Florida Vital Records

Florida vital records refer to all documentation of life events within the state. Life events are significant milestones in a person's life. The state government keeps track of life events for reasons such as tracing ancestry, establishing legal identity, and planning public healthcare. Documented life events include birth, death, adoption, marriage, and divorce.

Florida public records laws regulate the creation and maintenance of vital records generated in the state. Under the law, the public can access non-confidential information in vital records. However, Florida Statute 382.025 exempts public access to certified copies of birth certificates and confidential information in other vital records.

Public Access to Florida Vital Records

Public access to Florida's vital records may vary based on the record type, age, and content. Based on age, the state restricts public access to birth certificates that are less than 125 years old. Such records are only accessible to specific parties like the record subject, legal representatives, and immediate family members. Furthermore, a death record is made completely available to the public 50 years after its date of creation.

Under Florida open records laws, vital records are generally considered if they contain non-confidential information. Interested parties may view non-confidential vital records, like divorce case summaries or marriage indexes, via record custodians like the Florida State Archives.

Types of Vital Records Available in Florida

Types of vital records in Florida include the following:

• Birth record: Birth records reveal all information regarding a birth event. Such information may include the record subject's name, birthdate, sex, weight at birth, and the parents' personal information.
• Death record: Death records cover all information regarding a person's death. The record could include the deceased's personal data, the next of kin's name, the cause of death, and the funeral director or coroner's report.
• Marriage record: Marriage records cover most information regarding a marriage solemnized in a state. The record may include the couple's names, ages, marriage date, and the names of witnesses present at the event.
• Divorce record: These are court documents regarding the dissolution of a legal union. Such records typically include the couple's personal data, the cause of the divorce, the divorce date, and court decrees.

Birth, death, and marriage records fall under the jurisdiction of the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. The agency issues certified and informational copies of these records upon requests from record seekers.

Florida Birth Records

Florida birth records typically include these data:

• The record subject's names and other personal data like birthdate, sex, and weight at birth.
• Names of parents, including the mother's maiden name.
• Parent's age, occupation, and residence.
• The hospital or birthing center where the birth occurred.

Birth events less than 125 years old are confidential information and are only accessible to:

• The registrant (if above 18 years old)
• Parents listed on the record or legal guardians.
• Legal representatives of the registrant or parents.
• Persons backed by a court order to access the document.

To get a birth certificate in Florida, eligible parties must send a completed request to the state's Bureau of Vital Statistics at:

Mail-in address

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics

Physical address

You may also find birth certificates under the jurisdiction of county-level health departments and local Bureau of Statistics Offices. For example, Palm Beach County's Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains and releases certificates of birth events that occurred in the county.

Florida Death Records

Florida Death records may include the following information:

• The deceased name, age, address, and occupation.
• The surviving spouse.
• Place and date of death.
• Medical report, including the cause of death.
• Funeral director or coroner's name and other related information.
• Name of next of kin.

Only eligible parties may access confidential information in death certificates that are less than 50 years old. Such parties may include the following:

• The deceased's immediate family members
• Next of kin
• Legal representatives of the deceased.
• Persons backed by a will or insurance policy that backs up their claim to the deceased's estate.

You may find death records in Florida by sending a mail or in-person request to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Inquirers must send a completed request form along with other required documents to the agency at:

Mail-in address

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics

Physical address

County-level health departments and local Bureaus of Vital Statistics provide alternative options for accessing death certificates in Florida.

Florida Marriage Records

Florida marriage records act as legal proof of a marriage. Such records are useful for legal processes like name changes and inheritance-related case proceedings. Researchers may also use the records to trace a family tree within a specific time period.

Marriage certificates in Florida are under the purview of state- and local-level custodian agencies. The Bureau of Vital Statistics provides access to marriage certificates generated from June 5, 1927 in any of the state's counties. To obtain certificates from the agency, inquirers must send a request to:

Mail-in address

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics

Physical address

Local Clerks of the Circuit Courts offer access to marriage certificates generated within areas under their jurisdiction. Interested parties can locate the nearest clerk's office via an online directory.

