Pine Hills Death Records

Pine Hills obituary and death records are handled by the Orange County Department of Health in Orlando. Pine Hills is a census-designated place, not an incorporated city, so it does not have its own city government or vital records office. All death certificates for Pine Hills residents are filed through Orange County. The county DOH office on West Church Street in Orlando holds death records from 2009 to the present, while the state bureau in Jacksonville keeps records going back to 1877. With more than 82,000 people, Pine Hills is one of the largest communities in central Florida.

Orange County DOH Office

The Orange County Department of Health runs the vital records office that handles death certificates for Pine Hills and the rest of the county. Since Pine Hills is an unincorporated census-designated place, all vital records go through the county system. The DOH office in Orlando is a short drive from Pine Hills, sitting just east of the community along West Church Street.

Bring a valid photo ID to the office. You fill out a request form at the front desk. Staff will search the system and print a certified copy if the record is on file. The first copy costs $10. Call ahead to check on added copy fees and payment methods. Cash, check, and money order are the standard options. The West Church Street office is about a 10-minute drive from Pine Hills, depending on traffic. Parking is on site. Try to get there early since the Orlando area DOH office can get busy, especially on Mondays and after holidays.

How to Get Pine Hills Death Records

There are three ways to get a death certificate for someone who died in Pine Hills. Pick the method that fits your needs best.

In-person visits to the Orange County DOH are the fastest. Drive to the West Church Street office during business hours. Bring your ID, fill out the form, and pay the $10 fee. Most Pine Hills death records from 2009 forward are in the system and can be printed the same day. This is the best choice when time matters. The short drive from Pine Hills to Orlando makes this a practical option for most people in the area.

Mail requests are good when you can not visit in person. Send a completed DH727 form to the Orange County DOH at 807 W Church St, Orlando, FL 32805. Include a check or money order for $10 made out to the Florida Department of Health, along with a copy of your ID and your return address. Processing takes about two to three weeks for Pine Hills death records. You can get the DH727 form from the Florida DOH death certificates page.

Online orders go through VitalChek, the state-approved vendor. The first copy is $15 plus a $7 processing fee. You can also call 1-877-550-7330 to order by phone. Credit and debit cards are accepted. Orders ship in five to seven business days. VitalChek costs more than the county office, but it works well for Pine Hills residents who can not make it to Orlando during office hours.

Pine Hills Obituary Search

Obituaries and death certificates are not the same thing. The death certificate is the legal document. The obituary is a personal notice from the family. When you search for Pine Hills obituary records, you may want both for a complete picture. The certificate has the official facts. The obituary adds personal context.

The Orlando Sentinel is the main newspaper for the Pine Hills area. Its obituary section covers deaths across Orange County, and many Pine Hills obituary notices appear in its pages. The Florida Memory project from the State Archives has digitized historical records that may help with older searches. You can browse vital records, military files, and pension documents for free online. These are useful when looking for deaths that happened in Pine Hills decades ago.

Funeral homes in and around Pine Hills maintain their own obituary archives online. If you know which funeral home handled the service, check their website first. Many keep searchable databases of past notices. The Orange County Library System has locations near Pine Hills that offer access to newspaper databases and local history collections. Staff at the West Oaks branch or other nearby locations can help you search for Pine Hills obituary records in their collections.

Who Can Get Pine Hills Death Records

Florida law sets the rules for accessing death certificates. Being a census-designated place does not change the rules for Pine Hills. The same state law applies everywhere in Florida. There are two versions of the certificate.

A death certificate without cause of death is public under Florida Statutes Chapter 382. Any person 18 or older can ask for one. You do not need to be related to the person. This type works for estate matters, genealogy research, and most other uses. The Orange County DOH must give a copy to anyone who pays the $10 fee and shows a valid ID.

A certificate with cause of death stays confidential for 50 years after the death date. Only the spouse, parent, child, or legal representative of the estate can get this type. You must prove the connection when you request it. A court order can also open a restricted Pine Hills death record when there is a legitimate legal need. The public records law under Chapter 119 supports broad access to the public version of death records in Pine Hills.

State Bureau and Older Records

The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville keeps death records for the whole state going back to 1877. If a death in Pine Hills happened before 2009 or if the death took place in a different county, the state bureau has the records. A search plus one copy costs $5. Added copies are $4 each. Rush processing adds $10 and shipping is $1.

Mail requests go to 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. You can call (904) 359-6900 for information. For Pine Hills residents, the state office is mainly useful for older records the county does not have. The state fees are also lower, which can help if you need multiple copies of a death record. The Florida Clerks website has links to the Orange County Clerk of Court for related probate and estate records.

Pine Hills Death Record Costs

Fees for Pine Hills death records depend on where you place your order. Here is what each option costs:

• Orange County DOH first copy: $10
• State bureau search and one copy: $5
• State bureau added copies: $4 each
• State rush processing: $10
• State shipping: $1
• VitalChek first copy: $15 plus $7 processing

The county office at $10 is a fair deal for a single copy, and the drive from Pine Hills is short. The state bureau at $5 is cheaper but means mailing to Jacksonville. VitalChek at $22 total is the priciest option. For most Pine Hills residents, the Orange County DOH walk-in visit hits the sweet spot of cost and convenience. You get the certificate the same day and save compared to the online option.

Pine Hills as a Census-Designated Place

Pine Hills is not an incorporated city. It is a census-designated place, which means it is an unincorporated community in Orange County. This is worth knowing because it affects how you search for records. Pine Hills does not have a city hall or city clerk. All government services, including vital records, run through Orange County. When you look for a Pine Hills death certificate, you are really looking for an Orange County death certificate where Pine Hills was the location of death or residence of the person who died.

This also means that some databases may list Pine Hills deaths under Orlando or simply under Orange County. If you can not find a record under "Pine Hills," try searching with Orlando or Orange County as the location instead. The county DOH staff in Orlando are used to this and can help you find the right record even if the address falls in an unincorporated area.

Orange County Records

Pine Hills falls under Orange County for all vital records purposes. The county page has more details on the DOH office, related resources, and other ways to search obituary and death records throughout Orange County.

View Orange County Obituary Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Pine Hills also have obituary and death record resources you can use in your search.