U.S. Vital Records International Vital Records Adoption Resources Genealogy Help Surname Searches Investigators
Select a State or Territory: Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Canal Zone Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Virgin Islands Washington D.C. Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Search birth, death & marriage records Search Marriage and Divorce Records Here Search the Social Security Death Index

Obtain certified birth certificates from the State of California

Click here for current pricing

Records are available from the California Department of Public Health for births from 1905 to the present. You may also obtain certified copies of Vital Records directly from the County Recorder's Office, or Local Health Department for more recent Births. Most of the county offices can provide a faster processing time than the State office (often within one week). Also, many of the county offices will accept requests (using a credit card) by phone, fax, or on-line.

Application forms, eligibility requirements, fees, and additional information, including how to apply online or by fax with a credit card is available at California Vital Records.

Eligible Persons Who May Request a Record

• Person named on the birth record
• Legal representative
• Immediate family members (husband; wife; parent/step-parent; brother/sister/half brother/half sister; son or daughter; stepson/stepdaughter; grandparent/great grandparent (specify maternal or paternal); grandchild/great grandchild). If the person named on the birth record is deceased, a family member who is not an "immediate family member" must submit a copy of the death certificate to be eligible to receive the birth record. A step-parent or step-child is required to submit additional documentation supporting their relationship.
• Power of Attorney: If you have been granted Power of Attorney (POA) for the person named on the record, it will be necessary to submit a notarized POA document that contains the original signatures of the parties involved, including the original notary's signature and seal. If you do not wish to send the original POA, you may file the original notarized POA with the Clerk of Orphans' Court division of the Court of Common Pleas (usually in the county where the person granting the power of attorney resides) to obtain a certified copy of this document issued by the court. You may then submit the certified copy of the POA document that includes the seal of the court, to our office to process your request. We will return this document to you upon completion of your request. If you cannot comply with these instructions, an eligible requestor is required to apply for this record.

Information Required to Obtain a Birth Certificate

• Full name at birth of person named on the birth record (if name has changed since birth due to adoption, court order, or any other reason other than marriage, include changed name)
• Date of birth
• City and County of birth
• Gender of person named on birth record
• Parents' names, including mother’s maiden name
• Relationship to the person
• Reason for the request (if applicable, include specific information, such as name of foreign country for which certified copy is needed, etc.)
• Applicant's signature
• Applicant's daytime telephone number
• Applicant's mailing address