Death Certificates

   The staff of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's Office are forbidden by California legal codes to practice law or provide legal advice; this prohibition includes giving advice about what forms you might need or how you should fill them out.

In-Person Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (English) » 
En Persona Aplicación para Obtener una Copia Certificada de Defunción (Español) »

Paper Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (English) » 
Papel Aplicación para Obtener una Copia Certificada de Defunción (Español) »

• Sonoma County only has records for events that occurred in Sonoma County (someone was born, died, or purchased their marriage license in Sonoma County) from 1873 to the present.
  • If the requested record is unable to be located, Applicant will receive a Letter of No Record of Death.
• We are unable to issue death certificates for deaths that occurred someplace other than Sonoma County.  
• Fee: $24.00 per copy 
• We cannot take payments over the phone
• The County Clerk receives a death certificate approximately one month after the death. 

Authorized Certified copies to establish identity may be issued only to authorized individuals, as defined in Health and Safety Code 103526(c).

All others will be issued a Certified Informational Copy.  These certified copies are not valid to establish identity, and contain a watermark across the record document that states, "Informational, Not a Valid Document to Establish Identity" and all signatures and social security number are redacted.

In the case of death records, an authorized person is:

• A parent or legal guardian of the registrant.
• A child of the registrant.
• A grandparent of the registrant.
• A grandchild of the registrant.
• A sibiling of the registrant.
• A spouse of the registrant.
• A domestic partner of the registrant. 
• A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the death record in order to comply with the requirements of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family Code.
• A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business. (Companies representing a government agency must provide authorization from the government agency.) 
• An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate. This includes individuals described in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety Code.
• An agent or employee of a funeral establishment who acts within the course and scope of the agent or employee's employment and who orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of an individual described in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety Code.

Order online through VitalChek.com

• For convenience, Sonoma County has partnered with an independent company, VitalChek Network, Inc., through which an order may be submitted for processing.
• VitalChek can be reached through its website, www.vitalchek.com or by phone at 1-866-281-1810.
• All major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® and Visa®
• VitalChek performs an electronic identity authentication (in lieu of a Notary Public or appearing before the Clerk).  There is a $12.95 fee for this service.  Answer the questions carefully.
  • If you pass the security authentication, your order will be accepted and sent to the County for processing
  • If you fail the security authentication, you will be required to print out the Sworn Statement and appear before a Notary Public to sign for additional fees.  You will then return the signed statement to VitalChek at the number they state on the form.  Once VitalChek reviews and approves your sworn statement, your order will be sent to the County for processing.
• Optional ability to purchase UPS Overnight Delivery with tracking (overnight from date County Clerk-Recorder processes your order, not valid for Saturday or holiday delivery). 
  • If not selected, the document will be returned by regular USPS mail.
• Enter the order correctly so it will come to Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder for processing – otherwise it will be sent to California Department of Public Health and your application will not be processed for approximately 10-12 weeks.
  • State of Birth: California
  • City: Select the City of birth if known, if not listed or unknown, please select Santa Rosa.
  • Complete the application with as much information that you know of. Estimated dates are acceptable if exact date is unknown.
  • Select “Sonoma County Recorder”
• Your order will be processed and mailed to the Applicant mailing address within 4-7 days after it is received.

Complete form, have notarized, and mail with a check.

Paper Application for Certified Copy of Death Record (English) » 
Papel Aplicación para Obtener una Copia Certificada de Defunción (Español) »

• Complete the paper application:
  • Page 1: Complete the application with as much information that you know of. Estimated dates are acceptable if exact date is unknown.
  • Page 2, Top: The sworn statement must be signed before a Notary Public. 
  • Page 2, Bottom: The Notary Public will complete the Certificate of Acknowledgment after signing.
    • If the notarized statement sworn to under penalty of perjury is not included with your application, it will be rejected as incomplete and it will be returned to you without being processed. 
• Check or money order made payable to “Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder”
• Include a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) to the address matching the Mailing address on Page 1 of the application. (optional)
• Place application, payment, and SASE in a sealed envelope and mail to: Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder, 585 Fiscal Dr Rm 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
• Your order will be processed and mailed to the Applicant mailing address within 4-7 days after it is received.