The main birth certificate office in Miami is the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County’s Health District Center, at 1350 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33125. A first certified copy costs $20.00 when you order in person, and the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.1Florida Department of Health. Health District Center Certified copies are available for anyone born in Florida, with records going back to 1930.
Where To Go in Miami-Dade
The Health District Center on NW 14th Street is the primary location for vital records. Walk-in requests are processed the same day, often within minutes once a clerk verifies your identity and application.
Miami-Dade County also runs additional clinics that may handle birth certificate requests, including the North Miami Clinic at 14101 NW 8th Avenue. Hours for vital records services at satellite sites are more limited, and schedules can change, so call ahead before making the trip.
Who Can Request a Copy
Florida law limits who can obtain a certified birth certificate. Under Florida Statute 382.025, the office will issue a copy only to:2Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 382.025 – Confidentiality of Records; Penalties
- The person named on the certificate, if they are 18 or older or a minor whose disabilities of nonage have been legally removed
- A parent or guardian listed on the record, or another legal representative
- Certain family members of a deceased registrant (spouse, adult child, grandchild, or sibling) who present the registrant’s death certificate
- Government agencies and courts acting for official purposes
If you fall outside these categories, the office will deny your request no matter the reason for wanting the record.
What To Bring
You need a valid government-issued photo ID. A Florida driver’s license, U.S. passport, state ID card, or military ID all work. You’ll also need to provide:
- The registrant’s full name at birth
- Exact date of birth
- Mother’s full maiden name
- Father’s name, if it appears on the record
You’ll complete an Application for a Florida Birth Certificate, available at the office window or as a download from the Miami-Dade Department of Health website. The clerk searches state files using the information you supply, and small discrepancies in names or dates can slow things down.
Three Ways To Apply
In Person
The fastest route. Bring your completed application and photo ID to the Health District Center. A clerk checks your eligibility and prints the certificate on the spot. Cash, money order, and major credit cards are accepted.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates
By Mail
Send your completed application with a photocopy of your valid photo ID (front and back) to:
Vital Record Unit
1350 NW 14th Street, Room 101
Miami, FL 33125
Payment must be a certified check or money order payable to “Vital Records.” Cash is not accepted by mail.4Florida Department of Health. Application for a Florida Birth Certificate Plan for at least a couple of weeks of turnaround, longer during busy periods.
Online Through VitalChek
VitalChek is Florida’s only authorized online vendor. The state does not process credit card orders directly. VitalChek adds a $7.00 processing fee on top of the certificate fee, with a $10.00 rush option and shipping costs on top of that.5Florida Department of Health. Order Certificates from VitalChek Once you add the surcharges, you can pay roughly double what the walk-in window charges. If you’re not in a rush and live near the Health District Center, going in person saves real money.
Fees at the Miami-Dade Office
- First certified copy: $20.00
- Each additional copy ordered at the same time: $16.00
- Protective plastic sheath: $3.00 per certificate
Ordering multiple copies in one visit saves $4.00 per extra copy compared with making separate trips.3Florida Department of Health. Birth Certificates These are the fees at the local Miami-Dade office. The state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville and VitalChek each set their own prices.
Fixing Errors on a Record
Corrections are not handled at the Miami-Dade office. Florida processes amendments through the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. You submit Form DH 429 (Application for Amendment to Florida Birth Certificate), a copy of your photo ID, and documentation proving the correct information. The amendment fee is $20.00 and includes one certified copy of the corrected record; additional certified copies are $9.00 for the first and $4.00 for each after that. A $10.00 rush option is available if you mark the envelope “RUSH.”6Florida Department of Health. Amendments and Corrections Standard processing runs two to three weeks after the bureau has all required evidence, forms, and fees.
Mail the package to:
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Records Amendment Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Apostilles for Use Abroad
If a foreign government needs to accept your birth certificate, you’ll usually need an apostille, and that is a separate two-step process the Miami office does not perform.
First, request a certified birth certificate issued specifically for apostille purposes from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. That certificate is $14.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy.7Florida Department of Health. Application for Florida Birth Certificate (For Purpose of Obtaining an Apostille or Notarial Certificate)
Second, send that certified copy to the Florida Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations, the only authority in Florida that can issue an apostille. The fee is $10.00 per document. Include the Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by check or money order payable to the “Florida Department of State.” Mail to the Division of Corporations’ Apostille Section at 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303.8Florida Department of State. Authentications (Apostilles and Notarial Certifications) Cash and credit cards are not accepted. Between the two agencies, expect several weeks for the full process.