Florida
Florida Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Who Can Get One
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 8, 2026). · 9 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Florida birth certificates are issued by the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville and by county health departments across the state. At the Bureau, the first certified copy costs $9 by mail or walk-in, and each additional copy in the same order costs $4. You can order online through VitalChek (the only vendor the Department of Health contracts with), by mail, or in person.
Information last verified on October 6, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
This guide covers ordering, fees, eligibility and changes for births that happened in Florida, under Chapter 382 of the Florida Statutes. For other states, see our guide to birth certificates by state.
How to order a Florida birth certificate
You have three official routes: online or by phone through VitalChek, by mail to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, or in person at the Bureau in Jacksonville or a county health department. The Department of Health's birth certificates page lists all three.
Be careful with search results. The Department of Health says VitalChek "is the only contracted vendor" for the Bureau and adds: "We do not recommend using any other online vendor." Other websites that offer to order a Florida birth certificate for you are not the state.
Online or by phone through VitalChek
Start from the Department of Health's birth certificates page, which links to VitalChek, or call VitalChek at 877-550-7330. You pay by credit card, and VitalChek verifies your identity before sending the request to the Bureau.
One limit matters: manually produced photocopy certificates are not available through VitalChek. Those must be ordered by mail directly from the Bureau.
By mail
Send a written request (the Bureau's application form is DH726) to:
Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics P.O. Box 210 Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Include a copy of your valid photo ID, payment, and any supporting documents. The Bureau asks for the registrant's full name, sex, date of birth, city or county of birth and parents' full names before first marriage, plus your name, relationship to the registrant, mailing address, phone number and signature.
Pay by check or money order payable to Vital Statistics. Do not send cash. For rush handling, add the $10 rush fee and mark the outside of the envelope RUSH.
In person
The Bureau's walk-in lobby is at 1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It takes cash, check, money order, Visa and Mastercard, but not contactless or tap-to-pay.
You can also walk in to, or mail a request to, a county health department, which issues certified copies of Florida births from 1917 to the present. Fees vary by county, and some county health departments also accept VitalChek orders. For a home birth, the Department of Health tells families to contact the local county health department.
Florida birth certificate fees
These are the Bureau of Vital Statistics fees on the Department of Health's birth certificates page. A non-refundable $9 search fee is included in every order.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First computer-generated certified copy (mail or walk-in) | $9 |
| Each additional computer-generated copy, same order | $4 |
| First photocopy certificate | $14 |
| Each additional photocopy certificate | $4 |
| Shipping and handling (mail) | $1 |
| Rush processing (mail or walk-in) | $10 extra |
| Search when the birth date is unknown | $2 per calendar year searched |
| Online through VitalChek: first computer-generated copy, Bureau fee (includes the $9 search fee and $10 rush fee) | $19 |
| VitalChek processing fee | $7 |
| Online: each additional computer-generated copy | $4 |
| Dishonored check service charge | $15 |
So a single computer-generated copy by mail costs $9 plus the $1 shipping fee, and the same copy online costs $19 plus VitalChek's $7 fee before any UPS shipping. County health departments set their own fees, so check with the county before you pay.
The Bureau says fees are nonrefundable, except money paid for additional copies when no record is found, which is refunded on written request.
How long it takes
The Bureau's normal processing time for computer-generated birth certificates is 3 to 5 business days, not including shipping time. Photocopy certificates and amended records take longer. These are the Bureau's published estimates, not a guarantee.
Rush orders get priority processing for an extra $10. Online orders already include the rush fee in the $19 first-copy charge, and UPS shipping is available online for an additional fee (it requires a signature on delivery). Regular mail costs nothing extra online.
If you need a certificate the same day, the Bureau's page does not promise same-day service for every walk-in order. It says same-day walk-in service for a photocopy certificate requires the $10 rush fee, "when available." Call the Bureau at 904-359-6900 before you travel to Jacksonville.
