Fontana Death Record Information

Fontana does not maintain death records. San Bernardino County handles all vital records for Fontana and every other city in the county. The San Bernardino County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk office processes death certificate requests for events anywhere in San Bernardino County. Main offices are in San Bernardino, with additional locations in Joshua Tree and Needles. You can visit any office in person, order online through Permitium or VitalChek, or submit a mail request. The county has death records from the 1850s to present and charges $26 per certified copy.

San Bernardino County Issues Fontana Death Certificates

California law places vital records responsibility with county governments. Cities do not issue death certificates.

For Fontana death records, contact San Bernardino County. The main Recorder office is at 222 West Hospitality Lane in San Bernardino. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Walk in service is available during business hours. Additional offices operate in Joshua Tree and Needles for residents in those areas.

San Bernardino County keeps death records from the 1850s when the county formed. All records for Fontana and other county cities are stored in the same system. The county charges $26 per copy, which is the standard California fee. Online orders add service fees on top of the base certificate cost.

Three Ways to Request Certificates

Walk in. Order online. Mail a request.

Visit a county office with valid government issued photo ID and payment. Staff search the database and print certificates for recent deaths while you wait. Older records may require retrieval from archives, which takes a few days. Bring $26 per copy in cash, check, money order, or credit card. Walk in service provides the fastest turnaround for most requests.

Online ordering uses Permitium or VitalChek. The county operates a Recorder portal and a Public Health Department portal, both using Permitium. VitalChek is also available. Fill out the online form, pay by credit card, and choose delivery method. Processing and service fees apply. Standard mail takes two to three weeks. Expedited shipping costs extra but arrives faster.

Mail applications require a form downloaded from the San Bernardino County vital records page. Complete it and include payment by check or money order made out to San Bernardino County. Send to the address on the form. Processing takes three to four weeks plus mailing time in both directions.

Authorized vs Informational Copies

California divides death certificates into two types. Eligibility depends on your relationship to the deceased.

Authorized copies go to immediate family members and certain other qualified persons under Health and Safety Code Section 103526. This includes spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, and grandchild. Court appointed representatives, estate attorneys, and government officials on official duty also qualify. You must submit a notarized sworn statement declaring your relationship under penalty of perjury.

Informational copies are available to anyone without relationship proof or notarization. These certificates display "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY" stamped across them. They work for genealogy and personal records but cannot be used for legal purposes like estates or insurance. The price is the same $26 as authorized copies.

How Long Does Processing Take

Timelines vary by ordering method and record age. Recent deaths need time to enter the system.

Death records become available approximately two weeks after the death occurs. The funeral home files paperwork, a physician certifies cause of death, and county staff process the record. Do not order before this waiting period or the county will not find it and you will still pay the search fee. Call the county office if you are unsure whether enough time has passed.

Walk in requests at county offices may be completed the same day for recent records. Older records require pulling from storage, which can take a few business days. Mail and online orders take three to four weeks to process. Expedited delivery options shorten shipping time but not processing time.

Old Death Records from Fontana

San Bernardino County has death records dating back to the 1850s. Fontana was incorporated much later, but the county has records for the area from early settlement days.

For deaths before July 1905, only the county has records. The state office in Sacramento does not maintain anything prior to that date. Contact San Bernardino County for all pre-1905 deaths in the Fontana area. These historical records may be on microfilm or in paper form. Staff need extra time to locate and copy them.

Some old San Bernardino County death records appear on genealogy websites. These are not certified and cannot be used for legal matters. If you need a certified copy, order through the county office even if the record is available online.

What Information to Provide

Gather these details before requesting:

• Full name of deceased
• Date of death or year range
• Place of death in San Bernardino County
• Your relationship to deceased
• Your mailing address

More specific information helps staff locate the record faster. If you lack the exact date, give a range of years. The county searches based on what you provide. The $26 fee is kept whether the record is found or not because it pays for search time.

Ordering Through the State Office

The California Department of Public Health maintains copies of all state death records from July 1905 forward. You can order from them instead of the county.

State processing takes much longer. The state office reports five to seven weeks average processing time. San Bernardino County handles requests in three to four weeks by mail or same day for walk in service. The state charges $24 by mail or $26 through VitalChek plus fees. The county charges $26 plus online fees if applicable.

For Fontana deaths, using San Bernardino County is faster. The county has local offices and processes requests more quickly. Use the state only if you are unsure which county the death occurred in.

Other San Bernardino County Cities

San Bernardino County covers a vast area with many cities. All use the same county office for death records.

Major cities: San Bernardino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga

Other cities include Victorville, Hesperia, Chino, Chino Hills, Upland, Redlands, Rialto, and many more. Contact San Bernardino County for death records from any city or unincorporated area in the county.