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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Marriage Certificates
Florida Department of Health in DeSoto County
- 863-993-4601 or 863-491-7580
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Mailing Address
34 South Baldwin Avenue
1031 Oak Street
Arcadia, FL 34266
If you need information on marriages outside of the United States, visit the National Center for Health Statistics. www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/foreign.htm
Marriage Certificates
If you have any questions regarding the information listed below, please call the Bureau of Vital Statistics at (904) 359-6900 Ext. 9000.
Need information on Apostilles?
Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.
The Bureau of Vital Statistics uses the VitalChek® Network as our ONLY contracted vendor to accept mail, phone, fax and internet orders billed to a credit card. Go to the VitalChek® website or speak with a customer representative to place your order by telephone at 1-877-550-7330. If you should experience problems with the online ordering, please call VitalChek® for assistance.
All forms are in PDF format. Adobe Reader is required to view.
Application for Marriage Certificate Form DH261 (141K pdf)
Application for Marriage Certificate Form DH261S (Spanish 145K pdf)
Application for Marriage Certificate Form DH261H (Creole 141K pdf)
To Order By Mail
The marriage record you are requesting must have occurred in Florida.NOTE:If you need a marriage certificate for the French Consulate, please request a photocopy with statistical information.
After the ceremony, the marriage license is returned to the Clerk of the Court to be filed and recorded. The Clerk will forward the original license to this office for permanent filing. If the date of marriage is current, it generally takes up to sixty (60) days to be received by this office from the Clerk of Court. If the current marriage ceremony is less than sixty (60) days from the date of this application and you need evidence of the marriage for legal purposes, you may wish to contact the county Clerk of Court where the marriage license was issued.
Marriage licenses from June 6, 1927 to the presentare available at this office. Any marriage record prior to June 6, 1927 is obtainable from the county Clerk of Court where the marriage license was issued. Beginning in 1972, the application to marry section was incorporated with the front of the marriage record. The application to marry may be available from the Clerk of Court for events prior to 1972.
The fee for a marriage record is $5.00 for one certification and $4.00 for each additional certification of the same record when ordered at the same time. No restrictions exist for ordering these records.
The fee is required for a search of our records and is non-refundable, even if the record requested is not located. In such a case, a certified "not found" statement will be provided. Duplicate copy fees for records "not found" may be refunded if the applicant sends a letter of request.
To order a marriage certificate by mail, provide a signed letter or application which includes the following information:
Information about the record being requested:
- Full names of the husband and wife, including wife's maiden name. (If you only have name of husband or wife that is fine)
- Date of marriage, provide at least the year of the event
- City or county where marriage license was issued
Information about the person making the request:
- Full name
- Mailing address
- Telephone number where you can be reached during our office hours
Send a check or money order made payable to the "Bureau of Vital Statistics."
Send the information described above along with the fee to:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Records Section
Post Office Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
If you are not sure of the date of the marriage, provide a range of years to be searched
An additional fee of $2.00 is required for each additional year searched when included with your original request. Add the extra search fee to your check or money order and indicate the additional years to be searched in your letter. Processing time is approximately 2 to 5 business days once we receive the request.
You may request "RUSH" service.
RUSH service will be processed within three working days of receipt of your request and mailed by first class mail. If you are requesting "RUSH" service by mail you must also include an additional "RUSH" fee of $10.00 and mark the outside of your envelope "RUSH".
Express Delivery
You may also request overnight delivery of your vital records by providing a self-addressed stamped express delivery envelope with the $10.00 RUSH FEE to Vital Statistics. The Bureau of Vital Statistics requires 2-3 business days for rush processing of computer certification. If photocopy requested, 5 business days.
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