Florida Death Records Search
In Florida, the Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics is responsible for maintaining and issuing the official record of all deaths that occur in the state of Florida. The Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics maintains Florida death records of 1977-present. The death records maintained by the Department of Health and Vital Statistics are categorized into two types: death records 1977-1939 and death records 1939-present. As far as the provision of records is concerned, the Department of Health and Vital Statistics does everything it possibly can to ensure an expeditious and high quality service.
There are many ways for you to request for and obtain Florida Death Records including online. The online requests for death records take only 3 to 5 days to process. The other ways to request for the death record you need is in person and by mail. In Florida, you can request for a person’s death record only if you’re related to the deceased or have a financial interest in the record. Relatives who can request for and obtain a person’s Florida death record include the deceased’s spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, and adult child.
If you do not fall in any of these categories then you must provide the Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics a notarized statement signed by an immediate family member of the deceased to get the death record you need. As mentioned above, there are three ways to obtain death records in Florida: in person, by mail and online. Following is how you can obtain the Florida death record you need through each way.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Florida Death Record?
To make an in person request for the death record you need, visit the local Bureau of Vital Statistics office, complete and submit the Application for Florida Death or Fetal Death Record, provide a copy of your valid Photo ID and pay the require fee. The fee for Florida Death Records is $5.
How to Get Florida Death Records By Mail
To make a mail request for the death record you need, complete and send the aforementioned application along with a copy of your valid Photo ID, a self-addressed envelope and a pay order or check for the fee to:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
How to Get Florida Death Records Online
The final way to obtain the Florida death record you need is online. The Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics provides death records online through Vitalcheck, an independent company that it has partnered with to make the records available online. To make an online request for the Florida death record you need, go to the website of Vitalcheck and follow the instructions stated there. The fee for online records is $15.
You can also obtain the death record you need online through public databases. To find out more about Florida Death Records, call the Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics at 904-359-6900.
I have been married for 30 years to my “new” husband and just to change my address on my drivers license I have to have my late husband’s stupid death certificate. I threw everything away that had anything to do with him it’s been 30 years. I don’t know his birthday or when he died.i just know where. The VA hospital in Miami. Can you please help me.
Stephanie,
In order to get a certified copy of a Florida death certificate you will have to contact the Florida Department of Health and Vital Records. Since you are the previous spouse you should have little difficulty procuring this from them.
How to Get an Official Copy of a Florida Death Certificate
1. Go to the Florida Department of Heath website
2. Click on the Death Certificates tab
3. Use VitalCheck, which is their contracted vendor
4. You will need to provide proof of ID
5. Fill out the form and pay the fees
6. Processing and having the death certificate mailed to you can take several weeks
I am trying to find out if my father Gerald Avras has passed away.
705 Hoffman Blvd.
Tampa, Florida
I have been unable to contact him through VA Hospital contact and am very concerned. Online resources are saying there is a death record and I am upset about not knowing.
Evan,
We do not show a death record for Gerald Avras in our database resources. You best bet to confirm this is to contact the Florida Department of Health and Vital Records as they manage death records in the state of Florida.
Could You please look someone up for me?
We are happy to assist you with looking up a Florida death record if you can provide us with the full name of the person in question and their approximate age, or when they passed away. This will help us locate the correct Florida death record for you.
His name is James Scott Griggers. He passed on April 25, 2018 in Pensacola Florida. Thanks
Let me know if You need more info
Christy, we are not showing this person’s death record in our Florida death record database. If you are looking for more information about this person’s death you can also contact the Florida Department of Health. They are the Florida state agency in charge of archiving and indexing vital records. These include birth, death and marriage records.
Hello,
I’m trying to get the death certificate of my father, (William Bruce “Bill” Thompson). He ran his own business in waterfront construction in Orlando, for years, with my granddad & uncle. He was estranged from the family when he passed away (only heard from an acquaintance after-the-fact). No living relatives have it (most have passed away — I was the youngest of his children).
I know he died in the north central-Florida area. I know he was born in Buffalo, NY in Nov. 1925. I think I was told he passed away in 2002, but I can’t be sure now. His son (my brother) William Bruce Thompson, Jr., also died in the same area in 1994. In looking online, I don’t find EITHER of them listed anywhere? I do have my brother’s death certificate, but it’s so weird that neither of them turn up in any search I do?
Can you help? I’m now living in Australia. My current, married name, is Tracy Lynn (Thompson) Fortune.
