Find St. Lucie County Death Records

Obituary and death records in St. Lucie County are processed through the Florida Department of Health office in Port St. Lucie. This page covers how to search for death certificates, what forms and fees are involved, and where to find obituary notices for St. Lucie County residents. The information below applies to both Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie, since the county DOH handles all death registrations in the area.

St. Lucie County DOH Vital Records

The Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County is the main office for death certificate requests in this area. The office is on NW Milner Drive in Port St. Lucie. Staff handle walk-in visits and mail orders, and they can tell you about online options too. The St. Lucie County DOH keeps death records from 2009 to the present. Fort Pierce is the county seat, but the health department office is in Port St. Lucie.

Call the St. Lucie County DOH before you visit. Staff can check if the death record you need is on file and tell you what ID and forms to bring. This can save you a trip if the record was filed in another county.

The St. Lucie County certificates page has forms, instructions, and fee details.

The St. Lucie County DOH website is the starting point for vital records services.

How to Get St. Lucie Death Records

There are three ways to get a death certificate from St. Lucie County. The right option depends on how fast you need it and whether you can visit the office on Milner Drive.

Walk-in requests are the quickest. Go to 5150 NW Milner Dr in Port St. Lucie with a valid photo ID and fill out a death certificate application. You need the full name of the person who died, their date of death, and the county where the death took place. A date of birth and Social Security number help speed up the search. Most walk-in requests at the St. Lucie County office get processed the same day. The fee is $5 for the search and first certified copy. Each extra copy ordered at the same time costs $4.

Mail orders go to the same address. Include a completed application form, a photocopy of your ID, a check or money order payable to the Florida Department of Health, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests typically take 2 to 3 weeks to process and return.

Check the St. Lucie County certificates section for the latest on forms and ordering procedures.

This page lists every form and fee you need to know for St. Lucie County death record requests.

Online orders go through VitalChek, the only online vendor the state authorizes. VitalChek charges $15 for the first copy plus a $7 processing fee. Extra copies cost $4 each. You pay by credit or debit card. Standard delivery takes 5 to 7 business days. Rush options are available for more.

St. Lucie Death Certificate Types

Florida issues two kinds of death certificates. Which one you can get from the St. Lucie County DOH depends on your relationship to the deceased and the reason you need it.

A death certificate without cause of death is public. Anyone 18 or older can get one. You do not need to be related to the deceased. This version still contains the person's name, date and place of death, and other basic information. Social Security numbers are partially blacked out under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, which protects personal data on public copies.

A death certificate with cause of death is confidential for 50 years from the date of death. Only certain people can request this version. The list includes a surviving spouse, parent, adult child or grandchild, adult sibling, or anyone with a verifiable estate interest or court order. You may need to fill out DH Form 1959, an affidavit that proves your eligibility, before the St. Lucie County office will release this version to you.

If you are unsure which type suits your needs, the St. Lucie County DOH staff will help you when you visit or call.

Fees for St. Lucie County Records

St. Lucie County uses the state fee schedule. The search fee is $5, which includes the first certified copy. Extra copies are $4 each when ordered at the same time. These rates apply to in-person and mail orders at the local DOH office.

Through the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, the same $5 base fee applies. If you do not know the exact year of death, the state charges $2 per year searched, up to $50 total. Rush processing is $10 extra. Shipping costs $1 per order. The state office handles records from 1877 to the present, covering a much wider range than the St. Lucie County office.

VitalChek charges $15 for the first copy plus $7 in processing fees. Extra copies run $4 each. This is the most convenient option for St. Lucie County residents who want to order online, but the total cost is higher than ordering directly through the DOH.

Check with the St. Lucie County DOH for the current fee schedule before sending payment.

Historical Records and Research

The St. Lucie County DOH keeps death records from 2009 forward. For older records, contact the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. The phone number is (904) 359-6900. The state has death records going back to 1877, though the earliest records may not cover every death.

Chapter 382 of Florida Statutes requires all deaths to be registered within five days. Section 382.008 spells out the filing rules, and Section 382.016 authorizes local registrars like the St. Lucie County DOH to issue certified copies. These laws govern death registration across every Florida county.

For genealogy work in St. Lucie County, the Florida Memory Project offers free access to historical documents, photographs, and other records. The Florida Clerks of Court website can point you to probate records that may contain death-related information from before the modern vital records system. The St. Lucie County Library also maintains local history collections that may help with family research.

The St. Lucie County certificates page covers all the vital records services available at the local level.

Other St. Lucie County Record Sources

Funeral homes across St. Lucie County keep their own records and often have copies of obituaries or death notices they helped prepare. Local newspapers in the Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie area publish obituaries that can help confirm dates, names, and family details. Public libraries in the county may offer access to newspaper archives and digital genealogy tools.

The St. Lucie County Clerk of Court holds probate files, estate records, and other court documents that relate to deaths. These records can fill in gaps that a death certificate alone does not cover, especially for legal or genealogy research.

Florida's Sunshine Law gives the public broad access to government records. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes applies to all state, county, and city agencies. However, cause of death stays confidential for 50 years, and Social Security numbers are always redacted. If you believe a St. Lucie County records request was wrongly denied, you can file a complaint with the Florida Attorney General.

Providing false information on a vital records form is a felony in Florida. Always fill out forms with accurate details when requesting death records from St. Lucie County.

Cities in St. Lucie County

Port St. Lucie is the largest city in St. Lucie County. Death records for Port St. Lucie residents are filed through the St. Lucie County DOH office on Milner Drive.

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Lucie County. Each has its own DOH office for death certificate requests.