Find Florida Birth Records Online
Florida birth records are managed by the Department of Health through the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. The state has records going back to 1860. Each of Florida's 67 counties also runs a local health department that issues birth certificates for events from 1930 to now. You can order a certified copy online, by mail, or at a walk-in office. The Bureau of Vital Statistics is the main source for Florida birth records, but county health offices are often more convenient for same-day visits. This guide covers all the ways to search for and get a Florida birth certificate, along with fees, forms, and legal rules that apply.
Florida Birth Records Quick Facts
How to Order Florida Birth Records
The Florida Department of Health handles all birth records through the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The state office is at 1217 N Pearl St. in Jacksonville. Walk-in hours run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also mail requests to P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Both methods need a completed DH726 application form along with a clear copy of your photo ID. Mark your envelope "RUSH" and add $10 if you need fast service. Under Florida Statute 382.003, the department has the authority to run the entire vital records system for the state. You can reach them by phone at 904-359-6900 or by email at VitalStats@FLHealth.gov for questions about Florida birth records.
The bureau's main birth certificates page walks through the full process for getting a Florida birth certificate from the state office.
This page lists all the forms, fees, and requirements for ordering Florida birth records from the state.
VitalChek is the fastest way to order a Florida birth certificate. The state only works with this one online vendor. The VitalChek ordering page for Florida lets you place your request from home at any time. The total for the first copy is $19, which covers the state search fee plus rush processing. VitalChek adds a $7 service fee on top. You can also call 877-550-7330 to order by phone. Regular mail delivery costs nothing extra. UPS shipping is available if you pay more and a signature is needed at the door. The state warns against using other online services because they cannot guarantee your data stays safe. VitalChek handles both the payment and the delivery, so you skip the state office entirely. It does not work for manually produced photocopy certificates, though. For most people who need a Florida birth certificate, this is the simplest path.
VitalChek orders include rush processing by default for Florida birth records.
County health departments across Florida issue birth certificates too. They hold records from 1930 to the present. Fees range from $14 to $20 in most counties. The County Health Department Finder can help you locate the office closest to you.
Some county offices offer same-day service for Florida birth certificate requests when you visit in person.
Florida Birth Certificate Fees
Fees depend on where and how you order a Florida birth certificate. At the state Bureau of Vital Statistics, the first computer-generated copy costs $9. That includes a search fee that is not refundable. Each extra copy in the same order is $4. Photocopy certificates cost $14 for the first one. A $1 shipping charge applies to all mail orders. Rush processing adds $10 on top. Under Florida Statute 382.0255, the state adds a $4 child welfare surcharge to each birth certificate request. Part of that fee goes to the Child Welfare Training Trust Fund every quarter. Walk-in payments at the Jacksonville office accept cash, check, money order, Visa, and Mastercard. They do not accept contactless or tap-to-pay at the counter.
The Florida Department of Health certificates and records portal covers all ordering options for vital records in the state.
This portal handles birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for all of Florida.
Online orders through VitalChek cost more. The first copy runs $19 plus a $7 service fee, bringing the total to $26 before any shipping upgrades. Extra copies are still $4 each. County health departments set their own fees for Florida birth certificates, but most charge between $14 and $20 for the first copy. Some also sell protective sleeves for a few dollars. Mail orders must include a check or money order payable to "Vital Statistics." Do not send cash. International payments need a cashier's check in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank.
Note: Florida law imposes a $15 service charge for any check that bounces on a birth certificate order.
Who Can Request Florida Birth Records
Florida birth records less than 125 years old are confidential. Not everyone can get a copy. Florida Statute 382.025 sets a strict list of who may request a certified Florida birth certificate. If you are not on this list, you need a notarized Affidavit to Release a Birth Certificate. That is form DH1958. It must be signed by an eligible person, and both that person's photo ID and your own must be included with the request. Valid forms of identification include a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID. All identification must be current and not expired.
These people can request a Florida birth certificate:
- The person named on the record, if 18 or older
- A parent listed on the birth certificate
- A legal guardian with guardianship papers
- A legal representative with proper documents
- Anyone with a court order from a competent jurisdiction
After a person dies, the rules shift. A spouse, child, grandchild, or sibling of legal age may request the birth certificate. Write "Registrant Deceased" on the application and include a copy of the death certificate. The state marks the new copy with "Deceased" before sending it out. Commemorative birth certificates for deceased persons show the death note on the back, not the front. Law enforcement and government agencies can also get Florida birth records for official purposes. Records more than 125 years old are no longer confidential and open to anyone, unless sealed by a court order.
