Last verified 2026-10-30; facts checked against the primary sources below

How do I get a certified copy of a death certificate in California?

Q: Authorized or informational: which copy do you need?

Both are certified copies ( CDPH ). Depending on the year of death, an informational copy may also have the Social Security number concealed ( VS 112 ). Authorized copy Informational copy Who can get it Only the people listed in § 103526 (see the next section) Anyone Proves identity Yes No. It is stamped "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY" and has signatures removed Sworn statement Required, and notarized for a mail request Not required Source § 103526 ; VS 112 § 103526(b), (f) ; VS 112 If you are settling the estate, order authorized copies. Los Angeles County says an authorized copy may be required to collect death benefits, claim insurance proceeds and notify Social Security ( LA County ).

Q: How do I order from CDPH by mail?

Fill out form VS 112 , Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (revision 01/2026). Use one application for each death record. Check your relationship in Part 1 ( VS 112 ). For an authorized copy, sign the sworn statement in front of a notary. It is page 5 of the application. CDPH also posts it as form VS 20 ( CDPH ; CDPH copy types ). Without it, an authorized-copy request is returned unprocessed ( CDPH copy types ). One sworn statement covers several records requested at the same time if it names each person ( VS 112 ). Pay $26 per copy by check or money order in US dollars, drawn on a US bank, payable to CDPH Vital Records. Do not send cash ( CDPH fees ; VS 112 ). Mail it to the address below. CDPH-VR contact Detail Source Mailing address California Department of Public Health, Vital Records - MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410 CDPH Phone (916) 445-2684, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM VS 112 Email CHSIVitalRecords@cdph.ca.gov VS 112 If you sign the sworn statement outside the United States, a foreign notary's seal needs an apostille, unless a US consular officer notarizes it ( VS 112 ).

Last verified: October 30, 2026

The short answer: Order from the county recorder in the county where the person died, or by mail from the California Department of Public Health - Vital Records (CDPH-VR) in Sacramento. CDPH charges $26 per copy and averages 4 to 6 weeks (CDPH fees; CDPH processing times). Close family, the executor or administrator, the estate's attorney and the funeral home can get an authorized copy, which proves identity. Anyone else gets an informational copy, which does not (Health and Safety Code § 103526).

A death record is available two weeks after the date of death (VS 112). The county where the person died can be different from the county where they lived. A county can only issue records for deaths that happened in that county. CDPH issues them for all of California (VS 112).

Where to order, what it costs, how long it takes

Where	How	Fee	Processing time	Copy types	Source
CDPH-VR, Sacramento	Mail only, on form VS 112	$26 per copy, check or money order, no cash	4 to 6 weeks on average, counted from when CDPH receives the request	Authorized or informational	CDPH; fees; processing times
County recorder where the death happened	In person; mail and online orders where the county offers them	Set by the county; CDPH says to confirm it because it may differ from the state fee	CDPH says you can often get the copy faster from the county	Authorized or informational	CDPH; processing times; county directory
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk	In person by appointment, by mail, or online through VitalChek	$26 for an authorized copy	Mail and online: within 20 working days of receipt. In person: deaths from 1995 on are issued at your appointment	Authorized or informational	Mail; online; in person

The CDPH $26 fee took effect January 1, 2026, under AB 64 (CDPH fees). If the record cannot be found, CDPH keeps the fee as a search fee and sends a Certificate of No Public Record (CDPH fees).

Authorized or informational: which copy do you need?

Both are certified copies (CDPH). Depending on the year of death, an informational copy may also have the Social Security number concealed (VS 112).

	Authorized copy	Informational copy
Who can get it	Only the people listed in § 103526 (see the next section)	Anyone
Proves identity	Yes	No. It is stamped "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY" and has signatures removed
Sworn statement	Required, and notarized for a mail request	Not required
Source	§ 103526; VS 112	§ 103526(b), (f); VS 112

If you are settling the estate, order authorized copies. Los Angeles County says an authorized copy may be required to collect death benefits, claim insurance proceeds and notify Social Security (LA County).

