Lee County Birth Certificate Search
Lee County birth records are handled by the Florida Department of Health office in Fort Myers. With more than 860,000 residents, Lee County is one of the most populated counties in southwest Florida. The county includes Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, and Estero. The Lee County Health Department on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard provides birth certificate services for any birth that took place in the state of Florida. Residents can visit the office, send a mail request, or order a certified copy online through the state-approved vendor.
Lee County Quick Facts
Lee County Birth Certificate Office
The DOH-Lee office in Fort Myers is the main place for birth certificates in Lee County. The address is 3920 Michigan Avenue. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in visitors need a valid photo ID. A Florida driver's license, state-issued ID, passport, or military ID all work. The Fort Myers office processes a high volume of requests due to the county's large population, so wait times can vary depending on the day.
Under Florida Statute 382.013, all births in the state must be registered within five days. Lee County has several hospitals, including Lee Health facilities in Fort Myers and Cape Coral. These hospitals file birth records directly with the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. Once a birth is in the system, the Lee County Health Department can pull the record and issue a certified copy. County offices have records from 1930 to the present. For births before 1930, you need the state office in Jacksonville at 1217 N Pearl Street. Their number is 904-359-6900.
The Lee County office also handles death certificates and other vital records at the same location.
| Office | DOH-Lee, Vital Statistics |
|---|---|
| Address | 3920 Michigan Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33916 |
| Phone | 239-690-2100 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
How to Get Lee County Birth Records
There are three ways to get a birth certificate in Lee County. All three produce the same certified copy that is valid for passports, school enrollment, and other official uses.
In person is the fastest method. Visit the Fort Myers office with your photo ID. Fill out the DH726 form. Pay the $15 fee for the first copy. Additional copies of the same record are $7 each when ordered together. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted. Same-day processing is standard for walk-in requests, though busy days at the Lee County office may take a bit longer. If you live in Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, or Bonita Springs, the drive to Fort Myers is the quickest path to getting your certificate.
Mail requests go to 3920 Michigan Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33916. Send a completed DH726 form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $15 payable to DOH-Lee. Processing takes about two to three weeks. The certificate comes back by regular mail. There is no way to speed up mail orders at the county level, so plan ahead if you have a deadline.
Online orders go through VitalChek, the state's only authorized online vendor. The base state fee applies, and VitalChek adds a service charge. Credit and debit cards are accepted. Most orders arrive in five to seven business days. Rush delivery is an option for extra cost. Many Lee County residents choose this route when they cannot make it to the Fort Myers office during the week.
Who Can Request Lee County Birth Records
Florida birth records are not open to the public. Under Florida Statute 382.025, birth certificates stay confidential for 125 years. The Lee County Health Department checks your eligibility on every request. You cannot just walk in and request any record.
People who qualify include the person on the record (if 18 or older), a parent listed on the certificate, a legal guardian with court papers, a spouse, an adult child, a grandparent, an adult sibling, or an attorney who represents one of these people. You must bring proof of your identity and your relationship to the person on the birth record. The Lee County staff will verify everything before processing your request.
If you don't qualify for a certified copy, you might still get an informational copy. These contain the same information but are stamped to show they are not valid for legal purposes. They are good for family tree work and personal records.
Lee County Birth Certificate Fees
Birth certificate fees in Lee County follow the statewide schedule under Florida Statute 382.0255. The first copy is $15. Each additional copy of the same record is $7 when ordered at the same time. These are the same fees at every county in Florida. Cash, checks, and money orders work at the Lee County office. VitalChek takes cards but adds a fee.
If you need to correct or change something on a birth certificate, that is a separate process. Check the Florida DOH amendments page for details on how to submit a correction. Some changes are straightforward. Others may need a court order, as outlined in Florida Statute 382.016. The Lee County Health Department can start the process, but the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville makes the final decision.
State Resources for Lee County Birth Records
The Florida Department of Health birth certificates page is the best state-level resource for birth record information that applies to Lee County and all other Florida counties.
This page explains the policies and procedures that the Lee County Health Department follows when processing requests.
The Lee County Health Department website provides local information about office locations, hours, and services. The Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl Street in Jacksonville handles records that county offices cannot access. Form DH726 is the standard application used at the Lee County office. Processing typically takes three to five business days for mail requests and same-day for walk-in visits. Call 904-359-6900 for questions about the statewide system.
Cities in Lee County
Lee County is home to several large communities. Cape Coral is the biggest city, followed by Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. All birth certificate requests go through the same health department office in Fort Myers, regardless of where in Lee County you live.
Other communities in Lee County include Bonita Springs, Estero, and Sanibel Island. Residents of these areas use the Fort Myers office for birth records.
Nearby Counties
Lee County borders four other counties in southwest Florida. You can request a Florida birth certificate from any county health department in the state, not just the county where the birth occurred.