bituary Records
Martin County Florida obituary records cover death notices, funeral announcements, and memorial tributes for residents of Stuart, Palm City, Indiantown, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, and the rest of the Treasure Coast. These records date back more than a century and now exist across government offices, funeral homes, newspaper archives, genealogy websites, and public libraries. Anyone can search Martin County Florida obituary records to confirm a death, trace family history, settle an estate, or honor the memory of a loved one. This resource explains every official and unofficial source that holds these records in 2026.
What Counts as an Obituary Record in Martin County
Martin County Florida obituary records come in several formats. Each one serves a different purpose. Learning the difference helps you pick the right source for your search.
Death Certificates
A death certificate is a government-issued legal document. It shows the person’s full name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, and burial information. The Florida Department of Health signs and stores every death certificate. Martin County death certificates from 2009 forward sit at the county office in Stuart. Older records sit at the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. Death certificates are the official proof that someone has died.
Newspaper Obituaries
Newspaper obituaries are short death notices paid for by families. They appear in local papers like the Stuart News and the Palm Beach Post. These notices list the person’s name, age, date of death, funeral details, and surviving family members. They often include a short biography or personal message. Newspaper obituaries offer the richest detail about a person’s life but are not legal documents.
Funeral Home Memorials
Funeral homes in Martin County write and post memorial notices on their websites. These notices often run longer than newspaper obituaries. They include service details, charitable donation requests, and online guest books where friends can leave messages. Martin County funeral homes keep these notices in their archives for years.
Memorial and Tribute Sites
Memorial sites such as Legacy.com host obituary notices from partner newspapers and funeral homes. Anyone can search these databases by name and date. Users can leave flowers, light a virtual candle, or post a tribute message. These sites serve as a permanent online record of a person’s passing.
Martin County Vital Records Office
The Martin County office of the Florida Department of Health handles death certificates for deaths that took place in the county since January 1, 2009. The office sits in Stuart and serves walk-in, mail, and online requests.
Office Location and Hours
The Martin County vital records office sits at 3441 SE Willoughby Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34994. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office closes on state and federal holidays. Free parking sits on site. Visitors need a valid photo ID before staff will release any record.
Phone and Website Contact
You can reach the office by phone at (772) 221-4000. The main health department website sits at https://martin.floridahealth.gov/. The vital records section sits at https://martin.floridahealth.gov/certificates/. Staff answer phone calls during business hours. They can confirm whether a death record sits on file before you make the trip.
Records Covered by the County Office
The Martin County office holds death certificates filed from 2009 to the present. The office does not hold records for deaths that took place in other counties. If someone died in St. Lucie County or Palm Beach County, you need to contact those county offices. Pre-2009 Martin County deaths fall under the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville.
How to Request a Death Certificate from Martin County
Three methods exist for requesting a death certificate from the Martin County office. The method you choose depends on how fast you need the record and whether you can travel to Stuart.
In-Person Requests
Walk-in requests are the fastest option. Bring a completed Form DH727, which is the state’s death certificate application. The form asks for the deceased’s full name, date of death, county of death, and date of birth if you know it. Bring a valid photo ID. Pay the fee at the counter. Most in-person requests finish the same day.
Mail Requests
Mail requests work for those who cannot visit the office. Mail a completed DH727 form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order to the Martin County DOH office. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Mail orders take two to three weeks to process. Make checks payable to the Florida Department of Health.
Online Requests Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the only online vendor approved by the State of Florida. The VitalChek website sits at https://www.vitalchek.com/v/death-certificates/florida. Online orders cost more than in-person or mail requests. Standard delivery takes five to seven business days. Rush shipping runs an extra fee.
Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
The state Bureau of Vital Statistics holds all Florida death records going back to 1877. This office serves as the central archive for the entire state.
Statewide Records Access
The Bureau of Vital Statistics sits at 1217 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. You can reach the bureau by phone at (904) 359-6900. Email inquiries go to VitalStats@FLHealth.gov. The statewide archive holds death certificates for any Florida county, including pre-2009 Martin County records.
Pre-2009 Records
Martin County death certificates from 1877 through 2008 sit at the state Bureau of Vital Statistics. The Martin County office only holds 2009 forward. Researchers working on genealogy before 2009 must contact the Jacksonville office. The bureau charges the same base fee as the county office but adds a small shipping charge per order.
Search Fees When the Date Is Unknown
State law charges $2 for each year searched when the exact death year is unknown. The charge caps at $50. This rule helps genealogy researchers who hold only partial information. County offices do not charge this yearly search fee. State staff will tell you the search cap at the time of your request.
Newspaper Obituaries in Martin County
Newspaper archives hold the largest collection of obituary text in Martin County. Local papers have published death notices since the late 1800s.
The Stuart News
The Stuart News is the main daily paper in Martin County. The paper has published obituaries since the early 1900s. Recent obituaries appear on the paper’s website and in print. Older issues sit on microfilm at the Martin County Library in Stuart. The library staff can help you search the microfilm collection.
