Find Birth Records in Pinellas County
Pinellas County birth records are managed by the Florida Department of Health office in Clearwater, the county seat. Pinellas is one of the most densely populated counties in the entire state, with nearly a million residents packed into a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The health department issues certified birth certificates for births that took place anywhere in Florida from 1930 to the present. Births recorded before 1930 must be requested from the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. You can visit the office in person, send a mail request, or order online through VitalChek to get your Pinellas County birth certificate.
Pinellas County Quick Facts
Pinellas County Birth Certificate Office
The DOH-Pinellas vital records office handles all birth certificate requests for the county. Clearwater serves as the county seat, and the main health department office is located there. Given that Pinellas County stretches from Clearwater in the north down to St. Petersburg in the south, the distance between where you live and the office matters. Check which location is closest before you make the trip.
The Pinellas County Health Department birth certificates page has the full list of requirements for requesting a certified copy. The site shows current hours, phone numbers, and any temporary closures you should know about. Walk-in service is available during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.
The Pinellas County health department page walks through each step for getting a certified birth certificate copy.
Bring a valid photo ID to the office. A Florida driver's license or state ID card is the simplest option. Passports and military IDs also work. The staff will ask you to fill out a DH-726 application form. You pay the fee and wait for your copy. During busy periods, the wait can stretch, so plan for that. Mornings on Tuesday through Thursday tend to be less hectic than Mondays or Friday afternoons at the Pinellas County office.
| County Seat | Clearwater |
|---|---|
| Hours | Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
| Fee | $15 first copy |
| Form | DH-726 |
Ordering Pinellas County Birth Certificates
Three methods exist for getting a Pinellas County birth certificate. In person is the fastest. You walk in, present your ID, fill out the form, pay $15, and get your certified copy. For a county with nearly a million people, the office handles a lot of traffic. Going early in the day usually means less of a wait.
Mail is the second option. Download and print the DH-726 form from the Florida DOH birth certificates page. Fill it out completely. Make a clear photocopy of your photo ID. Write a check or money order for $15 payable to DOH-Pinellas. Send everything to the office. Mail requests for Pinellas County birth records typically take two to four weeks to process. The certified copy arrives by regular mail. There is no way to track a mailed request, so build in extra time if you have a deadline.
The state DOH page is where you can download the DH-726 form used for all Florida birth certificate requests including those in Pinellas County.
The third option is VitalChek. This is the only online vendor approved by the Florida Department of Health. The VitalChek Florida page handles the whole transaction. You pay the $15 state fee plus a VitalChek processing fee of about $12. Standard shipping takes five to seven business days after the order is processed. Rush delivery costs more but gets your Pinellas County birth certificate to you faster. Credit and debit cards are accepted.
Who Can Get Pinellas County Birth Records
Certified birth certificates are restricted documents in Florida. Under Florida Statute 382.025, birth records stay confidential for 125 years. The DOH-Pinellas office will only release a certified copy to someone with a legal right to the record.
Eligible requesters include:
- The individual named on the certificate (age 18 or older)
- A parent whose name is on the record
- A legal guardian who has court documentation
- The spouse of the person on the record
- An adult child of the person named
- An attorney acting on behalf of someone listed above
If you do not fit one of those categories, you can still get an informational copy of a Pinellas County birth record. It shows the same information but is marked as not valid for legal use. This version works fine for personal or genealogy research, but you cannot use it for things like passport applications or identity verification.
Amending Pinellas County Birth Records
Mistakes happen on birth certificates. A wrong letter in a name, an incorrect date, or missing information can all be fixed. For Pinellas County birth records, the type of error determines what you need to do. Simple clerical errors are corrected through a straightforward amendment process. The Florida DOH amendments and corrections page has the application forms and a list of acceptable supporting documents. Hospital records, immunization records, and other official papers can serve as proof of the correct information.
More serious changes require a court order. Under Florida Statute 382.016, changes to parentage, substantial name alterations, or date of birth changes must go through the court system. You file a petition in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Pinellas County. Once the judge signs the order, you send it to the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl Street in Jacksonville. They process the change and issue a new Pinellas County birth certificate reflecting the correction.
Submitting false information on a birth certificate is a crime under Florida Statute 382.026.
Birth Registration in Pinellas County
All births in Florida must be registered according to Florida Statute 382.013. For hospital births in Pinellas County, the facility takes care of the registration paperwork. Parents fill out the forms before they leave the hospital, and the hospital files everything with the state. For births at home or at a birthing center, the attending midwife or physician handles the filing within the required time frame.
Once a birth is registered in the statewide system, a certified copy can be requested from any county health department in Florida. You don't have to go to the Pinellas County office specifically. If you live in St. Petersburg but happen to be closer to a Hillsborough County office, you can get the certificate there. The fee and process are the same no matter which county you visit. This is useful for Pinellas County residents who commute across the bay to Tampa for work.
Pinellas County Birth Certificate Fees
A certified birth certificate from Pinellas County costs $15 for the first copy. Extra copies ordered at the same time run $6 each. Florida Statute 382.0255 sets these rates statewide. The walk-in office accepts cash, checks, and money orders. Credit cards are not taken at the counter.
VitalChek adds a service fee of roughly $12 plus any shipping upgrades you choose. The base total for one certificate through VitalChek is about $26. Overnight and two-day shipping options cost more. If you need your Pinellas County birth certificate quickly, the expedited VitalChek route is the way to go, though it does add to the total cost.
Cities in Pinellas County
Pinellas County is home to several major cities. St. Petersburg is the largest, followed by Clearwater and Largo. All birth certificate requests go through the DOH-Pinellas office regardless of which city you live in.
Other communities in Pinellas County include Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Safety Harbor, Seminole, and Pinellas Park. All use the same DOH-Pinellas office for birth records.
Nearby Counties
Pinellas County shares its eastern border with Hillsborough County and its northern border with Pasco County. You can order a Florida birth certificate from any county health department, so either of these offices is an option if they are more convenient for you.