Hollywood City Florida obituary records are public files that show when someone in Hollywood, Florida passed away. These records include death certificates, funeral home notices, and newspaper listings.
Hollywood sits in Broward County on the southeast coast of Florida, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. The city has about 159,000 residents. Death records for Hollywood residents are handled by the Broward County Health Department office in Fort Lauderdale. Obituary notices also appear in local newspapers, funeral home websites, and national genealogy databases. This page explains how to locate Hollywood City Florida obituary records through county offices, state archives, online databases, and local funeral homes.
Hollywood City Florida Obituary Records Overview
Hollywood is a coastal city that grew from a small 1920s settlement into a busy residential area. Most death records for Hollywood residents fall under Broward County jurisdiction. State law keeps some details private for 50 years. Other details stay open to the public forever. The next three sections cover where Hollywood sits, how deaths get filed, and which agencies hold the records.
Hollywood City Location and Population Details
Hollywood covers about 30 square miles in southern Broward County. The city borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Fort Lauderdale sits to the north. Miami-Dade County begins a few miles south. The main roads through Hollywood include Interstate 95, US-1, and State Road A1A. About 159,000 people live in Hollywood. Around 35 percent of residents are age 65 or older, which means obituary searches are common in this area. Many Hollywood residents moved there from other states after retirement. This creates a strong need for obituary records that trace people back to other parts of the country.
How Death Records Are Filed in Hollywood
When someone dies in Hollywood, a funeral director or hospital staff files a death report with the Broward County Health Department. The report includes the full name, date of birth, date of death, and cause of death. The county office sends the report to the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. The state keeps a master copy for all of Florida. The county keeps a local copy from 2009 forward. Both copies become part of the public Hollywood City Florida obituary records system. Paper filings were the standard before 2009. Electronic filings took over after 2009, which makes recent records easier to search online.
Key Agencies That Hold Hollywood Records
Four main agencies hold Hollywood City Florida obituary records. The Broward County Health Department holds local copies from 2009 to present. The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville holds all Florida death records from 1877 to present. The Florida State Library holds digital scans of old newspapers with obituaries. Local funeral homes hold service records and online obituary pages. Each agency charges different fees and follows different access rules.
Broward County Health Department Office
The Broward County Health Department office handles all death certificate orders for Hollywood. The office sits in Fort Lauderdale, about eight miles north of Hollywood. Walk-in customers can order a death certificate and leave with it the same day. The office accepts checks, money orders, and sometimes credit cards. Three key details about the office are the location, the documents you need, and the fees.
Office Location and Hours
The Broward County Health Department office sits at 2421-A SW 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315. The phone number is (954) 467-4455. Regular hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The office closes early at 3:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month for staff training. Drivers from Hollywood take I-95 north to the Broward Boulevard exit, then head east to SW 6th Avenue. The office sits just south of the New River. Visitors should call ahead on holiday weeks since state offices sometimes shut down on state holidays.
Documents Needed to Order Records
Customers must bring a photo ID to the Broward County office. The office accepts a driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID. The requestor must also know the full name of the deceased and the date of death. The Social Security number helps locate the record faster but is not always required. For full death certificates that include cause of death, the requestor must show proof of family relationship. Accepted proof includes a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or court order. Funeral directors can also pick up certificates on behalf of a family with proper written authorization.
Fees for Death Certificates in Florida
Florida sets flat fees for death certificates across all counties. The first certified copy costs $5. Each extra copy costs $4. A rush fee costs $10 extra. Mail orders add a $1 shipping charge. Online orders through VitalChek cost $15 plus a $7 processing fee. The table below shows the full fee breakdown for Hollywood City Florida obituary records.
| Service Type | Fee | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| First certified copy | $5 | Same day in person |
| Each additional copy | $4 | Same day in person |
| Rush fee | $10 | Speeds up mail orders |
| Mail order shipping | $1 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| VitalChek online | $15 + $7 | 2 to 3 weeks |
Three Ways to Order Hollywood Death Records
Customers can order Hollywood City Florida obituary records through three channels. Walk-in orders at the Broward County office are the fastest. Mail orders work for those who live outside Florida. Online orders through VitalChek work for those who want a home delivery. Each method has different speeds and costs.