Palm Beach Post Coverage
The Palm Beach Post covers parts of southern Martin County, including Hobe Sound and Jupiter Island. The Post has run obituaries since 1916. Researchers can search the Post’s archive through Newspapers.com or by visiting the Palm Beach County Library System.
Newspapers.com Florida Obituaries
Newspapers.com hosts scanned Florida newspaper pages, including the Stuart News, Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, and Orlando Sentinel. A paid subscription gives you full access to the scanned pages and a name-search tool. The site lets you clip, save, and print obituary notices.
Legacy.com Florida Listings
Legacy.com aggregates obituaries from partner newspapers across Florida. The site lets you search by name, city, and date range. You can leave online tributes and sign guest books. Legacy.com offers a free basic search and a paid premium plan.
Funeral Home Obituaries in Martin County
Local funeral homes write, post, and archive memorial notices for the families they serve. These notices often include more detail than newspaper obituaries.
Major Martin County Funeral Homes
Martin County funeral homes include Aycock Funeral Home, Martin Funeral Home, Haisley Funeral and Cremation Service, and Forest Hills Memorial Park. Each home posts current obituaries on its website and keeps past notices in an online archive. Visitors can search by name or date and read the full memorial text.
Online Memorial Pages
Most Martin County funeral homes use third-party memorial sites such as Tribute Archive, Memories.net, and funeral home sites hosted through companies like Foundation Partners Group. These memorial pages remain online for years after the service. They often include photos, videos, and guest book entries.
Requesting Records from Funeral Homes
Families can contact a funeral home directly to request a copy of a memorial notice. The funeral home keeps a copy in its files. Many homes will email a copy for free. Homes charge a small fee for printed or notarized copies. The Martin County funeral homes serve as a good backup source when newspaper archives do not have a notice.
Online Genealogy Platforms
Several paid and free genealogy platforms index Florida obituary records. These platforms make it easy to search millions of records from home.
Ancestry Florida Obituaries
Ancestry.com holds the largest collection of Florida obituary records online. The site indexes notices from newspapers across the state, including the Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, and smaller local papers. A paid Ancestry subscription gives you full access. You can build a family tree and attach records to each person.
FamilySearch Florida Records
FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy service run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The site holds Florida death records, cemetery records, and obituary indexes. You need a free account to view most records. FamilySearch also hosts user-submitted obituary transcriptions.
Find a Grave Florida
Find a Grave hosts cemetery and memorial records for Florida. Users add photos of gravestones and obituaries. The site lets you search by name, cemetery, and county. Find a Grave covers thousands of Martin County burials at places like Fernhill Memorial Gardens, Forest Hills Memorial Park, and St. Joseph Cemetery.
Social Security Death Index
The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) tracks every person who held a Social Security number and whose death the Social Security Administration recorded. The SSDI lists birth date, death date, and last known residence. Many obituary searches start with the SSDI because it confirms a death took place and gives a date range.
Martin County Libraries and Archives
Public libraries in Martin County hold local history and obituary records that other sources do not cover. Library staff help with free genealogy research.
Martin County Library System
The Martin County Library System operates branches in Stuart, Palm City, Hobe Sound, and Indiantown. The Robert Morgade Library in Stuart holds the main local history collection. The collection includes city directories, high school yearbooks, church records, newspaper microfilm, and obituary clipping files. Library cards are free for Martin County residents.
Florida State Library
The Florida State Library sits in Tallahassee and holds state-level genealogy records. The library offers free access to genealogy databases such as Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. You can visit in person or request records by mail. Library staff answer research questions by phone and email.
Florida Memory Project
The Florida Memory Project sits at https://www.floridamemory.com/ and offers free access to historical records, photos, and newspapers. The project is run by the State Library and Archives of Florida. Researchers can search scanned newspaper pages, including obituaries from Martin County papers.
Florida Laws on Death Records and Obituaries
Florida state law controls who can request death certificates and what information stays private.
Florida Public Records Law
Florida has one of the broadest public records laws in the country. The Florida Sunshine Law makes most government records open to the public. Death certificates fall under this law. Chapter 382 of Florida Statutes (https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0382/0382.html) sets the rules for death certificate filing and release. Section 382.016 names the local registrars who can issue certified copies.
Confidential Death Records
Florida Statute Section 119.071 (https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0119/0119.html) makes cause of death confidential for 50 years. Social Security numbers on death certificates stay redacted for all public requests. Only certain family members and legal representatives can request the full record with cause of death.
Penalty for False Applications
Florida law makes it a third-degree felony to provide false information on a vital records application. Anyone who lies about their identity or their relationship to the deceased faces criminal charges. Staff at the Martin County office verify each application before releasing records.
Fees for Martin County Death Records
Fee structures differ by request method. The table below shows what each option costs in 2026.
| Request Method | First Copy | Extra Copies | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Person at Martin County DOH | $5 | $4 each | None |
| Mail to Martin County DOH | $5 | $4 each | Stamped envelope |
| State Bureau of Vital Statistics | $5 | $4 each | $1 per order |
| VitalChek Online | $15 + $7 fee | $4 each | Included or rush fee |
| Rush Fee for Pre-2009 Records | +$10 | N/A | N/A |
Nearby County Resources for Martin County Researchers
Researchers often need records from counties that border Martin County. Each nearby county runs its own vital records office.
Palm Beach County Vital Records
Palm Beach County sits south of Martin County. The Palm Beach County vital records office holds death certificates for deaths in Palm Beach County. The office sits in West Palm Beach. Researchers working on southern Martin County families often need Palm Beach records because of cross-county burials and family ties.
St. Lucie County Vital Records
St. Lucie County sits north of Martin County. The St. Lucie County vital records office holds death certificates for deaths in Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, and St. Lucie Village. Many Martin County families have ties to St. Lucie County because of the shared Treasure Coast history.
Okeechobee County Vital Records
Okeechobee County sits west of Martin County. The county has a smaller population but holds its own death records. Researchers tracing rural Martin County families sometimes need Okeechobee records for ranch workers and migrant families who lived on both sides of the county line.
Tips for a Successful Obituary Search in Martin County
A few simple tips can save time and frustration when searching for Martin County obituary records.
Start With What You Know
Write down the person’s full name, date of birth, and last known address before you start your search. Each piece of information narrows your results. Without at least a name and a date range, the search can return too many results to scan.
Use Multiple Sources
No single source holds every obituary. Cross-check the SSDI, Ancestry, FamilySearch, Newspapers.com, and Legacy.com. A name that does not appear in one database often shows up in another. Marriage and church records can also point you to a death date.
Contact Local Libraries
Library staff in Martin County and at the Florida State Library answer genealogy questions for free. They know which newspapers ran obituaries and which microfilm rolls cover which years. A short phone call can save hours of search time.
Martin County Florida Obituary Records Office Summary
Florida Department of Health in Martin County, 3441 SE Willoughby Blvd, Stuart, FL 34994. Phone: (772) 221-4000. Website: https://martin.floridahealth.gov/. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. State Bureau of Vital Statistics: 1217 N Pearl St, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Phone: (904) 359-6900. Email: VitalStats@FLHealth.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions About Martin County Florida Obituary Records
The questions below cover the most common requests from people searching for Martin County Florida obituary records. Each answer reflects the rules, fees, and contacts in place in 2026.
How Far Back Do Martin County Death Records Go?
Martin County death records go back to the early 1900s at the county level and to 1877 at the state level. The Martin County DOH office holds records from 2009 forward. The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville holds records from 1877 through 2008. Older newspaper obituaries sit on microfilm at the Martin County Library and on digital sites such as Newspapers.com. Researchers tracing very old records should start with the state office, then check newspaper archives, then check genealogy platforms such as Ancestry and FamilySearch.
Can I Get a Free Martin County Death Certificate?
Florida law charges a search fee for every certified death certificate. The Martin County office charges $5 for the first copy, which includes the search. The state office charges the same base rate plus a small shipping fee. VitalChek charges more because of the online convenience. Family members who cannot afford the fee can request a waiver through the Florida Department of Health for hardship cases. Genealogy researchers who only need the information, not a certified copy, can search free databases like FamilySearch, Find a Grave, and the Florida Memory Project.
Who Can Request a Death Certificate in Martin County?
Any adult can request a death certificate without the cause of death. You do not need to be a family member. Florida law allows public access to non-confidential death certificates. To get a death certificate with the cause of death, you must be a surviving spouse, parent, child 18 or older, grandchild 18 or older, sibling 18 or older, or someone with a direct legal or financial interest. You must fill out Form DH1959 and prove your relationship or legal standing.
Are Martin County Obituary Records Available Online for Free?
Some Martin County obituary records sit on free sites such as FamilySearch, Find a Grave, Legacy.com basic search, and the Florida Memory Project. Newspaper archives on Newspapers.com require a paid subscription. Ancestry.com also requires a paid subscription for full access. The Martin County Library and the Florida State Library offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest when you visit in person. Researchers on a tight budget should start with the free sites, then visit a library for paid database access.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Martin County Death Certificate?
In-person requests at the Martin County office finish the same day in most cases. Mail requests take two to three weeks. Online requests through VitalChek take five to seven business days for standard shipping. Rush shipping is available for an extra fee. State Bureau of Vital Statistics requests take three to four weeks by mail. Researchers with tight deadlines should visit the Stuart office in person.
What Is the Difference Between an Obituary and a Death Certificate?
A death certificate is a legal document filed by a doctor or funeral director with the Florida Department of Health. It shows the cause of death, date of death, and personal data. An obituary is a notice written by the family or funeral home and published in a newspaper or online memorial site. Obituaries tell the person’s life story and list survivors. Death certificates serve as legal proof of death for estate, insurance, and government purposes. Researchers often need both.
Can I Search Martin County Obituary Records by Name Only?
Yes. Most online databases let you search by name only. The SSDI, Ancestry, FamilySearch, Find a Grave, Legacy.com, and Newspapers.com all offer name-only searches. Results return a list of matching names with date ranges. You can then narrow your search by adding a date range, a county, or a city. Martin County surname searches work best when you know a common spelling or family line.