Requirements to order a death certificate

To order a death certificate you will need:

Name of the decedent
Date of death
City where the death occurred

$26.00 must be paid for each copy of death certificate and a single $2.00 convenience fee per online order (Only Visa and MasterCard are accepted for online puchases.)

Note: Death certificates are available approximately 2 weeks after filing. Certificates for deaths prior to 1893 are not available.

Deaths outside Alameda County

Alameda County can only issue death certificates for deaths that occurred in Alameda County. Please visit the website of the county where the death occurred. Below is a listing of Bay Area County Vital Records websites:

Contra Costa
Marin
Napa
San Francisco
San Mateo
Santa Clara
Solano
Sonoma

The difference between an unrestricted and informational death certificate

Unrestricted
An unrestricted death certificate can be used to establish your identity. Persons requesting unrestricted certified copies of death certificates must sign a statement, under penalty of perjury, that they are authorized to receive a regular certified copy.
(Examples of agencies requiring Unrestricted: DMV, Social Securities, Passport agencies)

Who can be an authorized requestor?

A parent or legal guardian of the registrant (person listed on the certificate). (Legal guardian must provide documentation.)
A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business. (Photo identification or a request on the agency's letter head.)
A child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister, spouse, or domestic partner of the registrant.
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. (Please include supporting documentation.)
An individual described in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive, of subdivision (a) in Health & Safety code Section 7100. Conservator, surviving competent adult person respectively in the next degrees of kinship. (Supporting documentation may be requested.)
Any agent or employee of a funeral establishment who acts within the course and scope of his or her 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.

Informational
If you cannot obtain an unrestricted copy under California law, you can obtain an informational copy. An informational copy contains the same information as an unrestricted copy, but will have a legend across the face with the statement, "Informational Not a valid document to establish identity". It is intended only as an informational document and cannot be used for identity purposes.

INFORMATIONAL COPY IS NOT A VALID OFFICIAL DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY

Informational copy will have a legend across the face of the document with the statement above.
Click on What's the difference for more details.

Unrestricted

(Examples of agencies requiring Unrestricted: DMV, Social Securities, Passport agencies)

Who can be an authorized requestor?

A parent or legal guardian of the registrant (person listed on the certificate). (Legal guardian must provide documentation.)
A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business. (Photo identification or a request on the agency's letter head.)
A child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister, spouse, or domestic partner of the registrant.
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. (Please include supporting documentation.)
Any agent or employee of a funeral establishment who acts within the course and scope of his or her employment and who orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of an individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety Code.

Informational

Informational Not a valid document to establish identity

click here

ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH INFORMATIONAL COPY?
YES NO

Notary Consumer Disclosure Requirement

Notary Consumer Disclosure Requirement (SB 1050)

NOTARY CONSUMER DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT (SB 1050)

Effective January 1, 2015, pursuant to Senate Bill 1050, the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office will require the Notary Consumer Disclosure. This bill requires a legible notice at the top of the certificate of acknowledgment in an enclosed box, stating that the acknowledgment, proof of execution, or jurat verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which the acknowledgment, proof of execution, or jurat is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of the document, as specified below.

A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document, to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document.

Documents where the person appeared before a notary or other officer on or after January 1, 2015 must have this disclosure or the document will be rejected. Documents acknowledged before January 1, 2015 will be accepted for recording and must meet current applicable statue.

This requirement has been made in accordance with the legislative amendment to Sections 1189 and 1195 of the Civil Code, and to amend Section 8202 of the Government Code, relating to notaries public.

Ordering a death certificate by mail

Print and complete the Written Application.
Have the written application notarized.
Note: International requests for unrestricted copies must be notarized at a United States Embassy.
Mail application and your fee payment to this address:

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office
1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607

You may find vital record fees here. You may pay by check (personal, company, bank, or cashiers), money order or traveler's checks. Out of country payments must be made in U.S. dollars. Credit cards are not accepted for mail orders.

Ordering a death certificate in person

Come to the Clerk-Recorder's Office at 1106 Madison Street, Oakland, CA. Directions and Office Hours
You will be asked to complete a written application (Unrestricted certificates will require you to sign application stating that you are an authorized requestor).
Our office staff will attempt to locate the death certificate you have requested. Please note the following:
- The fee for any search of the death files and records is $26.00 and shall be paid in advance by the applicant regardless of whether the certificate is found or not. You may pay by cash, debit/ATM, check (personal, company, bank, cashier's or traveler's) or money order.
- Certificates from 1871 to 1959 will take up to 3 business days to complete. Certificates from 1960 to present can be completed the same day in most cases.
- Some certificates may not be found in this office's files. In such a case, a research request must be sent to the State and completion of the order may take as long as 2 months.
- Sometimes, a certificate may not be found in our records or the State's records. In such a case, a Certificate of No Record will be issued.

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office

1106 Madison Street Oakland, CA 94607 local:1-510-272-6362 toll free:1-888-280-7708

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