Tamarac City Florida obituary records are public notices and death documents that list people who lived in or died in Tamarac, Florida. These records include death dates, funeral details, and family names.
People search these records for many reasons. Some need them for genealogy work. Others need them for legal papers or estate matters. This page explains where to find these records, how to request them, and what fees apply in 2026.
What Tamarac City Florida Obituary Records Include
Obituary records and death certificates are two separate types of documents. A death certificate is an official state paper. An obituary is a paid notice placed by a family in a newspaper or online. Both help people learn about a death in Tamarac. Most obituary records show the full name of the person, their age, date of death, and funeral home details. They often list surviving family members and a short life story.
Who Maintains Death Records in Tamarac
All death certificates for Tamarac residents are handled by the Broward County Department of Health. The office sits in Fort Lauderdale. Tamarac itself does not issue death certificates at the city level. For older deaths before 2009, the state office in Jacksonville holds the records. Each office keeps specific date ranges. Knowing which office to contact saves time.
What Appears in a Typical Florida Obituary
Most Florida obituaries follow a similar format. They list the name, age, and hometown of the person. They show the date and place of death. They mention funeral or memorial service details. Many include burial site information. Surviving family members like spouses, children, and grandchildren appear in the text. Some obituaries also list donations to charities in lieu of flowers.
Where to Search for Tamarac City Florida Obituary Records
Several places hold obituary records for Tamarac. Some are free to search. Others charge a fee. Local funeral homes post recent notices online. Newspapers keep archives of older notices. State agencies hold death certificates. The right source depends on what year the person died and what type of record you need.
Broward County Department of Health
The Broward County Department of Health is the main source for death certificates from 2009 to the present. The office handles all death records for Tamarac residents. You can visit the office in person, send a mail request, or order through their approved online vendor. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The office closes at 3:00 PM on the third Thursday of every month.
Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville keeps death records for the whole state. They hold records dating back to 1877. This office is the only source for Tamarac death records from before 2009. The bureau accepts mail requests only. They do not take walk-in visits. Turnaround time for standard requests is two to four weeks. Rush processing costs extra and moves faster.
Sun Sentinel Newspaper Archives
The Sun Sentinel is the main newspaper for Broward County. It covers Tamarac and runs daily obituaries. The paper keeps a searchable online archive. Some archive searches are free. Full archives require a paid subscription. The Broward County Library also has Sun Sentinel microfilm from past decades. Library staff can help with research.
Free Obituary Lookup Options for Tamarac
Free obituary lookup options exist for Tamarac researchers. Many websites offer basic searches without a fee. These free sources work well for recent deaths and common names. They may lack full details for older notices. Paid databases offer deeper archives but cost money. Most people start with free sources before moving to paid options.
Legacy.com Florida Obituaries
Legacy.com hosts obituaries from newspapers across Florida. The site partners with the Sun Sentinel and other major Florida papers. You can search by name and date range for free. Full obituary text shows up in most cases. The site also links to funeral home notices. Legacy.com is one of the largest free obituary databases in the United States.
Find a Grave Florida Memorials
Find a Grave hosts user-submitted cemetery memorials. The site covers Florida cemeteries that include Tamarac-area burial sites. You can search by name and see grave photos, birth dates, and death dates. Many memorials include full obituary text from family contributors. Basic searches are free. Volunteer photographers add new graves each week.
Florida Memory Project
The Florida Memory project comes from the State Library and Archives. The site holds digitized records dating back to the 1800s. It covers military records, historical papers, and some death indexes. This source works best for very old Tamarac deaths from the early 1900s. The project is free to use. You can browse by county or record type.
Newspaper Obituary Archives in Florida
Florida newspaper obituary archives hold decades of death notices. Major papers like the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Orlando Sentinel, and Sun Sentinel all keep digital archives. Some archives go back to the 1980s or earlier. Each paper covers different regions of Florida. The Sun Sentinel covers Tamarac and Broward County. The Miami Herald covers South Florida events that may mention Tamarac residents.
Miami Herald Obituary Archives
The Miami Herald keeps one of the largest obituary archives in Florida. The paper covers Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Tamarac residents who had connections to Miami may appear in the Herald archive. The paper offers online searches through its website. Full archive access requires a digital subscription. Library databases also carry the Miami Herald archive.