Who can get a certified copy
Florida keeps birth records confidential for 125 years. Under Fla. Stat. 382.025 and the Department of Health's eligibility list, a certified copy of a birth record less than 125 years old may be issued only to:
- The registrant (the person named on the record), if 18 or older
- A parent listed on the birth record
- A legal guardian, with guardianship papers
- A legal representative of one of those people, with documentation
- Anyone who provides a court order
The statute also covers a certified homeless youth, a minor whose disabilities of nonage have been removed, and law enforcement and government agencies for official purposes.
If you are not on that list, you can still apply with a notarized Affidavit to Release a Birth Certificate signed by an eligible requestor. Include supporting documentation and copies of valid photo ID for both the person authorizing the release and you.
When the registrant has died
After the Bureau receives the registrant's death record, a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling of legal age may order the birth certificate, which is marked "Deceased." Write "Registrant Deceased" on the application and include a photocopy of the death certificate.
ID you need
The Department of Health requires a valid photo ID: a driver's license, state identification card, passport or military identification card. Mail orders need a copy.
Because of the 125-year confidentiality rule, a recent Florida birth certificate is not open to the general public. Our guide on whether birth certificates are public records explains how states differ.
Computer-generated vs photocopy certificates
Florida's Department of Health does not use the terms long form and short form on its ordering page. It offers two kinds of certified copy:
- Computer-generated certificate. Printed on security paper with the Florida embossed seal. The Department says it "is accepted by all state and federal agencies." It is the standard $9 copy.
- Photocopy certificate. Also on security paper with the embossed seal, but manually produced, so it costs more ($14) and takes longer. It is available only by mail or walk-in, not through VitalChek.
The Department also sells a commemorative birth certificate. That is a separate product, not the certified copy agencies ask for.
For a U.S. passport, the federal rule asks for a birth certificate that shows your full name, place and date of birth and your parents' full names, is signed by the official custodian of birth records, bears the issuing office's seal, and shows a filing date within one year of birth (22 CFR 51.42(a)). For a REAL ID, federal rules accept a "certified copy of a birth certificate filed with a State Office of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency in the individual's State of birth" (6 CFR 37.11(c)(1)(ii)).
If you need the certificate for use abroad, the Florida Department of State is the only office that issues apostilles in Florida. The Department of Health describes getting one as a two-step process involving its Bureau of Vital Statistics and the Department of State's Division of Corporations, on its apostille page.
Correcting or amending a Florida birth certificate
The Bureau of Vital Statistics can correct errors or omissions on a birth record, according to the Department of Health's amendments and corrections page. Depending on the type of correction and the registrant's age, you may need documentary evidence. If the correction is to a minor child's name, both parents listed on the original record must sign.
The forms are DH429 (Application for Amendment to Florida Birth Record), DH430 (Affidavit of Amendment of Certificate of Live Birth) and DH660 (instructions). The non-refundable amendment fee is $20 and includes one certified copy of the amended record.
Under Fla. Stat. 382.016, until a child's first birthday the child's name may be amended by an affidavit signed by each parent named on the original certificate, or by the child's guardian. If both parents are named on the record but both are not willing or available to sign, the name can be changed only by court order.
Adding a father
A father's name may be added only when the mother was unmarried at the child's birth and no father is listed on the record. The Bureau requires notarized signatures of both parents, or two witnesses for each parent. The fee is $20, including one certified copy.
Legal name change
If a Florida court changed your name, the clerk of court forwards a report of the legal name change to the Bureau, usually within 30 days. If a court in another state changed your name, send a certified copy of the court order with the amendment application, a valid photo ID and the $20 fee.
The court process itself is covered in our guide to Florida name change laws.
Delayed birth certificate (birth never registered)
Florida allows a delayed birth certificate when no birth certificate was filed within one year of the birth (Fla. Stat. 382.019). If the child is not yet one year old, contact the county health department in the county of birth to register the birth.
If the person is over one year old, first ask the Bureau to search its records, in writing, with the $9 search fee. If no record is found, the Bureau sends a certified "not found" statement and filing instructions. The forms are mailed only after that search.
