Hardee County Birth Records
Hardee County birth records are available from the Florida Department of Health office in Wauchula. This central Florida county lies between Tampa and Lake Okeechobee, with a population of about 26,068. The Hardee County Health Department serves as the local office for all birth certificate requests, whether the birth took place in Hardee County or elsewhere in Florida. Residents can visit the office in person, submit a mail request, or order a certified copy online through VitalChek, the only vendor the state approves for online vital records orders.
Hardee County Quick Facts
Hardee County Birth Certificate Office
The DOH-Hardee office processes all birth certificate requests in the county. It is located at 115 K D Revell Road in Wauchula. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-in service is available during those times. Bring a valid, unexpired photo ID when you visit. The staff can access the statewide birth records database and issue certified copies printed on security paper with the official state seal.
Hardee County is a mid-size rural county. The health department office is not large, but it handles a steady flow of requests. Wait times are usually short. If you are traveling from outside Wauchula, calling ahead at 863-773-4161 is a smart move. The staff can confirm hours and make sure vital records services are available the day you plan to come in.
Under Florida Statute 382.013, every birth in Florida must be registered with the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. Hospitals file birth data with the state within days of delivery. The Hardee County Health Department links to that central database. This means you can use the Hardee County office to get a birth certificate for a birth that happened anywhere in the state, not just births that occurred within Hardee County itself.
| Office | DOH-Hardee, Vital Statistics |
|---|---|
| Address | 115 K D Revell Road, Wauchula, FL 33873 |
| Phone | 863-773-4161 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
How to Get Hardee County Birth Records
In-person visits are the fastest way to get a birth certificate in Hardee County. Go to the health department in Wauchula with your photo ID. Fill out the DH726 application at the counter. Pay $15 for the first certified copy. Additional copies of the same record cost $7 each. The staff prints your certificate while you wait. The whole process takes about 15 to 30 minutes on most days at the Hardee County office.
For mail orders, send a completed DH726 application, a photocopy of your photo ID showing both sides, and a check or money order for $15 payable to DOH-Hardee. The mailing address is 115 K D Revell Road, Wauchula, FL 33873. Plan on two to three weeks for the birth certificate to arrive back by mail. The office uses regular first-class mail for returns.
A third option is mailing your request to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. Their address is PO Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231. The state office takes three to five business days to process requests. Add about a week for mail each direction. Some Hardee County residents choose this route, especially if they need records processed a bit faster than the local office can handle during busy periods.
Online Birth Certificate Orders for Hardee County
The VitalChek website handles all online birth certificate orders for Florida. Hardee County residents can use this site any time, day or night. You fill in the birth details, upload a photo of your valid ID, and pay by credit or debit card. The base fee is $19, and VitalChek adds a service charge of about $7. Standard delivery takes five to seven business days from when the order is processed.
Rush processing and faster shipping are available for extra fees. VitalChek is a secure, well-known vendor that the Florida Department of Health has worked with for years. It is a good pick for Hardee County residents who cannot get to the Wauchula office during weekday hours.
The Florida DOH birth certificates page gives a full breakdown of all the ordering methods and current fees.
This page from the state Department of Health applies to all counties, including Hardee County birth certificate requests.
Hardee County Birth Record Fees
The fee for a certified birth certificate from Hardee County is $15 for the first copy. Under Florida Statute 382.0255, this fee is the same across all 67 Florida counties. Each additional copy of the same record costs $7 when ordered at the same time. The Hardee County Health Department takes cash, checks, and money orders for walk-in and mail requests.
Online orders through VitalChek cost more because of the service fee. Expect to pay about $30 to $45 for a single birth certificate when ordering online. The in-person visit to the Hardee County office is the most budget-friendly option at just $15.
Who Can Access Hardee County Birth Records
Birth records in Florida are not open to the public. Florida Statute 382.025 makes them confidential for 125 years from the date of birth. The Hardee County Health Department will only issue a certified copy to someone who qualifies. That includes the person on the record (if 18 or older), a parent, a legal guardian with court documents, a spouse, an adult child, or an attorney acting for one of these people.
You will need to show valid photo ID and may need to provide documents proving your connection to the person on the birth record. If you do not qualify for a certified copy, the Hardee County office can give you an informational copy. It has the same facts but is stamped to show it is not for legal use. The fee is the same as a certified copy. Informational copies work fine for personal reference and family tree projects.
Amending Hardee County Birth Records
If a Hardee County birth certificate has an error, you can apply for a correction through the state. The Florida DOH amendments page explains the process. Simple mistakes like a misspelling may just need a short application and supporting evidence. More significant changes, including adding or removing a parent, may require a court order as outlined in Florida Statute 382.016.
The Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville handles all amendments. The Hardee County office can guide you through the first steps but does not approve changes on its own. After the state approves your amendment, the corrected record goes into the database. Then you can order a new certified copy from the Hardee County Health Department showing the updated data.
Historical Hardee County Birth Records
County health departments handle birth records from 1930 to the present. For births before 1930, contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. You can call 904-359-6900 to check if a record exists before sending in an application. Hardee County was created in 1921, so births before that year were filed under DeSoto County. For genealogy research into early Hardee County families, both the state office and the Hardee County Clerk of Court may have useful records.
Cities in Hardee County
Hardee County includes Wauchula, Bowling Green, and Zolfo Springs. All birth certificate requests for Hardee County residents are handled at the health department office in Wauchula. None of the cities in Hardee County meet the population threshold for a separate city page on this site.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Hardee County. Since all Florida county health departments connect to the same statewide birth records system, you can visit any of these offices to request a birth certificate.