Certified Copies in Florida: Where and What It Costs
Certified copies
Ordering Certified Copies in Florida
Where to order a certified vital record or corporate record issued in Florida, what it costs, what the office requires, and what happens to it afterwards.
- Birth certificate
- $9.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy
- Death certificate
- $5.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy
- Marriage
- $5.00 for the first year searched; $4.00 each additional
- Divorce
- $5.00 for the first year searched; $4.00 each additional
Vital records
Issued by: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
Post to: Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, 1217 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Verify current fees: (904) 359-6900
| Record | Certified copy |
|---|---|
| Birth | $9.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy |
| Death | $5.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy |
| Marriage | $5.00 for the first year searched; $4.00 each additional |
| Divorce | $5.00 for the first year searched; $4.00 each additional |
What Florida requires
- Include your signature, your relationship to the person on the record, and a copy of a valid photo ID.
- Cheque or money order to the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Corporate records
A certificate of good standing and certified copies of formation documents for a Florida entity come from Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, normally online and often the same day.
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
- Order from the state where the entity was formed, not where it trades.
- A certificate of good standing is a statement of current status. A certified copy of the articles is a different product; if a foreign authority asks for the formation documents, you need the latter.
- Ask for a certified or exemplified copy. A plain download from the state website carries no seal and cannot be authenticated.
What happens next
Once you hold the certified copy, authentication in Florida goes through Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, at $10.00 per authentication; $20.00 for a document certified by a Florida Clerk of the Court ($10 apostille plus $10 certificate of incumbency).
Questions people actually ask
Where do I order a Florida birth certificate?
From Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. Post to Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, 1217 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. A certified copy is $9.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy.
Does the Florida Secretary of State issue birth certificates?
No. Vital records come from the health department; the Secretary of State handles corporate records and, in most states, the apostille. They are separate offices with separate fees.
What will Florida reject?
Include your signature, your relationship to the person on the record, and a copy of a valid photo ID.
Can I have it apostilled straight away?
Yes, and that is the right order. Order the certified copy first, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp or laminate it in between, and do not open a sealed envelope.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
