Polk County (FL) Birth Certificate Online

How to Get a Certified Birth Certificate in Polk County (FL)

To order an authorized copy of a Polk County (FL) birth certificate:

• Fill out the birth certificate application (available by clicking the button on this page) with the required information
• Print and sign it
• Mail it to the Florida vital records office with the necessary requirements, a prepaid self-addressed envelope, and payment (as detailed in the personalized instructions you will receive)

Your certified copy will be issued and sent by mail to the address printed on your self-addressed postage-paid envelope.

Copies of a Polk County Birth and Death Certificates may be ordered by mailing your application package to the following address:

Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics

• ATTN: Vital Records Section
• P.O. Box 210,
• 1217 North Pearl Street
• Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042

Alternatively, Polk County citizens born in or around Bartow, Lakeland, Polk city, among others can also order a certified copy of their birth certificate at the Polk County Clerk’s Office. Citizens of the rest of Polk County who prefer to submit their birth certificate application in person, may do so at the following address during walk-in hours —however, there will be no walk-in orders accepted until further notice.

Bartow Administration Building

• 1290 Golfview Ave, 3rd Floor
• Bartow, FL 33830

Please note that As of May 7, 2025, U.S. citizens and residents must have a REAL ID-compliant driving license or ID card to enter federal facilities and board commercial aircrafts. Requirements to obtain a REAL ID may include proof of identity, such as a certified copy of the birth certificate.

Polk County birth certificate requirements

To get a certified copy of a Polk County, Florida birth certificate, you will need to complete the online birth certificate application with your personal data:

• Gender
• Date of birth
• Full name (as it would appear on the certificate)
• Mother’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage
• Father’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage

Citizens applying for a certified copy of a Polk County birth certificate need to prove their identity and be over 18 years old.

Proof of identity can be provided using any of the following documents:

• State of Florida Driver’s License
• State of Florida ID Card
• Driver’s license issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory state-issued
• Photo State Identification Card issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory
• U.S. Passport or foreign issued
• Military ID Card

Who is eligible to apply

An official copy of a Polk County birth certificate can be ordered by:

• Subject of the birth certificate
• Mother or father named on the certificate
• Child of the person the certificate refers to
• Spouse of the registrant
• Sibling of the person the certificate refers to
• Grandchild of the certificate’s subject
• Maternal or paternal grandparent of the person named on the record
• Legal guardian or the legal representative of the certificate’s subject
• Legal representative of the registrant’s parent, adoptive parent, or guardian

Please note that the documentation that must be presented alongside the Polk County birth certificate application may vary depending on the person requesting the vital record.

How to Request an Apostille for a Polk County Birth Certificate

If you need to use your birth certificate outside the U.S territory, your document should bear an apostille to grant it legal validity abroad.

This can be obtained by mail. Simply send your official birth certificate, together with the apostille fee to the Secretary of State’s office in a self-addressed postage-paid envelope. Make sure to have Certificate of Authentication Request at hand. Certain counties may have additional requirements.

Florida Authentications Unit street address:

• Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Certification
• P.O. Box 6800
• Tallahassee, FL 32314 - 6800

Florida Authentications unit (in person):

• Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Certification
• Clifton Building, 2661 Executive Center Circle
• Tallahassee, FL 32301

Polk County Birth Certificate Cost

Polk County Birth Certificate Processing Times

In most cases, your Polk County birth certificate order will be filled within 3-5 business days. However, some vital records may take longer due to peak demand periods.

You will then receive your certified copy of the Polk County, Florida (FL) birth certificate by post, delivered right to your door.

Once you have mailed the application, along with a copy of a photo ID and the fees, the vital records office will process your request.

Rush service for Polk County birth certificate orders is available for an additional fee $10. In this case, your expedited birth certificate will be delivered within approximately Given Priority Processing.