Tampa Bay Times and Orlando Sentinel
The Tampa Bay Times covers the Tampa Bay area. The Orlando Sentinel covers Central Florida. These papers rarely cover Tamarac deaths directly. They help when a Tamarac resident dies while traveling in those regions. Both papers have searchable online obituary portals. Archives span many decades for both publications.
Jacksonville Funeral Home Notices
The Jacksonville area includes several large funeral homes. These funeral homes post obituaries on their own websites. They also place notices in the Florida Times-Union. When a Tamarac resident dies in Jacksonville, the notice appears in that city. Funeral home sites offer free searches by name and date.
Funeral Home Obituaries in the Tamarac Area
Funeral homes post obituaries on their websites within hours of a death. These notices include full details about services and family. Most Broward County funeral homes serve Tamarac residents. Each funeral home keeps its own archive. Searching multiple funeral home sites covers most recent Tamarac deaths.
Major Funeral Homes Serving Tamarac
Several funeral homes serve the Tamarac area. They include Baird-Case Jordan-Fannin Funeral Home, Fred Hunter Funeral Home, and Kraeer Funeral Home. Each home has a website with a searchable obituary section. The sites are free to browse. Notices stay online for several years after the death.
How Funeral Home Sites Help Researchers
Funeral home sites show service times, burial locations, and family names. They often include photos of the deceased. Many sites let you send flowers or post condolences. These features make funeral home sites useful for genealogy work. The notices often include maiden names and hometowns of family members.
Genealogy Research Using Tamarac Obituaries
Genealogy researchers use Tamarac obituaries to build family trees. Obituaries list parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren. They show birthplaces and migration patterns. Florida obituaries from the 1950s onward often include detailed family data. Older notices may show less detail but still help connect family lines.
Ancestry.com Florida Obituary Records
Ancestry.com hosts the largest collection of Florida obituaries online. The site includes digitized newspapers and user-submitted family trees. A paid subscription gives access to the full database. Many Broward County newspapers appear on Ancestry. The site also links death certificates to census records and other documents.
FamilySearch Free Genealogy Database
FamilySearch is a free genealogy site run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The site includes Florida death indexes and some obituary collections. You can search the database a paid account. FamilySearch also has the Social Security Death Index, which covers most Florida deaths from 1962 onward.
Brow Resources
The Broward County Library system offers free genealogy help. The main branch in Fort Lauderdale has a genealogy section. Library staff can help with newspaper archive searches. The Tamarac branch at 8701 W Commercial Blvd also offers research support. Library card holders get free access to premium databases like Ancestry and Newspapers.com from home.
How to Request Certified Death Certificates in Tamarac
You need a certified death certificate for legal matters. Insurance claims, estate work, and property transfers all require certified copies. You can request certified copies through three channels. Each method has different costs and processing times. The right method depends on how fast you need the document.
In-Person Requests at Broward DOH
Visiting the Broward County DOH office is the fastest way to get a certified death certificate. The office prints your copy while you wait. You need a valid photo ID. Fill out the request form at the counter. Pay the fee with cash, check, or money order. Most visitors finish in under an hour.
Mail Requests to the County or State
Mail requests work for people who cannot visit the office. Download Form DH727 from the Florida Department of Health website. Fill out the form and include a copy of your photo ID. Send the form with a check or money order to the right office. County mail requests take two to three weeks. State requests take two to four weeks.
Online Orders Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the official online vendor for Florida death certificates. The site accepts credit cards. You fill out the request form online and upload your ID. VitalChek charges more than the county or state office. Delivery takes five to seven business days by mail. This method works best for people who need to order from home.
Fees and Costs for Death Records
Fees for Tamarac death records vary by source. The county office charges $12 for the first copy. The state office charges $5 for search and one copy. VitalChek charges $15 plus a $7 processing fee. Extra copies cost less than the first copy at every source.
County Office Fee Schedule
The Broward County Department of Health charges $12 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy costs $5. The fee covers the record search and one certified copy. Even if the search finds no record, the search fee still applies. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted at the counter.
State Bureau Fee Schedule
The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics charges $5 for search and one certified copy. Each additional copy costs $4. Rush processing costs $10 extra. Rush orders take priority over standard mail requests. The bureau accepts checks and money orders only. Credit cards are not accepted for mail requests.
