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How to get a Florida death certificate

In Florida, order a certified death certificate from the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.1 County health departments issue death records for 2009 to present only.1 The first copy costs $51 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 against official sources.

On this page
  1. Ways to order
  2. What a Florida death certificate costs
  3. How long it takes
  4. Who can order a Florida death certificate
  5. ID you need
  6. What the application asks for
  7. Forms
  8. Years held and older records
  9. Special situations
  10. Warnings from the office
  11. The state office
  12. Questions people ask
  13. Sources

Ways to order

HowCost per copyProcessing timePayment
Online through VitalChek$151 first, $41 each extra copy
+ 2 possible extra charges		–Card1
By mail$51 first, $41 each extra copy
+ 3 possible extra charges		3 to 5 business days1Check and money order1
In person$51 first, $41 each extra copy
+ one extra charge		–Cash, check, money order and card1
At a local officeSee the details below––
By phone$151 first, $41 each extra copy
+ 2 possible extra charges		–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 $151
  • Expedited service $72
  • Each additional copy in the same order $41
  • Each extra year searched $21
Expedited service
$10. The $10 Bureau rush fee is built into every VitalChek order; UPS shipping is extra.2
Payment
Card1

Good to know

  • 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 $51
  • Each additional copy in the same order $41
  • Each extra year searched $21
  • Shipping option $11
  • Rush orders are given priority processing and require an additional $101
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
4

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 $51
  • Each additional copy in the same order $41
  • Expedited service $101
Expedited service
$10. Same-day service for records prior to 2009, when available.1
Payment
Cash, check, money order and card1
Office
1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
4
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

  • 2009 to present only; fees vary.1

Find a local office1

By phone

Run by
VitalChek1
Vendor status
The state's only authorized vendor2
Fees
  • First copy $151
  • Expedited service $72
  • Each additional copy in the same order $41
  • Each extra year searched $21
Expedited service
$10. The $10 Bureau rush fee is built into every VitalChek order; UPS shipping is extra.2
Payment
Card2

Good to know

  • UPS costs extra and needs a signature; regular mail costs nothing extra.1

What a Florida death certificate costs

First certified copy
$51
Each additional copy, same order
$41
Expedite fee
$101
Each extra year searched
$21
If no record is found
The fee is kept as a search fee1

Types of copies

CopyAccepted forFee
Death certificate without cause of death (public record)1DOH says Florida clerks will not accept a death record with cause of death when filing probate.5$51
Death certificate with cause of death1–$55
Certified "No Record Found" statement5–$55

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 orderProcessing time
By mail3 to 5 business days1

Who can order a Florida death certificate

Anyone may order a certified copy.1

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

  • Spouse and a parent named on the record1
  • Child, grandchild and brother or sister1
    Proof for each of the 2 lines above: Valid photo ID, and qualifying eligibility stated on the application5
  • Executor or estate administrator1
    Proof: Will, insurance policy or other document showing interest in the estate1
  • Attorney or legal representative1
    Proof: Documentation; an attorney gives license number, client name and client's relationship1
  • Funeral director: If requesting cause of death, the funeral home of record or attorney representing an eligible person as defined above must include their professional license number, and the name and relationship of the person they are representing.5
    Proof: License number and represented person's name and relationship; otherwise DH 19595
  • Person named in a court order1
    Proof: Court order1
  • Government agency6
  • If applicant is not one of the above, the application must be accompanied by a notarized Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information1
    Proof: Notarized DH 1959, supporting documents, copies of valid photo ID of both people1
Records open to the public after
50 years6
Cause of death
Restricted on some copies1
Social Security number on the copy
First five digits redacted on public-record copies; the full SSN goes only to an eligible party requesting a confidential record, regardless of date of death.1

ID you need

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.7
Notarization
Only the third-party affidavit (DH 1959) is notarized.1
ID copy with a mail order
Include a copy of your ID5

What the application asks for

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

  • Full name on death record
  • Sex
  • Date of death (if unknown, range of years plus $2 per calendar year)
  • Date of birth
  • City or county of death
  • Social Security number
  • Applicant full name
  • Relationship to decedent
  • Mailing address
  • Phone number
  • Signature of applicant

Forms

Years held and older records

Years held
1877 to today (limited before 1917)1

Special situations

Fetal death
Non-confidential part open to anyone 18+; cause, parentage, marital and medical details confidential for 125 years.5
If no record is found
Certified no-record statement; the search fee is kept.5
Use abroad
Two-step apostille process; see the apostille record.9

Warnings from the office

  • Order the version without cause of death for Florida probate.5
  • DOH warns about vendors other than VitalChek.2

The state office

Office
Bureau of Vital Statistics3
Mailing address
Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
4
Walk-in address
1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
4
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.4

Questions people ask

How much is a certified Florida death certificate?

The first copy costs $5 and each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $4.1

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

By mail: 3 to 5 business days.1

Can I order a Florida death 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.

  1. Death certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  2. Vital chekFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  3. Florida DOH Bureau of Vital Statistics landing pageFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  4. Birth certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  5. DH727 Application Death Record 6 30 2023 (PDF)Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated January 1, 2022
  6. The Florida Legislature: StatutesThe Florida Legislature
  7. Read FileFlorida Department of State, Florida Administrative Codedated July 31, 2016
  8. DH1959 aff rel cause death 2 3 22 (PDF)Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated January 1, 2022
  9. Apostille notarial certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics