St Petersburg City Florida Obituary Records help families, researchers, and historians locate death notices from Pinellas County and the greater Tampa Bay area. These records include newspaper obituaries, funeral home notices, cemetery entries, and indexed death certificates.
Anyone can search these records by name, date, or newspaper. The city sits inside Pinellas County, so most obituary work starts at the county level. Local libraries, state archives, and online databases also hold older notices that pre-date digital systems. This page covers every free and paid route to find St Petersburg obituaries, the laws that control access, and the best tools for each type of search.
What St Petersburg Obituary Records Contain
Obituary records for St Petersburg residents include more than just a name and date of death. A full notice often lists the full name, age, birth date, death date, funeral home, cemetery, surviving family, and a short life story. Older notices from the early 1900s may include church membership, military service, or club ties. Funeral home records add service dates, clergy names, and pallbearer lists. Death certificates hold the legal facts: time of death, cause (when allowed by law), and burial location. Together these records paint a clear picture of a person who lived in or passed through St Petersburg.
Core Fields in a Standard Obituary
A standard St Petersburg obituary usually carries six core fields. These fields make searches fast and accurate. Researchers should expect at least these pieces of data in any notice from the last fifty years.
- Full legal name of the deceased
- Age at the time of death
- Date of death and sometimes the city or county
- Name of the funeral home handling services
- Burial or cremation details, including cemetery name
- Surviving family members, often spouse, children, and siblings
Extra Details in Older Notices
Older notices from the Tampa Bay Times (once called the St Petersburg Times) often include extra details. These help with genealogy and historical research. Look for these fields when working with pre-1990 records.
- Birthplace and date
- Immigration year and ship name, if applicable
- Military branch, rank, and war dates
- Occupation and employer
- Church or fraternal group membership
- Cause of death, sometimes named openly
Where to Find St Petersburg Obituary Records
There are five main places to search St Petersburg obituary records. Each one serves a different need. Researchers often use more than one source to build a full record. The best results come from combining free sites, paid databases, and local archives.
Pinellas County Department of Health
The Pinellas County Department of Health holds death certificates for events from 2009 to the present. The office sits at 8751 Ulmerton Road, Suite 1700, in Largo. This is the closest county DOH office to St Petersburg. Death certificates are legal records. They prove death for insurance, property, and court matters. Obituary information often overlaps with death certificate data.
Tampa Bay Times Archives
The Tampa Bay Times is the main daily newspaper for St Petersburg. The paper printed under the name St Petersburg Times until 2012. It has run death notices and full obituaries for over a century. The Times keeps a digital archive of recent obituaries on its website. Older notices sit on microfilm at the St Petersburg Public Library and other Pinellas County library branches.
Florida Memory Online Collection
Florida Memory is a free digital archive run by the State Library and Archives of Florida. It holds historical newspapers, vital records indexes, and family papers. Many old St Petersburg death notices appear in this collection. The site lets users search by name, county, and date. The full text is free to read on any device.
Find a Grave and BillionGraves
Find a Grave and BillionGraves are cemetery record sites. Volunteers photograph headstones and link them to obituary text. Many St Petersburg cemeteries appear on these sites, including Woodlawn Memorial Park and Royal Palm Cemetery North. Each entry shows a photo, a transcription, and links to related family members.
Ancestry and FamilySearch
Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org host large obituary collections. Ancestry focuses on U.S. newspapers and the Social Security Death Index. FamilySearch is free and holds Florida-specific records. Both sites let users build family trees and save their search results. These sites work best for old records from the 1900s.
How Florida Law Controls Access to Death Records
Florida law controls who can see death records and which details stay private. The rules come from Florida Statutes Chapter 382 and Chapter 119. Most obituary searches do not face legal barriers, but death certificate requests do. Knowing the law helps avoid wasted trips or denied requests.
