OldRecordsGuide

California birth, death, marriage and divorce records: where to look

Last verified: · California Department of Public Health, Vital Records (CDPH-VR)

California keeps birth and death records at the state office back to July 1905, but its marriage and divorce holdings have gaps: marriage certificates are missing for 2000 and 2002 to 2007, and the state only has divorce face sheets for 1962 through June 1984. Counties are the other main source.

At a glance

RecordYears at the stateFee
BirthEvery birth in California since July 1905. [3]$31 per copy at the state office (fees rose January 1, 2026). Counties set their own fees. [7][8]
DeathEvery death in California since July 1905. [4]$26 per copy at the state office. [7]
MarriagePublic marriages 1905 to 1999, 2001, and 2008 to 2025. The state cannot supply 2000 or 2002 to 2007; ask the county. [5]$19 per copy at the state office. [7]
Divorce1962 through June 1984 only. The certificate lists the names, filing date, county and case number, not the decree. [6]$18 per copy at the state office. [7]

Superscript numbers point to the official page each fact came from, listed at the bottom of this page.

Birth records

Where it is kept
The state office (CDPH-VR) or the county office where the birth was registered. [3][9]
Years covered
Every birth in California since July 1905. [3]
Who can get a certified copy
An authorized copy goes to the person named, or a parent, guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner (plus attorneys, agencies and others the law lists); it needs a notarized sworn statement. Anyone else can get an informational copy, stamped "Informational, Not a Valid Document to Establish Identity." [2]
Fee
$31 per copy at the state office (fees rose January 1, 2026). Counties set their own fees. [7][8]
Processing time
The state office averages 4 to 6 weeks; the state page says the county office is often faster. [8]

State birth records page County registrar and recorder directory

Death records

Where it is kept
The state office or the county office where the death was registered. [4][9]
Years covered
Every death in California since July 1905. [4]
Who can get a certified copy
Same authorized-versus-informational split as birth records. [2]
Fee
$26 per copy at the state office. [7]
Processing time
Not stated separately for death records; the state's general average is 4 to 6 weeks. [8]

State death records page

Marriage records

Where it is kept
The state office for public marriages in the years it holds, otherwise the County Recorder in the county that issued the license. [5]
Years covered
Public marriages 1905 to 1999, 2001, and 2008 to 2025. The state cannot supply 2000 or 2002 to 2007; ask the county. [5]
Who can get a certified copy
Same authorized-versus-informational split. Confidential marriages are only available from the County Clerk where the license was issued, and only to the two people named. [2][5]
Fee
$19 per copy at the state office. [7]
Processing time
Not confirmed on the official pages we read.

State marriage records page

Divorce records

Where it is kept
The state office has only a Certificate of Record; the actual decree comes from the Superior Court in the county where the divorce happened. [6]
Years covered
1962 through June 1984 only. The certificate lists the names, filing date, county and case number, not the decree. [6]
Who can get a certified copy
Not confirmed on the official pages we read.
Fee
$18 per copy at the state office. [7]
Processing time
Not confirmed on the official pages we read.

State divorce records page

About ordering online

Effective July 1, 2026, the state office stopped accepting applications submitted through online third-party vendors and only processes mail applications. A vendor may mail your application to the state or send it to the county; the state says it cannot assist with a vendor's fees, refunds or corrections. Apply directly through the state page above, or through the county. [10]

Archives and other places to look

The National Archives describes FamilySearch.org as free with account creation (see our census page), but we could not open FamilySearch's own pages, so we do not describe what it holds for California.

Historical newspapers

The Library of Congress's Chronicling America lists 86 digitized newspaper titles published in California, with issues dated from April 19, 1851 to December 26, 1963. Coverage is uneven inside that span: it is a list of titles, not a promise that every town or year is there. Chronicling America includes select digitized newspapers through 1963.

Browse California titles at the Library of Congress

New to newspaper research? See our guide to finding old newspapers (obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements).

Counts come from the Library of Congress's "All Digitized Titles" list, read October 27, 2026. The Library of Congress says it believes these newspapers are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions.

How we verified this page

Last verified October 27, 2026. Offices change fees and rules without notice. If something here no longer matches the official page, trust the official page.

Confirmed on official pages

Could not verify

Sources

  1. CDPH Vital Records home Official state page read 2026-10-27
  2. CDPH: Authorized vs. informational copy Official state page read 2026-10-27
  3. CDPH: Birth records Official state page read 2026-10-27
  4. CDPH: Death records Official state page read 2026-10-27
  5. CDPH: Marriage records Official state page read 2026-10-27
  6. CDPH: Divorce records Official state page read 2026-10-27
  7. CDPH: Vital Records fees Official state page read 2026-10-27
  8. CDPH: Processing times Official state page read 2026-10-27
  9. CDPH: County registrars and recorders directory Official state page read 2026-10-27
  10. CDPH: Online third-party vendor notice Official state page read 2026-10-27
  11. California State Archives Official state page read 2026-10-27