Thank you.
Often times the reporting of death records is delayed at best. We have found that online public record databases are not as robust as the death records you may find by contacting the Florida Department of Health. Since you’re a living relative you should have no issues finding this record by contacting them directly. Below is a description on how you can obtain a certified Florida death certificate copy.
How To Obtain a Florida Death Certificate Copy
1. Contact the Florida Department of Health
2. If the death occurred 2009 or later you can obtain them directly from the Department of Health
3. If the death occurred before 2009 then you’ll use their VitalCheck service
4. You can obtain a death certificate by mail once you show proof of ID and pay the fees
5. Processing of a death certificate copy may take up to a couple weeks
You can also call the phone number 1-877-550-7330 ( in the United States ) and 877-550-6800 ( Outside the United States ) for further assistance
Tracey,
I happened to see your comment and did a quick search on the “Find A Grave” web site. I found a William B Thompson, 1907 – 1994, buried in Sarasota, FL.
I also found a William B Thompson Jr., 3 May 1923 – 14 Nov 2002, buried in Orange Park, FL.
I believe you may have their death dates reversed in your inquiry, I hope this information helps. Mike
Thank you very much for the Florida death record correction. I will forward this information to our support team to be updated. Find A Grave seems like a great resource for looking up graves and their location.
Much Appreciated,
The Search Quarry Team
i was born and adopted in Florida. i now know who my biological parents are, thru DNA testing, and i would like to get a copy of my original birth certificate. can i get this, now that i have the correct names and information?
In order to get a copy of your original birth certificate you will want to contact the Florida Department of Health and Vital Records as they manage the birth records for the state of Florida
How to Get a Copy of Birth and Death Records in Florida
1. Visit the Florida Department of Health
2. Request birth or death certificate by mail, online or in person
3. Provide proof of identification
4. Pay the fee for the certified copy
5. Processing may take a couple weeks.
Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Phone: 904-359-6900
Death certificate
If you’re looking for a Florida death certificate copy you will want to contact the Florida Department of Health as they manage the vital records in Florida.
Vital Records Managed by the Florida Department of Health
1. Marriage Records
2. Divorce Records
3. Birth Records
4. Death Records
Searching for relative
If you provide us with their full age and date of birth we can certainly assist you with a Florida Death Record Search. Another way you can find this information is from the Florida state archives or the Florida Department of Health and Vital Records
How long after someone passes away does it take for your records to show it? I was told my uncle passed away Jan 1st but no proof or location or information is being given to me by my other sibling so I’m not sure it’s true.
Typically with public records databases it can take several weeks for the records to show up. Your best bet to find up to date Florida Death Records is to contact the Florida Department of Health and Vital Records. They are the managing agency for birth and death records in Florida.
The Death Record I have says my mother died on November 6, 2016 at 01:45. The daylight saving time change was on 2:00 AM on that date, so the time notation from 1:00 to 1:59 was repeated. How can I determine if the time of death is daylight saving time or standard time?
You will want to contact the Florida Department of Health as they are the managing agency for Florida death records. Since you’re immediate family you should have no difficulties obtaining the time of death information.
I think my ex husband has died but I\’m having a hard time finding out. Can I legally get a copy if his death record? His name is Joseph rafael Rojas dob 4/12/1942. He last lived in West Palm Beach.
You should be able to get a copy of your husbands Florida death certificate record if you contact the Florida Department of Health. They are the managing state agency in Florida that archives and indexes vital records which includes; death records, birth records and marriage records.
I am trying to obtain a death certificate copy for my great-aunt Olive Hartnell Tracy ,who lived as a widow at 2815 Segovia Street, Coral Gables , Florida . She passed away between June , 1970 and Dec. 31, 1971 in Florida . Unfortunately, I cannot find anything about her death or her estate in Dade County records . Can you assist me in any way ? I am totally frustrated …….
Thank you for reaching out about our Florida death records. It can definitely be frustrating to locate death records or any vital record for that matter. The best way to obtain a death certificate copy is to contact the Florida Department of Health. They are the managing state agency for all of Florida’s vital records including; death records, birth records and marriage records. You can contact them directly, their phone number is 904-359-6900. Another option is to use the VitalCheck resource to order a copy of a Florida death certificate online.
I\’m trying to get my grandmothers death certificate, or possibly find out who to contact about writing or seeing her obituary.