Public Death Certificate vs. Confidential Records
A death certificate without cause of death is public under Florida law. Any adult can request one for any reason. No family tie is required. A death certificate with cause of death stays sealed for 50 years under Chapter 382. Only immediate family, legal representatives, or people with a court order can get that version. Most obituary searches only need the public version.
Public Records Law (Chapter 119)
Florida’s public records law requires government offices to release non-confidential records when asked. The Pinellas County DOH follows this rule. A written request with payment is enough to get a death certificate. The office cannot ask why you want the record. This law makes St Petersburg death records open to the public at a low cost.
Who Can Request a Sealed Record
Only certain people can request a sealed death certificate that lists cause of death. The list includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or legal representative of the deceased. A person with a court order can also apply. Proof of the family tie is required at the DOH office. Acceptable proof includes a birth certificate, marriage license, or court document.
Step-by-Step Search Process by Name
A name-based search is the most common way to find St Petersburg obituaries. The process works best when the user knows the full name and an approximate death date. Six steps cover the standard workflow.
Step 1: Gather Known Facts
Start with the facts you already know. Write down the full name, birth year, death year (if known), and last known city. A middle name or initial helps narrow results. Any spouse name or cemetery name speeds up the search. This list saves time at each database.
Step 2: Check Free Sites First
Begin with free sites to save money. Start at FamilySearch, then check Find a Grave. Use Florida Memory for older records from before 1950. Each free site may hold a different slice of the records. Skip paid sites until free options run dry.
Step 3: Search Tampa Bay Times Online
Visit the Tampa Bay Times obituary page. The site lists recent notices with full text. A name search returns matches from the last 20 years. Older notices sit behind the Times’ paid archive at tampabaytimes.com. The public library offers free access to the full archive on-site.
Step 4: Use Paid Databases for Hard-to-Find Records
Move to Ancestry.com when free sites miss the record. Search the U.S. Newspaper Obituaries collection. Use the Social Security Death Index to confirm death year. Filter by Florida and Pinellas County. Save the record to your family tree for future reference.
Step 5: Contact Local Funeral Homes
St Petersburg funeral homes keep records of every service they run. Larger firms like Anderson-McQueen, National Cremation, and Bay Pines Funeral Home hold records going back 50 years or more. Call the funeral home directly. Staff often pull records in a few minutes.
Step 6: Order a Death Certificate
Order a death certificate from the Pinellas County DOH if no obituary exists. The certificate lists the funeral home and burial site. That data opens the door to a cemetery search. The first certified copy costs $9 in Pinellas County, one of the lowest fees in Florida.
Search Options by Date and Newspaper
Some users know the death date but not the name. Others want to read an entire newspaper page from a given week. Both needs require a different search method. The tools below cover date-based and newspaper-based queries.
Searching by Date Range
Date searches work well on Florida Memory and Ancestry. Both sites let users enter a year range and a Florida county. The results list every notice that matches. This method helps users trace family clusters or build neighborhood timelines.
Searching the Tampa Bay Times Digital Archive
The Tampa Bay Times digital archive runs through Newspapers.com and the library’s ProQuest access. Users can view scanned pages from 1985 forward. Older pages (1900-1984) sit on microfilm at the St Petersburg Public Library. Library staff help with the microfilm reader on request.
Older Newspapers and the Evening Independent
St Petersburg also had a second daily paper, the Evening Independent. It ran from 1906 to 1982. The paper merged with the Times in 1982. Microfilm copies of the Evening Independent sit at the St Petersburg Public Library. Florida Memory has scanned some of these pages. The Evening Independent often ran short death notices that the Times did not cover.
