Important New Changes Regarding your Birth Certificate

New State laws were enacted to help protect against identify theft which can involve the issuance of birth and death records. This legislation requires notarization of applications for these records when requested by mail. It also eliminates our ability to accept phone orders.

Effective July 1, 2003, California State Law, Health and Safety Code, Section 103526, permits only an authorized person to receive a Certified Copy of a birth certificate.

Those who are not authorized by law, will receive a certified Informational Copy marked "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY".

Those who are authorized by law to receive a Certified Copy are:

• The registrant, a parent or legal guardian of the registrant
• A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record in order to comply with the requirement of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family Code.
• A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
• A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant.
• An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute, or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate.

Birth Certificates Requested in Person

Birth certificates may be purchased at any of our locations as long as the birth occurred in the County of San Diego. You will be asked to complete a form and sign in the presence of a County Clerk. Your signature does not need to be notarized. You will need the following information:

• The full name as stated on the birth certificate.
• The mother's full MAIDEN name.
• The date of birth.

If you are one of the authorized persons listed above, you will receive a Certified Copy. If you are not an authorized person you will receive a certified Informational Copy marked "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY".

Please be sure to send complete and accurate information.

The cost of each birth certificate is $19.00 and is not refundable even if the record is not found. Please wait 3 weeks after the baby is born to request a certificate. Payment may be made with cash or by check/money order made payable to the “San Diego Recorder/Clerk”.

You may obtain a certified copy at any of our office locations.

Se habla español.

Birth Certificates Requested by Mail

If you wish to order a birth certificate by mail and the birth occurred in the County of San Diego, please download and complete the "Application for Birth Record by Mail" form. This is a two-page form.

You will be asked for the following information:

• The full name as stated on the birth certificate.
• The mother's full MAIDEN name.
• The date of birth.

If you need a Certified Copy, you must be an authorized person (see the above list). Please sign the Statement of Identity in the presence of a notary so the notary can sign the Certificate of Acknowledgement. The notary is not certifying the relationship, only that you are the person requesting the copy. Only one notarization is required even though the requestor may have a different authorized relationship to each record being requested. (i.e. Mother on one request, Registrant on another request, etc.). Please complete where you would like the documents sent and number of copies.

If you are requesting a certified "Informational Copy" of the record, you are not required to have your signature notarized.

Please be sure to send complete and accurate information.

The cost of each birth certificate is $19.00 and is not refundable even if the record is not found. Please wait 3 weeks after baby is born to request a certificate. Payment may be made by check/money order made payable to the “San Diego Recorder/Clerk”.

Please send your completed request with the appropriate fee to:

San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk
Attn: Birth Records
P.O. Box 121750
San Diego, CA 92112-1750

The document(s) will be mailed to you in two to three weeks.

Important New Changes Regarding your Death Certificate

New State laws were enacted to help protect against identify theft which can involve the issuance of birth and death records. This legislation requires notarization of applications for these records when requested by mail. It also eliminates our ability to accept phone orders.

Effective July 1, 2003, California State Law, Health and Safety Code, Section 103526, permits only an authorized person to receive a Certified Copy of a death certificate.

Those who are not authorized by law, will receive a certified Informational Copy marked "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY".

Those who are authorized by law to receive a Certified Copy are

•  The parent or legal guardian of the registrant
•  A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record in order to comply with the requirement of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family Code.
•  A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
•  A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant.
•  An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute, or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate.
•  Any funeral director who orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of any individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100.

Death Certificates Requested in Person

Death certificates may be purchased at any of our locations as long as the death occurred in the County of San Diego. You will be asked to complete a form and sign in the presence of a County Clerk. Your signature does not need to be notarized. You will need the following information:

1.  The full name of decedent.
2.  The date of death.

If you are one of the authorized persons listed above, you will receive a Certified Copy. If you are not an authorized person you will receive a certified Informational Copy marked "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY".

Please be sure to send complete and accurate information.

The cost for each death certificate is $12.00 and is not refundable even if the record is not found. Please wait 3 weeks after date of event before submitting your request. Payment may be made with cash or by check/money order made payable to the “San Diego Recorder/Clerk”.

You may obtain a certified copy at any of our office locations.

Se habla español.

Death Certificates Requested by Mail

If you wish to order a death certificate by mail and the death occurred in the County of San Diego, please download and complete the "Application for Death Record by Mail" form. This is a two-page form.

You will be asked for the following information:

•  The full name of the decedent.
•  The date of death.

If you need a Certified Copy, you must be an authorized person (see the above list). Please sign the Statement of Identity in the presence of a notary so the notary can sign the Certificate of Acknowledgement. The notary is not certifying the relationship, only that you are the person requesting the copy. Only one notarization is required even though the requestor may have a different authorized relationship to each record being requested. (i.e. Mother on one request, Registrant on another request, etc.). Please complete where you would like the documents sent and number of copies.

If you are requesting a certified "Informational Copy" of the record, you are not required to have your signature notarized.

Please be sure to send complete and accurate information.

The cost for each death certificate is $12.00 and is not refundable even if the record is not found. Please wait 3 weeks after date of event before submitting your request. Payment may be made by check/money order made payable to the “San Diego Recorder/Clerk”.

Please send your completed request with the appropriate fee to:

San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk
Attn: Death Records
P.O. Box 121750
San Diego, CA 92112-1750

The document(s) will be mailed to you in two to three weeks.

CREDIT CARD REQUESTS:

Express orders, for those in need of a fast turnaround time, can contact VitalChek.

VitalChek Network, www.vitalchek.com is a private company that provides a secure Internet site, which allows the public to conveniently order vital records 24 hours a day.

You may place your request over the Internet or fax a request to (866) 233-1057, if you have one of the following credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover. Emergency orders will be processed within 5 working days of receipt of the Certificate of Identity.

If you would like to place your order by phone and pay with a credit card or check, this service is available Monday thru Friday during regular business hours, please call VitalChek toll free at (877) 459-1061. Please be advised that shipping and handling fees will apply.