Walk-In Orders at the Fort Lauderdale Office
Walk-in customers fill out form DH727 at the Broward County office. The form asks for the name of the deceased, date of death, and the requestor’s relationship. A Spanish version called DH727S is also available. Customers pay the $5 fee at the counter. Most walk-in orders finish within 30 minutes. The office prints the certificate on security paper with a raised seal. This seal makes the certificate valid for legal use, such as bank account closures or insurance claims.
Mail Orders Through the State Office
Mail orders go to the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. The customer sends a completed DH727 form, a $5 check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Adding the $10 rush fee speeds up the order. Standard mail orders take four to six weeks. Rush orders take two to three weeks. Checks must be made out to Vital Statistics. The state office does not accept cash by mail.
Online Orders Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the official online service for Florida death records. The website is www.vitalchek.com. The phone number is 1-877-550-7330. Orders cost $15 plus a $7 processing fee per certificate. Credit cards are accepted. Orders ship through UPS and arrive in two to three weeks. VitalChek records match the same state database that the Jacksonville office uses. This means the certificates are real certified copies, not informational prints.
Florida Law on Death Certificate Access
Florida law splits death records into two access groups. Some records stay open to anyone age 18 or older. Other records stay sealed for 50 years after the date of death. The next two sections explain who can see what type of record.
Records Open to the Public
Death records without cause of death stay open to the public under Florida Statute Chapter 119. These records show the name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, and burial location. The cause of death is left blank. Anyone age 18 or older can order this version. Genealogists, researchers, and family friends all qualify. This open version works for most obituary search needs. Banks, insurance companies, and Social Security generally accept this version for routine claims.
Restricted Records With Cause of Death
Death records with cause of death stay sealed for 50 years under Florida Statute Chapter 382. After 50 years, these records also become public. Before the 50-year mark, only a surviving spouse, parent, child, grandchild, or sibling can order the full version. A person with a court order can also order the full version. Attorneys and legal guardians qualify with proper proof. The restricted version shows medical details about how the person died. Hollywood City Florida obituary records in this category require proof of relationship at the time of order.
Online Obituary Databases for Florida
Several online databases hold Hollywood City Florida obituary records. Some databases are free. Others charge a subscription fee. The four biggest databases are Legacy.com, Newspapers.com, Ancestry.com, and FamilySearch. Each database covers different time periods and sources.
Legacy.com Florida Obituaries
Legacy.com hosts obituaries from over 1,500 newspapers across the United States. The site includes obituaries from the Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald, and Tampa Bay Times. Users can search by name, date range, and city. Hollywood obituaries appear under the Fort Lauderdale and Miami-Dade filters. Basic search is free. Premium features cost a monthly fee. Legacy.com also hosts the official online obituaries of most Hollywood funeral homes.
Newspapers.com Florida Obituaries
Newspapers.com holds scanned pages from Florida newspapers dating back to the 1800s. The site partners with Ancestry.com. Users can search Florida obituary records by name, year, and city. Hollywood obituaries from the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald appear in the database. The site requires a paid subscription, which costs around $20 per month. A six-month plan costs about $80. Annual plans offer the lowest monthly rate.
Ancestry.com Florida Death Records
Ancestry.com holds the Social Security Death Index, Florida state death records, and cemetery records. The Florida Death Index covers 1877 to present. Users can search by name, birth year, and death year. The site also holds family trees that link obituary records to other documents. Ancestry.com requires a paid subscription. World Explorer membership costs about $25 per month. A six-month plan costs around $100.
Free Florida Obituary Search Sites
FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy site run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The site holds Florida death records, cemetery records, and family trees. Find a Grave is another free site that holds cemetery records with obituary links. BillionGraves is a free site that uses GPS-tagged photos of gravestones. Hollywood residents who died in the last 30 years often appear on these free sites through funeral home submissions.
Florida Funeral Home Obituaries
Funeral homes post obituaries on their own websites and on Legacy.com. Hollywood has several large funeral homes that serve local families. Most funeral homes keep obituary pages online for at least 10 years. Some keep them online longer.
Major Hollywood Funeral Homes
Fred Hunter Funeral Home sits on Hollywood Boulevard and has served the area since the 1940s. The funeral home posts obituaries on its website and on Legacy.com. Panciera Memorial Home sits on Johnson Street and serves Hollywood families. Both funeral homes offer online obituary search tools. Each funeral home lists the full name, age, photo, service time, and burial location for each obituary.
Other Funeral Homes in Broward County
Other funeral homes that serve Hollywood residents include Baird-Case Jordan-Fannin Funeral Home in Fort Lauderdale, T.M. Ralph Funeral Homes in multiple Broward locations, and Kraeer Funeral Home in Pompano Beach. These funeral homes also post obituaries online. Searching all major funeral home websites gives the most complete results for Hollywood City Florida obituary records.
Florida State Library and Archives
The Florida State Library holds old newspapers, cemetery records, and genealogy materials. The library sits in Tallahassee. The library also runs Florida Memory, a free online database. Two main resources are the Florida Memory collection and the Broward County Library genealogy section.
Florida Memory Digital Collection
Florida Memory is a free digital archive at floridamemory.com. The site holds scanned Florida newspapers from the 1800s and early 1900s. Many of these newspapers include obituary notices. The collection covers papers from Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Pensacola. Hollywood was founded in 1925, so old Hollywood obituary records appear in the Miami Herald and Fort Lauderdale newspapers. The site is free to search and free to view.
Broward County Library Genealogy Section
The Broward County Library main branch sits at 100 S Andrews Ave in Fort Lauderdale. The genealogy section on the sixth floor holds microfilm records, local history books, and cemetery transcriptions. Library staff can help visitors search old records. The library also offers free access to Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com on library computers. This makes it possible to search paid databases without a personal subscription.
Newspaper Archives in Florida
Florida newspapers have published obituaries since the 1800s. Major newspapers still post obituaries online today. The four largest Florida newspapers with obituary archives are the Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, and Orlando Sentinel.
Sun Sentinel Obituaries
The Sun Sentinel serves Broward County and posts obituaries at legacy.com/us/florida/sun-sentinel. The paper has covered Hollywood since 1960. Recent obituaries appear on the Sun Sentinel website. Older obituaries appear on Newspapers.com through the Sun Sentinel archive.
Miami Herald Obituaries
The Miami Herald serves Miami-Dade County but covers Hollywood deaths in nearby communities. The paper has published since 1903. Older Miami Herald obituaries appear on Newspapers.com and Florida Memory. Recent Miami Herald obituaries appear on legacy.com.
Tampa Bay Times and Orlando Sentinel
The Tampa Bay Times covers the Tampa Bay area. The Orlando Sentinel covers central Florida. Neither paper covers Hollywood directly. Both papers serve as resources for Florida residents who moved to Hollywood from other parts of the state. Searches for family members who died in Tampa or Orlando can start on these papers’ obituary pages.
Florida Death Records by County
Each Florida county keeps its own death records from 2009 forward. The state office in Jacksonville keeps the master copies. Four key Florida counties for obituary searches are Broward, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, and Palm Beach.
Broward County Records
Broward County keeps death records from 2009 to present. The county office handles Hollywood City Florida obituary records directly. Walk-in orders at the Fort Lauderdale office cost $5 for the first copy. Mail orders go through Jacksonville.
Miami-Dade County Records
Miami-Dade County keeps death records from 2009 to present. The county office sits at 1350 NW 14th St in Miami. Miami-Dade handles cities like Miami, Miami Beach, Hialeah, and Homestead. Walk-in orders cost $5 for the first copy.
Hillsborough and Pinellas Records
Hillsborough County handles Tampa death records. Pinellas County handles St. Petersburg and Clearwater death records. Both counties keep records from 2009 forward. Walk-in orders at each county office cost $5.
Palm Beach and Duval County Records
Palm Beach County handles West Palm Beach and Boca Raton death records. Duval County handles Jacksonville death records. Both counties keep records from 2009 forward. Each county office charges $5 for the first certified copy of a death certificate.
Historical Florida Obituary Records
Old Hollywood City Florida obituary records fall into three groups. Records before 2009 sit with the state office in Jacksonville. Pioneer-era records sit in newspaper archives. Historical society archives hold local family files. Three resources for old records are the Jacksonville state office, the Florida Historical Society, and pioneer newspaper archives.
