Palm Bay Death Records

Obituary and death records for Palm Bay are processed through the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County. Palm Bay is the largest city in Brevard County with about 142,000 people, located on the Space Coast of central Florida. When a death occurs in Palm Bay, the vital records are filed with the Brevard County DOH office in Viera. This page explains how Palm Bay residents can get death certificates, what the fees are, and where to find obituary information for people who died in the Palm Bay area.

Brevard County DOH Office for Palm Bay

The Brevard County DOH office is in Viera, which is in the central part of the county. For Palm Bay residents, that is a drive of about 15 to 20 miles north on I-95. The office is on Judge Fran Jamieson Way, near the Brevard County Government Center. This is where you go to request death certificates in person for anyone who died in Palm Bay or elsewhere in Brevard County.

Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. You also need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and where the death took place. If you can provide the Social Security number, that helps the staff find the record more quickly. Walk-in requests for Palm Bay death certificates are usually filled the same day. Call ahead at (321) 633-2100 if you have questions about what to bring or want to check current wait times.

Ordering Palm Bay Death Certificates

Palm Bay residents have three ways to order death certificates. The right choice depends on how fast you need the record and whether you can make the drive to Viera.

In-person requests at the Brevard County DOH are the fastest. Fill out the DH727 application, pay $5, and you can usually get your copy the same day. The DH727S form is available in Spanish. The office takes cash, check, and money order. Going early helps avoid longer waits. Palm Bay is about 20 miles south of Viera, so factor in the drive time when planning your visit.

Mail orders go to the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Include a completed DH727 form, a check or money order for $5 payable to Vital Statistics, and $1 for shipping. Processing takes four to six weeks. You can add $10 for rush handling, which may cut the time in half. This works well for Palm Bay residents who don't need the record right away and prefer not to drive to Viera.

VitalChek is the state-approved online vendor. Go to www.VitalChek.com or call 1-877-550-7330. The cost is $15 for the first copy plus $7 in processing fees. Delivery takes two to three weeks to your Palm Bay address. It is the easiest method but also the most expensive. If you don't mind paying extra for the convenience, VitalChek keeps the whole process online.

Palm Bay Death Certificate Fees

Death certificate fees in Palm Bay follow the statewide schedule set by Florida law. The cost is the same at the Brevard County DOH as it is at any other county office in the state.

• First certified copy (includes search): $5
• Each additional copy: $4
• Rush processing: $10 extra
• Shipping for mail orders: $1
• VitalChek: $15 + $7 processing fee

Getting multiple copies at once saves money. The $4 rate for extras applies whether you order at the county office, by mail, or through VitalChek. Palm Bay families dealing with estate matters, insurance claims, or Social Security notifications often need three to five copies. It is cheaper to order them all in one transaction than to come back later for more. Payment at the Brevard County office is accepted by check and money order. Call to ask about credit cards.

Accessing Palm Bay Death Records

Florida law makes a clear split between two types of death certificates. This distinction applies to all Palm Bay death records.

A death certificate without cause of death is available to anyone 18 or older. It is a public record. This version shows the deceased person's name, date of death, place of death, and some personal details. It does not show what caused the death. For many purposes, this version is all you need. Genealogy researchers and people confirming a death use this type often.

The full version with cause of death is confidential for 50 years under Florida Statutes Chapter 382. Only eligible people can request it. That means the surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased. A legal representative with a court order can also get it. You must show documentation proving your relationship when you request the full certificate at the Brevard County DOH. The Public Records Law in Chapter 119 provides for broad access to government records, but cause of death is one of the specific exemptions.

Palm Bay Historical Death Records

The Brevard County DOH holds death records from 2009 forward. For Palm Bay deaths before 2009, you contact the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. The state has records going back to 1877. Palm Bay was incorporated in 1960, but the area had residents before that, so older records may exist in the state archive under different place names.

The Florida Memory website offers free access to digitized historical records from the State Library and Archives. The Brevard County Library System has a genealogy collection at its central branch in Cocoa. Researchers looking for older Palm Bay area death and burial records may find useful materials there. The City of Palm Bay website does not handle vital records but links to various city services.

Finding Palm Bay Obituary Notices

Obituary notices for Palm Bay residents appear in the Florida Today newspaper, which covers all of Brevard County. Both print and online editions carry obituary listings. Funeral homes in Palm Bay and the surrounding area also post obituaries on their own websites and on Legacy.com. These published obituaries are not official death certificates. They are useful for finding the date of death, funeral details, and surviving family information.

For official certified death records from Palm Bay, you must go through the Brevard County DOH or the state office. The Florida DOH death certificates page has forms and instructions that apply to all Palm Bay requests. If you are unsure which county a death was registered in, the state office in Jacksonville can search its statewide index.

Brevard County Obituary Records

Palm Bay is in Brevard County. All death certificates for the city go through the Brevard County DOH office in Viera. For the complete county page with full office details, related records, and additional resources, visit the link below.

View Brevard County Obituary Records

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Palm Bay with death record and obituary pages:

• Melbourne
• Port St. Lucie
• Orlando
• Kissimmee