Florida Divorce Records

Florida divorce records are official court documents regarding divorce events that occurred within the state. These records are not the same as court decrees or judgments. On one hand, court decrees only reveal the final terms of a divorce proceeding, whereas divorce records contain all information regarding the event.

Divorce decrees in Florida are accessible by making a request to the Clerk of the Circuit Court that handled the case. However, you may obtain divorce certificates from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.

How to Order Vital Records in Florida

You may order Florida vital records by using any of these options:

Online orders for vital records in Florida

County-level agencies may host online searchable databases for vital records in their custody. For example, the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts hosts an online search portal for divorce cases in the county.

Mail-in orders for vital records in Florida

You may order vital records in Florida by sending a mail request to the record custodian. Persons seeking to obtain vital records from the Bureau of Vital Statistics by following these steps:

1. Complete the required forms:
   1. Request form for birth certificate in English or Spanish
   2. Request form for death certificate in English or Spanish.
   3. Request form for marriage certificate.
   4. Request form for divorce certificate
2. Attach a valid ID if requesting birth or death certificates that are less than 125 years and 50 years old, respectively.
3. Include the required fees as a money order or check made payable to Vital Records.
4. Send the required documents and fees to:

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics

In-person orders for vital records in Florida

You may order Florida vital records in person by visiting the record custodian during business hours. For example, the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics attends to in-person inquiries from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at this address:

Physical address

Who Can Request Florida Vital Records?

Not all parties are eligible to request vital records in Florida. The public can request most non-confidential vital records. However, only eligible parties can request birth certificates that are less than 125 years old. Eligible parties may include the following:

• The registrant (if above 18 years old)
• Parents listed on the record or legal guardians.
• Legal representatives of the registrant or parents.

The public are also unable to view the cause of death in death records that are less than 50 years old. Record custodian agencies may disclose such information to:

• The deceased's immediate family members
• Next of kin
• Legal representatives of the deceased.
• Persons backed by a will or insurance policy that backs up their claim to the deceased's estate.

Record Type	Eligible Requestors	Required Documents	Official Source Link
Birth Certificate	Registrant (if adult) Parents/Legal Guardians Immediate family (varies by state) Legal representatives Individuals with a court order	May require ID, proof of relationship, or court documents	Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics 1217 North Pearl Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/index.html
Death Certificate	Immediate family Legal representatives Individuals with documented legal interest	The cause of death may be restricted in some jurisdictions	Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics 1217 North Pearl Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/index.html
Marriage Record	Anyone (if unrestricted) Otherwise, eligible requestors vary by county	Some states limit certified copies to spouses or their legal representatives	Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics 1217 North Pearl Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/index.html https://www.flclerks.com/
Divorce Record	Anyone (if unrestricted) Otherwise, parties named in the record or legal representatives	Certified copies often require a photo ID or a court request

Processing Times for Florida Vital Records Requests

In Florida, vital record processing time may vary based on the request type and the agency handling the request. Inquirers requesting vital records in person may receive them on the same day as the request.

However, mail-based requests have a longer processing timeline. According to the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, mail-based requests for computer-generated vital records have a processing time between 3 and 5 business days. However, photocopy-generated copies may take longer.

Record Type	Factors That Influence Processing Time	Considerations
Birth Certificate	Request method (mail, in-person) Verification of eligibility Volume of requests	Online requests may be faster Restricted access records require additional review
Death Certificate	Inclusion of cause-of-death information County vs. state processing Method of submission	Some counties have longer retrieval times Additional documentation may be required
Marriage Record	County of record Whether a search is required Request method	County clerks' workloads vary Certified copies may take longer than informational copies
Divorce Record	Court retrieval procedures Complexity of the case Request method	Timelines vary by court and county Expedited processing may be available

Fees for Obtaining Vital Records in Florida

The fees for obtaining vital records may differ based on the record type, search fee, and request option. For example, a Florida birth certificate costs $9 for computer-generated and $14 for photocopied versions. However, it costs $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Inquirers are also required to pay $2 per year searched if the exact year is unknown.

How to Search Vital Records Online in Florida

You may search vital records online by using official search portals maintained by record custodians. For example, the Florida State Archive hosts an online search portal for vital records. County-level agencies also offer online access to specific vital records. For instance, the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts maintains an online searchable portal for divorce records.