California

Birth

Event: Birth

Cost of copy: $29.00

Address:
CA Department of Public Health – Vital Records
MS: 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

Remarks: The State Office has maintained vital event records since July 1905. For earlier records, contact the County Recorder in the county where the event occurred.

A personal check or money order should be made payable to CDPH Vital Records. Please do not send cash. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (916) 445-2684. This will be a recorded message, with an option to talk to a customer service representative. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the California Department of Public Health websiteexternal icon.

In order to obtain a Certified Copy you MUST complete the sworn statement included with the birth certificate application form, sign the statement under penalty of perjury and, your sworn statement must be notarized. If your request indicates that you want a Certified Copy but does not include a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury, the request will be rejected as incomplete and returned to you without being processed.

If you request a Certified Informational Copy of the record, a notarized sworn statement is not required. Please refer to the CDPH website for further information about Informational Copies.

Since November 1, 2013, CDPH – Vital Records no longer embosses certified copies of records.

Death

Event: Death

Cost of copy: $24.00

Address:
CA Department of Public Health – Vital Records
MS: 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

Remarks: The State Office has maintained vital event records since July 1905. For earlier records, contact the County Recorder in the county where the event occurred.

A personal check or money order should be made payable to CDPH Vital Records. Please do not send cash. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (916) 445-2684. This is a recorded message, with an option to talk to a customer service representative. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the California Department of Public Health websiteexternal icon.

In order to obtain a Certified Copy you MUST complete the sworn statement included with the death certificate application form, sign the statement under penalty of perjury, and your sworn statement must be notarized. If your request indicates that you want a Certified Copy but does not include a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury, the request will be rejected as incomplete and returned to you without being processed.

If you request a Certified Informational Copy of the record, a notarized sworn statement is not required. Please refer to the CDPH website for further information about Informational Copies.

Since November 1, 2013, CDPH – Vital Records no longer embosses certified copies of records.

Marriage

Event: Marriage (State)

Cost of copy: $17.00

Address:
CA Department of Public Health – Vital Records
MS: 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

Remarks: State office only has indexes for public marriage certificates that occurred from 1905-2001 and 2010 to present. For all other years, contact the County Recorder in the county where the event occurred; for confidential marriages, contact the County Clerk where the marriage license was issued. A personal check or money order should be made payable to CDPH Vital Records. Please do not send cash. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (916) 445-2684. This is a recorded message with an option to talk to a customer service representative. Information on how to obtain a marriage certificate, as well as information about current processing times, is available via the California Department of Public Health websiteexternal icon.

In order to obtain a Certified Copy you MUST complete the sworn statement included with the marriage certificate application form, sign the statement under penalty of perjury, and your sworn statement must be notarized. If your request indicated that you want a Certified Copy but does not include a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury, the request will be rejected as incomplete and returned to you without being processed.

If you request a Certified Informational Copy of the record, a notarized sworn statement is not required. Please refer to the CDPH website for further information about Informational Copies.

Since November 1, 2013, CDPH – Vital Records no longer embosses certified copies of records.


Event: Marriage (County)

Cost of copy: Varies

Address: See remarks.

Remarks: Contact the County Recorder (for public marriages) or County Clerk (for confidential marriages) in the county where the license was issued. Contact information is available via the California Department of Public Health websiteexternal icon.

Divorce

Event: Divorce (State) – Certificates of Record only.

Cost of copy: $14.00

Address:
CA Department of Public Health – Vital Records
MS: 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

Remarks: A Certificate of Record includes only the names of the parties to the divorce, the filing date, the county where the divorce was filed, and the court case number – It is not a certified copy of the divorce decree and does not indicate whether the divorce was ever finalized in court. The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records only has information for divorces that were filed with the court between 1962 and June, 1984, and the processing times may exceed six months. For all other years or for a copy of the decree, contact the Superior Court in the county where the event occurred. A personal check or money order should be made payable to CDPH Vital Records. Please do not send cash. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (916) 445-2684. This is a recorded message. Information on how to obtain a divorce record, as well as current processing times, is available via the California Department of Public Health websiteexternal icon.

Since November 1, 2013, CDPH – Vital Records no longer embosses certified copies of records.


Event: Divorce (County) – Decrees

Cost of copy: Varies

Address: See remarks

Remarks: Contact the Clerk of Superior Court in county where the divorce was granted. Contact information is available via the California Department of Public Health websiteexternal icon.

Page last reviewed: May 16, 2022