When someone dies in Riverside County under circumstances that require investigation, the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau takes custody of the body, determines the cause of death, and holds any personal property found with the deceased. Families then work with the bureau to release the remains to a funeral home, request reports, and reclaim belongings. The death certificate itself comes from a different county office, which trips up a lot of people in the first few days.
Which Office Handles Your Case
The bureau runs two forensic centers, split geographically. The location that handles your case depends on where the death occurred, not where the person lived.
- Coroner’s West: 800 S. Redlands Ave., Perris, CA 92570. Phone: 951-443-2300.
- Coroner’s East: 47225 Oasis Street, Indio, CA. Phone: 760-863-8311.
Have the decedent’s full legal name, date of birth, and coroner case number ready when you call. Staff use those to pull the file and verify you’re authorized to receive information.1Riverside County Sheriff. Coroner’s Bureau
Why a Death Ends Up With the Coroner
California Government Code Section 27491 requires coroner involvement in violent, sudden, or unusual deaths. That covers homicides, suicides, accidents, drownings, fires, gunshot wounds, and poisonings; deaths where no physician or hospice nurse saw the person within 20 days; deaths in custody; workplace fatalities; and deaths suspected to involve a contagious disease that could endanger others. The statute also pulls in deaths at state hospitals and any death where circumstances suggest someone else’s criminal act.2California Legislative Information. California Code GOV 27491 – Coroner
A funeral director, physician, or hospital with charge of the body must notify the coroner immediately when a death fits one of these categories. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor.2California Legislative Information. California Code GOV 27491 – Coroner Natural deaths with an attending physician who can certify the cause generally stay out of the coroner’s jurisdiction.
Releasing the Remains to a Funeral Home
The bureau aims to complete its initial investigation within 72 hours of the death being reported.3Riverside County Sheriff. FAQ – Coroner’s Office Homicides and complex cases run longer. Once the pathologist finishes the examination and any evidence collection, the body can be released.
The next of kin signs a Release of Remains form, available as a PDF on the Coroner’s Bureau website.1Riverside County Sheriff. Coroner’s Bureau In practice, the funeral home usually handles the paperwork, coordinates pickup with coroner staff, and provides its own transportation.3Riverside County Sheriff. FAQ – Coroner’s Office
Who Can Sign the Release
Only a person with legal authority to control disposition of the body can sign. California Health and Safety Code Section 7100 sets a priority order:
- An agent named in a healthcare power of attorney with disposition rights
- Surviving spouse
- Adult children (a majority if more than one)
- Surviving parents
- Adult siblings (a majority if more than one)
- Next of kin in descending order of kinship
When several people share the same priority level, the majority rules, and anyone acting under the statute must make reasonable efforts to notify the others first.4California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 7100
Religious Objections to Autopsy
If the decedent signed a certificate of religious belief during their lifetime stating that postmortem dissection would violate their convictions, Government Code Section 27491.43 bars the coroner from performing an autopsy. The certificate must be signed, dated, and witnessed by at least two people.5Justia Law. California Government Code 27490-27512
If a family member tells the coroner the certificate exists but can’t produce it right away, the coroner must pause any autopsy for 48 hours so they can find it. After that window, standard rules apply. The coroner can override a religious certificate at any time when there is reasonable suspicion the death resulted from someone else’s criminal act or from a contagious disease that threatens public health. Outside that exception, the coroner has to petition the superior court, which can order an autopsy only if the public interest outweighs the religious objection and any procedure ordered must be the least intrusive option.5Justia Law. California Government Code 27490-27512
Requesting the Autopsy and Toxicology Report
Copies of the investigation report, autopsy findings, and toxicology results come by written mail request. Include the decedent’s name, date of death, and coroner file number if you have it, along with the mailing address for the report and a cashier’s check or money order for $23 payable to the Riverside County Coroner. Personal checks are not accepted.
Mail the request to Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner, 800 S. Redlands Ave., Perris, CA 92570. Reports go out once the investigation is complete, and cases with pending lab work can take several weeks.3Riverside County Sheriff. FAQ – Coroner’s Office
If you question the findings, you can hire a private forensic pathologist for an independent review. A full second-opinion autopsy typically costs between $3,000 and $5,500; a records-only review runs less. Move fast if you’re considering this, because the funeral home needs to coordinate access before embalming or cremation.
Ordering the Death Certificate
The Coroner’s Bureau does not issue death certificates. Those come from the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder. As of January 1, 2026, each certified copy costs $26, and the fee is non-refundable even if no record is found.6Riverside County Assessor. Birth, Death, and Marriage Certificates
You have four ways to order:
- Online through the county’s eVitals portal. Authorized copies, which show cause of death, require identity verification. If verification fails or you opt out, a notarized sworn statement is required before the order processes.
- In person after starting the application online and scheduling an appointment. Bring a government-issued ID and your order number.
- By mail with a notarized application and a check or money order to P.O. Box 751, Riverside, CA 92502-0751. No personal temporary or third-party checks.
- By dropbox at offices in Riverside, Palm Desert, or Blythe, using the same paperwork as a mail order.
Allow at least eight days from the date of death before a certificate becomes available.6Riverside County Assessor. Birth, Death, and Marriage Certificates Order several copies up front. Banks, insurers, and probate courts each want their own certified original, and buying them one at a time later costs $26 every time.7California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Fees
Picking Up Personal Property
The coroner’s office holds wallets, jewelry, electronics, and similar belongings found with the deceased. Clothing usually travels with the body when the funeral home picks up the remains, but everything else stays locked at the forensic center that processed the case.3Riverside County Sheriff. FAQ – Coroner’s Office
To retrieve property, call the bureau location where the death occurred and schedule an appointment. Walk-ins aren’t accepted. Bring a valid government photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID card, or military ID. The same Section 7100 priority order that governs the body also governs who can claim belongings.1Riverside County Sheriff. Coroner’s Bureau If the next of kin can’t appear in person, they can authorize someone else with a notarized letter. Don’t let this sit. Items held past the storage period can eventually transfer to the county as unclaimed property.8Riverside County Sheriff. Unclaimed Money
If the Family Can’t Afford a Funeral
Riverside County offers an indigent cremation and burial program through the Public Administrator’s Bureau. It’s not a grant. It’s a loan, repayable in installments as low as $10 per month.9Riverside County Sheriff. Indigent Cremation and Burial
The decedent must have been a Riverside County resident, and the applicant must be a legal spouse or blood relative. Approval depends on the applicant’s income, not the decedent’s, so you’ll need proof of income such as an SSI award letter, recent bank statement, or pay stub. Families with GoFundMe campaigns or life insurance policies are automatically disqualified.
The program covers direct cremation only. No viewings, visitations, or memorial services. After you submit the application with income documentation, the Public Administrator’s office takes roughly 2 to 14 business days to approve or deny. If the body is at the coroner’s facility or another refrigerated location, it won’t be moved to the contracted mortuary until approval comes through.10Riverside County Sheriff. Public Administrator
When There Is No Next of Kin
If a Riverside County resident dies with no known relatives or no one willing to handle their affairs, the Public Administrator’s Bureau takes over. The office investigates and administers estates where no one is available to manage them. Hospitals, mortuaries, skilled nursing facilities, and private citizens should notify the Public Administrator whenever a death occurs with no next of kin or when an estate is at risk of loss.10Riverside County Sheriff. Public Administrator
If assets later surface, such as a bank account the decedent held, unclaimed funds eventually transfer to the county treasury and are posted publicly for three years so rightful owners can still come forward and claim them.8Riverside County Sheriff. Unclaimed Money