DH 727, 01/2022, Florida Administrative Code Rule 64V-1.0131 (Obsoletes Previous Editions)
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
www.floridahealth.gov/certificates
APPLICATION FOR FLORIDA DEATH OR FETAL DEATH CERTIFICATE
Applicant Information (Eligibility Requirements on Reverse Side)
Any person who willfully and knowingly provides any false information on a certificate, record or report required by Chapter 382, Florida
Statutes, or on an application or affidavit, or who obtains confidential information from any Vital Record under false or fraudulent
purposes, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in Chapter 775, Florida Statutes.
Applicant’s Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________
(Person requesting the record)
Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________ Apt.#: __________
City: _______________________________________________ State: ___________ ZIP Code: _______________________
Phone (with area code): _____________________________ email: ________________________________________________
Relationship to Person on Death Record: ___________________________ Signature: _______________________________
VitalChek.com is the ONLY online vendor approved by the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics to assist
customers in completing the application process. Be cautious when sharing personal information online with unknown entities
and maintain appropriate security on computers and electronic devices.
If applicant is an attorney or funeral director, provide name of client you represent: _________________________________,
client’s relationship to decedent: ___________________________, and your bar/professional license #: _________________.
Information for Death Search
Select Record Type: Death Fetal Death
Full Name on Death Record: _____________________________________________________________________________
Sex: ______ Date of Death (If unknown, range of years): ________________________ Date of Birth: ________________________
Place of Death (City/County): _____________________________ Surviving Spouse: ________________________________
Social Security Number: _____________________ Funeral Home Name:__________________________________________
Ordering Information (Eligibility Requirements for Cause of Death on Reverse Side)
Normal processing time for computer certificates (2009 to present) is 3-5 business days. Records prior to 2009 will be issued
as a photocopy certificate and will require additional processing time.
Fee Quantity
First Certificate: $5.00 - Check appropriate box:
WITHOUT Cause of Death WITH Cause of Death (Eligibility Required)
$5.00
X
Additional Certificates WITHOUT Cause of Death: $4.00 each
X
Additional Certificates WITH Cause of Death: $4.00 each
X
Additional Years to Search: $2.00 per year.
(Required when exact year is unknown. Maximum fee is $50.00).
X
Rush Order (Optional): Rush orders are given priority processing and requires an additional
$10 fee. Mark the outside of your envelope “RUSH”. Expedite shipping is NOT included.
X
Shipping & Handling Fee per application (Standard U.S. Postal Delivery)
X
VALID PHOTO IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR CAUSE OF DEATH
(See reverse side for additional information and eligibility requirements.)
Total Amount Enclosed
$4.00
$4.00
$2.00
$10.00
$5.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$1.00
1
$1.00
$6.00
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DH 727, 01/2022, Florida Administrative Code Rule 64V-1.0131 (Obsoletes Previous Editions)
INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR
FLORIDA DEATH OR FETAL DEATH CERTIFICATE APPLICATION
If you need assistance, please contact our Vital Records Section at 904-359-6900 ext. 9000.
A $5 search fee is included in all orders and is non-refundable. If no record is found, a certified “No Record Found”
statement will be issued. Application must include signature of eligible applicant when cause of death is requested.
AVAILABILITY: Some death records are on file dating back to 1877, but not all events were registered.
FETAL DEATH: A fetal death of 20 or more weeks’ gestation, otherwise known as a stillbirth, shall be registered in accordance with Florida Statutes.
Any applicant of legal age (18) may obtain a certificate of the non-confidential portion of the record, however, the information relating to cause of fetal
death, parentage, marital status, and medical information are confidential for 125 years and may only be issued to the parent(s) named on the fetal death,
sibling(s), or by court order.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (Section 119.071, Florida Statutes): Social security numbers held by the Department of Health on death certificates
are confidential and will only be issued to an eligible person requesting a confidential record, regardless of the date of death. Therefore, the first five digits
of the decedent’s social security number will be redacted when issuing a public record request.
