Birth Amendments

The Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics has the authority to correct errors or omissions on a birth record.

Depending on the type of correction and the age of the registrant, documentary evidence may be required to support the correction. If the correction is to the name of a minor child, the signatures of both parents, if listed on the original birth record, are required.

Forms

Fee

Florida law requires a non-refundable amendment processing fee of $20, which includes one certification of the amended record.

Death Amendments

Demographic Amendments: Depending on the type of correction, documentary evidence to support the requested correction may be required. 

Forms

Fee

Florida law requires a non-refundable amendment processing fee of $20 which includes one certification of the amended record.

Medical Amendments

To amend the medical certification or cause of death section on the death certificate requires the certifying physician or medical examiner to complete and file the notarized DH434A Affidavit of Amendment to Medical Certification of Death.

Form

Fees

There is no amendment fee associated with a medical amendment; however, if a certification of the amended death record is desired, a fee of $5 for the first copy and $4 for each subsequent copy ordered at the same time is required.

Paternity Acknowledgement

A father’s name may be added to his child’s birth record only in the case where the mother was unmarried at the time of the child’s birth and no father is listed on the birth record.

Notarized signatures of both parents OR two witnesses for each parent (may be the same witnesses) are required. If parents have married and they wish marital status to be amended to show married, a certified copy of the parents’ marriage record is also required.

Forms

Fee

A non-refundable fee of $20, which includes one certification of the record, is required by Florida law.

Legal Change of Name

If you have had a legal name change in a Florida court, a report of legal change of name will be forwarded to our office by the clerk of the court, usually within 30 days. The birth record will be amended by attaching the change of name report to the original birth record.

If you were born in another state, the clerk of court will provide you with a copy of the name change. You should contact your state of birth regarding their procedures in this matter.

If you had your name legally changed in another state, a certified copy of the legal name change court order must be submitted with the application for Amendment, valid photo identification and fee.

Forms

Fee

  • A non-refundable fee of $20 is required for amending the record and includes one certification of the amended record.
Adoption Procedures

If an adoption has occurred, the clerk of the court will forward to our office a report of the adoption within 30 days of the order. Based on this document, a new birth record will be filed for the child.

Forms

If adopted in Florida but born in another state, the report of adoption received from the clerk of the court will be forwarded to the child’s state of birth. Contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the child’s state of birth regarding their requirements in this matter. In matters of parental rights, the DH 5075 form may be needed.

Fee

  • A non-refundable fee of $20 is required for amending the record and includes one certification of the amended record.
  • If the required fee does not accompany the report of the adoption, the record will be amended and either the parent or attorney will be notified in writing of the amendment and the fee requirement.
Release of Original Birth Certificate

Complete application form DH726 and applicable notarized affidavit(s). Must enclose a photocopy of driver’s license, state identification card, passport, or military identification card.

Adoption Information

Forms

Fee

A fee of $14 is due for photocopy certification of the sealed birth record.

Foreign Births

The Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics is able to file Certificates of Foreign Birth for children born in foreign countries to non-US citizens, based on orders of adoption whose judgment occurs in Florida. The court reports a foreign born adoption on the same form, DH527 Certified Statement of Final Decree of Adoption, as used to report an adoption for a child born in Florida.

The certificate of foreign birth shows the adoptive name, the adoptive parents, and will show the true country of birth. The record also bears information regarding the court order, and has a disclaimer regarding the record not being proof of citizenship.

Certificates of foreign birth are not filed for Canadian born children as by mutual agreement those orders are forwarded onto the vital statistics office in the province in which the child was born. 

Forms

Fees

  • The fee for filing a certificate of foreign birth is $20.
  • A second copy of the record is $9, and any subsequent copies requested at the same time are $4 each.
Delayed Birth Procedures

Florida law allows for the filing of a delayed birth certificate when no birth certificate was filed within one year of the child’s birth. If the child is not yet one year old, the record may still be registered by contacting the county health department in the county of the child’s birth for assistance in registering the birth. 

If the child is over one year of age, the following information applies:

If you have not yet had our records searched for your birth record and wish to do so, submit your request in writing along with the search fee of $9 to:

Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042

If no record is found, you will be provided with a certified “not found” statement and instructions for filing a delayed birth certificate.

Forms

Forms for filing a delayed birth record are mailed on an individual basis and only after a result of a search of the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics’ birth records when it is found that no birth record is on file for the individual.

Documentary evidence supporting the birth facts is required. The number of documents as well as the age of documents varies depending on the age of the applicant. Such evidence must be in the form of original documents or notarized or certified copies and must show the child’s full name, age or date of birth, place of birth, and the date the original record was established. At least one document must also show the father’s name and the mother’s full maiden name.

Fee

A non-refundable fee of $20 is required by Florida law and will entitle you to one certification of the record, if filed.

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