Search Florida Obituary Records
Florida obituary records can be found through county health departments and the state Bureau of Vital Statistics. The Florida Department of Health keeps death certificates going back to 1877. County offices handle records from 2009 forward. You can look up Florida obituary records online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at one of the 67 county health offices across the state. Each county has its own staff that can help you get copies of death certificates. This guide covers how to find and get Florida obituary and death records from all the main official sources available to the public.
Florida Obituary Quick Facts
Florida Death Certificate Sources
The Florida Department of Health runs the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. This is the main state office for all death records. The bureau is at 1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (904) 359-6900 or email VitalStats@FLHealth.gov for help with Florida obituary records.
The bureau keeps death certificates going back to 1877. Most records from 1917 forward are on file. Florida has 67 county health departments, and each one can issue death certificates for deaths that took place in the state from 2009 to the present day. For older records, you need to go through the state bureau or order through VitalChek. Under Florida Statutes Chapter 382, a death certificate must be filed within five days after death. The certificate goes into the state's electronic death registration system. If the place of death is not known, the record gets filed in the district where the body was found.
The DOH death certificates page shows what you need to file a request for Florida obituary records.
Any person 18 or older can get a copy of a Florida death certificate without cause of death. The first five digits of the Social Security number are redacted on all public copies of death records.
Order Florida Obituary Records
There are three ways to get death certificates in Florida. Online is fastest. Walk-in gives same-day service at some offices. Mail works but takes longer.
VitalChek is the only online vendor the Florida Department of Health has approved for ordering death records. The state does not recommend any other online service for Florida obituary records. The application process asks for personal details, so you want a site that the state trusts with your data.
VitalChek is the contracted vendor for the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. Security and confidentiality are built into their process for handling Florida death record requests.
To order online, go to VitalChek or call 1-877-550-7330. You need the full name on the death record, the date of death, date of birth, and the county or city where death took place. A copy of a valid photo ID is required for all Florida obituary requests. Online orders get priority processing and ship by UPS with a signature required.
To request a Florida death certificate, you need:
- Full name on the death record
- Date of death or range of years to search
- Date of birth
- City or county of death in Florida
- Social Security number if known
- Copy of your valid photo ID
For walk-in service, visit the state bureau at 1217 N Pearl St. in Jacksonville. Bring cash, a check, or a credit card. They do not take contactless or tap to pay. Records from 2009 to present can be same-day. Older Florida death records need a $10 rush fee for same-day pickup. You can also visit your local county health department for records from 2009 on. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Include the completed DH727 form, a copy of your photo ID, and payment. Processing takes 3 to 5 business days for Florida obituary records from 2009 forward. Write "RUSH" on the envelope and add $10 if you need it faster.
Types of Florida Death Records
Florida issues two kinds of death certificates. One includes cause of death. The other does not. Which type you can get depends on who you are and your reason for asking.
A death certificate without cause of death is a public record in Florida. Anyone 18 or older can ask for one. You do not need to be a family member. These copies show the name, date of death, and other basic facts, but the first five digits of the Social Security number are blacked out. This type of Florida death record works for most needs. It can help with settling an estate, updating legal papers, or proving a death took place.
The Bureau of Vital Statistics explains which Florida obituary records are available and who can get each type.
Death records with cause of death are kept private for 50 years in Florida. Only certain people can get this version under Section 119.071 of the Florida Statutes. The list includes the spouse or parent of the person who died. A child, grandchild, or sibling who is 18 or older can also request it. Anyone who holds a will or insurance policy showing interest in the estate qualifies too. A court order is another option. You must provide a valid photo ID, and you may need to fill out an affidavit form called DH Form 1959 to get confidential Florida death records with cause of death.
Note: Social Security numbers on Florida death certificates are always confidential, no matter how old the record is.
Florida Obituary Record Fees
Fees depend on how and where you order your Florida death records. The state bureau charges $5 for a search covering one calendar year and one certified copy. Each extra copy costs $4. If you do not know the exact year of death, each additional year searched adds $2, up to a cap of $50. Rush processing costs $10. Shipping is $1. The $5 search fee is not refundable, even if no Florida obituary record is found.
Online orders through VitalChek cost more. The first Florida death certificate runs $15, which covers the $5 search fee and a $10 rush fee. VitalChek adds a $7 processing charge on top. Extra copies are $4 each. Despite the higher price, online is the fastest way to get Florida obituary records from home.
County health offices in Florida set their own fee schedules. Some charge as low as $9 for the first copy. Others charge $14 or $15. In Miami-Dade County, a Florida death certificate costs $12 for the first copy and $16 for additional ones. Hillsborough County charges $10 plus $3 for a protective sheath. Duval County charges $15 for the first copy and $10 for each extra. Pinellas County charges $9 for the first and $8 for more. Contact your local county health department to confirm current rates for Florida obituary records.
Note: Florida law adds a $15 charge for any dishonored check on vital records payments.
Public Access to Florida Death Records
Florida has strong public records laws. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes says all state, county, and city records are open for personal inspection and copying. This includes Florida obituary records without cause of death. Agencies must give the public reasonable access to records they keep, including electronic files.
The Florida Legislature website has the full text of the public records law that governs access to Florida death records.
The main exception involves cause of death. That part of the record stays confidential for 50 years under Florida law. Social Security numbers on death certificates are also exempt from public view under Section 119.071. When a records custodian claims an exemption, they must state the legal basis and still release the non-exempt parts of the Florida obituary record.
Anyone who gives false information on a vital records application or who gets confidential data through fraud commits a third-degree felony under Chapter 775 of the Florida Statutes. Be accurate when you fill out forms for Florida death records.
Historical Florida Obituary Records
The Florida State Archives and the Florida Memory Project hold older records that help with obituary and genealogy research. The archives are at 500 S. Bronough St. in Tallahassee. More material is available in person than what you can find online for Florida historical death records.
The Genealogy Research Guide on Florida Memory points to several collections at the State Archives that can help trace Florida obituary records from past generations.
These include the Fernandina Death and Burial Records from 1896 to 1916, which cover Bosque Bello Cemetery and list details like name, age, race, and occupation. World War I Service Cards track Floridians who served in the Army from 1917 to 1919, noting residence, birth date, rank, and wounds. Confederate Pension Files contain applications with death dates and burial places for veterans and widows. The Voter Registration Rolls from 1867 to 1868 are the first in Florida to include African-Americans, which helps locate individuals between the 1860 and 1870 census years. All of these can support Florida obituary research when standard death certificates are not available.
The Florida Clerks of Court Association also helps with historical records. Their site explains how to order older death and birth certificates through county clerk offices. For Florida deaths before 1917, the State Archives and FamilySearch databases are your best starting points for obituary research.
Florida Obituary Records by County
Each of Florida's 67 counties has a health department that handles death records. Pick a county below to find local office info and resources for obituary records in that area.
Obituary Records in Florida Cities
Residents of major Florida cities get obituary records through their county health department. Pick a city to find where to go for death records.