ELIGIBILITY (Section 382.025, Florida Statutes):
WITHOUT CAUSE OF DEATH: Any person of legal age (18) may be issued a certified copy of a death record without the cause of death on the record.
CAUSE OF DEATH INFORMATION: Cause of Death for a death record over 50 years old may be issued to any applicant of legal age. Death records
less than 50 years old with the cause of death information included may only be issued to:
1. The decedent’s spouse or parent
2. The decedent’s child, grandchild or sibling, if of legal age
3. To any person who provides a will, insurance policy or other document that demonstrates an interest in the estate of the decedent
4. To any person who provides documentation that he or she is acting on behalf of any of the above-named persons
5. By court order
All requests for a death certificate that includes the cause of death information must state the qualifying eligibility or be accompanied with a notarized
Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information form (DH 1959) signed by an eligible person (form is available on our website) and a copy of valid photo
identification of both the person authorizing release and the applicant.
If requesting cause of death, the funeral home of record or attorney representing an eligible person as defined above must include their professional license
number, and the name and relationship of the person they are representing. If funeral home is not representing an eligible person or not the funeral home of
record, then a completed Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information form (DH 1959) must accompany the request.
SPECIAL NOTE: Florida Clerk of Circuit Court will not accept a death record with “cause of death information included” when filing probate.
UNKNOWN DATE OF DEATH: If date of death is unknown, the entire year specified will be searched. If the year is unknown, specify the span of years
to be searched (Example: 1970 to present) and include payment of $2.00 per year for each year to be searched. Maximum fee is $50.00 regardless of the
number of years to be searched.
REQUIREMENT FOR ORDERING: Eligible applicant must provide a completed application. A copy of a valid photo identification and any
supporting documentation is required when requesting the cause of death portion.
ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION: Driver License, State Identification Card, Passport, Military Identification Card. For mail-in
requests, include a copy of the front and back of the ID. A foreign issued driver license, identification card, consular card, or Matricula card require two
additional forms of identification, such as a vehicle title or registration, health insurance card, employment ID, school ID, tax document, or mail with
current address.
FEES: Check or Money Order Payable to: Vital Statistics. DO NOT SEND CASH. International payments must be made by Cashier’s Check or Money
Order in U.S. Dollars drawn upon a U.S. Bank. Florida Law imposes an additional service charge of $15.00 for dishonored checks. Fees are nonrefundable,
except fees paid for additional copies when no record is found. These may be refunded upon written request.
OPTIONS FOR ORDERING:
CREDIT CARDS: The Bureau of Vital Statistics currently does not accept credit cards by phone or mail, if you wish to order by credit card, you may contact
VitalChek, our only approved vendor. VitalChek charges an additional processing fee of $7.00 in addition a $10.00 Rush Fee charged by the Bureau of Vital
Statistics. Expedite shipping is available for an additional fee. VitalChek may be reached by telephone at 1-877-550-7330, by fax at 1-877-550-7428, or online at
VitalChek.com.
MAIL IN: Normal processing time is 3-5 business days for computer certificates (2009 to present). Photocopy certificates (records prior to 2009) require
additional processing time. If requesting RUSH service mark the outside of your envelope “RUSH”. Rush Orders are given priority processing. Expedite
shipping is NOT included in rush fee. All orders require a $1.00 Shipping and Handling Fee and are mailed Standard U.S. Postal delivery unless a special
prepaid express delivery envelope is provided.
WALK-IN SERVICE: Visit 1217 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, Florida, between 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Eligible applicants must present a valid ID when
requesting confidential records. Photocopy certificates (records prior to 2009) require the $10 rush fee and may not be available for same day service.
MAIL THIS APPLICATION WITH PAYMENT TO:
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS
ATTN: VITAL RECORDS SECTION, P.O. BOX 210, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32231-0042
Express Mail and Courier Deliveries to: 1217 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 32202
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.floridahealth.gov/certificates