How to Get a Florida Death Certificate

Florida issues two versions of a death record, one that includes the cause of death and one that omits it, and the two are available to different people. Ordering either one is one of the tasks covered in Florida’s guide to personal records, certificates, and identification documents. This article explains the difference between the two versions, who can order each, what a certified copy costs, and how to request one.

The two kinds of Florida death certificate

Under Fla. Stat. § 382.025, a certification of a death certificate that leaves out the confidential cause-of-death portion is issued to any person who requests it. The version that includes the cause of death is restricted.

The cause-of-death information on a Florida death record is confidential and exempt from the state’s public records law under Fla. Stat. § 382.008. It stays confidential for 50 years after the date of death, after which the entire certificate becomes public. Which version a person needs depends on the purpose: many uses, such as transferring property or closing accounts, are handled with the version that omits the cause of death, while life insurance claims and some benefit filings ask for the cause of death.

Who can order a death certificate with the cause of death

The cause-of-death version is issued only to a defined group of people. Under Fla. Stat. § 382.025(2), the eligible requesters are:

• the decedent’s spouse or parent;
• the decedent’s child, grandchild, or sibling, if of legal age;
• any person who provides a will executed under Fla. Stat. § 732.502, an insurance policy, or another document that shows an interest in the estate of the decedent;
• a person who provides documentation that they are acting on behalf of one of those people;
• a state, local, or federal agency for official purposes, with department approval; or
• any person who presents an order from a court of competent jurisdiction.

A request for the cause-of-death version must include the applicant’s signature, their relationship to the decedent, and a copy of a valid photo ID, a driver license, passport, military ID, or state ID, under Fla. Admin. Code R. 64V-1.0131 and the Bureau’s ordering instructions. The version without the cause of death carries no eligibility restriction; any requester can obtain it.

What a Florida death certificate costs

As of 2026, a certified copy of a Florida death record costs $5 for the first copy, which includes a search of one calendar year, and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time, according to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics Florida vital records page. When the exact date of death is unknown, each additional year searched adds $2, up to a maximum of $50.

These amounts fall within the fee range the Legislature set in Fla. Stat. § 382.0255, which authorizes $3 to $5 for the first year searched and a certification, $2 to $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, and $5 to $10 for expedited processing. The Department of Health sets the exact charge by rule under Fla. Admin. Code R. 64V-1.014. Fees are due when the request is made and are nonrefundable, except that money paid for extra copies is refunded when no record is found.

How to order a Florida death certificate

1. Gather the required information

   Have the decedent’s full name, the date of death (or the range of years to search), the county where the death occurred, and your relationship to the decedent. To order the version that shows the cause of death, include a copy of a valid photo ID as required by Fla. Admin. Code R. 64V-1.0131.

2. Choose how to submit the request

   The Bureau of Vital Statistics accepts requests by mail, county health departments accept in-person requests, and the state contracts with an approved online ordering vendor. Mailed requests go to the Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042, per the state’s vital records instructions.

3. Include payment

   Send a check or money order payable to the Bureau of Vital Statistics for the correct fee, $5 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at once, as listed on the NCHS Florida page.

4. Choose standard or expedited handling

   Standard requests are processed in the order received. Fla. Stat. § 382.0255 authorizes an added expedite fee of $5 to $10 for faster handling.

When a Florida death record becomes available

Florida law requires a death certificate to be filed within 5 days of the death and before final disposition of the body, under Fla. Stat. § 382.008. The funeral director who first takes custody of the body normally files the certificate electronically and collects the family information, while a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or the district medical examiner supplies the medical cause of death.

The certifying practitioner has 72 hours after receiving the certificate to complete the cause-of-death section, and that practitioner is generally one who treated the decedent during the 12 months before death, again under Fla. Stat. § 382.008. When the cause is delayed, for example, while an autopsy or toxicology testing is pending, the funeral director files a temporary certificate that notes the cause is pending, and a permanent certificate replaces it once the cause is determined. A certified copy is available from the Bureau once the record is registered.

Getting older Florida death records

The Bureau of Vital Statistics holds Florida death records dating back to 1877, though most records begin around 1917, according to the NCHS Florida vital records page. For any death record, the cause-of-death information becomes public 50 years after the date of death, at which point the full certificate is available to any requester under Fla. Stat. § 382.025(2). A person researching a death older than 50 years can order the complete record without meeting the eligibility rules that apply to recent deaths.