We are happy to assist you with a Florida Death Record Search but that is for online reference only. In order to obtain a copy of your mom’s Florida Death Certificate you will need to contact the Florida Department of Health. Below are some more detailed instructions on how to obtain a Florida Death Certificate.
How to Obtain a Copy of a Florida Death Certificate Online
1. Visit the Florida Department of Health Website
2. Click on the VitalCheck Network option
3. Select the order death records option
4. Choose your state and fill out the required form
5. Pay the $12 fee and $5 for processing
6. A copy of the death certificate will be send via mail
My fiance passed away and we had vehicals is both our names and I was told I needed his death cert. In order to get his name off or if I want to sell it. How can I get one if I’m not family?
You can make Florida death certificate inquiries via phone, eMail or in person, to the Florida Department of health. You can submit a request and explain your case. It’s quite probable that there is a precedence for this where a Florida Death Record is needed to have a vehicle title and registration change
I am trying to find out if there is a death record for my father David Edward McMenamin
His last known address was,
2241 W Pensacola St. 33
Tallahasse, Fl. 32304-3138
Dob 06/02/1947.
We do show a Florida death record for a David E. McMenamin in 2013 in New Jersey. Since this is your father’s Florida death record you can also contact the Florida Department of Health for an official Florida death record copy. The Florida Department of Health is the managing state agency of Florida for death records, birth records and marriage records. See below for more information on how to obtain an official copy of your father’s death record. You can also call the following phone number for more information about how to obtain a Florida death record: (904) 359-6900
Certified Florida Death Certificate
1. Visit the Florida Department of Health website
2. Request a certified death certificate copy
3. Fill out the CDC form for death certificate requests
4. Provide proof of photo ID and pay the $5 fee
5. Death certificate copies will be mailed to you
Here is a very challenging question. I am a biological child of a father who passed away in 2015. I was adopted by my aunt and uncle in 1980. He passed away in 2015. My biological mother divorced him in 1975. When he passed away, he had no family members left to claim his body. Is there anyway I could get a copy of death certificate. I am interested due to family medical history concerns.
In order to obtain a copy of a Florida death certificate you will need contact the Florida Department of Health. You can visit their website and order a copy of a death certificate online. You will need to be immediate family, which you are, and pay the $10 fee. Processing by mail may take a few weeks. You can also visit the Department of Health in the Florida county where your father passed away and obtain a copy of his FL death certificate much faster. Below is their contact information to better assist you.
Florida Department of Health Phone Number: 813-307-8002
I am trying to find out if my Aunt passed away in Florida her name is Gloria Patricia Lewis 84, last address 21036 N HWY 231 Lot 84, Fountain, FL 32438 . I am her only living relative.
We don’t show your Aunt’s Florida death record in our vital records database. You can also check with the Florida Department of Health and request a death verification.
Request a Florida Death Verification
You can visit the Florida Department of Health website and request a death certificate or you can call the Florida vital statistics office to request a Florida death verification @ 904-359-6900
Looking to find out if my Dad is this alive. James Donald Johns iced in Jacksonville Fl. Birth date is Dec. 6 1921
Carol, we don’t show any record of your dad’s death record. You can also reach out to the Florida Dept of Health and inquire with them as they manage Florida death records as well as other vital records. Since you are immediate family you should have no difficulty obtaining a Florida death verification. You can also reach out to the Florida CDC to obtain this Florida public information.
Cancel my account.
You account has been canceled. Please reach out if we can assist you with and additional Florida death records
Why does the Florida death certificate not include cause of manner of death?
That is a good question Pamela. There are reasons for a death certificate not including the cause of death. You can contact the Florida Department of Health for more information about the Florida death certificate you’re interested in.
Why a Florida Death Certificate Doesn’t Include Cause of Death
One reason a Florida death certificate may not include the cause of death is if the death is not natural or suspicious, then the coroner or the doctor that is responsible for filling out the Florida Death Certificate cannot complete the death certificate or may not sign off on it. There are other reasons why a cause of death is not listed that can be identified by the Florida Department of Health.
I just found out last night that my adult childrens grandmother died on April 13, we send holiday greetings via email and she never responded to my Easter greetings and I had sent her a Happy Mother’s Day last night and then I thought to check to see if something had happened and found a notice from the place she was cremated . There are no family members that could have written a formal obit. She has a son who lives in Guam and 21 year old twin grandchildren who are with me in Pa . I would like at least to know cause of death ( I do know she had several health problem) and what happens to her belongings and all ? I only know of a friend who helped her by her first name so I am stuck.
