How to Find California Death Records
Statewide registration of deaths began in 1905 with general compliance by 1920.
Next Step: When did the death occur? [edit | edit source] |
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Deaths before 1905[edit | edit source]
Before 1905, some counties in California kept death records. Search the following databases to see if your ancestor's death record was included. If not, you will need to search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s death date and place.
| Try 1st: | ||
| California, County Births and Deaths Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch.org | Free; index & images of county death records from county courthouses. | |
| Next try: | ||
| California, Death and Burial Records from Select Counties, 1873-1987 at Ancestry.com | ($); Free at FamilySearch centers. Index and images of California death and burial records provided by the California State Archive. | |
| California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000, index. | Free. | |
| Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes |
| Other records that give death information: | ||
Deaths after 1905[edit | edit source]
Statewide registration of births began in 1905 with general compliance by 1920. The Vital Records office of the California Department of Public Health has copies of deaths from 1905 to present day.
STEP ONE: Find Death Information[edit | edit source]
For deaths that exist during this time period, try the following database.
| California Death Databases - Includes Indexes and Images | ||
| Try 1st: | ||
| 1800 - 1994 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; images of county death indexes, certificates, registers, and coroner's inquests. | |
| Try 2nd: | ||
| 1905 - 1939 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; images of an index of death records created by the Office of the State Register, Sacramento. Also on Ancestry.com ($), free at FamilySearch centers. | |
| Try 3rd: | ||
| 1940 - 1997 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; index of death records created by the California Department of Health Services. Also on Ancestry.com ($) and MyHeritage ($), free at FamilySearch centers. | |
| Try 4th: | ||
| California, Death and Burial Records from Select Counties, 1873-1987 at Ancestry.com | ($); Free at FamilySearch centers. Index and images of California death and burial records provided by the California State Archive. | |
| Social Security Death Index | ||
| Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate[edit | edit source]
| To Order Death Certificates | |||
| County Registrar and Recorder offices | Vital Records office of the California Dept of Public Health | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Has an expedited service on Vital Chek | May be more expensive than ordering from the county |
Restrictions for death certificates:
To obtain an authorized copy of the death certificate, you must be:
- The decedent's spouse, parent, child, grandchild, or sibling
- A legal party (attorney, law enforcement or representative of the government) with authorization or court order
- The legal custodian, guardian, or authorized representative of the person named on the record
- An individual who orders the certificate in behalf of an individual in the above categories
NOTE: An authorized copy of the death certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above. If you cannot obtain an authorized copy, you may order an informational copy.
If you do not want to order the death record, there are other records with death information you can search.
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