Data Applications and Dictionaries

A Guide to Requesting Custom Data Files

Before starting your application to acquire record-level data on births and deaths from California’s Vital Statistics (birth, death, fetal death, or birth cohort), review the information below. We encourage you to check out the data already publicly available on our Vital Statistics Data page, as ODP and Cal-ViDa may have information relevant to the type of data you are looking for.

Vital Statistics Applications

The California Department of Public Health Vital Statistics Applications (CDPH VSA) allows you to:

Access and review previously submitted applications, associated forms and documents
Track the status of submitted applications and studies
Access personnel listed on the application with access to associated studies
Submit an online Vital Statistics Applications (CDPH VSA):

Record-Level Data applications

Custom Record-Level Data applications

Custom Tabular Data applications

Once registered in CDPH VSA, we recommend you review the Vital Statistics Application FAQ and Data Product Guidance Tool pages to determine the data product and associated application most suitable for your research purpose.

Am I eligible to request vital statistics data?

See the Vital Statistic Application Grid by Requestor Type for the appropriate data application for you
Review the Anti-Fraud Data Requirements to see if you qualify

Is there an overview of data costs?

Find pricing information on the Cost Model for Vital Records Data page
Custom file production pricing is re-evaluated each fiscal year and a notification is sent through the Listserv if there are changes

What data fields are included in the dataset?

For Anti-Fraud and Public Use data fields, see the Vital Statistics Application Types section
For custom file data fields, see the Request Data Dictionaries
Note: As part of your application, use the appropriate Request Data Dictionary (EXCEL) to choose your data fields and provide reasons for your selections

How do I get a birth, death, or marriage certificate?

Contact the Vital Records Registration Branch (VRRB) - they register, maintain, and issue certified copies of vital records like birth, death, marriage, and fetal death certificates

Vital Statistics Application Types

Application	Details	How to Apply
Anti-Fraud Birth	Data fields: First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, and Mother’s Maiden Name Years Available: 1905 - current Visit our Data Types and Limitations page to learn more about Anti-Fraud data (contents, limitations, usage)	Apply via CDPH VSA
Anti-Fraud Death	Data fields: First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Place of Death, Date of Death, Mother’s Maiden Name, Social Security Number, and Father’s Last Name Years Available: 1905 - current Visit our Data Types and Limitations page to learn more about Anti-Fraud data (contents, limitations, usage)	Apply via CDPH VSA
Public Use Birth	Data fields: First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, and Place of Birth Years Available: 1905 - current Visit our Data Types and Limitations page to learn more about Public Use data (contents, limitations, usage)	Apply via CDPH VSA
Public Use Death	Data fields: First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Place of Death, Date of Death, and Father’s Last Name Years Available: 1905 - current Visit our Data Types and Limitations page to learn more about Public Use data (contents, limitations, usage)	Apply via CDPH VSA
Public Use Marriage	Data fields: Date of Marriage, Last Name of Groom, First Name of Groom, Middle Initial of Groom, Last Name of Bride, First Name of Bride, Middle Initial of Bride Years Available: 1960 – 2023; data is not available from 1986-2007 and future data is not allowed	Apply via CDPH VSA
New Research Projects	For use by scientific researchers Data fields: See Request Data Dictionaries	Apply via CDPH VSA and CPHS IRB Manager
Continuing Projects	For changes to any existing application Access your CDPH VSA account and complete a 'Continuing Application Form'	Access CDPH VSA account
Business Use Case Proposal (BUCP)	For California State governmental agencies and HCAI data requests If you are interested in vital statistics data please email HIRS@cdph.ca.gov to set up a meeting with CDPH Research and Analytics Branch (RAB); staff will walk you through the BUCP application process and BUCP-template expectations Data fields: See Request Data Dictionaries	Email HIRS to initiate
Local Health Departments (LHD)	For California Local Health Departments Data fields: See Request Data Dictionaries	Apply via CDPH VSA
California Cancer Registry (CCR)	For researchers requesting vital records death data linked to CCR records Visit the CCR website to learn about the application process and view data fields First, contact hs-ccrresearch@ou.ad3.ucdavis.edu for information about CCR data After the CCR authorizes your project, submit an online application through CDPH VSA to obtain the Vital Statistics Advisory Committee's (VSAC) approval	Email the CCR to initiate Apply via CDPH VSA and CPHS IRB Manager
Tabulated Data	For custom tabulated, de-identified vital records data Vital events (like births or deaths), stratified by certain criteria, aggregated to show totals Data fields: See Request Data Dictionaries	Apply via CDPH VSA

