Vital Records in California

Vital records in California are handled by the California Department of Public Health, where they issue certified copies of birth, death, divorce & marriage records. The Department of Public Health can only provide birth & death records after July 1905. Records prior to 1905 must be requested from the county office where the event occurred.

Below is a table showing the year ranges that the California Department of Public Health can provide:

Record Type Available From
California Birth Records July 1905 – 2024
California Death Records July 1905 – 2024
California Divorce Records 1949 – 2024
California Marriage Records 1962 – 2024

Find County Offices in California

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County Year Founded
Alameda County, CA March 25, 1853
Alpine County, CA March 16, 1864
Amador County, CA May 11, 1854
Butte County, CA February 18, 1850
Calaveras County, CA February 18, 1850
Colusa County, CA February 18, 1850
Contra Costa County, CA February 18, 1850
Del Norte County, CA 1857
El Dorado County, CA February 18, 1850
Fresno County, CA 1856
Glenn County, CA 1891
Humboldt County, CA May 12, 1853
Imperial County, CA August 7, 1907
Inyo County, CA 1866
Kern County, CA 1866
Kings County, CA 1893
Lake County, CA 1861
Lassen County, CA 1864
Los Angeles County, CA February 18, 1850
Madera County, CA 1893
Marin County, CA February 18, 1850
Mariposa County, CA February 18, 1850
Mendocino County, CA February 18, 1850
Merced County, CA 1855
Modoc County, CA 1874
Mono County, CA 1861
Monterey County, CA February 18, 1850
Napa County, CA February 18, 1850
Nevada County, CA 1851
Orange County, CA March 11, 1889
Placer County, CA 1851
Plumas County, CA 1854
Riverside County, CA 1893
Sacramento County, CA February 18, 1850
San Benito County, CA 1874
San Bernardino County, CA 1891
San Diego County, CA February 18, 1850
San Francisco County, CA June 29, 1776
San Joaquin County, CA February 18, 1850
San Luis Obispo County February 18, 1850
San Mateo County, CA 1856
Santa Barbara County, CA February 18, 1850
Santa Clara County, CA February 18, 1850
Santa Cruz County, CA February 18, 1850
Shasta County, CA 1850
Sierra County, CA 1852
Siskiyou County, CA 1852
Solano County, CA February 18, 1850
Sonoma County, CA February 18, 1850
Stanislaus County, CA 1854
Sutter County, CA February 18, 1850
Tehama County, CA 1856
Trinity County, CA February 18, 1850
Tulare County, CA 1852
Tuolumne County, CA February 18, 1850
Ventura County, CA 1873
Yolo County, CA February 18, 1850
Yuba County, CA February 18, 1850