Access Miami-Dade County Death Records

Miami-Dade County obituary and death records are handled by the Florida Department of Health through two office locations in the county. As the most populated county in Florida with nearly 2.84 million residents, Miami-Dade processes a large volume of death certificate requests every year. This guide covers everything you need to know about getting death records in Miami-Dade County, including office locations, fees, required documents, and online ordering options.

Miami-Dade County DOH Vital Records Office

The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County operates two vital records offices where you can request death certificates. The main location is in Downtown Miami, and a second office is in West Perrine. Both offices handle death certificates for deaths that occurred in Florida from 2009 to the present. Having two locations helps spread out the demand in a county this large.

The Downtown Miami office at 1350 N.W. 14th Street is the primary location for vital records. You can also visit or mail your request to the West Perrine location. Both offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Note that Miami-Dade closes at 4 PM rather than 5 PM, which is earlier than many other county DOH offices in the state. Plan your visit accordingly.

A legible copy of a valid driver's license, passport, state-issued ID, or military identification card must go with all requests. You must be a family member or legal representative when requesting cause of death information. These rules come straight from the Miami-Dade DOH and apply to both office locations.

The Miami-Dade County DOH website is the main portal for all health department services.

The Miami-Dade DOH homepage connects residents with vital records and other public health services across the county.

How to Request Miami-Dade Death Records

There are three main ways to get a death certificate in Miami-Dade County. Each comes with different costs and timelines. In-person visits are the fastest, but mail and online orders work if you cannot make it to one of the offices.

For in-person requests, visit either the Downtown Miami office at 1350 N.W. 14th St or the West Perrine location. Bring a valid photo ID and fill out a death certificate application form (DH727 or DH727S for Spanish). You need to know the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and the county where the death took place. A date of birth and Social Security number help speed up the search. The fee at the Miami-Dade office is $12 for a death certificate. Additional certificates ordered at the same time cost $16 each. If you want rush processing, there is a $10 rush fee. A protective certificate sheath costs $3. Most walk-in requests at the Miami-Dade offices are processed the same day during regular hours.

Death certificates from the Miami-Dade DOH are available for deaths occurring in the state of Florida from 2009 to the present. Any death before 2009 must be requested from the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville or through VitalChek. This is an important detail that catches some people off guard, especially when they are looking for older Miami-Dade death records.

The Miami-Dade death certificates page has the full breakdown of fees and requirements.

This page gives Miami-Dade residents all the details they need on fees, ID requirements, and office locations for death certificate orders.

Mail requests can go to either the Downtown or West Perrine office. Include a completed DH727 form, a photocopy of your valid ID, and a check or money order made out to the Florida Department of Health. The $12 fee applies to mail orders as well. Additional copies are $16 each. Allow 2 to 4 weeks for mail processing in Miami-Dade, as the high volume of requests can slow things down compared to smaller counties.

Online orders go through VitalChek, which is the only online vendor Florida authorizes. VitalChek charges $15 for the first certificate plus a $7 processing fee. Extra copies are $4 each through VitalChek, which differs from the $16 the Miami-Dade office charges for additional in-person copies. You pay by credit or debit card, and standard delivery takes 5 to 7 business days.

Miami-Dade Death Certificate Types

Florida issues two types of death certificates. The rules for who can get each type apply in Miami-Dade just like everywhere else in the state.

A death certificate without cause of death is a public record. Anyone 18 or older can request one. You do not need to be a family member or show a specific reason. These copies list the name, date of death, place of death, and other vital facts. The first five digits of the Social Security number are blacked out under Section 119.071 of Florida Statutes.

A death certificate with cause of death is confidential for 50 years. You must be a family member or legal representative to get this version in Miami-Dade County. The list of eligible requesters includes a surviving spouse, parent, adult child, adult grandchild, adult sibling, or someone named in a will or insurance policy who can show a direct interest. A court order also works. You may need to complete DH Form 1959, which is an affidavit proving your relationship or legal right. The Miami-Dade DOH is firm about this requirement and will not release cause of death information to people who cannot prove eligibility.

Fees for Miami-Dade County Death Records

Miami-Dade County has its own fee structure that differs from most other Florida counties. The local DOH office charges $12 for a death certificate. Additional certificates cost $16 each. A $10 rush fee is available for faster processing. You can also buy a protective certificate sheath for $3. These prices apply to in-person and mail orders at either the Downtown Miami or West Perrine location.

If you go through the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville instead, the fees are different. The state charges $5 for the search and first copy. Additional copies cost $4 each. A $1 shipping fee applies per order. Pre-2009 records carry a $10 rush fee if expedited. When you do not know the exact year of death, the state charges $2 per year searched up to $50.

VitalChek online orders cost $15 for the first certificate plus $7 in processing fees. Extra copies are $4 each. The total comes out higher than ordering directly from the state, but it is the most convenient option for Miami-Dade residents who cannot visit an office or mail in a request.

Historical Records and Genealogy in Miami-Dade

The Miami-Dade County DOH offices only have death records from 2009 to the present. For anything before that, you must contact the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Call (904) 359-6900 or email VitalStats@FLHealth.gov. The state has death records going back to 1877, which covers well beyond the founding of Miami-Dade County.

Under Chapter 382 of Florida Statutes, death certificates must be filed within five days and submitted electronically. Section 382.008 spells out the filing rules. Section 382.016 gives local registrars like the Miami-Dade DOH the power to issue certified copies. These laws govern how every county in Florida handles death records.

Miami-Dade County has rich genealogy resources due to its size and diverse population. The Florida Memory Project offers free access to historical records, photographs, and documents. The Miami-Dade Public Library System has a genealogy section with local newspaper archives, immigration records, and historical indexes. The Florida Clerks of Court website can help locate probate records that may hold death-related information for earlier Miami-Dade residents.

The Miami-Dade certificates page provides an overview of all vital records services available through the county health department.

The certificates section covers death records along with birth and marriage certificate services for Miami-Dade residents.

Additional Miami-Dade Record Resources

Beyond the DOH offices, several other agencies and organizations in Miami-Dade County can assist with death-related records. The Florida DOH Bureau of Vital Statistics serves as the central state repository for all death records and handles requests the Miami-Dade offices cannot fill.

Funeral homes throughout Miami-Dade keep their own records and may have copies of obituaries or death notices. Major newspapers like the Miami Herald publish obituaries that can serve as a starting point for research. The Miami-Dade Public Library maintains newspaper archives going back many decades, both on microfilm and through digital databases. These resources can be especially helpful when trying to find information about deaths that occurred before the 2009 county records cutoff.

Florida's public records law, outlined in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, gives the public broad access to government records. Cause of death stays confidential for 50 years, and SSNs are always redacted. Providing false information on a vital records application is a felony. Always use accurate details and bring proper ID when requesting Miami-Dade County death records.

The Miami-Dade County government website provides access to additional county services and public records portals.

The county site connects Miami-Dade residents with a wide range of government services and information.

Cities in Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade County contains several major cities. Death records for residents in any of these cities are processed through the Miami-Dade County DOH offices in Downtown Miami or West Perrine.

Nearby Counties

If you need death records from a neighboring area, these counties border Miami-Dade and each has its own DOH vital records office.