Florida Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One

Florida is an open-record state for the fact of death. Any person 18 or over may purchase a certified Florida death certificate that omits the cause of death. The cause-of-death portion is confidential and limited to close family and people with a documented interest for 50 years after the death, after which the full record becomes public.

Are Death Records Public in Florida?

Yes, Florida death records are public, with one limit on the cause of death. A certified death certificate that does not list the cause of death is a public record under Florida law, and any applicant 18 or over may obtain a certified copy.

The cause-of-death section is treated differently. Florida Statutes section 382.025 makes the cause of death confidential and exempt from the state public-records law until 50 years after the date of death.

This makes Florida an open-record state for the fact of death and a restricted state for the cause of death. The practical effect is that confirming that someone died, and when, is straightforward, while the medical cause is protected for half a century.

Florida is not unusual here. As with cause of death records generally, many states wall off the medical cause while leaving the basic certificate open.

Who Can Request a Florida Death Record?

Any person 18 or over can request a Florida death certificate without the cause of death. No proof of relationship is required for that version of the record. The Department of Health states that an applicant must be of legal age, 18 or over, even for the version that omits the cause of death. Within section 382.025, the separate "if of legal age" qualifier on the confidential certificate attaches only to a child, grandchild, or sibling; a spouse or parent is not subject to it.

To obtain a certificate that includes the cause of death within the 50-year window, you must be an eligible person. Under section 382.025, the confidential certification is issued only to:

• The decedent's spouse or parent
• The decedent's child, grandchild, or sibling, if of legal age (18 or older)
• Any person who provides a will, insurance policy, or other document showing an interest in the estate
• Any person who provides documentation that he or she is acting on behalf of one of the people above

Government agencies may also receive the confidential version for official purposes, and a court of competent jurisdiction can order its release. A life-insurance beneficiary can qualify by submitting a copy of the policy or a dated letter from the insurer naming them as beneficiary.

Valid photo identification, such as a driver license, state ID card, passport, or military ID, is required when you request the cause of death. If you are not an eligible person, you can still obtain the cause of death by filing a notarized Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information (Form DH 1959) signed by an eligible person, along with photo ID for both parties.

How to Get a Florida Death Certificate

Florida death certificates are issued by the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, part of the Florida Department of Health. The office maintains records for deaths that occurred in Florida.

You can order in three ways:

• Online, through the state's authorized vendor VitalChek, which adds a processing fee
• By mail, sending the application and fee to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
• In person, at the Jacksonville office at 1217 N. Pearl St., open Monday through Friday

By mail or in person, the fee is $5, which covers a search of one calendar year and one certified copy, plus $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Mail requests add a $1 shipping and handling fee, and records from before 2009 require a $10 rush fee for same-day walk-in service. Ordering online through VitalChek costs more: a $15 Bureau of Vital Statistics fee for the first certificate, a $7 VitalChek identity-verification fee, and $4 for each additional certificate. If you do not know the year of death, a $2-per-year search fee applies, up to a $50 maximum. Many county health departments can also issue Florida death certificates and may offer same-day service for recent records.

Processing times vary by method and how recent the death is. Mailed requests for deaths from 2009 to the present are typically handled within a few business days of receipt, while older records and unknown-year searches can take longer. Always confirm current fees and timeframes with the office before you send payment, because they change.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Florida?

No, the cause of death is not public in Florida for 50 years. The cause-of-death section of every Florida death record is confidential and exempt from disclosure under section 382.025, and it is released only to the eligible people listed above during that period.

A certified copy issued to a member of the general public simply omits the cause-of-death portion. The rest of the certificate, including the name, date, and place of death, remains available.

This restriction is similar to the way autopsy reports and certain medical findings are handled in many states. The medical detail is protected even when the underlying death is a matter of public record.

How Far Back Do Florida Death Records Go?

The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics holds death records dating back to 1917, when statewide registration began. A small number of earlier records exist but coverage before 1917 is incomplete.

After 50 years, all portions of a Florida death certificate cease to be exempt and become public, so cause-of-death information for older deaths is available to anyone who applies and pays the fee.

For nationwide searching, remember there is no single federal death-records database. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics confirms that death certificates are issued by the states where the death occurred, then aggregated for research through the National Death Index. The Social Security Administration's public Death Master File is another tool, but under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 it excludes deaths that occurred within the most recent three calendar years.

Florida Death Records: Quick Facts

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about access to Florida death records, not legal advice. Fees, processing times, and access rules change, and individual situations vary. Confirm current requirements with the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or a qualified attorney before acting.

For other states, see Death Records by State. You may also want to know whether birth certificates are public records.

Sources

This article is based on the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics, Florida Statutes section 382.025, the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, and the Social Security Administration, cited below.