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Vital Statistic Application Grid by Requestor Type

Requestor or Organization	Research	Government (nonresearch)	Public Use	Anti-fraud	CDPH Program (BUCP)	Local Health Dept.	California Cancer Registry (CCR)	Tabular
Researchers	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	Yes
Student with Sponsor	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	Yes
Universities	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	Yes
Government Agency	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	Yes
Media	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes
Public	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes
Law Enforcement	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes
Fraud Prevention Agencies	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes
Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes
Officers of the Court	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes
School District	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes
Local Health Department	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	Yes
Other CDPH programs	Yes	-	Yes	-	Yes	-	Yes	Yes
Mortuaries/Funeral Homes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes
Health Care Service Plans, Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans, Licensed Health Insurers, Physician Organizations, Health Facilities	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes

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Anti-Fraud Data Requirements

Below are the eligibility criteria that organizations must meet to access fraud data.

California Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section102230(c)(5) as follows:

Financial institutions, as defined in Section 6827(4)(A) and (B) of Title 15 of the United States Code, its representatives or contractors.
Consumer credit reporting agencies, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 1785.3 of the Civil Code, its representatives or contractors.
Entities providing information services for purposes of law enforcement or preventing fraud.
Officers of the court for the sole purpose of verifying a death.
Persons or entities acting on behalf of law enforcement agencies or the court, or pursuant to a courtorder.

Or California Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 102230(c)(6) as follows:

A health care service plan as defined in the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2)
A Medi-Cal managed care plan contracted with the State Department of Health Care Services to provide full scope benefits to a Medi-Cal enrollee pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) or Chapter 8.75 (commencing with Section 14591) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
A health insurer licensed to provide health insurance as defined in Section 106 of the Insurance Code.
A physician organization as defined in Section 127500.2.
A health facility as defined in Section 1250, including a general acute care hospital.

Please note that in accordance with California Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 102232(a) as follow:

Any person who violates Section 102230 or 102231 may be denied further access to the indices or data files maintained by the department.
Any person who violates Section 102230 or 102231 is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed one year, or a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both the imprisonment and fine, for each violation.
The penalties described in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not be construed to limit any other remedies provided by law.

For information regarding the availability of data and the data request process, see the Vital Statistics Request Guide (PDF).
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Request Data Dictionaries

Data Product	Year	Request Data Dictionary
Birth	2018–Current 1960–2017	CCBF/CCMBF Request Data Dictionary v3.5 (EXCEL) BSMF Request Data Dictionary (EXCEL)
Birth Cohort	1982–2022	Birth Cohort Request Data Dictionary (EXCEL)
Death	2005–Current 1970–2013	CCDF/CCMDF Request Data Dictionary v3.5 (EXCEL) 1970–2013 DSMF Data Dictionary (EXCEL)
Fetal Death	2023 1970–2022	CCFDF Request Data Dictionary v2 (EXCEL), v3.5 in progress FDSMF Request Data Dictionary (EXCEL)
Multiple Causes of Death (MCOD)	1970–2018	MCOD Layouts are provided by CDC and can be accessed through the CDC website

Make sure to fully complete the 'Request Data Dictionary' for the data product you are requesting and explain why each variable is needed.

Note: Refer to the Birth and Death Data Source Comparison Charts on the Data and Limitations page for detailed data source descriptions.

Please contact Health Information and Research Section (HIRS) for assistance if the 'Request Data Dictionary' is not available. HIRS is currently working on updating all of the Data Dictionaries and appreciates your patience during this transition.
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