How to Search California Vital Records

California vital records (births, deaths, marriages, divorces) are maintained by the state Department of Health (or equivalent). Older records may be at county clerks or the state archives. Some records are restricted by privacy law.

  • Order birth, death, marriage, divorce: through the California Department of Health Vital Records office.
  • Order online: vitalchek.com — authorized vendor for most states.
  • Historic records: contact the California State Archives.
  • Marriage license: apply at any county clerk's office.
  • Genealogy research: state historical societies and FamilySearch.org carry many historical vital records.
Population
39,128,162
Households
13,217,000
Median Income
$91,905
Median Home Value
$684,800

Vital Records Databases

74 official California vital records sources.

Court Records Criminal Records Wants & Warrants Vital Records Voter Records Licenses Recorded Documents Property Records

Vital Records

Alameda County Deaths
Official Free
Livermore-Amador Genealogical cemetery and burial records for Eastern Alameda County.
🌐 l-ags.org
Alameda County | Divorces
Official Free
Alameda County Superior Court family law records, including divorces. Searches by name require a fee, or if you know the case number you can look.
🌐 alameda.courts.ca.gov
Amador County Divorces
Official Free
Amador County Superior Court online case information, including family law, civil, and criminal case records since 2002.
🌐 amadorcourt.org
Amador County Divorces | Court Calendar
Official Free
Amador County Superior Court calendar of scheduled family law court cases.
🌐 amadorcourt.org
Births | 1905-1995.
Official Free
1905-1995 California birth record database. Provides first, last, and middle name, birth date, county, and mother's maiden name.
🌐 californiabirthindex.org
Butte County Divorces
Official Free
Select CIVIL/FAMILY LAW in the online case index Case Type menu to locate Butte County family law divorce, dissolution, paternity, and legal.
🌐 butte.courts.ca.gov
Calaveras County
Official Free
Order a birth, death, or marriage certificate from the Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder's Office.
🌐 clerkrecorder.calaverasgov.us
Calaveras County Divorces | Calendars
Official Free
Calaveras County Superior Court daily court calendars, including family law hearings.
🌐 calaveras.courts.ca.gov
Calaveras County Divorces | Tentative Rulings
Official Free
Search by date for Calaveras County Superior Court tentative rulings on civil and family law (divorce) cases.
🌐 calaveras.courts.ca.gov
Colusa County Divorces
Official Free
Select CIVIL/FAMILY LAW in the Case Type menu to search Colusa County Family Court divorce, dissolution, and legal separation case records.
🌐 colusa.courts.ca.gov
Contra Costa County Divorces
Official Free
Click on OPEN ACCESS to search Contra Costa County Superior Court family law court case information by name or case number.
🌐 contracosta.courts.ca.gov
Fresno County | Divorces
Official Free
Fresno County Superior Court family court records of dissolution and legal separation case filings.
🌐 fresno.courts.ca.gov
Glenn County Divorces
Official Free
Glenn County Superior Court records. Select Civil/Family Law in the Case Type menu to search for divorce, legal separation, dissolution, and.
🌐 glenn.courts.ca.gov
Kern County | Divorces
Official Free
Kern County Superior Court civil and family law case records, including divorce records.
🌐 kern.courts.ca.gov
Kings County | Divorces
Official Free
Kings County Superior Court family law case records.
🌐 kings.courts.ca.gov
Marin County Birth Notices
Official Free
Marin Independent Journal journal index of published Marin County birth notices.
🌐 sfgenealogy.org
Marin County Divorces
Official Free
Marin County Superior Court Family Law case records, including divorces, separations, and annulments.
🌐 marin.courts.ca.gov
Marin County Marriage Announcements
Official Free
Marin Independent Journal index of published Marin County marriage notices.
🌐 sfgenealogy.org
Monterey County | Divorces
Official Free
Monterey County Superior Court divorce and dissolution records by name, case number, or file date.
🌐 portal.monterey.courts.ca.gov
Nevada County Divorces
Official Free
Nevada County Superior Court divorce records. In the Case Type field select Family dissolution, nullity, or separation.
🌐 nevada.courts.ca.gov
Orange County Divorces | Calendars
Official Free
Orange County Superior Court Family Court (divorce, dissolution, separation) calendars.
🌐 courtcalendar.occourts.org
Orange County Divorces | Case Records
Official Free
Superior Court, County of Orange family law case records, including divorces, annulments, legal separations, domestic violence, elder or dependent.
