Duval County Death Records Search

Obituary and death records for Duval County are handled by the Florida Department of Health office in Jacksonville. With more than one million residents, Duval County is the most populous county in northeast Florida and one of the largest in the state. Jacksonville, the county seat, is a consolidated city-county government, so the Duval County DOH serves both the city and the county at the same office. Death certificates are available for deaths occurring in Florida from 2009 to the present at the local Vital Statistics office. Any death prior to 2009 must be requested from the state Bureau of Vital Statistics, which is also based in Jacksonville.

Duval County Health Department Vital Statistics

The Duval County Department of Health runs a Vital Statistics office on University Boulevard South in Jacksonville. This is the main office for death certificate requests in Duval County. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can visit in person or mail your request to this location. Because Duval County has such a large population, the office handles a high volume of requests each day. Plan to allow some time if you go in person during busy periods.

The Duval County DOH death certificates page spells out the process. Death certificates are available for deaths occurring in the state of Florida from 2009 to present. Any death prior to 2009 must be requested from the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville or through VitalChek. Florida provides two types of death certificates. The public version does not list cause of death and is available to anyone 18 or older. The confidential version includes cause of death and is restricted for 50 years under Chapter 382, Florida Statutes.

The Duval County DOH main page is the starting point for vital records and other health services.

Visit this site to find office hours, directions, and phone numbers for the Jacksonville location.

How to Get Death Certificates in Duval County

You can visit or mail your request to the Duval County Vital Statistics office. The office on University Boulevard South is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To request a death certificate, fill out Form DH-727. A Spanish version, DH-727S, is also available. The form needs the deceased's full legal name, date of birth, date of death, sex, Social Security number, and the city or county of death. Bring a valid photo ID with you. The Duval County staff will verify your identity before processing the request.

For the confidential version with cause of death, you must also complete DH Form 1959. This is an affidavit that shows your legal right to the restricted information. The people who qualify are the surviving spouse, parents, adult children, grandchildren, siblings 18 or older, people named in the deceased's will, insurance beneficiaries, and anyone with a court order. If you don't fall into one of these groups, the Duval County office will issue only the public version.

The Duval County DOH certificates page details all the steps for requesting records.

This page explains each form and what documentation you need to bring when you visit.

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

Duval County Death Certificate Fees

The Duval County DOH charges $15 for the first death certificate and $10 for each additional copy. These fees are specific to the Duval County office and are higher than the state base rate. The state Bureau of Vital Statistics charges $5 for a search plus one copy and $4 for each additional copy if you go through them instead. If the year of death is unknown, the state charges $2 per year searched, capped at $50.

For deaths before 2009, the Duval County office cannot issue a certificate. You need to go through the state Bureau of Vital Statistics, which is also in Jacksonville at 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Call the bureau at (904) 359-6900. A $10 rush fee may apply for older records. Mail orders add $1 for shipping.

The fastest remote option is VitalChek. They charge $15 for the first certificate plus a $7 processing fee. Additional copies are $4. You can order online or call VitalChek at 1-877-550-7330. This service handles all Florida death records, including those tied to Duval County.

Obituary Research in Duval County

Obituaries are a big part of death record research in Duval County. Jacksonville is a major city, and the Florida Times-Union has been the main daily newspaper for more than a century. Published obituaries from the Times-Union can be searched through the paper's own website, library microfilm, or online newspaper databases. The Jacksonville Public Library system has extensive archives and can help with obituary lookups from older editions.

The Duval County death certificates page is also a good starting point for anyone trying to track down a specific record. Beyond the newspaper, funeral homes across Duval County keep their own records of services and can often tell you where an obituary was published. Jacksonville has many funeral homes given its size, so knowing which one handled the arrangements can save you a lot of search time.

The Duval County DOH page on death certificates is the most direct resource for record requests.

This page covers fees, forms, and who can request a copy of a death certificate in Duval County.

For historical records, the Florida Memory project is a strong resource. It holds military records, pension files, and other state documents that sometimes mention death dates. The Jacksonville Historical Society also maintains local records and photographs that may connect to obituary and death research in Duval County.

Who Can Access Duval County Death Records

Access depends on the type. Public death certificates are open to any adult 18 or older. You don't need to explain why you want one. Show your ID and pay the fee at the Duval County Vital Statistics office. The public version does not include cause of death. The first five digits of the Social Security number are blacked out.

Confidential death certificates are different. Florida law restricts access for 50 years from the date of death. To get a copy with cause of death from Duval County, you must be the surviving spouse, a parent, a child or grandchild 18 or older, a sibling 18 or up, someone named in the will, an insurance beneficiary, or a person with a court order. Bring proof of your connection, your photo ID, and the completed DH Form 1959 to the Duval County office. The staff will check your documents and deny the request if you can't show you qualify.

More Duval County Record Resources

Several other offices and resources in Duval County can help with death record research. The Duval County Clerk of Court handles probate and estate cases at the courthouse in downtown Jacksonville. Probate files often include a death certificate, the will, and a full list of heirs. These are public records under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. The Florida Clerks of Court website can help you find the Duval County Clerk's contact info and online services.

The City of Jacksonville government at coj.net offers links to many local departments. The Social Security Death Index is a free federal resource that lists deaths reported to the Social Security Administration. It can confirm a date of death for a Duval County resident when other records are hard to track down. Genealogy sites that host this data are free to search and can be a good starting point before you pay for a certified copy from the Duval County office.

Cemeteries throughout Duval County maintain burial records with death dates and next of kin. Jacksonville has both public and private cemeteries, and many have online records or can provide information by phone. These records can be especially useful when you need to confirm details before ordering a death certificate from the Duval County DOH.

Note: The state Bureau of Vital Statistics and the Duval County DOH are both located in Jacksonville, but they are separate offices with different fees and different record availability.

Cities in Duval County

Duval County and the City of Jacksonville share a consolidated government. Most of the county's population lives within Jacksonville city limits. The city handles its own municipal services, but all death records go through the Duval County DOH Vital Statistics office on University Boulevard South.

Other communities in Duval County include Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Baldwin. All death records for these areas are handled by the same Duval County DOH office in Jacksonville.

Nearby Counties

Duval County shares borders with several northeast Florida counties. If the death took place near a county line, the record may be filed in a neighboring county instead of Duval County.