Vital Records Order in California
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Ordering from a different state?
Order a certified California birth, death, marriage or divorce record for California. We prepare and submit your application to the issuing California office.
Simple, Secure Online Process
Get your vital records in three easy steps
Select Record Type
Choose the vital record you need from any U.S. state
Complete Application
Complete the secure application form and required documentation
Secure Delivery
Receive your official certificate securely via mail
"I needed a birth certificate urgently for my passport application. The process was incredibly smooth and the step-by-step guidance made sure I didn't miss any requirements. Received it in just 5 days!"
Sarah Mitchell
Austin, TX
"After my mother passed, getting her death certificate felt overwhelming. The step-by-step assistance was compassionate and clear. They handled everything professionally and kept me informed throughout."
James Rodriguez
Miami, FL
"I've used other services before, but this was by far the easiest. The transparency about fees and processing times was refreshing. No hidden surprises, just straightforward service."
Emily Chen
Seattle, WA
"Needed marriage certificates for a legal matter. The secure upload process gave me peace of mind, and the customer support answered all my questions promptly. Highly recommend!"
Michael Thompson
Chicago, IL
"As someone who's not tech-savvy, I appreciated how simple everything was explained. It was easy to understand exactly what documents I needed and why. Made the whole process stress-free."
Diana Patel
Phoenix, AZ
Order a Certified Record
Order official certificates from all 50 U.S. states
Who Can Order Certified Records?
Most states allow the following individuals to order certified copies of vital records.
Birth Certificates
- The person named on the certificate
- Parent or legal guardian
- Spouse
- Child
- Legal representative
Death Certificates
- Immediate family members
- Legal representatives
- Estate administrators
Marriage Certificates
- Either spouse
- Legal representatives
- Authorized requesters depending on state rules
Divorce Certificates
- Either party named on the record
- Legal representatives
- Authorized requesters depending on state rules
Eligibility requirements vary by state. The application will confirm eligibility during the order process.
California Vital Records: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can order a certified California vital record?
- Eligibility is set by California law. In general the person named on the record, close family members and legal representatives can order a certified copy. The order form asks your relationship to the record and only offers the choices California allows.
- What does it cost?
- The price is shown for each certificate on the next page, before you pay. There are no hidden charges.
- How long does it take?
- Processing time is set by the issuing agency and is shown before checkout. We prepare and file your application promptly, and your certified copy is delivered by mail.
Order a California Vital Record
(order in less than 5 minutes)
California birth government fee: $31.00 per copy, paid to California Department of Public Health. This is the California agency’s own charge for a certified copy. We collect it with your order and pass it through, we do not mark it up.
California death government fee: $26.00 per copy, paid to California Department of Public Health. This is the California agency’s own charge for a certified copy. We collect it with your order and pass it through, we do not mark it up.
California marriage government fee: $19.00 per copy, paid to California Department of Public Health. This is the California agency’s own charge for a certified copy. We collect it with your order and pass it through, we do not mark it up.
California divorce government fee: set by the issuing agency and confirmed before your application is filed. It is passed through to the agency without a markup.
California county map
Browse California counties
Order California Vital Records
Select a certificate type to begin your order
Birth Certificate
Filing Level: State or County
Requirements
- • Completed application for a certified copy of the birth record
- • Sworn statement of identity (notarized when an authorized copy is requested)
- • Government-issued photo ID for the requester
- • Full name on the record and date of birth
- • City and county of birth
- • Parents' full names, including mother's name before marriage
Death Certificate
Filing Level: State or County
Requirements
- • Completed application for a certified copy of the death record
- • Sworn statement of identity (notarized when an authorized copy is requested)
- • Government-issued photo ID for the requester
- • Full name of the decedent and date of death
- • City and county where the death occurred
- • Your relationship to the decedent and the reason for the request
Marriage Certificate
Filing Level: State or County
Requirements
- • Completed application for a certified copy of the marriage record
- • Sworn statement of identity (notarized when an authorized copy is requested)
- • Government-issued photo ID for the requester
- • Full names of both spouses, including last names before marriage
- • Date of the marriage and the county where the license was issued
- • Your relationship to the couple and the reason for the request
California vital records: what's available and where
California vital records are birth, death and marriage certificates registered by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and by the county recorder in each of the state's 58 counties. Divorce decrees are held by the superior court that granted the divorce, not by CDPH.
California birth certificates
Registered in the county of birth and statewide with CDPH. Authorized certified copies establish identity for passports, REAL ID and school enrolment.
California death certificates
Registered in the county of death and with CDPH. Needed to settle estates, claim insurance and close financial accounts.
California marriage certificates
Public marriages are held by both the licensing county recorder and CDPH. Confidential marriages are held only by the county recorder.
California divorce records
Divorce decrees are issued by the superior court in the county where the case was filed. We do not currently accept California divorce orders online.
CDPH vs the county recorder , which office holds your record
Both offices hold the same California record, and both issue the same certified copy. CDPH keeps a statewide index; each county recorder keeps the records for events that happened in that county. Which you use is a question of speed and certainty, not validity.
- County recorder , holds births, deaths and marriages for that county only. Choose this office when the county is certain.
- CDPH Vital Records , holds births, deaths and public marriages for all of California. The right choice when the county is uncertain or the event is old.
- Superior court , holds divorce decrees and judgments. CDPH can confirm that a divorce was filed but does not issue the decree.
When you order through us, we choose the office for you: county-direct when you can name the county with certainty, CDPH otherwise. You never have to work out which office to write to.
Authorized vs informational copies
California issues authorized certified copies only to the person named on the record and their close family or legal representatives, who must sign a notarized sworn statement. Anyone may order an informational copy, but it is stamped so it cannot be used to establish identity. If you need the record for a passport, REAL ID, an estate or an insurance claim, you need the authorized copy.
California vital records fees
A certified California record costs the agency fee per copy, plus our $160.00 processing fee per order when you use us. These are the current figures we hold for California.
| Record type | CDPH fee (per copy) | County fee range |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | $31.00 | $31.00 – $40.00 |
| Death certificate | $26.00 | $26.00 – $33.00 |
| Marriage certificate | $19.00 | $19.00 – $24.00 |
Agency fees are charged per certified copy; our processing fee is charged once per order, so ordering multiple copies together costs less than placing separate orders.
California vital records , frequently asked questions
What are vital records in California?
In California, vital records are the official birth, death and marriage records registered with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the county recorders. Divorce decrees are court records held by the superior court that granted the divorce.
How much do California vital records cost?
CDPH charges $31.00 per certified birth copy, $26.00 per death copy and $19.00 per public marriage copy. County recorder fees vary by county. Ordered through US Records, your total is the agency fee per copy plus a $160.00 processing fee per order, charged once.
Can anyone order a California vital record?
Anyone may order an informational copy, but only the person named on the record and their close family or legal representatives may order an authorized certified copy, and they must sign a notarized sworn statement.
Should I order from CDPH or my county recorder?
Use the county recorder when you know the county where the event happened; it is normally faster. Use CDPH when the county is uncertain, because CDPH holds records statewide. Both issue the same certified document.
Where do I get a California divorce record?
From the superior court in the county where the divorce was filed. CDPH does not issue divorce decrees, and California divorce records cannot currently be ordered through this site.
US Records is a private document preparation service, not affiliated with the State of California or any government agency.
About US Records
US Records is a private service that assists individuals with ordering vital records from government agencies. We are not a government agency. Official vital records may be obtained directly from the issuing government office for free or at a lower cost. Our fees cover the convenience of online ordering, guided assistance, document review, and document filing, to help ensure your order meets agency requirements.