How to get a Florida birth certificate

In Florida, order a certified birth certificate from the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.¹ County health departments also issue birth records from 1917 to present; fees vary by county.¹ The first copy costs $9¹ and each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $4¹. You can order online, by mail, in person, at a local office or by phone. Anyone may order a certified copy.

Last checked November 5, 2026 against official sources.

On this page

Ways to order
What a Florida birth certificate costs
How long it takes
Who can order a Florida birth certificate
ID you need
What the application asks for
Forms
Years held and older records
Special situations
Warnings from the office
The state office
Questions people ask
Sources

Ways to order

How	Cost per copy	Processing time	Payment
Online through VitalChek	$19¹ first, $4¹ each extra copy + one extra charge	–	Card¹
By mail	$9¹ first, $4¹ each extra copy + 3 possible extra charges	3 to 5 business days¹	Check and money order¹
In person	$9¹ first, $4¹ each extra copy	–	Cash, check, money order and card¹
At a local office	See the details below	–	–
By phone	$19¹ first, $4¹ each extra copy + one extra charge	–	Card²

Not offered: online directly with the vital records office.¹

Online through VitalChek

Vendor: VitalChek¹
Vendor status: The state's only authorized vendor²
Fees: First copy $19¹
Expedited service $7²
Each additional copy in the same order $4¹
Expedited service: $10. The $10 Bureau rush fee is built into every VitalChek order; UPS shipping is extra.²
Payment: Card¹

Good to know

Photocopy certificates cannot be ordered through VitalChek.¹
UPS costs extra and needs a signature; regular mail costs nothing extra.¹

Go to the ordering site³

By mail

Run by: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics¹
Fees: First copy $9¹
Each additional copy in the same order $4¹
First copy $14¹
Shipping option $1¹
Each extra year searched $2⁴
Expedited service $10⁴
Processing time: 3 to 5 business days¹
Expedited service: $10. Priority processing. Mark the envelope RUSH. Expedited shipping is not included.¹
Payment: Check and money order¹
Make payable to: Vital Statistics¹
Mail to: Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
¹

Good to know

International payments: cashier's check or money order in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank.¹
A $15 service charge applies to dishonored checks.¹

Open the application or mail instructions³

In person

Run by: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics¹
Fees: First copy $9¹
Each additional copy in the same order $4¹
First copy $14¹
Expedited service: $10. Same-day service for photocopy certificates, when available.¹
Payment: Cash, check, money order and card¹
Office: 1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
¹
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.¹

Good to know

No contactless or tap-to-pay.¹

Open the official page³

At a local office

Run by: County health departments¹

Good to know

Some county health departments accept VitalChek orders; fees vary.²

Find a local office¹

By phone

Run by: VitalChek¹
Vendor status: The state's only authorized vendor²
Fees: First copy $19¹
Expedited service $7²
Each additional copy in the same order $4¹
Expedited service: $10. The $10 Bureau rush fee is built into every VitalChek order; UPS shipping is extra.²
Payment: Card²
Phone: 877-550-7330²

Good to know

Photocopy certificates cannot be ordered through VitalChek.¹
UPS costs extra and needs a signature; regular mail costs nothing extra.¹

What a Florida birth certificate costs

First certified copy: $9¹
Each additional copy, same order: $4¹
Expedite fee: $10⁴
Each extra year searched: $2⁴
If no record is found: The fee is kept as a search fee¹

Types of copies

Copy	Accepted for	Fee
Computer-Generated Certification of Birth⁴	Accepted by all state and federal agencies⁴	$9¹
Photocopy-Generated Certificate of Live Birth⁴	Accepted by all state and federal agencies⁴	$14¹
Commemorative Birth Certificate⁵	Not acceptable for official purposes⁵	$34⁵
Certified "No Record Found" statement⁴	–	$9⁴
Photocopy certification of the sealed birth record⁶	–	$14⁶

No-fee copies

Unaccompanied homeless youth; young adults in or formerly in Department of Children and Families custody; inmates acquiring a state ID before release; juvenile offenders in DJJ custody or supervision.⁷

How long it takes

These are the office's own published times. They do not include shipping. Mail and shipping time is extra unless the office says otherwise.

How you order	Processing time
By mail	3 to 5 business days¹

Who can order a Florida birth certificate

Anyone may order a certified copy.⁸

The office also names these requesters and conditions. Each line gives the official wording.

