital Statistics is
committed to providing the highest quality and most expeditious service
possible. Computer generated certifications ordered by mail with a check or
money order for birth records (1917-present), deaths records (2007 - present), marriage and
divorces reports (1970 - present) are processed within 2 to 3 days after
receiving the order.
Photocopies in lieu of computer certifications or for years of events prior
to those above are processed within approximately 5 days. These response
times may vary based on any special circumstances.
The
Bureau of Vital Statistics accepts orders Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to
4:30 PM Eastern Standard time in person at the state office in Jacksonville,
Florida. Payments may be in the form of cash, check, money order or Visa
and Mastercard. Credit cards are only accepted in person at the state
office. If you wish to order with from home with a credit card,
the Bureau of Vital
Statistics uses the
VitalChek® Network as our ONLY contracted vendor
to accept orders billed to a credit card. Go to the VitalChek®
website or speak with a customer representative to place your order by
telephone at 1-877-550-7330. If you should experience problems with the
online ordering, please call VitalChek® for assistance.
Only those individuals named on a
Florida birth certificate and those persons defined as authorized to receive
cause of death information are eligible to request and receive the document.
Misstating an identity, your relationship or who you represent, or assuming
the identity of another person is subject to criminal penalties as defined
in s. 382.026, Florida Statutes. The penalties for such a felony may
be imprisonment not to exceed 5 years or a fine of $5,000 or both.
If You Wish To Order A Certificate By Credit
Card
The Bureau of
Vital Statistics uses the
VitalChek® Network as our
ONLY
contracted vendor to accept mail, phone, fax and internet orders billed to a
credit card. Go to the website
or speak with a customer representative to place your order by telephone by
calling
1-877-550-7330. If you should experience problems with the online ordering,
please call the toll free number for assistance. Service
and delivery fees may apply.
If you elect to use another vendor:
There are many other vendors on
the Internet. If you elect to use another vendor, you will pay an additional
fee to that vendor
without receiving any additional
services.
The Florida
Bureau of Vital Statistics has no control over what services and fees other
Internet vendors offer and charge, nor can we guarantee the confidentiality
of any vital record data provided to vendors other than VitalChek®.
If you have ordered through another vendor and have experienced a problem
in obtaining the record ordered, you will need to contact that vendor
directly. If you believe an Internet vendor's website provides
inaccurate information about service or fees, you may wish to consider
reporting to the State Attorney's office OR a consumer protection agency in
the state where the vendor is located.
Death Certificate Application
-
Please note that limited Florida deaths were recorded between 1877 and
1917
Please read the instructions below before
completing the Death Certificate Application. When ordering from a county
office, contact that county's vital statistics office for fee information and
the related county application.
WHEN ORDERING FROM THE STATE OFFICE BY MAIL:
Applications are accepted in person or by mail at the State Bureau of Vital
Statistics
If submitting by mail, the individual signing letters of request, or
applications, must be eligible to receive the death certificate (see below) and
include a copy of a valid photo ID (driver's license, state identification card,
passport and/or military identification card) of the APPLICANT, if
requesting a certificate with cause-of-death.
DO NOT SEND ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
Step 1 - Determine your eligibility to receive a death certificate.
In Florida, anyone may order a Florida Death
Certificate "Without cause of death".
A Florida Death Certificate "With Cause of Death" is confidential by Florida Law
and may only be issued to:
The decedent's spouseparent, child, grandchild, or
sibling (if 18 years of age or older).
Any person who provides a "Will" that has been
executed pursuant to state statute 732.502; an insurance policy or other
document that demonstrates his or her interest in the estate of the decedent;
Any person who provides documentation that he or
she is acting on behalf of any of the previously mentioned persons.
Fifty (50) years following the date of death,
"Cause of death" becomes public information and anyone may obtain a Death
Certificate with this information. Any time period prior to the fifty years,
"cause of death" is considered confidential by Florida law.
Requesting cause of death information
By law, death certificates with "Cause of Death" information can only be issued
to:
The decedent's spouse
A parent
A child of the decedent (if of legal age)
A grandchild of the decedent
A sibling
Any person who provides a will, insurance policy
or other document demonstrating their interest in the estate of the decedent
Any person who provides documentation that he or
she is acting on the behalf of any of the before named persons
By court order directing Vital Statistics to issue
a death record to a specific individual.
Step 2 Provide information about the person
named on the certificate
Full name of the deceased person
Sex
Date of death (month, day, year or series of years
to be searched)
City or County of death
Social Security number, if known
Step 3 Provide information about the person
ordering the certificate
Full name
Relationship to decedent (if requesting cause of
death)
Mailing address
Phone number where you can be reached during
business hours Monday thru Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm Eastern Time.
Funeral Director or Attorney's professional
license number, if they are ordering the certificate.
Signature of Applicant
Letters or applications must include a copy of a
valid PICTURE ID, which is required for death certificates with cause of death.
If legal guardian, please include notarized guardianship documents.
DO NOT SEND ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
Step 4 Type of Certificate
A certified copy of the Electronic Death Record or Photocopy of an original
paper record with embossed seal of Florida.
Electronically Registered or Photocopy certification $5.00 ea.
Additional copies $4.00 ea. when ordered at the same time as the first copy.
Step 5 Delivery Method
Note: The Vital Statistics processing time does not include postal
transit time to and from our office. We cannot predict how long the mail/courier
will take. All orders are mailed Standard U.S. Postal delivery unless a
self-addressed, stamped or prepaid special delivery envelope is provided.
Rush Service/Delivery
$10.00 (In addition to the purchase price) For Rush delivery please mark your
request "RUSH".
Certificates are sent via U.S. Mail unless a self-addressed, stamped or prepaid
special delivery envelope is provided.
Processed before standard delivery processing time.
Express Delivery
$10 Rush Fee AND you must provide a pre-paid express delivery envelope. Express
service is available only if a pre-paid express delivery envelope has been
provided and the $10.00 RUSH Fee is paid. A signature is required upon delivery.
1-2 business days for processing.
Step 6 Type of payment accepted
By Mail
Make your Check or money order payable to "Vital Statistics". DO NOT send cash.
By Phone or Online Using Credit Cards
The Bureau of Vital Statistics uses the VitalChek® Network as our ONLY
contracted vendor to accept mail, phone, fax and internet orders billed to a
credit card. (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover)
Go to the website or speak with a customer
representative to place your order by telephone by calling 1-877-550-7330. If
you should experience problems with the online ordering, please call the toll
free number for assistance. Service and delivery fees may apply.
In Person at the Bureau of Vital Statistics
Cash, checks, money orders, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
Step 7
Mail or deliver your request and payment in the form of check or money order to
the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Currently, orders cannot be placed through our website
Mailing address
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
In person go to:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
1217 Pearl St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(lobby hours: M-F 8:00-4:30 Eastern Standard Time)
Phone
(904) 359-6900 extension 9000 M-F 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want
your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not
send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in
writing.
Email to
VitalStats@doh.state.fl.us
