Orange County (CA) Birth Certificate Online

How to Get a Certified Birth Certificate in Orange County, CA

The easiest way to get a government-issued birth certificate copy in Orange County, California is to order the vital record online. The straightforward process can be completed with little to no hassle.

To order an authorized copy of an Orange County County (CA) birth certificate:

1. Complete the birth certificate application (available by clicking the button on this page) with the required information
2. Print, sign and notarize the application form
3. Mail it to the Orange County, California vital records office with a large stamped, self-addressed envelope, and a check to cover the fees

OC Birth and Death Certificates orders may be submitted by mailing your application package to the following addresses, depending on how long ago the certificate bearer was born:

For birth certificates of babies born within the last 30 days, send your request to:

County of Orange Health Care Agency
Office of Vital Records
200 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Suite 100-B
Santa Ana, CA 92701

For all other birth certificate applications, send your order to:

OC Clerk-Recorder

ATTN: Vitals Records
P.O. BOX 238
Santa Ana, CA 92702

OC citizens born in or around Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, amongst other locations can send their order for a certified copy of their birth certificate at the Orange County Clerk’s Office.

Applicants are advised to file the Orange County birth certificate application at the vital records office where the birth was recorded, whenever possible. This should ensure that the record is found and the bureau can issue a long-form birth certificate, as long as the applicant is eligible.

Should the birth record not be found, 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.

Citizens of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Laguna Hills, or the rest of Orange County who prefer to file their birth certificate application in person, may do so at the following addresses during walk-in hours —although this usually entails waiting in line:

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Central Office

601 N. Ross St.
Santa Ana, CA 92701
8 am – 4:30 pm

Orange County Clerk-Recorder North County Branch Office

222 S. Harbor Blvd, Ste. 110A
Anaheim, CA 92805
9 am – 4:30 pm

Orange County Clerk-Recorder South County Branch Office

24031 El Toro Rd., Ste. 150 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 9 am – 4:30 pm

Required documents for a certified copy of an Orange County birth certificate

Citizens applying for a certified copy of an Orange 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 an Orange County Birth Certificate

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

This can be done by following these simple steps:

1. Order a certified copy of the Orange County, California birth certificate
2. Include the certified copy of the OC County birth certificate, a cover sheet stating the country in which the document will be used, a self-addressed envelope with pre-paid postage and submit the complete package to the California Secretary of State's office with the required apostille fee for authentication
3. Upon receiving the certified copy of the Orange, 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:

California Secretary of State
Authentications Unit
Notary Public Section
1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

California Authentications unit PO BOX:

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

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

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

Orange County Certified Birth Certificate Cost

When ordering a copy of a birth certificate in Orange County, California (CA), it is necessary to pay the appropriate search and issuance fee.

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

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

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

The filing fee of each copy of a birth certificate in Orange, California is of $29.

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 Orange County birth certificate ordered within a single form carry a cost of $29.

Applicants with an Affidavit of Homeless Status are eligible to obtain a fee exemption for a copy of their OC birth certificate.

As per the Health and Safety Code Section 103577, the local registrar or county recorder shall issue an Orange County 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.

Orange County Birth Certificate Processing Times

Births of children born in hospitals in Orange County are automatically registered and certified copies of OC birth certificates for newborns are usually available 15 days after birth.

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

In most cases, your Orange 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 Orange, California CA birth certificate by post, delivered right to your door.

Individuals in need of an urgent copy of their Orange County birth certificate may print and sign their OC birth certificate application and submit it in person early during office hours —this usually entails waiting in line but can result in same-day service.