🌐 fampub.occourts.org
Riverside County Deaths | Coroners Log
Official Free
Coroner log of Riverside County investigated deaths.
🌐 riversidesheriff.org
Riverside County Divorces
Official Free
Search Riverside Superior Courts free by case number for Family Law divorce case records, or pay a $1.00 fee to do a search by name.
🌐 epublic-access.riverside.courts.ca.gov
Sacramento County | Divorces
Official Free
Sacramento County Superior Court legal separation, divorce, dissolution, and paternity case records. Searches by name require a fee.
🌐 services.saccourt.ca.gov
San Bernardino County | Divorces
Official Free
San Bernardino County Superior Court Family Law dissolution, divorce, and annulment case records.
🌐 sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov
San Diego County Divorces
Official Free
Select DOMESTIC in the Case Type menu to search for San Diego County Superior Court legal separation, divorce, dissolution, and paternity case.
🌐 courtindex.sdcourt.ca.gov
San Diego County Divorces | New Cases
Official Free
San Diego County Superior Court index of new divorce, dissolution, paternity, and legal separation case filings.
🌐 sandiego.courts.ca.gov
San Francisco County Births before 1905
Official Free
Search by name for San Francisco county births recorded before 1905.
🌐 sfgenealogy.org
San Francisco County Births, Deaths, Marriages 1869-1900
Official Free
Index of births, deaths, and marriages published in the San Francisco Morning Call newspaper between 1869 and 1900.
🌐 sfgenealogy.org
San Francisco County Deaths & Obituaries
Official Free
San Francisco county death and obituaries from newspaper excerpts, obituaries, cemetery records, death/funeral notices, mortuary records, and burial.
🌐 sfgenealogy.org
San Francisco County Divorces
Official Free
San Francisco County Superior Court Family Law case records. Search by name or case number.
🌐 sf.courts.ca.gov
San Mateo County Divorces
Official Free
San Mateo County Superior Court records, including Family Law dissolution, divorce, and legal separation cases.
🌐 sanmateo.courts.ca.gov
Santa Barbara County | Divorce Index
Official Free
Index of divorces, legal separations, dissolutions, and annulments in Santa Barbara Superior Court.
🌐 santabarbara.courts.ca.gov
Santa Barbara County | Divorce Records
Official Free
Santa Barbara Superior Court records search of divorces, legal separations, dissolutions, and annulments.
🌐 portal.sbcourts.org
Santa Clara County | Divorces
Official Free
Santa Clara County Superior Court family court records for divorces and dissolutions.
🌐 santaclara.courts.ca.gov
Santa Cruz County Births, Deaths, Marriages
Official Free
Late 19th Century Santa Cruz County birth, death, and marriage notices published in local newspapers.
🌐 santacruzpl.org
Santa Cruz County | Divorces
Official Free
Santa Cruz County Superior Court Family Law case records of divorces and annulments.
🌐 portal.santacruzcourt.org
Shasta County Divorces
Official Free
Shasta County Courts Online Case Index System. Search for dissolution and divorce records by case, name, or date.
🌐 shasta.courts.ca.gov
Siskiyou County | Divorces
Official Free
Siskiyou County Superior Court records, including divorces and marriage dissolutions.
🌐 siskiyou.courts.ca.gov
Solano County | Deaths
Official Free
Solano County death and obituary records from 1850 to present.
🌐 scgsca.org
Solano County | Deaths 1914 - 2000
Official Free
Solano County Genealogical Society records from the Passalacqua Funeral Home in Benicia.
🌐 scgsca.org
Solano County | Divorces
Official Free
Solano County Superior Court divorce and and dissolution records.
🌐 portal.solano.courts.ca.gov
Sonoma County Divorces | Calendars
Official Free
Sonoma County Superior Court Family Law Division court calendars.
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Sonoma County Divorces | Recent
Official Free
Sonoma County Superior Court family law and divorce records. Search for cases that have been filed in the last eight months.
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Stanislaus County Divorces
Official Free
Select FAMILY LAW in the Case Type menu to search Stanislaus County divorce and dissolution case records.
🌐 stanislaus.courts.ca.gov
Ventura County Deaths 1872-1905
Official Free
Ventura County deaths between 1872 and 1905.
🌐 venturacogensoc.org
Ventura County Deaths 1906-1908
Official Free
Ventura County Genealogical Society Archives database of county deaths recorded between 1906 and 1908.
🌐 venturacogensoc.org
Ventura County Marriages
Official Free
Ventura County Clerk and Recorder Office database of recorded documents, including marriage records. Use Internet Explorer, then click next to VITAL.
🌐 recorder.countyofventura.org
Ventura County Marriages 1873-1928
Official Free
