New Law Effective
July 1, 2003
Effective July 1, 2003, the California Health and Safety Code, Section 103526, will permit only authorized individuals to receive certified copies of DEATH RECORDS. Those who are not authorized by law to receive a certified copy will receive a certified copy marked “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY”.
- The registrant or parent or legal guardian of the registrant.
- A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney
or a licensed adoption agency seeking the death record in order to comply with
the requirements of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family Code.
- A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another
governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, 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.
- A funeral director ordering 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.
In order to obtain an “authorized” Certified Copy on or after July 1, 2003, you MUST complete the sworn statement included with the death certificate application form and sign the statement under penalty of perjury. If you mail the request, your sworn statement must be notarized. If your mailed request indicates that you want a Certified Copy but does not include a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury, the request will be rejected as incomplete and returned to you without being processed.
(Note: A funeral director ordering copies on behalf of an individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5) inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety Code is NOT required to complete the notarized statement.)
App. for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Record-In Person
App. for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Record-By Mail
App. for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Record-Certified By Mail
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