How Do You Order a Birth Certificate in California?

The California rule in one table

| Official office | California Department of Public Health, Vital Records (CDPH-VR), Sacramento | | Fee per copy | 31 dollars per certified copy, authorized or informational, effective January 1, 2026 | | Form | VS 111, Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record | | Mail time | 4 to 6 weeks average from receipt for a certified copy request | | County route | Often faster than the state office, at the birth county registrar-recorder office | | Copy types | Authorized copy, good to prove identity, or certified informational copy, which is not good to prove identity |

What makes California different

California is the two copy trap state. An authorized copy and a certified informational copy are both certified. Both cost 31 dollars. But only the authorized copy proves who you are. The informational copy is marked Informational, Not a Valid Document to Establish Identity. It cannot prove identity. Pick the wrong type and you pay twice.

The second California difference is who can get which copy. Authorized copies go only to people named in Health and Safety Code section 103526. That list covers the registrant, a parent, a legal guardian, a child, a grandparent, a grandchild, a sibling, a spouse, or a domestic partner. It also covers lawyers acting for the registrant and some government requesters. An authorized copy needs a sworn statement, signed before a notary, that says you are eligible, under penalty of perjury. Anyone can get an informational copy, with no sworn statement. County offices may also be faster than the state office. The state office itself says so.

The process, step by step

1. Decide which copy you need. Pick an authorized copy to prove identity. Pick an informational copy for family history or records.
2. Fill out form VS 111. Add the sworn statement, signed before a notary, if you order an authorized copy.
3. Mail the form with a check or money order payable to CDPH Vital Records. Do not send cash.
4. Allow 4 to 6 weeks on average from receipt. If the county office holds the record, order from the birth county registrar-recorder. That is often faster.

Ordering in the other states

Birth certificate ordering follows the same shape in every state, but the office, the fee, and the wait change at the state line. See How to Order a Birth Certificate in Texas and How to Order a Birth Certificate in Florida. For all seven states side by side, see the Birth Certificates by State directory.

Source

Fee, form, and mail time on this page come from the California Department of Public Health: the fees page, main page, and processing times page. Facts verified 2026-10-26.

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 a lawyer or your state agency.