To order a California death certificate, submit an application and $26 per copy to the California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) by mail, to the county recorder in the county where the death occurred, or through one of four authorized online vendors. If you want a legally usable copy rather than one marked for information only, you also need to complete a sworn statement declaring your relationship to the person who died, and that statement must be notarized unless you deliver it in person.
Authorized Copy or Informational Copy
Pick the right version before you order. California issues two: an authorized certified copy, which banks, insurers, courts, and government agencies accept as proof of death, and an informational certified copy, which carries a printed legend across its face reading “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY.”1California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 103526 Both contain the same data. Only the authorized version will settle an estate, close accounts, or support an insurance claim.
Anyone can request an informational copy. Authorized copies are restricted. If you don’t qualify, the registrar will issue the informational version instead, no matter why you say you need it.
Who Qualifies for an Authorized Copy
Health and Safety Code Section 103526 lists the eligible requesters. They include the decedent’s surviving spouse or registered domestic partner, a parent or legal guardian, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings.2California Department of Public Health. Authorized Copy vs. Informational Copy An attorney representing the estate, an executor, or any person or agency appointed by a court to act on the decedent’s behalf also qualifies.1California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 103526
Law enforcement officers and government agency representatives can obtain authorized copies when conducting official business. Funeral home employees also qualify when acting on behalf of the family, which is why the funeral director often orders the first batch of certificates right after the death is registered.
How Many Copies to Order
Funeral directors generally recommend ordering between eight and twelve authorized certified copies. The number adds up quickly. Each life insurance policy typically requires its own original. So do banks holding accounts in the decedent’s sole name, pension and retirement plan administrators, the DMV for vehicle title transfers, real estate title companies, the county recorder for property deeds, the Social Security Administration, and the attorney handling probate. Some institutions return the certificate after review. Many don’t.
You can always order more later from the county recorder where the death was registered or from CDPH-VR, so underestimating costs you time, not money.
How to Submit Your Order
Three channels are available: mail to CDPH-VR, in person at the county recorder’s office where the death occurred, or online through an authorized third-party vendor.3California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Death Records The fee is $26 per copy on every channel.4California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Fees
By Mail to CDPH-VR
Complete the Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (Form VS 112) and enclose a check or money order payable to “CDPH-VR” for $26 per copy. You’ll need the decedent’s full legal name, sex, date of death, and the county or city where the death occurred.5California Department of Public Health. Application for Certified Copy of Death Record
For an authorized copy, also complete the Sworn Statement (Form VS 20), which asks you to declare your relationship to the decedent under penalty of perjury. On mail-in submissions, this sworn statement must be notarized.6California Department of Public Health. Sworn Statement Law enforcement, government agencies, and funeral establishments are exempt from the notarization requirement but still complete the top portion of the form. Providing false information on the sworn statement is a criminal offense.
In Person at the County Recorder
Walk into the county recorder’s office in the county where the death was registered. The clerk takes your sworn statement in person and verifies your identity with a government-issued ID, so no notary is required.1California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 103526 County offices often process requests while you wait or within a few business days, since they handle a smaller volume than the state and only hold records for deaths that occurred in their county.
Online Through an Authorized Vendor
CDPH-VR does not run its own online ordering portal. Four authorized third-party vendors handle electronic applications: VitalChek, State Vital Records, Vital Records Online, and GoCertificates. They transmit the request to CDPH-VR or the appropriate county office for fulfillment.7California Department of Public Health. Obtaining Certified Copies Online They accept credit card payment and verify identity electronically, so you skip the notary step. Each vendor charges its own processing fee on top of the $26 state fee.
How Long It Takes
CDPH-VR’s average processing time for mail-in requests is five to seven weeks, measured from the day it receives your application rather than the day you mail it.8California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Processing Times County recorder offices generally move faster, often within days for in-person visits.
Online orders through third-party vendors reach the issuing office sooner than mail, but the finished certificate still ships through the U.S. Postal Service unless you pay extra for expedited delivery. For a time-sensitive estate matter, walking into the county recorder’s office is the fastest route.
Fixing an Error on the Certificate
If you spot a mistake once the certificate arrives, the correction process depends on which section is wrong. For personal information such as names, dates, or adding an “also known as” designation, submit the VS 24 Affidavit to Amend a Death Record. For medical information such as cause of death, the certifying physician or coroner must complete the VS 24A Physician/Coroner’s Amendment Fact Sheet.9California Department of Public Health. Amending a California Death or Fetal Death Record
All amendment requests go through CDPH-VR by mail. There is no in-person or online option for amendments. The office will contact you if additional documentation is needed.