Types of Florida Birth Certificates
Florida offers three kinds of birth certificates. The most common is the computer-generated certificate. It prints on security paper with the state's embossed seal. Every government agency accepts it. Processing takes 3 to 5 business days, not counting shipping. The second type is the photocopy certificate. This is a manual copy of the original record, also printed on security paper with the seal. It costs more and takes more time to produce. Some people need it for use in another country or for historical research. Under Florida Statute 382.002, any certified copy from the State Registrar carries the full legal force of the original birth record.
The third kind is the commemorative birth certificate. It costs $25. The Governor signs it, and it is meant for display rather than legal use. Excess fees from these certificates support the Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers Program. If you need a Florida birth certificate for use in a foreign country, you may also need an apostille certificate to verify the document abroad.
An apostille makes a Florida birth certificate valid for use in other countries.
Fixing Errors on a Florida Birth Certificate
Mistakes on a Florida birth certificate can be fixed through the amendment process. Call the State Office of Vital Statistics at 904-359-6900, extension 9005, to get started. You will need to fill out the right amendment form and have it notarized. Fees range from $10 to $20, depending on the type of change. Under Florida Statute 382.016, simple name corrections within the first year after birth do not need a court order. The department can fix misspellings or fill in blanks on its own. But adding or removing a father's name when one is already listed requires a court order. A voluntary paternity acknowledgment, once notarized, results in a new Florida birth certificate that keeps the same file number.
The Florida Department of Health amendments and corrections page has all the forms and instructions for changing a birth record.
This page covers name changes, paternity updates, and other corrections to Florida birth records.
Florida Birth Record Fraud Penalties
Providing false information on a birth certificate application is a felony in Florida. Florida Statute 382.026 makes it a third-degree felony to give false info on any vital record, certificate, or application. The same penalty covers counterfeiting, altering, or using a fake birth certificate. It is also a felony for any state employee to hand over a certificate for the purpose of deception. The department can impose fines up to $1,000 per violation, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. To prevent fraud, Florida matches birth and death records across the system. Any future copy of a birth certificate for a deceased person gets marked with that fact.
The Florida vital statistics statutes page shows all the laws that govern birth records in the state.
Chapter 382 of the Florida Statutes covers the full scope of birth record rules and penalties.
Each section of the statute breaks down a specific part of the law in detail, from registration rules to fee schedules to penalties for fraud involving Florida birth records.
These sections address registration, fees, amendments, confidentiality, and enforcement for Florida birth records.
Florida Birth Records for Special Cases
Some situations call for extra steps when getting a Florida birth certificate. Records from before 1930 can only come from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. County health offices do not have records that old. Sealed records from adoption, paternity rulings, or court orders also have to go through the state office. For home births, reach out to your local county health department for help. Under Florida Statute 382.013, every live birth in Florida must have a certificate filed within five days. Hospitals file for births on site. Midwives or physicians file for attended home births. If a birth has no attendant, the parents must report it to the local registrar themselves.
If you were not born in Florida, the National Center for Health Statistics can direct you to the right state office. A stillbirth certificate is available from the fetal death record for deaths at 20 or more weeks of gestation. A nonviable birth certificate can be filed for fetal loss between the 10th and 19th weeks. Contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 904-359-6900 for either of these.
County health departments serve as local points of contact for Florida birth certificate requests across the state.
Fee waivers exist for certain groups under Florida law. Homeless youth with proper certification from a school district liaison or shelter director can get a free Florida birth certificate. Young adults who were in the custody of the Department of Children and Families also qualify. Inmates getting a state ID before release and juvenile offenders in state programs are covered as well. Call the Bureau of Vital Statistics to ask about these waivers for Florida birth records.
Browse Florida Birth Records by County
Each county in Florida has its own health department that issues birth certificates. Pick a county below to find local contact info, fees, and resources for birth records in that area.
Birth Records in Major Florida Cities
Residents of Florida's biggest cities get birth certificates through their county health department. Pick a city below to find specific details for that location.