You will need documentary evidence, either originals or notarized or certified copies. The documents must show the full name, age or date of birth, place of birth, and the date the original record was established, and at least one must show the father's name and the mother's full maiden name. How many documents you need, and how old they must be, depends on the applicant's age.
The fee is $20, which covers one certified copy if the record is filed. Under the statute, a registrant of legal age signs the delayed certificate before a notary.
Adoption
After an adoption, the clerk of court forwards a report to the Bureau within 30 days, and a new birth record is filed for the child. The original is released only through a separate application with notarized affidavits. Who can get it is covered on our Florida adoption records page.
Older records and genealogy
Florida birth records more than 125 years old, and not sealed by court order, are open to any person under Fla. Stat. 382.025. The Department of Health notes that limited births were recorded between 1850 and 1917; county health departments hold births from 1917 to the present.
For family research that also needs a death record, see our guide to Florida death records.
If the birth happened outside Florida, the Department of Health points to the National Center for Health Statistics, which lists every state's vital records office on its Where to Write page. For births outside the U.S., it points to the U.S. Department of State.
This article is general legal information about Florida birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees, forms and procedures change; confirm with the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics (904-359-6900) or your county health department before ordering. Information verified October 6, 2026.
Related
- Birth certificates by state
- Are birth certificates public records?
- Florida adoption records
- Florida name change laws
Last updated: October 6, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a birth certificate in Florida?
The Bureau of Vital Statistics charges $9 for the first computer-generated certified copy and $4 for each additional copy, plus $1 shipping on mail orders. Online through VitalChek, the Bureau fee is $19 (rush included) plus a $7 VitalChek fee. County health department fees vary.
Can I get a Florida birth certificate the same day?
Possibly, at the Jacksonville walk-in lobby, but the Bureau does not promise it for every order. For photocopy certificates, it says same-day walk-in service requires the $10 rush fee, when available, so call 904-359-6900 first.
How long does it take to get a Florida birth certificate by mail?
The Bureau's normal processing time for computer-generated certificates is 3 to 5 business days, not including shipping. Photocopy certificates and amended records take longer.
Who can request a Florida birth certificate?
For records less than 125 years old: the registrant if 18 or older, a parent listed on the record, a legal guardian, a legal representative of one of them, or someone with a court order (Fla. Stat. 382.025). After the registrant's death, a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling of legal age can also order one; anyone else needs a notarized affidavit from an eligible person.
Can I get my grandparent's or sibling's Florida birth certificate?
If the record is more than 125 years old and not sealed by a court, anyone can order it. Otherwise, only after the registrant has died and the Bureau has the death record, unless you have a court order or a notarized affidavit from an eligible person. A spouse, child, grandchild or sibling of legal age can then order a copy marked Deceased.
Is VitalChek the official way to order a Florida birth certificate online?
Yes. The Florida Department of Health says VitalChek is its only contracted vendor and does not recommend any other online vendor. VitalChek cannot supply photocopy certificates, which must be ordered from the Bureau by mail.
How do I correct a birth certificate in Florida?
File form DH429 (with the DH430 affidavit where needed) with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, plus any documentary evidence required for that change. The non-refundable fee is $20 and includes one certified copy of the amended record.
How do I add the father to a Florida birth certificate?
