How California Death Records Work

California sells death certificates to anyone, immediately — the catch is which kind. Authorized copies are limited to family and legal representatives; everyone else gets an 'informational certified copy' with a legend across the face and the SSN redacted. Anyone may order the informational certified copy; it proves the facts of death but is not valid to establish identity.

CDPH mail processing can run 10–12 weeks — the county recorder in the county of death sells the same record far faster. Content reviewed July 30, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.

Where to Order

California Department of Public Health – Vital Records
Official Free
The official record holder — forms, fees, and eligibility straight from the source, without third-party markup.
🌐 cdph.ca.gov
CDC — Where to Write for Vital Records
Official Free
The federal directory of every state's vital records office — the authoritative answer to 'where do I order' for any state and any year.
🌐 www.cdc.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

When do California death certificates become public?
California sells death certificates to anyone, immediately — the catch is which kind.
What can non-family requesters get?
Anyone may order the informational certified copy; it proves the facts of death but is not valid to establish identity.
Can I search California deaths online for free?
The free California Death Index covering 1940–1997 is hosted on the major genealogy platforms.
What if I just need to confirm a death or find an obituary?
Skip the certificate entirely: newspaper obituaries (many are indexed by library databases), the Social Security death index carried on the big genealogy platforms, and probate case files in the county court that handled the estate all confirm a death without touching the vital records queue.

Related California Records

The California vital records page covers the full birth-marriage-death picture; birth certificates follow their own (usually longer) privacy clock; probate lives in California court records; and people search shows how death records fit a full person lookup. County pages list the local offices that issue copies.