Access Dixie County Death Records

Death records and obituary information for Dixie County are managed by the Florida Department of Health office in Cross City. Dixie County is one of the smallest counties in Florida with a population of about 17,600. The county seat is Cross City, and the DOH office on West US Highway 90 handles all vital records requests for the area. Because of its small size, the Dixie County office processes fewer requests than most other counties, which can mean shorter wait times for walk-in visitors. This page explains how to request death certificates, the fees involved, and where to find obituaries connected to Dixie County residents.

Dixie County DOH Vital Records

The Dixie County Department of Health operates from its office on West US Highway 90 in Cross City. This is the only office in the county where you can request death certificates in person. The staff process walk-in visits and mail requests. For deaths that occurred in Florida from 2009 to the present, the Dixie County office can search the state database and issue certified copies. Older records need to be requested from the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville.

Florida issues two types of death certificates. The public version leaves out cause of death. Any adult who is 18 or older can get one. The confidential version lists the cause of death and is restricted for 50 years under Chapter 382, Florida Statutes. Only specific family members and authorized individuals can access the confidential version from the Dixie County office. The Dixie County DOH website has general info about their services.

The Dixie County DOH homepage gives details on health services and contact information for the office.

Check this page for hours and directions before you make the drive to the Cross City office.

Requesting Dixie County Death Certificates

You need Form DH-727 for any death certificate request in Dixie County. This is the same form used across all of Florida. A Spanish version, DH-727S, is available too. Fill in the full legal name of the person who died, their date of birth, date of death, sex, Social Security number, and the city or county of death. Bring the form and a valid photo ID to the Cross City office. You can also send the form by mail with your payment.

For the confidential version that includes the cause of death, DH Form 1959 is also needed. This affidavit proves you are legally entitled to the restricted record. The people who can get this version include the surviving spouse, parents, children and grandchildren 18 or older, siblings 18 or up, people named in the will, insurance beneficiaries, and those holding a court order. Without the affidavit, the Dixie County office gives you only the public version.

Public copies have the first five digits of the Social Security number redacted. Both types of certificates are certified and carry full legal weight. The Dixie County staff can answer questions about the forms when you arrive at the office.

Note: Submitting false information on a death certificate request is classified as a third degree felony under Chapter 775, Florida Statutes.

Dixie County Death Record Fees and Timing

The state sets the fees for death certificates, and they are the same in every county. In Dixie County, a death certificate costs $5 for one search and one certified copy. Each additional copy costs $4. When the year of death is unknown, the fee is $2 per year searched, with a $50 cap. Pre-2009 records may have a $10 rush fee for faster state processing. Mail orders add $1 for shipping.

Deaths from 2009 to the present usually take three to five business days to process through the Dixie County DOH. Records older than that need to come from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, located at 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. You can reach them at (904) 359-6900. The bureau has death records going all the way back to 1877.

Online ordering through VitalChek is the quickest way to get a death certificate without visiting an office. VitalChek charges $15 for the first certificate, a $7 processing fee, and $4 for each extra copy. You can call 1-877-550-7330 to place a phone order. This works for any Florida death record, not just those from Dixie County.

Obituary and Historical Records in Dixie County

Obituary research in Dixie County often starts with local funeral homes. Since the county is small, the funeral homes in Cross City and Old Town handle most services and can point you to where an obituary was published. The Dixie County Public Library is another option for finding newspaper archives that may include death notices. Smaller county papers sometimes run obituaries that are not available through major online databases, so a library visit can be worth the effort.

For historical death records in Dixie County, the Florida Memory project holds older state records. Military service records, pension files, and other government documents sometimes include death dates and family details. The Florida Clerks of Court website can connect you to the Dixie County Clerk, who handles probate records. Estate files at the courthouse often include death certificates and heir lists. These are public records under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

Cemetery records across Dixie County can also provide death dates and burial information. Many of the older cemeteries in the area have records that go back more than a hundred years. These records can help fill in gaps when official death certificates are not available or hard to locate for Dixie County residents.

Who Can Get Dixie County Death Records

Public death certificates are available to anyone 18 or older. No special reason is needed. Just fill out Form DH-727, show your photo ID, and pay the fee at the Dixie County DOH office. The public version does not show cause of death.

Confidential certificates are different. Florida law limits who can see the cause of death for 50 years after the death date. Only the surviving spouse, a parent, a child or grandchild or sibling aged 18 or older, a person named in the will, an insurance beneficiary, or someone with a court order can get a copy with cause of death listed. You must bring proof of your tie to the deceased, a photo ID, and the signed DH Form 1959 affidavit to the Dixie County office. Staff will check your documents before they process the request.

Note: Call the Dixie County DOH at (352) 498-1360 if you are not sure whether you qualify for a confidential death certificate.

More Dixie County Record Sources

The Dixie County Clerk of Court in Cross City manages probate and estate files. When a Dixie County resident dies and their estate goes through court, the probate record typically includes a death certificate, the will, and a list of heirs. You can search for and view these files at the courthouse. The Dixie County government had a website at dixiecogov.com, though it may not always be accessible. County offices in Cross City can still be reached by phone for questions about local services.

Funeral homes and cemeteries throughout Dixie County maintain their own records. These can be especially useful in a small county where not every death notice appeared in a widely circulated paper. For federal records, the Social Security Death Index is a free resource that lists deaths reported to the Social Security Administration. It can help confirm a date of death for a Dixie County resident when other sources are not available.

Nearby Counties

Dixie County borders a handful of other Florida counties. If the death was near a county line, the record might be filed in one of these neighboring counties instead.