Brandon Obituary Lookup

Obituary and death certificate records for Brandon are managed by the Hillsborough County Department of Health in Tampa. Brandon is a census-designated place, not an incorporated city, so it does not have its own local government or vital records office. All death certificate requests for Brandon residents go through the Hillsborough County DOH. With a population over 116,000, Brandon is one of the largest communities in the Tampa Bay area and generates a significant number of death record requests each year.

Brandon Death Certificate Office

Since Brandon is a census-designated place and not an incorporated municipality, there is no city hall or local government office that handles vital records. All Brandon death certificate requests go to the Hillsborough County DOH office in Tampa. The drive from Brandon to the Tampa office takes about 20 to 25 minutes heading north on I-75 and then I-275, depending on traffic.

The Hillsborough County DOH office sits on N 22nd Street in north Tampa. Brandon residents should expect a busy waiting room at this office, as it handles requests for Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, and all other Hillsborough County communities. The area around the office has good parking, but getting there during rush hour from Brandon can take longer than expected due to interstate congestion.

The Hillsborough County DOH charges $10 for the first death certificate and $3 for a sheath (protective cover). These local fees differ from the standard state fee. Always bring cash, check, or money order when visiting in person.

The Florida DOH death certificates page applies to all Brandon and Hillsborough County death record requests.

How to Get Brandon Death Records

Brandon residents have three options for getting death certificates. The process is the same as any other Hillsborough County community.

In-person requests go to the Tampa office at 13601 N 22nd St. Bring a photo ID and a completed DH727 form. You need the deceased person's full name, date of death, date of birth, county or city of death, and Social Security number if known. Staff will search the records and process your Brandon death certificate request. Processing takes 3 to 5 business days for records from 2009 forward. The Hillsborough office is one of the busier ones in the state, so plan your visit for mid-week and mid-morning if you can.

Mail orders go to the same Tampa address. Include a completed DH727 application, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order made out to the Florida Department of Health. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests from the Hillsborough office typically take 2 to 3 weeks, though the high volume of requests can sometimes push things a bit longer.

Online orders go through VitalChek, Florida's authorized online vendor. The cost is $15 for the first copy plus a $7 processing fee, with extra copies at $4 each. You pay by credit or debit card. Standard delivery takes 5 to 7 business days. For Brandon residents who want to skip the drive to Tampa, VitalChek is the easiest option, even though it costs more than going in person.

Brandon Death Certificate Types

Florida issues two types of death certificates. Both apply the same way to Brandon death records.

The public version leaves off cause of death. Any person 18 or older can request it. It shows the deceased person's name, dates, and place of death. The first five digits of the SSN are blacked out. Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, both the SSN and cause of death are confidential. This public version works well for genealogy, basic proof of death, and other situations where cause of death details are not needed.

The confidential version includes cause of death and stays restricted for 50 years. You have to be an eligible requester. That means a surviving spouse, parent, adult child or grandchild, adult sibling, or someone with an estate or insurance interest. File DH Form 1959 to prove eligibility. A court order also works. Many Brandon families need this version for estate settlements and insurance claims after a loved one passes away.

Fees for Brandon Obituary Records

Hillsborough County charges $10 for the first Brandon death certificate. That is higher than the $5 state base fee. A protective sheath costs $3 extra. Each additional copy ordered at the same time has its own fee. In-person payments can be made by check, money order, or cash at the Tampa office.

VitalChek online orders cost $15 for the first copy plus a $7 processing fee. Extra copies through VitalChek are $4 each. A single Brandon death certificate through VitalChek runs about $22 before shipping. Rush delivery adds more. For Brandon residents, the price difference between in-person and online is worth considering if budget matters.

For records before 2009, the state Bureau of Vital Statistics charges $5 per search, $2 per year if the death year is unknown (up to $50), and may add a $10 rush fee plus $1 shipping. These state fees apply to older Brandon death records that the county office does not have on file.

Brandon Historical Records and Genealogy

The Hillsborough County DOH keeps death records from 2009 to the present. For Brandon deaths before 2009, you need the state Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Call (904) 359-6900 or email VitalStats@FLHealth.gov. The state has records back to 1877.

Under Chapter 382 of the Florida Statutes, death certificates must be filed within five days. These rules cover all deaths in the Brandon area. The electronic filing system captures records quickly, making recent death records easier to find than older ones.

The Florida Memory Project offers free digitized records for genealogy research. The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative has a genealogy collection. The Florida Clerks of Court site connects to probate records that may contain death-related details. As a census-designated place, Brandon's records are filed under Hillsborough County, so searching by county is the most reliable approach for older records.

Local newspapers cover Brandon obituaries regularly. The Tampa Bay Times is a good source. Funeral homes in the Brandon area maintain their own obituary records and often post them online. Since Brandon is a CDP, there are no separate city-level records to search. Everything routes through Hillsborough County systems.

Brandon Vital Records Tips

Because Brandon is not an incorporated city, some people get confused about where to go for death records. The answer is always the Hillsborough County DOH office in Tampa. There is no Brandon city office for vital records. The county handles everything.

Filing false information on a vital records application is a third-degree felony under Florida law. Bring a valid photo ID to every request. The Hillsborough County office processes a high volume of applications and is set up to catch problems. Penalties for fraud are the same whether you live in Brandon, Tampa, or anywhere else in Florida.

Brandon County Records

All Brandon death records are handled through Hillsborough County. Visit the county page for complete details on the DOH office, fees, and services.

Nearby Cities

These Florida cities near Brandon also have obituary record pages with details on local death certificate access.