Order your California (CA) Birth Certificate Online

Order your California (CA) Birth Certificate online in a few easy steps. Get a certified copy of your vital records delivered straight to your home.

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The California Department of Public Health, Vital Records (CDPH-VR), issues certified copies of birth certificates to citizens born in the state of California. It also holds records of other life events such as marriage licenses and death certificates.

If you lost your birth certificate, or if your certificate is damaged or was somehow destroyed, you can expedite a California Birth Certificate Replacement.

To get a certified copy of your birth certificate, you do not need to go to a California vital records office.

Getting a birth certificate replacement has never been easier. You can apply for a new copy of your birth certificate comfortably from your phone, tablet or computer.

Types of birth certificates in California

There are two types of birth certificates you can request in California:

Certified Copy of Birth Certificate in California

The certified copy of a birth certificate is often needed for the following reasons:

  • Applying for a passport
  • Getting a social security number
  • U.S. citizenship
  • Enrolling in school
  • Getting a driver's license
  • Applying for benefits

There are many other reasons why you may need a certified copy of your birth certificate, getting married is another example.

To request a certified copy certificate, you must provide a notarized sworn statement declaring that you are authorized by law to receive the certified copy.

Informational Copy of Birth Certificate in California

If you are not authorized to apply for an authorized copy, you can still obtain an informational copy of their birth certificate.

However, this copy will have the words “Informational, not a valid document to establish identity” imprinted across the face of the copy.

Depending on the year of the birth, signatures and Social Security numbers are redacted. Most people use informational copies for genealogy purposes.

California Birth Certificate Used As Proof of Identity

As of May 7, 2025, U.S. citizens and residents must have a REAL ID-compliant driving license or ID card to enter federal facilities and board a commercial aircraft.

Requirements to obtain a REAL ID may include proof of identity, such as a certified copy of the birth certificate.

How to Get a Birth Certificate in California

Getting a birth certificate in California can be a straightforward process. However, you need to meet the requirements.

When you order your birth certificate with us, you avoid a trip to the vital records' office, saving you time and money.

The CDPH-VR office issues authorized and informational copies of a birth certificate. A certified copy is always issued by a person appointed by the California Health and Safety Code.

Furthermore, a certified copy has an official state registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, the registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office.

The state of California and the Health Department require that you verify your identity by notarizing your application.

To get a Certified Copy you must complete the sworn statement included in your application package. Next, you must sign it in front of a notary public.

Once you have completed the sworn statement, and have signed your application you must mail it to:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

california birth certificate

There are several vital records offices in California where you can obtain a birth certificate such as: Alameda County, Chula Vista, Contra Costa County, Fresno County, Los Angeles County, Monterey County, Orange County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, San Mateo County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, Sonoma County, Ventura County, Tulare County, Kern County, and cities like Long Beach, Concord, City of Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, San Diego, Stockton, Santa Barbara County, Anaheim, Santa Ana, City of Los Angeles, City of Fresno, Irvine, among others.

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How to Request an Apostille

The California Secretary of State provides an Apostille to authenticate California public official’s signatures on documents that will be used outside the U.S.

There are two ways in which you can request an apostille Birth Certificate in California: by mail and in person (in Sacramento and California).

The fee is USD 20.00 for each Apostille requested as well as an additional handling fee of USD 6.00. It is not possible to pay with cash, but you may pay with check, money order, and a Visa or Mastercard.

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By Mail: You can request an apostille by mail through the Sacramento office and providing

the following requirements:

  • A document signed by a California public official or an original notarized and or certified document
  • A cover sheet, stating the country where the document will be used
  • A check or money order payable to Secretary of State for a total amount of USD 20.00 per Apostille requested
  • A self-addressed envelope for the processed document to be returned. You may use a mail tracking service but need to provide a pre-paid postage

Mail documents via the United States Postal Service should be sent to:

Notary Public Section
P.O. Box 942877
Sacramento, CA 94277–0001

Documents being mailed via any other service (e.g. Fedex, UPS, DHL) can be sent to this address:

Notary Public Section
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Documents are generally processed within 8 to 10 business days from the date they were received.

In Person: You can request an apostille in person in Sacramento and California offices.

Secretary of State (Sacramento)
1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

Secretary of State (California)
300 South Spring Street, Room 12513
California, CA 90013

To request them in person, head to one of the offices listed above between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Requests are processed on a first come, first served basis.

