How to Get a California Death Certificate (2026)

You get a California death certificate from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Office of Vital Records or the county recorder/clerk in the county where the death occurred. Authorized family members and legal representatives can obtain a certified authorized copy. Each certified copy costs $26 in 2026.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in California?

You get a California death certificate from the CDPH Office of Vital Records or from the county recorder or county clerk in the county where the person died. Both keep certified records of deaths registered in California since July 1905.

There are three main ways to request a copy.

By Mail

Complete the Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (form VS 112) and mail it to the state office with payment by check or money order. Do not send cash. The mailing address is California Department of Public Health, Vital Records MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410.

If you want a certified authorized copy, you must include a notarized sworn statement declaring under penalty of perjury that you are authorized by law to receive it. County offices use their own versions of the same form.

In Person

You can apply in person at the county recorder or clerk office in the county where the death occurred. In-person requests are often the fastest route, and many counties can issue copies the same day or within a few business days.

An in-person request does not need a notary. Under Health and Safety Code Section 103526(a)(2), the official takes your statement sworn under penalty of perjury at the counter that you are signing your own legal name and are an authorized person.

Online

You can order online through a state-approved third-party vendor linked from the CDPH and county websites. Online orders include the vendor processing fee in addition to the standard copy fee. Section 103526(a)(3) also lets an office accept an approved electronic identity verification in place of a notarized statement for an electronic request, with notarization as the fallback if your identity cannot be confirmed that way.

Who Is Eligible to Request a California Death Certificate?

Only specific people are eligible to receive a certified authorized copy of a California death certificate. California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 limits authorized copies to close relatives, the people who hold the right to control disposition of the remains, and legal representatives.

Authorized persons include:

• A parent or legal guardian of the deceased.
• A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the deceased.
• A party entitled to the record by court order.
• A law enforcement officer or government agency representative conducting official business.
• An attorney representing the deceased or the estate, or a person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the deceased or the estate.
• A person who holds the right to control disposition of the remains under Health and Safety Code Section 7100(a)(1) to (8). That order runs from an agent under the deceased's health care power of attorney to the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, other next of kin, and a court-appointed conservator.
• An agent or employee of a funeral establishment ordering certified copies on behalf of one of those people, which is how many families receive their first copies.

If you are not on this list, you can still obtain a certified informational copy of the record.

California Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

Each certified copy of a California death certificate costs $26 in 2026. The same $26 fee applies to the first copy and to every additional copy you order in the same request.

The fee rose by $2 on January 1, 2026 under Assembly Bill 64, which amended Health and Safety Code Section 103625. Pay by check or money order made out to the issuing office.

State processing through the CDPH Office of Vital Records averages about 5 to 7 weeks from the day your request is received. County offices are generally faster, and an in-person county request can sometimes be filled the same day. Check current processing times on the CDPH website before you mail a request.

Certified vs Informational Copy in California

California issues two kinds of certified death records: a certified authorized copy and a certified informational copy. Both carry the registrars certification, but they serve different purposes.

A certified authorized copy can be used to establish identity and to settle estate, insurance, pension, and property matters. To receive one you must be an authorized person and sign a statement sworn under penalty of perjury.

That sworn statement has to be notarized only when you request by mail or fax. In person the official takes the sworn statement at the counter, an electronic request may use an approved electronic identity verification instead, and funeral establishment staff ordering for a family member listed in Health and Safety Code Section 7100(a)(1) to (5) are exempt from the notarized statement.

A certified informational copy contains the same record details but is stamped INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY. It does not require a sworn statement and is available to anyone. Use it for genealogy or personal reference, not for legal identity claims.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

You get additional or replacement California death certificates the same way you ordered the original, and each copy costs $26. There is no discount for ordering several copies at once.

When you complete form VS 112, you can request multiple certified copies in a single application and pay $26 per copy. Ordering several at the same time saves time later, since estates, banks, insurers, and the Social Security Administration often each ask for an original certified copy.

If you lose a certified copy, simply submit a new request to the county recorder or the CDPH Office of Vital Records. Replacement copies are not free; the standard $26 per-copy fee applies to each new copy.

California Death Certificate Facts

Disclaimer: This page provides general information, not legal advice. Fees, eligibility rules, and processing times change and can vary by county. Always confirm the current requirements with the CDPH Office of Vital Records or the county office before submitting a request.

For the bigger picture on access, sealed records, and county rules, see the California Death Records overview. You can also compare other states on the Death Records by State hub.

Sources

This page draws on the California Department of Public Health Office of Vital Records, the California Health and Safety Code, and county recorder offices, all official .gov sources.