Birth certificate
$31.00 by standard mail
California fee schedule and processing-time pages
Verified 2026-08-06
California vital records: fees, timing, and ordering rules.
A source-linked comparison of published birth, death, and marriage certificate channels. Published floors are labeled; they are never presented as a guaranteed final total.
Last verified 2026-08-06
Published fee schedule
Death certificate
$26.00 by standard mail
California fee schedule and processing-time pages
Verified 2026-08-06
Marriage certificate
$19.00 by standard mail
California fee schedule and processing-time pages
Verified 2026-08-06
Channel-by-channel price
| Record / channel | First copy | Processing fee | Shipping | Published total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificateMail to CDPH-VR | $31.00California fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Birth certificateCounty recorder | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Birth certificateVitalChek online | $31.00California authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Death certificateMail to CDPH-VR | $26.00California fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Death certificateCounty recorder | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Death certificateVitalChek online | $26.00California authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Marriage certificateMail to CDPH-VR | $19.00California fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Marriage certificateCounty recorder | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 |
| Marriage certificateVitalChek online | $19.00California authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 |
Processing and realistic wait
| Record / channel | Standard processing | Expedited | Shipping | Total realistic wait | Paid speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificateMail to CDPH-VR | 4–6 weeksCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Birth certificateCounty recorder | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Birth certificateVitalChek online | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Death certificateMail to CDPH-VR | 4–6 weeksCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Death certificateCounty recorder | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Death certificateVitalChek online | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Marriage certificateMail to CDPH-VR | 4–6 weeksCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Marriage certificateCounty recorder | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia vital records overview · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
| Marriage certificateVitalChek online | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | Not publishedCalifornia authorized online-order channel · verified 2026-08-06 | unknown |
These are published estimates, not observed door-to-door delivery times.
Who can order
- Birth certificate
- Authorized copies are limited to listed or statutorily authorized people; informational copies are available to others. Adult-child eligibility: yes.
- Death certificate
- Authorized copies are limited to listed or statutorily authorized people; informational copies are available to others. Adult-child eligibility: yes.
- Marriage certificate
- Authorized copies are limited to listed or statutorily authorized people; informational public-marriage copies are available to others. Confidential marriage copies are limited to the spouses. Adult-child eligibility: yes.
Mail-order requirements
- Birth certificate · Mail to CDPH-VR
- Payment: check, money order. Return envelope: Not required. Notarization: Required. Photo ID: Required.California fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06
- Death certificate · Mail to CDPH-VR
- Payment: check, money order. Return envelope: Not required. Notarization: Required. Photo ID: Required.California fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06
- Marriage certificate · Mail to CDPH-VR
- Payment: check, money order. Return envelope: Not required. Notarization: Required. Photo ID: Required.California fee schedule and processing-time pages · verified 2026-08-06
Genealogy and older records
- Birth certificate
- No separate genealogy rule was verifiable. Records available from: July 1905. Earlier records: County recorder in the county where the event occurred.
- Death certificate
- No separate genealogy rule was verifiable. Records available from: July 1905. Earlier records: County recorder in the county where the event occurred.
- Marriage certificate
- No separate genealogy rule was verifiable. Records available from: 1905, with agency availability gaps. Earlier records: County recorder in the county where the event occurred.
Official order links
2026 fee schedule
Verified 2026-08-06
Processing times
Verified 2026-08-06
Vital records overview
Verified 2026-08-06