The person named on the record¹
A parent named on the record¹
Proof for each of the 2 lines above: Valid photo ID¹
Legal guardian¹
Proof: Guardianship papers¹
Attorney or legal representative¹
Proof: Documentation of representation¹
Person named in a court order¹
Proof: Certified copy of the court order⁴
Spouse, child, grandchild and brother or sister: Upon receipt of registrant's death record, a birth certificate marked "Deceased" may be issued to the spouse, child, grandchild, or sibling, if of legal age.¹
Proof: Photocopy of the death certificate; note 'Registrant Deceased'¹
Government agency⁸
If the applicant is not an eligible requestor, the application must be accompanied with a notarized Affidavit to Release a Birth Certificate¹
Proof: Notarized DH 1958, supporting documents, and copies of valid photo ID of both people¹

Records open to the public after: 125 years¹

ID you need

Photo ID: Required¹
Accepted ID: Driver's license
State identification card
Passport
Military identification card¹
Without that ID: Rule: at least three secondary documents if valid unexpired photo ID is not available. DH forms: a foreign-issued ID needs two additional forms of ID.⁹
Notarization: Only the third-party affidavit (DH 1958) is notarized; the DH 726 application asks for a signature.¹
ID copy with a mail order: Include a copy of your ID⁴

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.¹

Full name on birth record
Sex
Date of birth (if unknown, range of years plus $2 per calendar year)
City or county of birth
Parent(s) full name(s) prior to first marriage
Applicant full name
Relationship to person on record
Mailing address
Phone number
Signature of applicant

Forms

Application for Florida Birth Certificate (DH 726) revision 01/2022⁴
Application for a Florida Birth Record (Spanish) (DH 726S) revision 01/2022¹
Affidavit to Release a Birth Certificate (DH 1958) revision 01/2022¹⁰

Years held and older records

Years held: 1850 to today (limited before 1917)⁴

Special situations

Delayed registration: Search first ($9). If none is found, you get a certified not-found statement and instructions; filing costs $20.⁶ Details
Births at home: Contact the local county health department.¹
Adoption: The clerk reports the adoption and a new birth record is filed.⁶
Adoptees born abroad: Florida can file a Certificate of Foreign Birth for a child adopted in Florida; it is not proof of citizenship.⁶
Stillbirth: Issued from the fetal death record for 20 or more weeks of gestation.¹ Details
If the person has died: Certified copies for a deceased registrant are marked deceased.⁸
People without housing: All fees waived for a certified unaccompanied homeless youth.⁷
People in prison: All fees waived for an inmate acquiring a state ID before release.⁷
If no record is found: Certified no-record statement; the search fee is kept, extra-copy fees are refunded on written request.¹
Use abroad: Apostille or notarial certificate is a two-step process; see the apostille record.¹¹

Warnings from the office

DOH recommends only VitalChek and warns about other vendors.²
Application forms are free.²
False statements are a third-degree felony.¹

The state office

Office: Bureau of Vital Statistics³
Phone: 904-359-6900³
Email: [email protected]³
Mailing address: Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
¹
Walk-in address: 1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
¹
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.¹
Website: Official website³

Questions people ask

How much is a certified Florida birth certificate?

The first copy costs $9 and each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $4.¹

How long does it take to get a Florida birth certificate?

By mail: 3 to 5 business days.¹

Can I order a Florida birth certificate online?

Yes. Online through VitalChek.¹

Who do I make the check or money order payable to?

Write it exactly as the office prints it: Vital Statistics.¹

What ID do I need?

The state accepts: driver's license; state identification card; passport; military identification card.¹

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 5, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

Birth certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
Vital chekFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
Florida DOH Bureau of Vital Statistics landing pageFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
DH726 birth app 6 30 2023 (PDF)Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated January 1, 2022
Commemorative certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
Amendments and correctionsFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
The Florida Legislature: Statutesleg.state.fl.us/…ay_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0382/Sections/0382.0255.htmlThe Florida Legislature
The Florida Legislature: Statutesleg.state.fl.us/…lay_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0382/Sections/0382.025.htmlThe Florida Legislature
Read FileFlorida Department of State, Florida Administrative Codedated July 31, 2016
DH1958 aff rel birth cert 6 30 2023 (PDF)Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
Apostille notarial certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics