How a Florida death certificate is used in Germany
When someone with assets in Germany dies in Florida, the heirs usually need a certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) from the German probate court (Nachlassgericht), or the bank or land registry won't release anything. A surviving spouse may also claim a widow's pension from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. Both start from the Florida death certificate, signed by the State Registrar and apostilled, usually with a German translation by a sworn translator. Order several certified copies at once; the court, banks and pension office may each keep one.
Translation for Germany
German offices that require a translation usually want one by a translator sworn, publicly appointed or authorized under German state law, searchable in the state justice administrations' database. Our general rule is a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a separate notary and apostilled in Florida; some German offices accept it, but many will instead require a sworn German translator. For recognition of a Florida divorce, plan on the apostille plus a sworn German translation. Translate after the apostille, including the apostille page.
What your Florida death certificate must look like
Only a certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or a county health department can be apostilled: it carries the State Registrar's signature that the Department of State verifies. Funeral-home copies, photocopies and scans are rejected, and copies certified before 2014 must be replaced with a fresh certified copy (order through VitalChek or the county health department). If the receiving office needs the cause of death, ask for the version that includes it — both versions can be apostilled.
Step by step: death certificate apostille for Germany
- Order online — pick "Death certificate" and "Germany" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Germany with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Germany. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.