Index of marriages recorded between 1873 and 1928. From the Ventura County Genealogical Society archives.
🌐 venturacogensoc.org
Ventura County Marriages 1929-1940
Official Free
Ventura County Genealogical Society Archives records of 1929-1940 marriages.
🌐 venturacogensoc.org
Ventura County | Divorces
Official Free
Ventura County Superior Court family law, divorce, and dissolution records.
🌐 ventura.courts.ca.gov
Yolo County Marriages | Information
Official Free
Yolo County Clerk-Recorder information on how to order regular and confidential marriage records.
🌐 yolorecorder.org
Alpine County Births 1905-1995
Official Free
Database of Alpine County recorded births covering 1905-1995.
🌐 familysearch.org
Butte County | Vital Records 1854-1897
Official Free
Butte County vital records recorded between 1854 and 1897.
🌐 buttecounty.net
Divorces | 1966-1984
Official Free
Statewide California divorce index covering 1966 through 1984. Source is the California Department of Health Services.
🌐 familysearch.org
Humboldt County Cemeteries
Official Free
Cemeteries, burials, graves, and tombstone transcriptions in Humboldt County.
🌐 findagrave.com
Humboldt County Genealogy
Official Free
Humboldt County marriages, cemetery burials, obituaries, and tombstone photos.
🌐 usgwarchives.net
Los Angeles County | Divorce Case Records
Official Free
Los Angeles County Superior Court Family Law (divorce) court records, case documents, and case summaries.
🌐 lacourt.ca.gov
Marriages | 1850-1952
Official Free
FamilySearch database of California marriage recorded between 1850 and 1952. Includes over 3.7 million images of certificates from county records.
🌐 familysearch.org
Marriages | 1960-1985
Official Free
California marriages recorded between 1960 and 1985. Source is the California Department of Health Services.
🌐 familysearch.org
Orange County Vital Record Certificates
Official Free
Information from Orange County on how to obtain birth, marriage, and death certificates.
🌐 ocrecorder.com
San Francisco County Obituaries
Official Free
Search San Francisco Chronicle obituaries and death notices.
🌐 legacy.com
Shasta County Births, Deaths, Marriages
Official Free
Shasta County late 19th century and early 20th century birth records, deaths, marriages, cemetery burials.
🌐 myclouds.tripod.com
Shasta County | Marriages 1854-1930
Official Free
Shasta County marriages recorded between 1854 and 1930 by surname.
🌐 freepages.rootsweb.com
Sonoma County | Burials 1846-1921
Official Free
Index of Sonoma County cemetery burial records between 1846 and 1921.
🌐 sites.rootsweb.com
Births, Deaths, Marriages Statewide | 1769-1850
Official Free
Superb Huntington Library database of early California baptisms, births, marriages, deaths, mission records, military status, occupations, and much.
🌐 huntington.org
Deaths Statewide | 1940-1997
Official Free
California 1940-1997 death records. Search by name, birth place or year, death place or year, gender, mother maiden name, or father last name.
🌐 familysearch.org
Deaths Statewide | before 1905
Official Free
California deaths recorded before 1905.
🌐 sites.rootsweb.com
Deaths Statewide | Cemetery Records
Official Free
Cemetery records in California including interment records, cemetery maps, and a substantial number of burial site photographs.
🌐 findagrave.com
Deaths Statewide | Military Deaths in Iraq & Afghanistan
Official Free
Los Angeles Times records, profiles, and stories of Iraq or Afghanistan War Dead.
🌐 projects.latimes.com
Deaths Statewide | Social Security Administration
Official Free
Social Security death index of Social Security Administration reported California deaths.
🌐 familysearch.org
San Francisco Marriages & Divorces | pre-Quake
Official Free
City and County of San Francisco records were lost in the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires.
🌐 sfgenealogy.org

California Counties

All 58 California counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Los Angeles San Diego Orange Riverside San Bernardino Santa Clara Alameda Sacramento Contra Costa Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa

Frequently Asked Questions

Order from the California Department of Health Vital Records office, online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at a county clerk.

Most California vital records have access restrictions. Recent records may require proof of relationship. Older records (typically 50+ years for births, 25+ for deaths) are usually public.

Marriage licenses are issued by county clerks. Both parties typically apply in person. Fees and waiting periods vary by county.

For records before state-level recording began, contact the California State Archives or the county where the event occurred.

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