Stockton (CA) Birth Certificate Online

How to Get a Certified Birth Certificate in Stockton, CA

To order an authorized copy of a Stockton (CA) birth certificate:

1. Fill out the birth certificate application (available by clicking the button at the top of this page) with the required information
2. Print and sign it in the presence of a notary public
3. Mail it to the California vital records office with the necessary requirements, a prepaid self-addressed envelope, and payment (as detailed in the personalized instructions you will receive)

Your certified copy will be issued and sent by mail to the address printed on your self-addressed postage-paid envelope.

Copies of Stockton Birth and Death Certificates may be ordered by mailing your application package to the following address:

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

Citizens of Stockton or the rest of te San Joaquin County who would prefer to submit their birth certificate application in person, may do so at the following address during walk-in hours —although this usually entails waiting in line:

San Joaquin County Recorder-County Clerk
44 N. San Joaquin Street, 260
Stockton, CA 95202

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

Stockton birth certificate requirements

To get a certified copy of a Stockton, California birth certificate, you will need to complete the online birth certificate application with the following personal data:

• The full names of the certificate holder’s mother and father
• The certificate holder's full name
• Date and place of birth

Applicants submitting their birth certificate application by mail may be asked to sign the application form in the presence of a notary public as well as providing a sworn statement.

Citizens filing their Stockton birth certificate application in person may be required to sign their form in the clerk’s presence upon arrival eliminating the need to have it notarized.

Citizens applying for a certified copy of a Stockton birth certificate need to prove their identity and that they are over 18 years old.

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

Some applicants may be required to comply with additional conditions or provide additional documentation alongside the Stockton birth certificate application depending on their relationship with the certificate holder.

For example, proof of guardianship, marriage, a court order, or copies of vital records may be needed to verify the relationship between the applicant and the person named on the certificate.

Who is eligible to apply

An official copy of a Stockton birth certificate can be ordered by:

• 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.

Please note that the documentation that must be presented alongside the Stockton birth certificate application may vary depending on the person requesting the vital record.

How to Request an Apostille for a Stockton Birth Certificate

Stockton 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 Stockton County, California birth certificate
2. Include the certified copy of the Stockton 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 Stockton, 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

Stockton Certified Birth Certificate Cost

Requesting a copy of a Stockton, (CA) birth certificate carries a fee. The filing fee of each copy of a birth certificate is $29. Extra copies of the same Stockton birth certificate ordered within a single form carry a cost of $29.

Accepted payment methods include personal checks, money orders, cashier checks, and business checks.

Please note that the fee for your Stockton birth certificate application may vary depending on whether you submit it at the state vital records office or at the county vital records office.

Stockton Birth Certificate Processing Times

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

Important note: Birth certificate processing times depend on whether your order is sent to the State Vital Records Office or your County Vital Records Office. Some county offices may issue a short-form birth certificate copy _unless _they are requesting a certified copy of a birth record originally filed in their office.

Unfortunately, rush orders are not available for Stockton vital records. Therefore, it is advisable to request a copy of your birth certificate ahead of time so as to avoid delays.

Although this usually requires waiting in line for hours, it may result in same-day delivery if the applicant visits the office where the birth was originally recorded.