Important: If a birth certificate has the signature of a Health Officer or Country Registrar prior to presenting the document for authentication, one of the following is required:

  • The birth certificate must be certified by the county clerk’s office in the county where it was issued, or
  • You can request a certified copy of your birth certificate from the State California Department of Public Health

Who Can Apply for A California Birth Certificate?

To apply for a certified copy of a birth certificate, you must meet eligibility requirements.

People who can order a certified copy of a California birth certificate include the following:

  • The certificate holder, a parent or legal guardian of the certificate holder.
  • A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the certificate holder.
  • A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
  • A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record.
  • An attorney representing the certificate holder or the certificate holder’s estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the certificate holder or the certificate holder's estate.

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California Birth Certificate Cost

Obtaining a certified copy of a California birth certificate carries a cost. In California, the fee of the birth certificate is: $29, each additional copy also costs $29.

While some states offer rush service, the state of California currently does not offer rush service. Do take this into consideration when requesting your vital records.

California Birth Certificate Processing Times

The California Department of Public Health - Vital Records (CDPH-VR) estimated processing times for certified copies of birth certificates vary according to a few factors.

Below you will find a detailed list of estimated times. If the office is experiencing a high number of requests, it is possible that applications may take longer to process.

The processing time will start when the CDPH-VR receives your request.

When using our service, you can avoid trips to the vital records office and queuing all day.

To expedite the processing of your birth certificate, complete our form in less than 5 minutes and mail it to the respective California vital records office.

Once your application is processed, it will be mailed back to your home address.

View the table below to find out the processing time and to choose the correct application method for your date of birth:

Year of birth Type of request Processing time
1905 – 1964 Electronic Submission 4 to 4.5 Weeks
Mail-In Request 5 to 5.5 Weeks
1965 – 2019 ​ Electronic Submission 2 to 2.5 Weeks
Mail-In Request 3 to 3.5 Weeks

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California Vital Records Offices

Below is a complete list of Vital Records offices in California and County Recorders who can provide Birth Certificate copies. Keep in mind that County Recorder Offices may not be near you, but they can sometimes process the requests faster than the CDPH-VR.

FAQs about California Birth Certificates

  • How to get a birth certificate in California?

    Getting a certified copy of a California birth certificate is easy. Fill out our simplified application form in approximately 5 minutes.

    Your form will be revised and sent back to you error-free and ready to print along with a set of personalized instructions.

    You will need a notarized sworn letter confirming your identity. Once you have completed this step you can print and sign your form.

    Gather all the documents listed in the personalized instructions, your signed form, and mail them to the respective vital records office in California.

    Once your request is processed, your birth certificate will be sent to your home.

    Please note: This is part of the standard process. We also offer premium service in which we take care of getting all your documents ready.

  • How long does it take to get a birth certificate in California?

    Processing time for a certified copy of a California birth certificate varies depending on several factors.

    Certificate bearers born between 1905 and 1957 have a longer waiting time than those born from 1958 to the present.

    In general, CA birth certificate applications are usually processed within 5-7 weeks.

    Please note: If after 7 weeks an application has not been processed, it will usually lead to a rejection.

    The most frequent cause for a rejected birth certificate request is an error or typo on the application form.

    Therefore, the surefire way to have your birth certificate issued directly is to have your form revised by an expert before submitting it. Our team makes sure that all applications are submitted error-free.

    Important: rush service is not available.

  • How much is a birth certificate in California?

    Requesting a certified copy of your California birth certificate has a cost.

    Processing a legally-valid CA birth certificate carries a fee of $29.

    If you order more than one copy of the same birth certificate at once, each one will carry the same $29 fee.

    The fees must be submitted at the same time as the California birth certificate application.

  • Can I get my birth certificate the same day in California?

    You cannot get your birth certificate in the same day in California. The CDPH-VR does not offer walk-in services.

    The exact processing times for electronic submissions and mail-in submissions are detailed above and, in most cases, take between 5-7 weeks.

    Your best bet would be to order the California birth certificate premium service online so that the document is sent to your home once it is issued.

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ID Verification
Some states require that you provide a copy of your photo ID card to order a certified copy of your birth certificate. Our complete application package provides all the information on which documents you need to provide and how to go about it.

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