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Information that follows is from the Orange County Clerk-Recorder.
All questions, not answered here, should be directed to the Clerk-Recorder.
Copies of birth certificates for births within Orange County are available through the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department, 30 days after the date of birth. Birth certificates for births having occurred within the last 30 days would be obtained through the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Per California law, only authorized individuals may receive certified copies of any vital record. Requestors of vital records who not authorized individuals will receive a copy with some information redacted. Redacted copies are marked, "Informational. Not a Valid Document To Establish Identity."
Authorized persons who may receive certified copies of vital records are described by law as:
To receive an authorized certified copy, a requestor must complete the sworn statement along with the certificate application form and sign the statement under penalty of perjury. If the request is mailed, the sworn statement must be notarized. Mailed requests without a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury will be considered incomplete and returned without being processed.
At this time, it is NOT possible to request an Orange County vital record (birth, marriage or death) entirely online.
However, for priority service, the Orange County Clerk-Recorder offers the online Vital Records Application and Appointment System in which to complete and submit an Application for a Vital Record. Online applications must still be processed in person. For added convenience, online applicants are given the option to schedule an in-person appointment at the end of the application process. The fee for a copy of a birth certificate is $28.00 each.
Currently, the online appointment system only accepts appointments for individuals applying for an authorized certified copy of a vital record (see Authorized Person above). Vital records include birth, marriage and death certificates.
Applications submitted using this application and appointment system should not be mailed out.
After submitting an online application, applicants must:
Applicants who opt not to schedule an appointment have 30 days from the date of submission to appear in person.
Click here for the Orange County Clerk-Recorder online Vital Records Application and Appointment System.
For birth certificates involving an adoption or legal name change within the last six months, please contact the State of California Department of Health Services at (916) 445-2684.
Applicants for a Birth Certificate, appearing in person, may order an authorized copy after presenting valid government-issued photo identification and signing a statement under penalty of perjury that the requester is an authorized person (see Authorized Person above).
Vital records (birth, marriage and death records) are available at the following Clerk-Recorder office locations:
Hall of Records
12 Civic Center Plaza,
Room 101 and Room 106
Santa Ana, CA 92701
North County Branch Office
Downtown Fullerton
201 N Harbor Blvd
Fullerton, CA 92832
South County Branch Office
Laguna Hills Civic Center
24031 El Toro Rd, Ste 150
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
The fee for a copy of a birth certificate is $28.00 each. Accepted payment is by cash, personal check, cashier's check, money order, credit or debit card (Discover, American Express, MasterCard Visa).
For birth certificates involving an adoption or legal name change within the last six months, please contact the State of California Department of Health Services at (916) 445-2684.
A certified copy of a birth certificate may be obtained by mail if the birth occurred in Orange County, unless there has been an adoption or a legal name change within the last six months.
Complete a Vital Records Request Form. Mailed applications must include a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury that the requester is an authorized person (see Authorized Person above). Use a separate application form for each requested record. Orders are normally processed within 5 to 10 working days. Mailed requests without a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury will be rejected as incomplete and returned without processing.
NOTE: Only one notarized sworn statement is required for multiple certificates requested at the same time; however, the sworn statement must include the name of each individual whose record you wish to obtain, plus your relationship to that individual.
Mail requests to:
Orange County Clerk-Recorder
Attn: Vital Records
P.O. Box 238
Santa Ana, CA 92702
The fee for a copy of a birth certificate is $28.00 each. Make checks payable to: Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department.
Certified Copy or Record Search of Vital Records
| Death Record | $21.00 |
| Birth Record | $28.00 |
| Marriage Record | $15.00 |
| Search for Marriage Record | $15.00 |
Depending on whether a request for a copy of a vital record is made in person or by mail, the Orange County Clerk-Recorder accepts cash, personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks and credit/debit cards (American Express, Discover Card, MasterCard and Visa). Checks are payable to the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department.
Service fee for a returned check: $25.00
Also see the following other records: