Fresno Death Records Access

Fresno death records come from Fresno County, not from the city government. California law assigns vital records responsibilities to counties. Cities have no role in maintaining or issuing death certificates. For any death that occurred in Fresno, you must contact the Fresno County Clerk-Recorder office. They are located at the Hall of Records at 2281 Tulare Street in downtown Fresno. The office maintains death records for Fresno and all other locations in the county. You can request certificates online, by mail, or in person at the counter.

Fresno County Handles All Death Records

California puts counties in charge of vital records. This is true statewide.

For Fresno, you work with Fresno County. The office is Fresno County Clerk-Recorder. Their main location is Hall of Records, 2281 Tulare Street, Room 302, Fresno, CA 93721. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is the only government office authorized to issue official death certificates for Fresno deaths.

Fresno County keeps death records going back many decades. The clerk office has certificates for all deaths within county boundaries. This includes the city of Fresno, Clovis, and smaller cities. Staff can search the index and provide certified copies. Recent death certificates usually print the same day for walk in requests. Older records may take longer to retrieve from archives or microfilm.

The fee is $26 per death certificate. This matches the standard California rate. You can pay with cash, check, money order, or credit card at the office. Online orders accept credit cards and debit cards but may have additional processing fees depending on which system you use.

How to Order a Death Certificate

Three options exist. Walk in. Use the web. Mail a request.

Walk in service is at the Hall of Records downtown. Bring a valid photo ID and payment. Fill out the application form at the counter or bring a completed form with you. Staff will process your request. Most recent death certificates can be printed while you wait. The clerk office can handle requests for deaths from any year, but very old records may require staff to search archives. Allow extra time if you are ordering a pre-1960 death certificate.

Online ordering works through two systems. Fresno County Health Department uses Permitium at fresnocav.permitium.com/rod for recent records. VitalChek also processes Fresno County death certificates. Both systems charge the $26 county fee plus service fees. Total cost runs $35 to $45 depending on which system and shipping method you choose. Processing takes two to four weeks.

Mail requests go to the Fresno County Clerk-Recorder at the Hall of Records address. Download the death certificate application from the county recorder website. Fill it out completely and mail it with payment. Do not send cash by mail. Use a check or money order made payable to Fresno County Clerk-Recorder. Processing time for mail orders is about three to four weeks from when the county receives your request.

Authorized Copy Requirements

California law creates two types of death certificates. Authorized copies have legal validity. Informational copies are for research purposes.

To get an authorized copy, you must be a close family member. Health and Safety Code Section 103526 defines eligible persons. This includes spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the deceased. You must complete a sworn statement declaring your relationship under penalty of perjury and have it notarized by a notary public. The notarized statement must accompany your application. Authorized copies can be used for legal matters like settling estates, claiming life insurance benefits, or transferring property ownership.

Informational copies are available to anyone. No notarized statement is needed. Just fill out the application and pay the fee. Informational copies have a watermark stating they cannot be used to establish identity. They work fine for genealogy or family history projects. The cost is the same $26 as authorized copies. Most researchers and distant relatives request informational copies since they do not need legal validity.

Funeral homes and government agencies have special exemptions from the notary requirement. If you are a funeral director or attorney handling an estate, check whether you qualify for the exemption under state law.

When Death Records Are Ready

Do not order right away. Records need time to process.

Death certificates become available about two weeks after the death occurs. The funeral home or medical examiner files the certificate with the county. County staff review it for accuracy and completeness, then enter it into the database. This takes time. Ordering too early results in a no record found response. The county keeps the search fee even if they cannot locate the record.

Call the county office before you visit or mail a request to verify the record is ready. The phone number is on the Fresno County website. Have the full name of the deceased and the date of death when you call. Staff can check their system to see if the record has been filed.

Old Fresno Death Records

Fresno County has death records dating back to the 1800s. Very old records can still be requested.

For deaths before July 1905, the county is your only source. The California Department of Public Health only maintains statewide records from July 1905 forward. Pre-1905 records were never sent to the state office. You must contact Fresno County for any death that occurred before that date.

Many old Fresno death records have been digitized and are on genealogy websites. FamilySearch, Ancestry, and similar sites have California vital records available for research. These online images are useful for family history but are not certified copies. If you need an official death certificate for legal use, you must order from the county regardless of how old the record is. Genealogy websites cannot provide certified documents.

Very old records may take several days or weeks to retrieve. County staff may need to search microfilm or paper files. Be patient when requesting pre-1960 death certificates. The clerk office will mail the certificate when they locate it in the archives.

Information Needed to Order

Gather these details before you submit a request:

• Full legal name of deceased
• Date of death or approximate year if unknown
• Place of death in Fresno County
• Your full name and current mailing address
• Your relationship to the deceased

The more accurate your information, the easier it is for county staff to find the record. If you do not know the exact date of death, provide the year or a range of years. The county will search their index. Give them the city name or hospital name if you know it. This helps narrow the search.

Make sure the death occurred in Fresno County before you order. If the person died in another county, you need to contact that county office instead. The search fee is kept whether they find the record or not.

Can You Order from the State

Yes. California Department of Public Health has copies of all death records from July 1905 onward.

The state office takes much longer to process requests. Their processing times page shows five to seven weeks average. Fresno County processes most requests within two to three weeks by mail or same day for walk in. The county is faster.

State fees are $24 by mail or $26 through VitalChek. Fresno County charges $26. VitalChek adds service fees that increase the total cost. The county is cheaper and faster for Fresno death records. Use the state only if you live far from Fresno and cannot easily access the county office.

Other Cities in Fresno County

Fresno County includes several cities. All use the same county office for death records.

Cities with pages: Clovis

Other cities in the county include Sanger, Reedley, Selma, Kingsburg, Mendota, Firebaugh, Coalinga, and Huron. For death records from any Fresno County city, contact Fresno County. The office handles all locations within county boundaries.

Nearby Cities in Other Counties

Cities near Fresno may be in different counties. Each county handles its own death records.

Nearby: Visalia (Tulare County), Merced (Merced County)