Florida Obituary Records by County
St Petersburg sits inside Pinellas County, but many users search nearby counties. Florida’s large population spreads across many record sources. The table below lists the main counties near St Petersburg and the best place to search each one.
| County | Main City | Best Record Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pinellas | St Petersburg | Pinellas County DOH + Tampa Bay Times |
| Hillsborough | Tampa | Hillsborough County DOH + Tampa Bay Times |
| Pasco | New Port Richey | Pasco County DOH + Tampa Bay Times |
| Hernando | Brooksville | Hernando County DOH + Tampa Bay Times |
| Sarasota | Sarasota | Sarasota County DOH + Sarasota Herald-Tribune |
Pinellas County Obituary Records
Pinellas County holds the largest pool of St Petersburg records. The Pinellas County DOH covers events from 2009 forward. The Tampa Bay Times and Evening Independent cover the full newspaper history. The St Petersburg Public Library keeps microfilm going back to the early 1900s.
Hillsborough County Obituary Records
Hillsborough County covers Tampa, which sits next to Pinellas. Many Tampa residents get buried in Pinellas cemeteries and vice versa. The Hillsborough County DOH holds death certificates from 2009 forward. The Tampa Bay Times covers most obituary notices for Hillsborough County.
Other Florida Counties with Strong Records
Several other Florida counties have strong obituary collections. Miami-Dade County obituaries fill the Miami Herald. Orange County obituaries fill the Orlando Sentinel. Duval County obituaries fill The Florida Times-Union. Broward and Palm Beach counties use the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Each paper keeps its own digital archive.
Free St Petersburg Obituary Sources
Free sources cover most basic obituary searches. The list below ranks the best free options for St Petersburg users. Each one serves a specific need. Researchers should try all five before paying for any database.
FamilySearch Florida Records
FamilySearch is free with a user account. The Florida collection includes indexed death records and newspaper obituary collections. Search by name, then filter by county or city. The site links users to related records like census entries and military files.
Find a Grave Florida
Find a Grave is free to search and browse. It holds cemetery photos and linked obituaries. The Florida section lists over 8 million memorials. St Petersburg cemeteries like Woodlawn Memorial Park and Bay Pines National Cemetery have many entries with photos.
Florida Memory Project
Florida Memory is free and run by the State Library. It holds the Florida Death Index from 1877 to 1998. It also has scanned newspapers from small towns across the state. The search tool works well for old records from the 1800s and early 1900s.
St Petersburg Public Library
The St Petersburg Public Library offers free access to genealogy databases. Library card holders can use Ancestry, Newspapers.com, and HeritageQuest on-site. Staff help with microfilm readers and scanned page lookups. The library has the Evening Independent on microfilm from 1906 forward.
Tampa Bay Times Recent Obituaries
The Tampa Bay Times runs a free obituary page on its website. The page lists notices from the last 30 days. Each entry includes the full text of the obituary and a photo. No subscription is needed to read recent notices.
Paid St Petersburg Obituary Sources
Paid sources fill the gaps left by free sites. They work best for hard-to-find records from the 1800s or for users who need fast, full results. The top paid options appear below.
Ancestry.com Florida Newspapers
Ancestry.com holds the largest U.S. newspaper obituary database. The Florida collection includes the Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, and Orlando Sentinel. A subscription costs around $25 per month. Users can save records to a family tree.
Newspapers.com Florida Collection
Newspapers.com focuses on scanned newspaper pages. The Florida section holds millions of pages. A basic subscription costs about $15 per month. The site works well for users who want to read original newspaper layouts.
MyHeritage Florida Records
MyHeritage holds U.S. and international obituary records. The site works well for users with foreign-born ancestors. A subscription costs around $30 per month. The site also builds family trees and matches records automatically.
Funeral Home Records in St Petersburg
Funeral home records are a hidden gold mine for obituary research. St Petersburg has many long-running funeral homes. Each one holds records of every service they handled. Staff often help with lookups by phone.
Major St Petersburg Funeral Homes
Five major funeral homes serve the St Petersburg area. Each one has decades of records. Call the main office and ask for the records department. Most homes charge nothing for a basic lookup.
