Processing Times
The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) estimated processing times for certified copies or amendment of vital records are listed below, which may occasionally increase as the volume of requests increases. The processing time begins when CDPH-VR receives your request.
Requests for Certified Copies
CDPH-VR’s average time to process a certified copy request is 5 to 7 weeks. Because of the large volume of requests processed at CDPH-VR, you can
often obtain your certificate more quickly from the county office. For
contact information, please see the County Registrar and Recorder Directory. If you are using our CDPH-VR application form - but
are submitting your request to a county office for processing - please first
check with the county office to confirm county's certified copy fees, as
they may be different from CDPH-VR fees.
Requests for Amendments
CDPH-VR’s average time to process an amendment request is 9 to 11 weeks (processing times for incomplete requests will vary).
- For incomplete requests, it takes approximately 12 to 14 weeks from the date received to issue a letter requesting the outstanding required documentation.
- Once the required documents are received, it takes approximately 8 to 10 weeks for a request to be completed and mailed from our office.
- For requests to be processed within this time frame, outstanding documents must be submitted by mail or email with “ATTN: ART” clearly indicated.