Order Your Official California Birth Certificate Online

You get a California birth certificate by submitting an application, a sworn statement and a copy of your ID to either the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) or the county recorder in the county where the birth took place, along with the agency fee of $31.00 per copy. With US Records you complete one online form and we prepare, notarize and file that application for you.

1. Tell us about the record. Full name at birth, date of birth, city and county of birth, and both parents' names as they appear on the record. These are the fields California uses to locate the certificate.
2. Confirm your eligibility. You select your relationship to the person named on the record. That answer decides whether you receive an authorized certified copy or an informational copy.
3. Upload your photo ID. A clear photo or scan of a valid government-issued ID is included in the filing package.
4. Complete the sworn statement. California requires a notarized sworn statement for authorized copies. Your identity verification and notarization are handled online as part of your order — you do not need to find a notary yourself.
5. Pay once. Your total covers our processing fee and the agency fee for every copy you request. There is never a second charge later.
6. We prepare and file. We review the application for the errors that cause rejections, assemble the packet and file it with the correct California office.
7. We track it to your mailbox. You get an email at each step, and the certified copy is mailed to the address you gave us.

Applying directly to CDPH or your county recorder yourself

You can also apply yourself, and it costs less. Download the Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record (VS 111) and, for an authorized copy, the Sworn Statement (VS 20) from CDPH, have the sworn statement notarized, and mail both with a check or money order for $31.00 per copy to CDPH Vital Records in Sacramento. Every California county recorder accepts the same application for births that occurred in that county, usually in person or by mail, at a fee between $31.00 and $40.00 per copy depending on the county.

The difference is the work, not the document — the certificate is identical either way. People use us when they would rather not chase a notary, decode which office holds the record, or risk a rejected application and a second wait. US Records is an independent private service and is not a government agency.

California splits birth certificates into two kinds of copy, and who you are decides which one you can receive. Authorized certified copies are restricted to people with a direct legal interest in the record. Informational copies are available to anyone.

Who can receive an authorized certified copy

• The person named on the certificate (the registrant)
• A parent or legal guardian of the registrant
• A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant
• A party entitled to receive the record by court order
• An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate
• A member of a law enforcement agency or a government agency conducting official business
• A funeral director ordering on behalf of a family, or an agent of an authorized person

Applicants for an authorized copy must state their relationship under penalty of perjury on a notarized sworn statement. If the relationship you declare is not on California's authorized list, the office issues an informational copy instead.

Who can receive an informational copy

Anyone may request an informational copy of a California birth record. No sworn statement and no notarization are required, but the copy is stamped so that it cannot be used to establish identity.

One certified California birth certificate ordered through US Records is $171.00 all in: our $140.00 processing fee plus the $31.00 California agency fee for the copy. You pay that once, at checkout.

Additional copies are charged at the same agency fee per copy and are added in the order form before you pay — ordering several at once is cheaper than coming back later, because the processing fee is charged per order rather than per copy. Optional faster filing speeds are priced at checkout.

California agency fees vary by office: CDPH charges $31.00 per copy, and the 58 county recorders charge between $31.00 and $40.00. Whatever the office charges, the price you are shown before you pay is the price you pay. There is never a second charge.

Most of the wait is the government's, not ours. CDPH currently reports 4 to 6 weeks for certified birth copies; California county recorders typically turn requests around in 1 to 2 weeks. Our own preparation, notarization and filing add hours, not weeks.

Why we often file with the county instead of the state

When you can tell us with certainty which California county the birth occurred in, we file with that county recorder, because county processing (1 to 2 weeks) is normally far faster than CDPH (4 to 6 weeks). If the county of birth is uncertain, we file with CDPH, which holds records for every birth in California statewide. The certificate you receive is the same certified document in both cases.

An authorized certified copy proves identity; an informational copy does not. Both are true copies of the same birth record and contain the same information — only the legal use differs.

If you need the certificate for a passport, a REAL ID, a driver's licence, enrolling a child in school, a marriage licence or dual citizenship, you need the authorized certified copy. Order the informational copy only for family history or reference.

You need the record details, a valid photo ID and — for an authorized copy — a notarized sworn statement. Here is the full list California uses:

• Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record (VS 111) — we complete this from your online answers.
• Notarized Sworn Statement (VS 20) — required for authorized copies, declaring your relationship to the registrant under penalty of perjury. Notarization is handled online as part of your order.
• Full name on the record at birth, including any name later changed.
• Date of birth, and the city and county of birth.
• Both parents' full names, including the mother's birth surname (her last name at her own birth).
• A valid government-issued photo ID for the person signing the sworn statement.
• Payment — a card at checkout with us; a check or money order if you file yourself.

Missing parent names and the wrong county of birth are the two most common causes of a rejected California application. If you are not sure of a detail, give us your best information and note the uncertainty — we would rather resolve it before filing.

U.S. passport

A first-time U.S. passport application requires an authorized certified copy of your birth certificate showing your full name, date and place of birth, both parents' names, the registrar's signature and the seal. Informational copies are rejected. The certificate is returned to you with the passport.

REAL ID and driver's licence

The California DMV requires proof of identity and legal presence for a REAL ID. An authorized certified birth certificate is the standard document for U.S.-born applicants. If your current name differs from the name on the certificate, bring the linking documents — marriage certificate or court order — as well.

School and sports enrolment

California school districts ask for a certified birth certificate to verify a child's age and identity at enrolment, and youth sports leagues require one for age brackets. A parent or legal guardian may order the authorized copy on the child's behalf.

Dual citizenship and consular filings

Foreign consulates processing citizenship by descent, family registration or a foreign passport require a recent certified birth certificate, often with an apostille from the California Secretary of State. Only an authorized certified copy can be apostilled, so order that version if an apostille may be needed.

Other everyday uses

Social Security enrolment, employment and I-9 verification, marriage licences, military enlistment, pension and benefit claims, and settling an estate all commonly require a certified California birth certificate.

Births are registered in the county where they occurred. If you know the county, start there — it is usually the faster filing route.

• Los Angeles County birth certificates
• San Diego County birth certificates
• Orange County birth certificates
• San Francisco County birth certificates

Every one of California's 58 counties has its own page in the county list further down this page. You can also order a California marriage certificate or a California death certificate, or see all record types on the California vital records hub.