Records Before 2009 in Hollywood
The Broward County office only keeps records from 2009 forward. Records from before 2009 sit with the state office in Jacksonville. The state office holds Florida death records from 1877 to present. Mail orders take four to six weeks. Walk-in orders at the Jacksonville office cost $5 for the first copy.
Florida Pioneer Obituaries
Hollywood was founded in 1925. Florida pioneer obituaries from before 1925 appear in newspapers like the Miami Herald, Tampa Tribune, and Jacksonville Florida Times-Union. These papers appear on Newspapers.com and Florida Memory. Pioneer obituaries often appear in old church and cemetery records held by county historical societies.
Florida Historical Society Archives
The Florida Historical Society sits in Cocoa, Florida. The society holds old letters, diaries, family files, and newspaper clippings. The society library is open to researchers by appointment. The Broward County Historical Commission also holds local Hollywood history files, including obituaries of early Hollywood settlers.
Hollywood City Florida Obituary Records Office Details
The Broward County Health Department office handles all Hollywood City Florida obituary records from 2009 forward. The office address is 2421-A SW 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315. The phone number is (954) 467-4455. The website is broward.floridahealth.gov. 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 state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville handles records before 2009 and mail orders for all Florida counties.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover the most common issues people face when searching for Hollywood City Florida obituary records. Each answer gives specific steps, fees, and timeframes based on current Florida rules and database coverage.
How do I find a recent obituary in Hollywood Florida?
Start with Legacy.com and filter by Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood, Florida. Most Hollywood funeral homes post obituaries on Legacy.com within 24 hours of the service. You can also check the funeral home website directly. Fred Hunter Funeral Home and Panciera Memorial Home both post obituaries on their websites. The Sun Sentinel also posts Hollywood obituaries on its website under the obituaries section. If the death happened in the last two weeks, the Broward County office can confirm the death certificate is on file.
Can I view Florida death records for free?
Florida does not offer free certified death certificates to the public. The state charges $5 for the first certified copy at any county office. Free obituary listings appear on Legacy.com, FamilySearch, and Find a Grave. You can also use Broward County Library computers to access Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com for free. The library sits at 100 S Andrews Ave in Fort Lauderdale. Florida Memory at floridamemory.com offers free access to old Florida newspaper obituaries.
What is the difference between a death certificate and an obituary?
A death certificate is an official government record filed by a doctor or funeral director. It shows the legal name, date of death, cause of death, and burial details. An obituary is a paid notice published in a newspaper or on a funeral home website. It often includes a photo, biography, and service details. Death certificates serve legal purposes. Obituaries serve social and family history purposes. Both types of records make up Hollywood City Florida obituary records in the broader sense.
How far back do Florida death records go?
Florida state death records go back to 1877. The state office in Jacksonville holds all records from 1877 to present. The Broward County office only holds records from 2009 forward. For deaths before 2009 in Hollywood, you must contact the Jacksonville state office. Old Florida newspaper obituaries appear on Newspapers.com, Florida Memory, and Ancestry.com for deaths going back to the 1800s.
Can non-family members order a Florida death certificate?
Yes, but only the version without cause of death. Florida Statute Chapter 119 lets anyone age 18 or older order a death certificate that leaves out the cause of death. This version works for genealogy research, confirming a death, or closing informal accounts. The version with cause of death requires proof of family relationship or a court order. The 50-year seal on cause of death applies to all Florida counties, including Hollywood.
What if I cannot find an obituary online?
Try the funeral home website directly. Some funeral homes only post on their site, not on Legacy.com. Check Florida Memory for old newspaper obituaries from the 1800s and early 1900s. Contact the Broward County Library genealogy section for help with old records. Call the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville at (904) 359-6900 to confirm the death certificate exists. Some obituaries were never published in newspapers, especially for deaths in the early 1900s or in remote areas.
Are Hollywood Florida obituaries public record?
Newspaper obituaries and funeral home obituaries are public records that anyone can read. Death certificates follow Florida law. The version without cause of death is public under Florida Statute Chapter 119. The version with cause of death stays sealed for 50 years under Florida Statute Chapter 382. After 50 years, the full certificate becomes public. Online obituary databases also stay open to the public, though some require a paid subscription for full access.