Vital Records

The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) maintains birth, death, fetal death/still birth, marriage, and divorce records for California. Services provided by CDPH-VR include issuing certified copies of California vital records and registering and amending vital records as authorized by law.

Once an order has been accepted for processing, CDPH-VR does not cancel or refund orders.

CDPH-VR sends all vital records via First Class Mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). CDPH-VR is not responsible for any lost, misdirected, or undelivered mail by USPS or any other delivery service.

Effective January 1, 2026, fees for certified copies have increased.  For more information, visit CDPH - VR’s  Fees webpage.​

For current processing times, please visit CDPH-VR's Processing Times webpage. ​

Registration ​​

• Birth, Death, Fetal Death, Still Birth & Marriage Certificates
• Correcting and Amending Vital Records
• Adoptions or Changes in Paternity
• Types of Marriage Licenses
• California Marriage License, Registration and Ceremony Information
• Vital Records Registration Branch
• Vital Record Applications (Forms)

Certified Copies

• Vital Records Important Information
• Authorized Copy vs. Informational Copy
• Vital Record Fees
• Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Birth & Death Records
• Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Marriage & Divorce Records
• Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Fetal Death & Still Birth Records
• Vital Records Processing Times
• Sworn Statement
• Assembly Bill (AB) 1733 (How to obtain copies of birth certificates for homeless individuals)
• Obtaining Vital Records for County Offices
• Vital Records Issuance and Preservation Branch

General Information

• County Registrars and Recorders
• Vital Records Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• California Marriage License General Information
• Marriage Officiant Frequently Asked Questions
• Center for Health Statistics and Informatics (CHSI)