Long Beach Death Certificate Access

Long Beach death records are maintained by Los Angeles County, not by the city government. California law assigns vital records to counties. Cities do not maintain or issue death certificates. For deaths in Long Beach or anywhere else in Los Angeles County, you must contact the county office. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk handles all death records for the county. Their main office is in Norwalk at 12400 Imperial Highway. You can request certificates online through the county portal, in person at service centers, or by mail with the proper application and payment.

Los Angeles County Handles Long Beach Death Records

All California cities depend on their county for vital records. Long Beach is part of Los Angeles County.

For Long Beach death records, contact Los Angeles County. The office is Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Their main office is at 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The county also operates service centers in other locations that can process death certificate requests.

Los Angeles County maintains death records for all deaths within county boundaries. This includes Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Torrance, and dozens of other cities. The county keeps records going back many decades. Staff can search the database and provide certified copies. Recent death certificates usually print the same day for walk in requests at most service centers. Older records may take longer to retrieve from archives.

The fee is $23 per death certificate. This is lower than most California counties. The state average is $26. Payment methods include cash, check, money order, and credit card for in person requests. Online orders accept credit cards and debit cards.

How to Order a Death Certificate

Three ways exist. Walk in. Use the web. Mail a form.

Walk in service is available at the main office in Norwalk and at service centers across Los Angeles County. Check the county website to find the location nearest to Long Beach. Bring a valid photo ID and payment. Fill out the application at the counter or bring a completed form. Staff will process your request. Most recent death certificates can be printed while you wait. The walk in option is fastest if you need the certificate urgently.

Online ordering goes through the Los Angeles County online application portal. You enter information about the death and pay by credit card. The county processes your order and mails the certificate to you. Processing takes two to four weeks. Online orders have no extra service fees beyond the $23 county fee. This makes Los Angeles County cheaper than counties that use VitalChek.

Mail requests go to the Norwalk main office. Download the death record application form from the county website. Fill it out completely and mail it with payment by check or money order. Do not send cash through the mail. Processing time for mail orders is about four to six weeks from when the county receives your request. Include a self addressed stamped envelope if you want.

Authorized Copy Requirements

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

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

Informational copies are available to anyone without proof of relationship. No notarized statement is needed. Just fill out the application and pay the fee. Informational copies have a watermark across them stating they cannot be used to establish identity. They work fine for genealogy or family history. The cost is the same $23 as authorized copies.

Funeral homes and government agencies have exemptions from the notary requirement. If you work in one of these fields, check with the county about whether you qualify for the exemption.

When Records Are Ready

Do not try to order right after a death. Records need time to file.

Death certificates become available about two weeks after the date of death. The funeral home or medical examiner files the certificate with the county. County staff review it and 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 to verify the record is ready before you visit or mail a request. The phone number is on the Los Angeles 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 Long Beach Death Records

Los Angeles County has death records going back many decades. 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. You must contact Los Angeles County for any death that occurred before that date.

Many old Long Beach 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 no matter how old the record is.

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

Information Needed to Order

Have these details ready when you request a death certificate:

• Full legal name of deceased person
• Date of death or approximate year if unknown
• Place of death in Los Angeles County
• Your 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 in a large county like Los Angeles.

Make sure the death occurred in Los Angeles County before you order. Long Beach is in Los Angeles County. If the person died in another county, contact that county office instead. The search fee is not refunded even if the record is not found.

Can You Use the State Office

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 average five to seven weeks. Los Angeles County processes most requests within two to four weeks by mail or same day for walk in. The county is faster.

State fees are $24 by mail or $26 through VitalChek. Los Angeles County charges $23 with no extra fees for online orders. The county is cheaper and faster for Long Beach death records. Use the state only if you cannot access the county office.

Other Cities in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County includes dozens of cities. All use the same county office for death records.

Major cities with pages: Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, Glendale

Other cities include Pasadena, Torrance, Inglewood, Burbank, Compton, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona, El Monte, Downey, and many more. For death records from any Los Angeles County city, contact Los Angeles County. The office handles all locations within county boundaries.

Nearby Cities in Other Counties

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

Nearby: Anaheim (Orange County), Huntington Beach (Orange County)