Florida Death Certificates
FLORIDA DEATH CERTIFICATES
Death certificates (also called “certified death certificates”) are legal documents that record and verify a person’s death. These documents are the only official record that a death has occurred. You may be aware that Florida offers two types of death certificates: the long form, which lists a person’s cause of death, as well as their Social Security Number; and the short form, which does not list the cause of death, and the first five numbers of the Social Security Number are redacted. But, what does that mean? Who can order long form death certificates? What do you need death certificates for?
Any person, aged 18 or over, may order a death certificate without the cause of death.
Cause of death on death records that are less than fifty years old are confidential and can only be released to authorized persons with valid identification. Authorized persons include:
- The decedent’s legal spouse
- The decedent’s parent
- Adult children and grandchildren of the decedent
- Adult siblings of the decedent
- Persons providing a will, insurance policy, or other documentation that shows the individual has interest in the estate
- Persons providing documentation proving they are acting on behalf of any of the above-referenced individuals
- By court order
In Florida, most businesses will not accept a long form death certificate, as cause of death is considered confidential by Florida Statute. Entities that need long form death certificates include:
- Life insurance companies
- Pension Administrators
- Veterans Administration
- Any entity that will be paying a “death benefit” to a beneficiary
All other entities – banks, title companies, credit card companies, utilities, auto loan companies, etc. – will require the short form death certificate.
Your cremation provider automatically notifies the Social Security Administration of your loved one’s passing. If there is a surviving spouse or eligible minor children, you may wish to order a short form death certificate to present to your local Social Security office when applying for survivor’s benefits.
For settling out-of-state affairs, you will need to check with each entity to see what their requirements are.
To order (or re-order) death certificates, you can:
- Place an order through your cremation provider
- Appear in-person at any Health Department in the State of Florida
- Request through the mail
- Order through www.vitalchek.com
VitalChek is a trusted resource for ordering death certificates, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce certificates. Ultimately, however, the easiest, most cost-effective way to order or re-order death certificates is by calling your cremation provider.
Charges for death certificates vary by county in Florida. Some counties charge as little as $10.00, while others charge more than $20.00. Your cremation provider will know the charges for the county in which the death occurred and be able to guide you accordingly.
In some cases, a photocopy of a certified death certificate will be accepted. Check with each entity to see what their protocols are.
It is important to note that any person who willfully and knowingly provides any false information on a certificate, record or report required by Chapter 382, Florida Statutes, or on an application or affidavit, or who obtains confidential information from any Vital Record under false or fraudulent purposes, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in Chapter 775, Florida Statutes.
Sources:
Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics – https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/death/index.html
Section 119.071, Florida Statutes
Chapter 382, Florida Statutes
Chapter 775, Florida Statutes