California Birth Certificates by County
Wherever in California the birth occurred, you have two possible paths: the state vital records office, or the county recorder for that county. Here's the real difference.
This website is operated by California Birth Certificates, a private company, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or operated by the State of California or any federal, state, county, or local government agency.
State (CDPH) vs. county recorder
The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) can issue a certified copy of a California birth certificate no matter which county the birth occurred in. Separately, the county recorder (or county clerk-recorder) for the specific county where the birth happened may also hold and issue copies of that same record, usually with its own fees, hours, and in-person or mail process. Neither path is "more official" than the other — they're just different offices issuing the same type of certified copy.
We help regardless of which county
Since we work with the statewide CDPH-VR process, it doesn't matter which California county the birth occurred in — Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego, or any other. You don't need to figure out the right county office yourself; the request form and pricing are the same either way.
California Birth Certificates by County
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles is California's most populous county. Its county recorder function is handled by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. If you'd rather request directly from the county instead of the state, contact that office directly for their current fees, hours, and requirements — we can't quote those since we don't process requests through them.
Sacramento County
Sacramento is worth calling out specifically because CDPH-VR's own headquarters is located there (Sacramento, MS 5103) — that's the state office, not the Sacramento County recorder, which is a separate office. If you were born in Sacramento County and want to request from the county rather than the state, contact the Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder directly.
San Francisco County
San Francisco is a consolidated city-county — it's the only place in California where the city and county governments are the same entity, so "San Francisco birth certificate" and "San Francisco County birth certificate" refer to the same local office (the SF County Clerk / Assessor-Recorder). As with the other counties, the CDPH-VR state route is also always available.
San Diego County
San Diego is California's second-most populous county. Requesting from the county recorder means contacting the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk directly; requesting from the state means going through CDPH-VR, which is the path we help with.
Transparent Pricing
Our service fee covers the online processing, administrative assistance and customer support provided by our company.
Government fees, when applicable, are separate and are determined by the applicable government authority.
Shipping or delivery charges may also apply depending on the selected delivery method.
| Fee | Charged by | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate priceThe per-copy price for this certificate. | Charged by the State of California | $32.00 |
| Service feeCovers online processing, review of the information you submit, administrative assistance and customer support provided by our company. | Charged by California Birth Certificates (private company) | $69.50 |
| Shipping / delivery (optional)Only charged if you choose expedited delivery at checkout. Standard mail delivery has no additional charge from us. | Depends on the delivery method selected — charged by UPS when applicable | $21.00 |
| Apostille (optional)Only charged if you select apostille service at checkout. This is the California Secretary of State's own by-mail fee — we don't add a markup. | Charged by the State of California | $20.00 |
| Total, standard delivery | Charged by California Birth Certificates at checkout | $101.50 |
| Total, expedited delivery | Charged by California Birth Certificates at checkout | $122.50 |
Government fees and requirements may change. Please verify current government requirements through the appropriate government authority.
Frequently asked questions
Should I request from CDPH or my county recorder?
Either can issue a certified copy of the same record — CDPH statewide, or the county recorder for the specific county where the birth occurred. We help with the CDPH statewide process; if you'd rather use the county recorder, contact that office directly.
Where is CDPH's vital records office located?
California Department of Public Health, Vital Records — MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410, (916) 445-2684. See our Government Resources page for the official application links.
Does it matter which California county I was born in for your service?
No — we work with the statewide CDPH process, so the county of birth doesn't change how we help, the pricing, or the process.
Is San Francisco County the same as the city of San Francisco?
Yes — San Francisco is a consolidated city-county, the only one in California, so the city and county government are the same entity.
More California birth certificate resources
Important Information
- This website is operated by California Birth Certificates, a private company, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or operated by the State of California or any federal, state, county, or local government agency.
- Our service provides online assistance and processing support for eligible requests. Government agencies may provide similar services directly.
- Any government-issued certificate is issued by the applicable government authority, not by our company.
- Any service fee charged by California Birth Certificates is separate from applicable government fees.
Ready to start your request?
Complete the online form. Fees are shown in full before any payment is taken.
Private third-party service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or operated by the State of California or any government agency.
Our services
One document, one simple process
We help you prepare and submit your California birth certificate request correctly the first time.