Contra Costa County (CA) Birth Certificate Online

How to Get a Certified Birth Certificate in Contra Costa County, CA

The easiest way to get a government-issued Contra Costa County, California Birth certificate copy, is to complete the order form online. The process is straightforward and hassle-free.

To order an unrestricted certified copy of a Contra Costa County (CA) birth certificate:

1. Complete the birth certificate application (available by clicking the button on this page) with the required information
2. Print the application form and sign the sworn statement in the presence of a notary public
3. Mail it to the State of California Vital Registration Office with a large stamped, self-addressed envelope, and a check or money order to cover the fees

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

Alternatively, Contra Costa County Birth and Death Certificates orders may also be submitted by mailing your application package to the Contra Costa County offices. The address depends on how long ago the certificate bearer was born:

For birth certificates of babies born this year or last year, send your request to:

Contra Costa County Vital Registration Office
10 Douglas Drive, Ste #220
Martinez, CA 94553

For birth records registered from 1905 to the present, send your order to:

Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder’s Office
555 Escobar Street
Martinez, CA 94553

Contra Costa County citizens born in or around Pleasant Hill, Discovery Bay, Martinez, Concord, amongst other locations can also send their order for a certified copy of their birth certificate at the Contra Costa County Clerk’s Office.

Citizens of Contra Costa County who prefer to submit their birth certificate application in person may do so at the addresses above during walk-in hours —although this usually entails waiting in line.

Please note that fees may differ depending on whether you are sending your Contra Costa birth certificate application to the California State Vital Records Office or the County Recorder’s Office. Remember to verify and submit the appropriate fees with your application.

Should the birth record not be found, the State of California Health and Safety Code (H&SC) 103650 requires the vital records office to retain the search fee and issue a Certificate of No Public Record.

Contra Costa County birth certificate copy required information

To get a copy of a Contra Costa County, California birth certificate, you will need to fill out the online birth certificate application with the following personal details:

• Gender
• Date of birth
• Full name (as it would appear on the certificate)
• Mother’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage
• Father’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage

Required documents for a certified copy of a Contra Costa County birth certificate

Citizens applying for a certified copy of a Contra Costa County birth certificate need to prove their identity with an unexpired identification document. Applicants also need to complete and sign the second page of the application form in the presence of a notary public.

Proof of identity can be provided using any of the following documents:

• Driver’s license issued by California state
• School ID
• Voter Registration Card
• U.S. Military card
• U.S. passport, card or card issued by a foreign embassy or consulate
• Native American tribal document with photograph
• U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card

How to Request an Apostille for a Contra Costa County Birth Certificate

Contra Costa County, CA citizens who need to present their birth certificate abroad need to make sure their document bears an apostille to grant it legal validity outside the territory of the United States.

This can be done by following these simple steps:

1. Order a certified copy of the Contra Costa County, California birth certificate
2. Prepare a cover sheet stating the country in which the document will be utilized, a self-addressed envelope with pre-paid postage
3. Upon receiving the certified copy of the Contra Costa, CA birth certificate, mail the complete document to the California Secretary of State's office with the required apostille fee for authentication

California Authentications Unit street address:

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

California Authentications unit PO BOX:

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

Contra Costa County Certified Birth Certificate Cost

Ordering a copy of a birth certificate in Contra Costa County, California (CA) entails the payment of the appropriate search fee.

The following payment methods are available when mailing your Contra Costa County birth certificate application:

• Personal check
• Money order
• Cashier check
• Business check

The filing fee of each copy of a Contra Costa County birth certificate is $29 when processed by the California State Vital Records Office.

Citizens filing their Contra Costa birth certificate application at the County Clerk’s Office in Contra Costa are required to pay a fee of $36.

It is advisable to order several copies using the same birth certificate application form. Additional copies can be kept on file ready for future use. Extra copies of the same Contra Costa County birth certificate ordered within a single form carry the same cost as the first copy. A rush service is not available for urgent copy in Contra Costa birth.

Applicants submitting their request in person also have the option of paying the fee in cash or by credit/debit card.

Citizens of Contra Costa with an Affidavit of Homeless Status are eligible to obtain a fee exemption for a copy of their CA birth certificate.

The Contra Costa County Recorder —or any other California State Registrar— will issue a certified copy of a birth certificate without a fee to any citizen who can verify their status as a homeless person. The Affidavit of Homeless Status for a Fee Exempt Copy of a Birth Certificate must be completed by a Homeless Services Provider.

Contra Costa County, California Birth Certificate Processing Times

Once you have mailed the complete Contra Costa County birth certificate application package, along with the requirements detailed above and the necessary fees, the vital registration office will process your request.

In most cases, your Contra Costa birth certificate order will be filled within 12-14 weeks. However, some vital records may take longer due to peak demand periods.

You will then receive your certified copy of the Contra Costa, California CA birth certificate by post, delivered right to your door.

Individuals in need of an urgent copy of a Contra Costa County birth certificate may print and sign their Contra Costa County birth certificate application and submit it in person.

For birth certificate copies issued for a baby born this year or last year the application can be turned in at the Contra Costa County Vital Registration Office counter

For birth certificate copies of records recorded more than 2 years ago, you may walk in the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder’s Office instead.

Regardless of the office you submit your application at, make sure to arrive early during walk-in hours since obtaining a Contra Costa birth certificate copy in person usually entails waiting in line but can result in same-day service.