Where Can I Get My Birth Certificate in Sacramento?

If you were born in Sacramento County, you can get a birth certificate in Sacramento from the County Vital Records office or the County Clerk/Recorder, in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek. Each certified copy costs $32, and an in-person request is usually ready in about 20 minutes.¹

Where to Go

Sacramento County Vital Records (In Person)

The public counter at Sacramento County Vital Records is the fastest route. The office is at 7001 A East Parkway, Suite 650, Sacramento, CA 95823, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring your completed application, a government-issued photo ID, and payment, and you can usually walk out with the certificate in about 20 minutes.¹

Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder (Mail and Online)

The County Clerk/Recorder’s office also handles birth certificate requests, including by mail and online. Mail your completed application, a photocopy of your photo ID, a notarized sworn statement if you’re requesting an authorized copy, and payment to the address printed on the current application form, which you can download from either the Vital Records or Clerk/Recorder site.¹

For online orders, Sacramento County uses VitalChek. You upload a scanned application and photo ID and pay through VitalChek’s portal. VitalChek charges its own service fee on top of the $32 county fee, and you’ll see the full amount before you confirm.

Authorized Copy vs. Informational Copy

California limits who can get an authorized certified copy, the version you can use to prove identity for a passport, driver’s license, or similar purpose. Under Health and Safety Code Section 103526, you qualify if you are:²

The person named on the certificate.
A parent or legal guardian (guardians must show documentation).
A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the person named.
An attorney representing that person or their estate.
Someone acting under a court order (bring a copy of the order).
A licensed adoption agency acting under the Family Code.
A law enforcement or government representative on official business.

If none of these apply, you can still receive an informational copy. It will carry the stamp “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY” and cannot be used to prove who you are.²

What to Bring Before You Apply

Have the following ready, because a missing item will delay the request:

Information about the person named on the certificate: full name at birth, date of birth, city or hospital of birth, and the mother’s maiden name.³
A valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. This is required for authorized certified copies.³
A notarized sworn statement if you are requesting an authorized copy by mail, fax, or online. You sign under penalty of perjury that you qualify, and a notary acknowledges it. In-person applicants skip this step because staff verify ID at the counter.²

California caps notary fees at $15 per signature. UPS stores, banks, and shipping centers commonly offer the service, and some public libraries notarize for free on certain days, so a quick call ahead can save you the fee.

Cost and Payment

Each certified copy costs $32, whether it’s your first or your fifth, so ordering extras in one trip doesn’t lower the per-copy price.⁴ Payment options depend on how you order:

In person: cash, check, or credit/debit card. Credit card transactions add 2.29% of the total (minimum $1.95); debit cards add a flat $1.95.⁴
By mail: personal check, cashier’s check, certified check, traveler’s check, or money order. No credit or debit cards.⁵
Online: credit or debit card through VitalChek, plus VitalChek’s service fee.

The card or check must be in the applicant’s name. Third-party payments are not accepted.

How Long It Takes

In person at Vital Records, you can usually walk out with the certificate in about 20 minutes. Mail and online requests take five to seven business days from the date the office receives your paperwork and payment.⁶

Expedited processing is available for an extra $19 and brings the turnaround down to about two business days.⁶ The fee speeds up processing, not shipping. Certificates still go out by regular mail unless you arrange something else, so add a few days of transit time.

Free Copies for People Experiencing Homelessness

California law entitles anyone experiencing homelessness to a free certified birth certificate. Under Health and Safety Code Section 103577, the local registrar, county recorder, or State Registrar must issue the copy without charging issuance, processing, or verification fees.⁷

A homeless services provider with knowledge of your housing status completes an affidavit confirming it. You can receive one record per application for each eligible person, and the State Registrar can issue up to three copies per year. The other requirements under Section 103526, including the sworn statement for authorized copies, still apply.

If You Were Born Elsewhere in California

Sacramento County can only issue certificates for births registered in the county. If you were born somewhere else in California, order through the California Department of Public Health, Vital Records (CDPH-VR), which keeps records of all California births and accepts requests by mail and through VitalChek. State processing generally takes longer than county processing, so this route is better when you aren’t working against a deadline. Current forms and fees are posted at cdph.ca.gov.

Corrections and Amendments

Birth certificate corrections are handled by the state, not by Sacramento County. The CDPH processes all amendment requests by mail, with different forms for different changes: adding, removing, or replacing a parent; a court-ordered name change; filling in blank name fields; adoption; and corrections to spelling, gender marker, or date or place of birth.⁸ The forms are on the CDPH website in English and Spanish, and amendment turnaround runs longer than a standard copy request, so give yourself extra time if you need the corrected certificate for a passport or other deadline.

1
Sacramento County. Sacramento County Vital Records
2
California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 103526 – Certified Copy and Verification of Records
3
Sacramento County Vital Records. Sacramento County Birth Application
4
Sacramento County. Sacramento County Vital Records – Section: Fee Schedule
5
Sacramento County Department of Health Services. Sacramento County Birth Application
6
Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder. Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder Birth Certificates
7
California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 103577 – Certified Record of Live Birth
8
California Department of Public Health. Amending a California Birth Record