Barbara, unfortunately we don’t have the information you’re looking for and not all the information you’re looking for is public record. You will want to reach out to the probate lawyer, if there is one, or the Florida Department of Health to inquire about your request. Best of Luck – The Search Quarry Team
Thank you. What is the average protocol when someone dies and there is no one to contact about what to do with their remains. I know she didn’t have any of our addresses. Due to email communications there was never reason for snail mail. I do have contact with her son if ‘they’ need his information. Where do her remains stay until someone directs the mortuary what to do ?
Typically this matter will be handled by the state of Florida if there is no last will or immediate family to handle the estate or remains. This process in is called probate where the state gathers all the available information, assets, and how to distribute these to the remaining family.
What Happens if Someone Dies Without a Will
If a person dies without a will then they have died intestate which means the state will determine how the property is distributed. This will include the remains, the estate, bank accounts, real estate and other property. The deceased estate will then go into probate where the state will determine what to do with the remaining assets and property.
I am looking for my husband\’s twin brother James Edward Adam\’s and his mother Ruth Patricia Adam\’s death certificate but don\’t know what city they lived in. All I know is Miami Dade county. James DOB 04-09-1957
DOD 09-03-1995 —- Ruth DOB 09-12-1933 DOD 03-24-1994. Any chance their death certificates are in Florida? And if so, how can I go about assisting my husband in getting them.
Rhonda, thank you for reaching out about our Florida death records blog. In order to obtain a copy of your husband’s brother’s death certificate you can contact the Florida Department of Health. They are Florida’s managing agency for birth and death records and can assist you in obtaining a copy of this death certificate. Their phone number is 850-245-4444
I’m searching for the Florida death records for James W. Gray, the son of Samuel F Gray from the mid 1800’s
James, unfortunately these are much older Florida death records than we have access to. Typically our database covers Florida death records for the last 50 years and since these are much older you might want to try contacting the Florida State Archives or the Florida Department of Health as they manage and archive older Florida Death Records.
How to Find Very Old Florida Death Records
1. Inquire with the Florida State Archives
2. Contact the Florida Department of Health
3. Inquire with the Florida County Clerk
3. Use an online Genealogy Service
I need my late husbands death certificate to get Real ID
You can obtain a copy of your husband’s death certificate by contacting the Florida Department of Health. You can request one online or call them @ 850-245-4444. That being said, you can also obtain a Florida Real ID with a birth certificate and passport if that is an option for you.
I learned recently that my brother, Robert Coy MCClellan, died in a nursing home in Lecanto FL in May 2019. His birth date was Oct 3, 1943 I think. I can not find any records supporting his death. I would appreciate any information that you could provide. I was told that he died of pneumonia but can not verify this. Thank you. Judy McClellan Perry
Judy, we don’t have any record of Robert’s Florida death record. You can also verify a Florida death record by contacting the Florida Department of Health. Their phone number is 850-245-4444
Yes I\’m faith mugure From Africa in Kenya I was looking for my death of my husband record he was living in penellas country is name is Basil minor nick name Late, please help me to know the truth. I got the message he died 20/4/2019
Faith, unfortunately we don’t show that Florida death record however there are other options for you to locate your husband’s death record. If you contact the Florida Department of Health you can make an inquiry and obtain a certified copy of his death record and have it mailed to you since you are his spouse. Their phone number is 850-245-4444
Actually, I’m trying to get a copy of the death certificate of my sister. She died last year and now for some security purpose, we need the death certificate. And I forgot where I put it. I read your blog. It helps me a lot. Also Online Vitals USA’s first public health department plays a major role. From here I got information regarding the Florida vital records office near me. You have shared great post. Thanks for sharing
Keep sharing such information
We appreciate the feedback Daniel. It’s useful to have other options for searching for public records, including Florida death records
I am looking for a death and birth certificates for my brother that was born in 1955. I know he was born in Tampa FL at mcdill afb. And burried in Tampa FL. His name was James Frances Driscoll. My named is Mary Driscoll Fitch. My parents were Thelma and James Driscoll.
Mary, in order to get a certified copy of your brother’s Florida birth and death certificate you will want to reach out to the Florida Department of Health directly to make your inquiry. They can send you a copy by mail for a nominal fee. You will need to show proof that this is your brother, as only immediate family has access to certified copies of vital records in Florida. Their phone number, for your convenience, is 850-245-4444