Death certificates in California
Who can order certified copies, what they cost, how long they take, and where the official form lives.
Last updated May 11, 2026. Sources are linked at the bottom of the page.
Why you'll need more copies than you expect
Nearly every institution that held something in the person's name will ask for a certified copy of the death certificate: banks, life insurers, pension plans, the Social Security Administration, the DMV, the county recorder for real estate, and the probate court. Most of them keep the copy. A photocopy is usually not accepted. Families commonly need somewhere between five and fifteen certified copies, and it is cheaper to order them together than one at a time later.
Ordering in California
| Agency that issues them | California Department of Public Health, Vital Records |
|---|---|
| Official ordering page | cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx |
| Cost of the first certified copy | approx $26 first certified copy |
| Cost of each additional copy | approx $26 per additional copy |
| Standard processing time | approx 4–8 weeks by mail; faster via county registrar in county of death |
| Expedited option | expedited service often available via approved online vendor |
| Ways to order | online (where available), mail, in person at vital records office |
Who is allowed to order a certified copy
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If you are not on this list, the usual route is to ask someone who is, or to have the attorney handling the estate request copies.
Who files the original, and when
You do not file the death certificate yourself. The funeral home, direct disposer, or facility that takes custody of the body files it with the state, and the doctor or medical examiner completes the cause-of-death section. In california, the filing deadline is: Within 8 calendar days of death (Cal. H&S Code §102775). Certified copies can only be issued after that filing is accepted, which is why there is usually a short wait after the death before copies are available.
Want this organized for your situation? The free walkthrough asks a few questions about who died, where, and your relationship to them, and builds a checklist for the first days and weeks in California.
More for California
- Probate and small estates
- When there is no will
- Cremation rules
- Estate taxes and life insurance
- All California topics
Primary sources
- California Department of Public Health, Vital Records: cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx