Sarasota County Obituary Records

Obituary and death records in Sarasota County are filed through the Florida Department of Health office on Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota. This page covers how to search for death certificates, what fees apply, and where to find obituary notices for Sarasota County residents. Whether you need a certified copy for legal matters or want to trace a family member, the steps below will help you get started.

Sarasota County DOH Vital Records

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County handles death certificate requests for deaths that took place in the county from 2009 to the present. The office sits on Ringling Boulevard, close to downtown Sarasota. Staff process walk-in requests, mail orders, and can point you toward online options as well. This is the first place to start if you need an obituary-related death record from Sarasota County.

You can call ahead to ask if a specific record is on file. The staff will tell you what forms of ID to bring and whether the death you are looking for was registered in Sarasota County. If the death took place in a different county, they can direct you to the right office.

Visit the Sarasota County certificates page for forms and details on what you need to request a death record.

The Sarasota County DOH website is the starting point for all vital records services in the county.

How to Request Sarasota Death Records

There are three ways to get a death certificate in Sarasota County. Each one has its own cost, timeline, and set of forms to fill out. Pick the method that works best for your situation.

For in-person visits, head to the Sarasota DOH office at 2200 Ringling Blvd, Suite 131. Bring a valid photo ID and fill out a death certificate application form. You will need the full name of the person who died, along with their date of death and the county where it happened. The date of birth and Social Security number help the staff find the right record faster. In most cases, the office can process your request the same day. The fee is $5 for the search and first copy. Each extra copy costs $4. Pay by check, money order, or cash.

Mail orders go to the same address. Send a completed application form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to the Florida Department of Health. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests usually take 2 to 3 weeks to come back.

The Sarasota County certificates section has the forms you need for mail and in-person requests.

This page lists every form and fee you need to know before you visit or mail in a request.

Online orders go through VitalChek, the state's only authorized online vendor. VitalChek charges $15 for the first copy plus a $7 processing fee. Extra copies are $4 each. You pay by credit or debit card, and the certificate typically arrives in 5 to 7 business days by standard mail. Rush delivery is available for an added charge.

Obituary Death Certificate Types

Florida issues two types of death certificates. The version you can get from the Sarasota County DOH depends on your relationship to the person who died and the purpose of your request.

A death certificate without cause of death is a public record. Anyone 18 or older can request one. No family connection is needed. This version still shows the person's name, date and place of death, and other key facts. The first five digits of the Social Security number are blacked out under Florida Statutes Chapter 119, which protects personal data on public copies.

The version with cause of death is confidential for 50 years. Only certain people can get it. Eligible requesters include a surviving spouse, parent, adult child or grandchild, adult sibling, or anyone with a documented estate interest. A court order also works. You may need to sign an affidavit form (DH Form 1959) to prove your relationship before the Sarasota County office will release this version.

If you are not sure which type you need, the Sarasota County DOH staff can help you figure it out when you visit or call.

Fees and Processing Times

Sarasota County follows the state fee schedule for death certificates. The search fee is $5, which includes the first certified copy. Each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $4. These fees apply to both in-person and mail requests placed through the local DOH office.

If you order through the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville instead, the same $5 base fee applies. However, if you do not know the exact year of death, the state charges $2 for each extra year searched, up to $50. Rush orders through the state cost an additional $10. Shipping adds $1 per order.

VitalChek orders cost more. The first copy runs $15 plus a $7 processing fee. Extra copies are $4 each. VitalChek accepts credit and debit cards. Standard delivery takes 5 to 7 business days. This is the most convenient option for Sarasota County residents who cannot visit the office, but the total cost is higher than going in person.

Sarasota County Historical Records

The Sarasota County DOH office holds death records from 2009 to the present. For deaths that happened before 2009, you need to contact the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202, or call (904) 359-6900. The state has death records going back to 1877, though the earliest records may be incomplete.

Under Chapter 382 of Florida Statutes, all deaths in the state must be registered within five days. This law has been in place for over a century, which is why the state archive goes back so far. Section 382.008 covers filing rules, and Section 382.016 lets local registrars like the Sarasota County DOH issue certified copies.

The Florida Memory Project is a free resource from the State Library and Archives of Florida. It has historical documents, old photographs, and records useful for genealogy research in Sarasota County. The Florida Clerks of Court website can help you find probate records that sometimes contain death-related information predating the modern vital records system.

The Sarasota County certificates page shown below has more detail on the records available at the local level.

This page covers the range of certificates you can request from the Sarasota County health department.

Other Sarasota County Record Sources

Beyond the DOH, several other places hold death-related records for Sarasota County. Funeral homes in the area keep their own records and may have copies of obituaries or death notices they helped prepare. Local papers like the Sarasota Herald-Tribune publish obituaries that can help confirm dates and family details.

The Sarasota County public library system maintains newspaper archives and may offer access to digital obituary databases. For older records, the Sarasota County Clerk of Court may have probate files, estate records, and other documents tied to a death.

Under Florida's Sunshine Law, most government records are open to the public. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes gives broad access to records held by state, county, and city agencies. Cause of death information stays confidential for 50 years, and Social Security numbers are always redacted. If a Sarasota County records request is denied and you believe the denial was wrong, the Florida Attorney General handles public records complaints.

Giving false information on a vital records form is a felony under Florida law. Always use accurate details when you fill out a death certificate request in Sarasota County or anywhere else in the state.

Cities in Sarasota County

North Port is the largest city in Sarasota County that has its own records page. Death records for North Port residents are filed through the Sarasota County DOH office.

Nearby Counties

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