To order a new birth certificate in Florida, you have three options: online through VitalChek, by mail to the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, or in person at that office or any Florida county health department. The state fee starts at $9 for a computer-generated certified copy. Florida keeps birth records back to 1860, so even older records are usually available.
Who Can Order a Florida Birth Certificate
Birth records in Florida are confidential. Under Florida Statutes section 382.025, only certain people can request a certified copy:
- The person named on the certificate, if they are 18 or older, a certified homeless youth, or an emancipated minor
- A parent or guardian listed on the record or appointed by a court
- A legal representative acting for someone who is eligible
- Anyone with a court order from a court with jurisdiction
The certified homeless youth path matters if you are under 18, not emancipated, and cannot get a parent or guardian to request the record for you. That designation, obtained through a school district or social service agency, gives you direct access to your own certificate.1The Florida Statutes. Florida Statutes 382.025 – Certified Copies of Vital Records; Confidentiality; Research
Information and ID You’ll Need
The official application is Form DH-726, available on the Florida Department of Health website. It asks for details about the person whose record you need:
- Full name as it appears on the birth record
- Date of birth
- City and county of birth
- Full names of both parents before their first marriage
You also submit a valid photo ID: driver’s license, state ID card, passport, or military ID. For mail requests, include a copy of both the front and back. If your only ID is foreign-issued, such as a foreign driver’s license or consular card, add two supporting documents like a vehicle registration, health insurance card, school ID, or recent mail showing your current address.2Florida Department of Health. Application for Florida Birth Certificate
The Three Ways to Order
Online Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the only online vendor contracted with the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. Place your order on the VitalChek website or by calling 877-550-7330, pay with a credit card, and the certificate is mailed to you. The Department of Health specifically warns against other online vendors, since only VitalChek is covered by the state’s privacy contract. One limit: VitalChek only issues computer-generated copies, not manually produced photocopy certificates.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates
By Mail
Send your completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and payment to:
Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Mail payments must be a check or money order. Credit cards are not accepted for mailed applications.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates
In Person
Walk-in service is available at the state vital statistics office at 1217 N. Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Any county health department in Florida can also pull birth records from 1917 to the present.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates
What It Costs
One thing to know before you order: the $9 search fee is built into every request and is non-refundable, even if no matching record turns up. Standard state fees are:
- First computer-generated certification: $9
- Each additional computer-generated copy on the same order: $4
- First photocopy certificate: $14
- Each additional photocopy on the same order: $4
- Shipping and handling: $1
These fees are set under Florida Statutes section 382.0255.4The Florida Statutes. Florida Statutes 382.0255 – Fees
Order through VitalChek and you pay more than the state fee alone. VitalChek adds a $7 service fee per order plus a $10 rush fee, so a single computer-generated copy ordered online runs roughly $27 before any optional expedited shipping, compared to $10 if you mail the application yourself.5Florida Department of Health. Order Certificates from VitalChek
For walk-in and mail orders, rush processing is $10. At the Jacksonville walk-in office, same-day photocopy certificates also require the $10 rush fee when available.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates
How Long It Takes
Mail-in requests for computer-generated certificates normally process in 3 to 5 business days, not counting shipping time. Photocopy certificates and amended records take longer. The $10 rush fee moves your request to the front of the queue.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates
Walk-in requests at the Jacksonville office can often be filled the same day, though same-day photocopy certificates require the rush fee and availability is not guaranteed. Online VitalChek orders add shipping time on top of processing, so your total wait depends on which shipping option you pick.
If You Need It for a Passport
A standard computer-generated copy from Florida’s Bureau of Vital Statistics should meet U.S. Department of State requirements, but it is worth confirming before you apply. The certificate must:
- Be issued by a city, county, or state authority, not a hospital souvenir certificate
- Show your full name, date of birth, and place of birth
- Show your parents’ full names
- Bear the registrar’s signature and the official seal or stamp of the issuing authority
- Show a filing date within one year of your birth
Electronic or mobile birth certificates are not accepted. You need a physical certified copy.6U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
The one-year filing requirement trips people up. If your birth was recorded more than a year after it happened (a “delayed registration”), the State Department may ask for additional proof of citizenship, such as a baptismal certificate, early school records, or census records alongside your birth certificate.
If You Need to Fix an Error, Not Just Order a Copy
Ordering a certified copy and changing what is on the record are two different processes. If you need to correct a mistake, add a father’s name, update the record after an adoption, or reflect a legal name change, you file an amendment with the Bureau of Vital Statistics using Form DH 429 and a notarized Affidavit of Amendment (Form DH 430). The amendment fee is $20 and includes one certified copy of the corrected record.7Florida Department of Health. Amendments and Corrections Ordering a copy will not fix an error; you need to amend the record first, then the corrected version is what you receive.