Death Certificates

Death and fetal death certificates without the cause of death are public record and may be obtained by anyone, no identification is required.

Death and fetal death certificates with the cause of death are confidential and may only be obtained by eligible persons as listed below upon valid identification, any required documentation, and payment of the proper fee.

• Spouse, mother, father, sibling, child or grandchild
• Any person who provides proper documentation showing they are a beneficiary of an insurance policy or benefactor of a will, or other documentation that demonstrates his or her interest in the estate of the decedent.
• Guardian or legal representative of one of the individuals named above with proper documentation or by court order.
• If you are an eligible person, you may authorize another person to order the death certificate showing the cause of death on your behalf by completing an Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information and providing them with a copy of your valid identification and any required documentation. The original affidavit is to be submitted along with a completed Application for Florida Death Record.

RECORDSAVAILABLE

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is able to issue certified copies of death certificates for any death which occurred in the State of Florida in the year 2009 to present.

HOW TO OBTAIN A DEATH CERTIFICATE

BY MAIL: Print and complete the appropriate application and mail it to the address provided on the form along with proper payment amount and a copy of your identification and documentation, if required.

For Deaths 2009 to Present

For Deaths Priorto 2009

MAIL TO
Florida Department of Health Lee County
Attention: Vital Statistics
83 Pondella Road
North Fort Myers, FL 33903

MAIL TO
Bureau of Vital Statistics – Attn: Client Services
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042

For UPS/FedEx/Overnight use this address:
Bureau of Vital Statistics – Attn: Client Services
1217 North Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202

IN PERSON: The office in Lee County is located at the address below. Bring any required identification and documentation with you along with payment for the fee.

Florida Department of Health Lee County
Office of Vital Statistics
83 Pondella Road
North Fort Myers, FL 33903

Client Service Hours:

Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Online/By Phone: If you wish to order online or by phone with a credit card, our office uses the VitalChek ® Network as our ONLY contracted vendor to accept orders billed to a credit card. Go to the VitalChek ® website or speak with a customer representative to place your order by telephone at 800-669-8312 . If you experience problems with the online ordering, please call VitalChek ® for assistance.

FEES

Order Placed

Cost per Certificate

Payment methods accepted

In person at local office

Cash or credit card

$10.00 as an optional RUSH fee for application to be processed within one business day of receipt

Business check, money order, or cashier’s check. Make payable to: LCHD

Online or by phone

VitalChek ® charges an additional fee for using their service.

Shipping charges apply.

Please contact VitalChek ® at 800-669-8312 for current fees

DEATH AMENDMENTS

If a death record contains errors, it may be possible to correct the record. You will need to contact the funeral home that filed the death certificate.

APOSTILLE DEATH CERTIFICATES

An Apostille is a certification provided under the Hague convention of 1961 for authenticating documents for use in foreign countries. An Exemplified certification covers those countries who did not sign the Hague Treaty. The sole function of the Apostille or Exemplified certificate is to certify the authenticity of the signature of the document. In Florida, the Apostille or Exemplified certificate contains the original signature of the State Registrar and the Secretary of State. A Florida death certificate can be certified as Apostille or Exemplified by the Florida Department of State.

Fee information and mailing instructions are provided on the application below: