Sumter County Birth Records

Certified birth certificates in Sumter County are issued through the DOH-Sumter office near Bushnell. The county has a population of about 155,000 and is best known for The Villages community that stretches across its northern portion. Whether you live in Bushnell, Wildwood, or The Villages, the same health department handles your birth certificate needs. The office can pull records for any birth registered in the state of Florida, going all the way back to 1917.

Sumter County Health Department

The DOH-Sumter office is the place to go for birth certificates in the county. It operates as a branch of the Florida Department of Health. Staff can look up any birth that happened in the state. You don't need to have been born in Sumter County to use this office. The database covers all Florida births from 1917 forward. Records before 1930 may need to be requested through the state office in Jacksonville.

All births in Florida must be registered within five days under Florida Statute 382.013. Hospitals take care of this for most births. Home births require the midwife or doctor to file the paperwork. Once a birth is in the system, the Sumter County Health Department can access it and print out a certified copy for you right at the office.

Visit the Sumter County Health Department birth certificates page for more on local procedures.

Ordering a Birth Certificate in Sumter County

Three methods are available. You can go in person, send a request by mail, or order online. Each method produces the same certified copy that is valid for all legal purposes.

In-person visits work best for Sumter County residents who want their certificate fast. Go to the DOH-Sumter office in Bushnell. Bring a valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID will do. Fill out form DH726 when you get there. The form comes in English and Spanish. Pay the $9 fee for the first copy. You can get your certificate the same day in most cases. Walk-ins are welcome during business hours.

Mail orders take more time. Send a filled-out DH726 form, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order for the fee to the Sumter County Health Department at the address above. Make the check payable to DOH-Sumter. Allow two to three weeks for processing. The certificate gets mailed back to you by regular post.

VitalChek handles all online orders for the state. It is the only approved online vendor. You can order at any time of day. VitalChek adds a service charge to the state fee. They take credit and debit cards. Orders usually arrive in five to seven business days. Rush delivery costs an additional $10 and shortens the wait for your Sumter County birth certificate.

Birth Certificate Fees

The state sets the price. A first copy costs $9. Additional copies of the same record cost $4 each if you order them at the same time. Florida Statute 382.0255 controls these amounts. The $9 search fee is non-refundable even when no matching record turns up.

At the office, you can pay with cash, check, or money order. VitalChek takes credit and debit cards and tacks on its own processing charge. The total through VitalChek runs higher than paying at the counter, but you avoid the trip to Bushnell. For Sumter County residents living in The Villages or Wildwood, the drive to the health department is short, so in-person may still make sense.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Copy

Florida keeps birth records confidential. Under Florida Statute 382.025, they stay sealed for 125 years from the date of birth. Only specific people can get a certified copy.

You can request your own birth certificate if you are 18 or older. Parents named on the record also qualify. Legal guardians need court documentation to prove their authority. An attorney can make the request on behalf of a client. A court order is another way to access a record. If you don't fall into one of these groups, the Sumter County office will only give you an informational copy, which is not valid for legal use but works fine for personal reference.

Making Changes to a Birth Certificate

Errors on a birth certificate can be corrected. The Florida DOH amendments and corrections page outlines the steps. Minor fixes like a misspelled name need supporting documents and a processing fee. Major changes need a court order. Florida Statute 382.016 covers the rules for amendments.

All amendments go through the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. The Sumter County office does not process corrections locally. You submit your request to the state, and they review it. If approved, a new certificate gets printed. The process can take several weeks. There is a separate fee for amendments that is different from the regular certificate fee.

Trying to use false information to get a birth certificate is a felony under Florida Statute 382.026. Staff at the Sumter County Health Department check all IDs carefully and verify eligibility before handing over any certified copy.

The Florida Department of Health birth certificates page shows how to order a certified copy from Sumter County.

This page covers all the steps Sumter County residents need to follow when requesting a birth certificate.

Cities in Sumter County

Sumter County includes Bushnell, Wildwood, Center Hill, Coleman, and a large portion of The Villages. All birth certificate requests go through the same DOH-Sumter office in Bushnell.

Communities in Sumter County include Bushnell, Wildwood, Center Hill, Coleman, Webster, and The Villages. Residents of these areas use the same health department for birth records.

Nearby Counties

Sumter County shares borders with several other counties. You can request a Florida birth certificate from any county health department, so a neighboring office may be more convenient depending on where you live.