- Anderson-McQueen Family Tribute Centers
- Bay Pines Funeral Home and Cremation
- National Cremation Society St Petersburg
- David C. Gross Funeral Home
- Curlew Hills Funeral Home (serves northern Pinellas)
What Funeral Home Records Show
Funeral home records often include data not in the newspaper obituary. Look for the service program, guest book, and burial permit. Many homes also keep photos and personal notes. These records help build a fuller life story for the deceased.
Cost Breakdown for St Petersburg Death Records
Death record fees in St Petersburg rank among the lowest in Florida. The table below shows the standard costs for 2026. Each fee applies to requests sent to the Pinellas County DOH or the state office in Jacksonville.
| Service | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| First certified copy (in person) | $9 | Same day |
| Each extra certified copy | $8 | Same day |
| Rush processing | $5 | 1 business day |
| Mail request to county DOH | $9 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| State office first copy (mail) | $5 | 2 to 4 weeks |
| State office extra copies | $4 each | 2 to 4 weeks |
| VitalChek online order | $15 + $7 fee | 5 to 7 business days |
Contact Details for Pinellas County Vital Records
The Pinellas County Department of Health handles death certificate requests for St Petersburg. Call the office before visiting to set up an appointment. Walk-ins are accepted when space allows, but wait times run longer without an appointment.
Office: Pinellas County DOH – Vital Records
Address: 8751 Ulmerton Road, Suite 1700, Largo, FL 33771
Phone: 727-507-4330 ext 6316
Website: pinellas.floridahealth.gov/certificates
Hours: Monday through Friday (call for current hours)
Frequently Asked Questions About St Petersburg Obituary Records
These questions cover the most common user needs for St Petersburg obituary records. Each answer draws on Florida law, county office rules, and current database access. Readers should check the latest fees and hours with each office before visiting or mailing a request.
Are St Petersburg obituary records free to search?
Yes, many St Petersburg obituary records are free to search. FamilySearch, Find a Grave, and Florida Memory all offer free lookups. The Tampa Bay Times obituary page lists recent notices at no cost. The St Petersburg Public Library offers free access to Ancestry and Newspapers.com on-site. Paid sites like Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com charge a monthly fee for full access. Most basic searches do not need a paid subscription.
How far back do Pinellas County death records go?
The Pinellas County DOH holds death certificates from 2009 to the present. Older certificates from before 2009 sit at the State Office of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. The State Office holds Florida death records going back to 1877. Researchers can mail a request to the state office with a $5 search fee. The Florida Death Index on FamilySearch covers 1877 to 1998 for free.
Can I get a death certificate online for a St Petersburg death?
Yes, the Pinellas County DOH works with VitalChek for online orders. The fee is $15 plus a $7 service charge. Orders ship in five to seven business days. Credit and debit cards are accepted. The online portal handles requests 24 hours a day. Users must create a VitalChek account and provide proof of identity.
Where can I read old Tampa Bay Times obituaries for free?
The St Petersburg Public Library offers free access to the Tampa Bay Times archive on-site. The library has the paper on microfilm going back to the 1880s. Library staff help with the microfilm reader. Florida Memory also has scanned Tampa Bay Times pages for free. Off-site users must pay for Newspapers.com access.
What details appear in a St Petersburg death certificate?
A standard St Petersburg death certificate lists the full name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, and burial location. The public version (no cause) includes these fields. The sealed version (with cause) adds the manner of death and contributing factors. The certificate also names the funeral home and attending physician or medical examiner.
Can anyone request a St Petersburg death certificate?
Yes, any adult can request a St Petersburg death certificate without cause of death. Florida law treats this record as public. No family tie is required. The requestor only needs a photo ID and the $9 fee. A death certificate with cause of death is sealed for 50 years. Only immediate family or legal representatives can get the sealed version.
What is the Social Security Death Index and how does it help?
The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) lists every person with a Social Security number who has died. The index shows the full name, birth date, death date, and last known zip code. It helps researchers confirm death years before searching obituaries. The SSDI is free on FamilySearch and most genealogy sites. The full record became private after 2014, but older entries remain open.