If the mother was unmarried at the birth and no father is listed, both parents sign an acknowledgment with notarized signatures or two witnesses for each parent. The fee is $20, including one certified copy.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Florida Statutes
§ 382.025Certified copies of vital records; confidentiality; research.In forcecited in 7 of our articles
(1) BIRTH RECORDS.—Except for birth records over 125 years old which are not under seal pursuant to court order, all birth records of this state shall be confidential and are exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1).(a) Certified copies of the original birth certificate or a new or amended certificate, or affidavits thereof, are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and, upon receipt of a request and payment of the fee prescribed in s. 382.0255, shall be issued only as authorized by the department and in the form prescribed by the department, and only:1. To the registrant, if the registrant is of legal age, is a certified homeless youth, or is a minor who has had the disabilities of nonage removed under s. 743.01 or s. 743.015; 2. To the registrant’s parent or guardian or other legal representative; 3. Upon receipt of the registrant’s death certificate, to the registrant’s spouse or to the registrant’s child, grandchild, or sibling, if of legal age, or to the legal representative of any such person; 4. To any person if the birth record is more than 125 years old and not under seal pursuant to court order; 5.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-04 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
Also relied on in: How to Find a Cause of Death in Florida (2026), Vital Records Explained: Are birth certificates public records?, Florida Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One
§ 382.016Amendment of records.In force
The department, upon receipt of the fee prescribed in s. 382.0255; documentary evidence, as specified by rule, of any misstatement, error, or omission occurring in any birth, death, or fetal death record; and an affidavit setting forth the changes to be made, shall amend or replace the original certificate as necessary.(1) CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH AMENDMENT.—(a) Until a child’s first birthday, the child’s given name or surname may be amended upon receipt of the fees prescribed in s. 382.0255 and an affidavit signed by each parent named on the original birth certificate or by the registrant’s guardian. If both parents are named on the certificate but both are not willing or available to sign the affidavit, the registrant’s name may only be amended by court order. (b) Upon written request and receipt of an affidavit, a notarized voluntary acknowledgment of paternity signed by the mother and father acknowledging the paternity of a registrant born out of wedlock, or a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity that is witnessed by two individuals and signed under penalty of perjury as specified by s.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 382.019Delayed registration; administrative procedures.In force
(1) Registration after 1 year is a delayed registration, and the department may, upon receipt of an application and the fee required under s. 382.0255, and proof of the birth, death, or fetal death as prescribed by this section or rule, register a delayed certificate if the department does not already have a certificate of the birth, death, or fetal death on file. (2) The department may require such supporting documents to be presented and such proof to be filed as it deems necessary and sufficient to establish the truth of the facts to be recorded by the certificate, and may withhold registering the birth, death, or fetal death certificate until its requirements are met. (3) Certificates registered under this section are admissible as prima facie evidence of the facts recited therein with like force and effect as other vital records received or admitted in evidence. (4) A delayed certificate of birth filed under this section shall include a summary statement of the evidence submitted in support of the delayed registration.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
§ 382.0255Fees.In forcecited in 3 of our articles
(1) The department is entitled to fees, as follows:(a) Not less than $3 or more than $5 for the first calendar year of records searched or retrieved and a computer certification of the record, a photocopy or birth card if a computer certification is not available, or, if no record is located, a certified statement to that effect. An additional fee of not less than $3 or more than $5 if a photocopy is requested in place of or in addition to a computer certification. Additional fees of not less than $1 or more than $2, up to a maximum total of $50, shall be charged for additional calendar years of records searched or retrieved. (b) Not less than $10 or more than $20 for processing and filing a delayed certification of birth, death, fetal death, or presumptive death. This fee entitles the applicant to one certification of the record if filed. (c) Not less than $10 or more than $20 for processing and filing a change of name, an amendment to a death record, or an amendment to a birth record. This fee entitles the applicant to one certification of the corrected record.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.fl.us
Also relied on in: How to Get a Florida Death Certificate (2026)
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Sources and References
- Florida Department of Health: Birth Certificates(floridahealth.gov).gov
- Fla. Stat. 382.025: Certified copies of vital records; confidentiality(leg.state.fl.us).gov
- eCFR: 22 CFR 51.42, Persons born in the United States applying for a passport(ecfr.gov).gov
- eCFR: 6 CFR 37.11, Application and documents the applicant must provide (REAL ID)(ecfr.gov).gov
- Florida Department of Health: Apostille and Notarial Certificates(floridahealth.gov).gov
- Florida Department of Health: Amendments and Corrections(floridahealth.gov).gov
- Fla. Stat. 382.016: Amendment of records(leg.state.fl.us).gov
- Fla. Stat. 382.019: Delayed registration(leg.state.fl.us).gov
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records(cdc.gov).gov