VitalChek Fee Schedule
VitalChek charges $15 for the first certified copy plus a $7 processing fee. Each additional copy costs $15. The service accepts credit and debit cards. Shipping costs are built into the processing fee. VitalChek is the most expensive option but offers online convenience.
| Source | First Copy | Extra Copies | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broward County DOH | $12 | $5 each | Same day |
| Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics | $5 | $4 each | 2-4 weeks |
| VitalChek Online | $15 + $7 fee | $15 each | 5-7 business days |
Types of Death Certificates in Florida
Florida issues two types of death certificates. The public version hides the cause of death. The confidential version shows the cause of death. Most people need only the public version. The confidential version has strict eligibility rules. Florida law limits access to the confidential version for 50 years after the death.
Public Death Certificates
The public version works for most legal and personal needs. Any adult can request this version. You do not need to be related to the deceased. The certificate shows the name, date of death, and place of death. It does not include cause of death. Insurance companies and government agencies accept this version for most transactions.
Confidential Death Certificates
The confidential version shows the cause of death. Under Florida Statutes Chapter 382, only certain people can request this version. Eligible applicants include the spouse, parents, adult children, and legal representatives of the estate. You must show proof of your relationship. A court order can also grant access for legal purposes.
Tips for Successful Obituary Searches in Tamarac
Successful obituary searches require the right tools and approach. Start with the person full name and approximate death date. Try spelling variations and maiden names. Search multiple databases because no single site covers everything. Check funeral home websites for recent deaths and newspaper archives for older ones.
Use Multiple Search Methods
No single database covers all Tamarac obituary records. You should search Legacy.com, Find a Grave, funeral home sites, and newspaper archives. Each source covers different time periods. Combining results from multiple sites gives you the best chance of success. Be patient when searching common names.
Check Name Variations and Dates
Try different spellings of the last name. Search with and without middle names. Expand the date range by five to ten years if no results appear. Some people appear in obituaries under nicknames or initials. Use these techniques when standard searches fail.
Contact the Funeral Home Directly
Funeral homes keep records of every service they handle. Call the funeral home listed in the obituary for copies of the full notice. Funeral homes often keep printed programs and memorial books. They may share these with family members. Staff can confirm service dates and burial locations.
Official Contact Resources for Tamarac Records
The Broward County Department of Health handles death certificates for Tamarac. The office sits at 2421-A SW 6th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315. The phone number is (954) 467-4455. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The office closes at 3:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month. The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville can be reached at (904) 359-6900. The address is 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Frequently Asked Questions
People searching for Tamarac City Florida obituary records often have questions about how to get them, where to look, and what they cost. The answers below cover the most common questions. These questions come from people who actually searched for obituary records in Tamarac and Broward County.
Where Can I Find Free Tamarac Obituary Records Online?
You can search free obituary databases like Legacy.com, Find a Grave, and the Florida Memory project. These sites cover many Tamarac deaths at no cost. Funeral home websites also post free obituaries. For best results, try multiple sites because no single source covers everything. Broward County Library card holders can also access Newspapers.com for free from home.
How Much Does a Death Certificate Cost in Tamarac?
A certified death certificate from Broward County costs $12 for the first copy. Each additional copy at the county office costs $5. The Florida of Vital Statistics charges $5 for search and one copy, with $4 for each extra copy. VitalChek charges $15 plus a $7 processing fee. Rush processing at the state office adds $10.
How Do I Get an Old Death Record From Before 2009?
Old death records before 2009 are only available through the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. The Broward County office only holds records from 2009 forward. You must mail Form DH727 to the state office with a check or money order and a copy of your ID. The address is 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Can Anyone Request a Death Certificate in Florida?
Any adult can request the public version of a Florida death certificate. You do not need to be related to the person. You must show a valid photo ID and pay the fee. The confidential version that includes cause of death has stricter rules. Only family members and legal representatives can request the confidential version for deaths within the last 50 years.
What Information Do I Need to Search for an Obituary?
You need the full name of the person and an approximate death date. The more details you have, the easier the search. Helpful details include middle name, age at death, and last known address. Maiden names help for married women. Funeral home names help narrow down results for recent deaths.
Are Florida Obituary Records Public?
Florida obituary records placed in newspapers are public. Anyone can read them. Death certificates have two versions. The public version is open to all adults. The confidential version with cause of death is restricted for 50 years under Florida law. After 50 years, even the cause of death becomes public.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate by Mail?
Mail requests to the Broward County office take two to three weeks. Requests to the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics take two to four weeks. Rush processing at the state office moves faster for an extra $10 fee. VitalChek online orders arrive in five to seven business days. In-person visits at the county office give you the certificate the same day.