VS 111 is the Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record, listed by the California Department of Public Health on its vital records forms page. A Spanish version, VS 111 SP, is listed alongside it. The form is the application; the certified copy is issued after the application is processed.

How much does a VS 111 birth record copy cost?

$31 per copy, effective January 1, 2026, under Assembly Bill 64. The fee is listed on the California Department of Public Health Vital Records Fees page for VS 111, Certified Copy of Birth Record. If a record cannot be located, a Certificate of No Public Record is issued and the fee is retained as a search fee under state law.

Do I need a notarized statement with form VS 111?

For an authorized copy, yes. The Department states that to receive an authorized copy, the requester must complete the notarized sworn statement included with the application and sign the perjury statement. A request for an authorized copy without a notarized sworn statement will be rejected as incomplete and returned without being processed. An informational copy does not establish identity and cannot be used to obtain identification.

California VS-111 Form: Certified Copy of Birth Record

Form identity, verified on the Department's own pages

The California Department of Public Health lists "VS 111 (PDF) - Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record" on its forms page for birth, death, and marriage certificates, under Certified Copies Applications. The Spanish version is listed directly below it as "VS 111 SP (PDF)." The same form number appears on the Department's fees page: "VS 111 – Certified Copy of Birth Record | $31 per copy." Do not confuse VS 111 with the other VS forms on the same pages. VS 112 is the death record application, VS 113A is the marriage record application, and VS 20 is the separate sworn statement form. VS 111 is the birth record application only.

Authorized copy versus informational copy

The Department draws a sharp line. A certified authorized copy can be used to establish the identity of the person named on the certificate. A certified informational copy cannot be used to establish identity. An informational copy contains the same information as an authorized copy, but bears a legend across its face stating "Informational, Not a Valid Document to Establish Identity," and certain items may be redacted. Both are considered certified copies. Choose the copy type before filing, because the sworn statement requirement and the uses of the copy turn on that choice.

Only certain people can obtain an authorized copy under California law. The Department lists: the registrant or a parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the registrant; a party entitled to receive the record by court order, or an attorney or licensed adoption agency seeking the record to comply with Family Code sections 3140 or 7603, with a copy of the court order; a member of a law enforcement agency or representative of another governmental agency conducting official business, as provided by law; any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate, with a copy of the power of attorney or documentation identifying the requester as executor; an attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate; an agent or employee of a funeral establishment acting within the course and scope of employment on behalf of persons specified in Health and Safety Code section 7100(a)(1)-(8); and surviving next of kin as specified in Health and Safety Code section 7100. A person who cannot obtain an authorized copy can obtain an informational copy.

The sworn statement

To receive an authorized copy, the requester must complete the notarized sworn statement included with the application and sign the perjury statement. The Department states the consequence plainly: if an authorized copy is requested without a notarized sworn statement, the request will be rejected as incomplete and returned without being processed. The sworn statement form is VS 20, listed separately on the forms page, and the Department links an Application and Sworn Statement for the certified copy of a birth record from its authorized-copy page. Complete the statement, have it notarized, and include it with a mailed application. County offices handle the statement differently from the mail route: Sacramento County's page requires the notarized sworn statement for mail orders, and asks in-person applicants to complete an application and present a valid government-issued photo ID. Confirm the county office's practice before relying on it.

Fee and payment

The fee for VS 111 is $31 per copy, effective January 1, 2026, after an increase under Assembly Bill 64 (Chapter 662, Statutes of 2025). The Department's fees page states that requests received without the appropriate fee will be returned, that a check or money order must be made payable to CDPH Vital Records, that checks and money orders must be drawn on a United States bank, and that cash must not be sent. If a record cannot be located, the requester is issued a Certificate of No Public Record and the fee is retained as a search fee as authorized by state law. County offices may charge different fees; the Department's processing-times page tells applicants using the state form at a county office to check with the county office first to confirm the county's certified copy fees.

Where to file: by mail to the state office, or at the county office

Effective July 1, 2026, CDPH-VR no longer accepts applications submitted through online third-party vendors. The Department states it only processes applications submitted by mail. A vendor may mail the application to CDPH-VR or send it electronically to the county where the event occurred. The Department cannot assist with fees, refunds, corrections, or other services offered by third-party companies.

Mail the completed VS 111 application, the notarized sworn statement for an authorized copy, and payment to CDPH-VR at the mailing address printed on the VS 111 application form. This guide does not reproduce a mailing address, because no address was stated on the Department pages opened for this guide; use the address on the current form. Alternatively, file at the county recorder or county health department office for the county where the birth occurred. The Department's processing-times page states that a certificate can often be obtained more quickly from the county office, and its important-information page suggests requesting birth copies from the county office for the first 3 months after the event, because state copies are only available after the record has been recorded by the county recorder.

The state office's average time to process a certified copy request is 4 to 6 weeks, counted from when the Department receives the request. Processing times may increase as request volume increases.

Confidential copies

The confidential section of a birth record is restricted and contains confidential medical and social information. The Department states that the individuals authorized to obtain a confidential copy are the person named on the birth certificate; the parent who signed the birth certificate or, if no parent signed it, the mother; and the person who has petitioned to adopt the person named on the certificate of live birth, subject to the cited Health and Safety Code and Family Code sections. To request a birth certificate containing the confidential information, write "Confidential Copy" on the application form. The Department states this is for mail-in requests only.

Source

Facts verified 2026-11-03. The CDPH mailing address is omitted because it was not stated on the Department pages opened for this guide; use the address printed on the current VS 111 form. The VS 111 form itself is a PDF linked from the Department's forms page and was not opened line by line for this guide; form identity, fee, copy types, and filing route are stated on the Department's HTML pages listed above.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to the California Department of Public Health, Vital Records.

What Is the California VS-111 Form?