Who can order an authorized copy?

Who	Source
A parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the person who died	§ 103526(c)(2)(A), (D)
The executor, administrator, or anyone else empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act for the person or the estate	§ 103526(c)(2)(E)
An attorney representing the person who died or the estate	§ 103526(c)(2)(E)
Anyone with the right to control disposition of the remains: the agent under a health care power of attorney, the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, the next nearest adult relatives, and a conservator of the person or estate	§ 103526(c)(3)(A); § 7100(a)(1)-(8)
A funeral home employee ordering for one of those people	§ 103526(c)(3)(B)
A party entitled to the record by court order	§ 103526(c)(2)(B)
Law enforcement or another government agency on official business	§ 103526(c)(2)(C)

An executor or administrator ordering from CDPH includes a copy of the court order or other document showing the appointment (VS 112). See how to get letters testamentary in California.

Anyone not on this list can only get an informational copy.

How do I order from CDPH by mail?

Fill out form VS 112, Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (revision 01/2026). Use one application for each death record. Check your relationship in Part 1 (VS 112).
For an authorized copy, sign the sworn statement in front of a notary. It is page 5 of the application. CDPH also posts it as form VS 20 (CDPH; CDPH copy types). Without it, an authorized-copy request is returned unprocessed (CDPH copy types). One sworn statement covers several records requested at the same time if it names each person (VS 112).
Pay $26 per copy by check or money order in US dollars, drawn on a US bank, payable to CDPH Vital Records. Do not send cash (CDPH fees; VS 112).
Mail it to the address below.

CDPH-VR contact	Detail	Source
Mailing address	California Department of Public Health, Vital Records - MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410	CDPH
Phone	(916) 445-2684, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM	VS 112
Email	[email protected]	VS 112

If you sign the sworn statement outside the United States, a foreign notary's seal needs an apostille, unless a US consular officer notarizes it (VS 112).

Can I order online?

Not from CDPH. Since July 1, 2026, CDPH no longer accepts applications sent through online third-party vendors and processes only mailed applications (CDPH). CDPH's main death-record page still lists an "Electronic Request" option that links to that notice (CDPH). The notice is the current rule.

Counties can still take online orders. Los Angeles County processes online requests through VitalChek, which charges a handling fee on top of the copy fee and may ask for the notarized Certificate of Identity (LA County). For another county, use the link on that county's own site, found through the CDPH county directory.

Ordering in Los Angeles County

The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk keeps Los Angeles County death records from 1877 on (LA County). The City of Long Beach keeps records for only one year after the death. After that, order from the county (CDPH county directory).

Method	What to do	Source
Mail	Send the county's Application for Death Record, a notarized Certificate of Identity for an authorized copy, and a check or money order payable to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, to Birth, Death and Marriage Records Section, PO Box 489, Norwalk, CA 90651-0489. No cash	LA County mail request
In person	Apply online, then book an appointment, up to three weeks ahead. Bring a valid photo ID. Deaths from 1995 on are issued at the appointment; 1877 to 1994 records and all informational copies are mailed within 20 business days. Cards carry a $1.75 service fee	LA County in person
Online	Through VitalChek, linked from the county's page	LA County online

If you live outside California, ask the notary to strike out "California" on the Certificate of Identity and write in the state where it is notarized. Los Angeles County accepts it (LA County).

Can the funeral home order them for me?

Yes. A funeral home employee can order authorized copies for the surviving spouse, children, parents, siblings and the others with the right to control disposition (§ 103526(c)(3)(B)). When it orders for the health care agent, spouse, adult children, parents or adult siblings, the funeral home does not need a notarized statement (§ 103526(e)(2)). When you ask the funeral home to order, you vouch for your relationship to the person who died and are personally liable if it is untrue (§ 103526(d)).

For everything else to do in the first weeks, see the checklist for when a parent dies in California.

The Estate Desk handles this for California families. theestatedesk.com