Access Anaheim Death Records

Anaheim does not keep death records. Orange County handles all vital records for cities within its boundaries. If someone died in Anaheim, their death certificate comes from the Orange County Clerk-Recorder. The main office is in Santa Ana at 12 Civic Center Plaza. Orange County also maintains records through their Health Care Agency Office of Vital Records. You can order online, visit an office, or send a mail request to get death certificates.

Orange County Issues Death Certificates

All death records for Anaheim are managed by Orange County. Cities in California do not handle vital records. The county keeps these documents.

Orange County operates two offices that can help with death certificates. The Clerk-Recorder office is at 12 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701. They are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. This office handles older death records and provides walk in service.

The Orange County Health Care Agency Office of Vital Records also issues death certificates. This office focuses on recent records from the current year and the previous year or two. They work with the county health department. Both offices can process requests for deaths anywhere in Orange County including Anaheim.

Check the Orange County vital records page for current contact information and office locations. Staff can tell you which office to contact based on when the death occurred. Recent deaths may be faster through the health office while older records go through the clerk-recorder.

Ways to Order Death Certificates

Orange County accepts requests through walk in service, online orders, and mail. Pick the method that works best for your situation.

Walk in to the Santa Ana clerk-recorder office with your ID and payment. The fee is $26 per copy. Staff can often provide your certificate the same day if the record is digitized and readily available. Older records may take a few days if staff need to retrieve archived files. Pay with cash, check, money order, or credit card at the counter.

Online ordering runs through VitalChek for Orange County. This third party vendor operates a website where you can request death certificates any time of day. You enter the information about the deceased, select how many copies you need, and pay by credit card. VitalChek charges the $26 county fee plus their service fees for processing and shipping. Orders take several weeks to process and arrive by mail.

Mail requests require filling out an application form. Download the form from the Orange County website or call to have one mailed to you. Complete every section and include a check or money order for $26 per copy. Mail the packet to the clerk-recorder address in Santa Ana. Processing takes a few weeks depending on how busy the office is. Your certificate will be mailed to the address you write on the application.

Some people order through the health office instead of the clerk-recorder. This works for very recent deaths. The health office may process new records faster because they work directly with hospitals and funeral homes. Contact both offices if you are unsure which one to use for your particular request.

Death Certificate Fees and Eligibility

Orange County charges $26 for each death certificate. This is the standard fee across most California counties.

California splits death certificates into two categories. Authorized copies have full legal standing. Informational copies include a stamp that says they are not valid for establishing identity. The price is the same for both types at $26 per copy.

To receive an authorized copy, you must be an eligible person under Health and Safety Code Section 103526. Eligible people include spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, and grandchild of the deceased. You must provide a notarized sworn statement with your application. This statement confirms your identity and relationship to the deceased.

Informational copies are available to anyone who asks. You do not need to prove your relationship. No notarized statement is required. These copies work for genealogy and personal records. They do not work for legal matters like probate, life insurance claims, or property transfers. Those situations require authorized copies.

VitalChek adds fees on top of the $26 county charge. Total cost depends on how fast you want delivery and what payment method you use. Expect to pay $40 to $50 or more per certificate through VitalChek once all fees are included. Ordering direct from the county saves money if you can visit in person or wait for mail processing.

How Long to Wait After a Death

Death records take about two weeks to become available after someone dies. The county needs time to receive and file the certificate.

The process involves several steps. The funeral home or crematory must complete their part of the death certificate. The doctor or medical examiner must certify the cause of death. All this paperwork gets submitted to the county. Staff then enter it into the system. Only after these steps can you order a copy.

Calling Orange County before you order saves you money if the death was very recent. Ask if the record is ready. Staff can search their database and tell you whether to proceed. Ordering too soon results in a no record found response. The county keeps the search fee even when they cannot find a record.

Older Anaheim Death Records

Orange County maintains death records for Anaheim and other county cities going back many decades. The clerk-recorder office is the custodian of historical records.

Very old death certificates may require extra processing time. Staff may need to locate microfilm or original paper records that have not been digitized. Recent deaths from the last 20 to 30 years are usually in the computer system and can be printed quickly. Deaths from before that era take more effort to retrieve.

For deaths before July 1905, Orange County is your only source. The state office in Sacramento does not have records prior to that date. The California State Archives may have some Orange County records available for research purposes, but they cannot issue certified copies. Only the county can certify historical death records.

Websites like Ancestry and FamilySearch have digitized many old Anaheim death records. These are useful for genealogy research. They are not certified and cannot be used for legal purposes. If you need an official certified copy of an old death record, you must order it from Orange County.

What You Need to Order

Have the following information ready before you request a death certificate:

• Full legal name of the person who died
• Date of death or approximate year
• City where death occurred (Anaheim or other Orange County location)
• Your name and relationship to deceased
• Mailing address where certificate should be sent

The more details you can provide, the easier it is for staff to find the record. Exact dates work best. If you only know the year, give that. The county can search a date range. Wrong information can lead to a failed search and wasted money.

If the deceased had a common name like John Smith or Maria Garcia, include parents' names or spouse's name on your application. This helps county staff confirm they have the correct record when multiple people share similar names and death dates.

Ordering from State Office

The California Department of Public Health in Sacramento can also issue death certificates for Anaheim. They maintain copies of all death records from July 1905 forward.

The state office is much slower than Orange County. Their average processing time is five to seven weeks according to the state vital records processing times page. Orange County typically processes requests in a few weeks or same day for walk in service.

State fees are $24 by mail or $26 through VitalChek online. Orange County charges $26 for walk in or mail requests. VitalChek adds service fees on top. The county is usually faster and equally convenient. Most people get better results ordering from Orange County unless they prefer the state office for some specific reason.

To order from the state, mail your application to California Department of Public Health, Vital Records, MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. Use form VS 112 available on the state website.

Other Cities in Orange County

Orange County includes many cities. All of them use the same clerk-recorder and health agency offices for death records.

Major cities: Irvine, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach

Additional cities include Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Garden Grove, Westminster, Orange, Tustin, and many more. Contact Orange County for death certificates from any city in the county.

Death Records from Other Counties

If a death occurred outside Orange County, contact the appropriate county office. Each county maintains separate records.

Cities in nearby counties: Los Angeles (Los Angeles County), Riverside (Riverside County), San Diego (San Diego County)