Alameda County Death Records

Death records for Alameda County are kept by the County Clerk-Recorder's Office in Oakland. You can search for death certificates from 1871 to the present for deaths that took place in Alameda County. The clerk offers same day service for walk in requests and online ordering through their website. Two office locations serve the county with convenient hours and staff to help you find the documents you need. Certificates from 1960 forward print while you wait in most cases. Older records take a few business days.

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder Office

The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder handles all death certificates for the county. They run two offices to serve residents. The main office sits in Oakland at 1106 Madison Street. A second location operates in Dublin at 7600 Dublin Boulevard, Suite 160.

Both offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. You can walk in without an appointment. Staff at either office can look up death records and make certified copies for you on the spot in most cases. The Oakland office is near downtown. The Dublin office is in the East Bay. Pick the one that works best for you.

Call ahead if you need help. The local number is 510-272-6362. A toll free number is also available at 888-280-7708. Staff can tell you if they have the record you need and what you must bring. You can also send questions by email to CROUpload@acgov.org or by fax to 510-208-9957.

Death Certificate Fees

Each death certificate costs $28.00 in Alameda County. This fee applies whether you order in person, by mail, or online.

Online orders have a $2.00 convenience fee added per order, not per copy. If you order three copies online, you pay $84.00 for the certificates plus $2.00 for the convenience fee, for a total of $86.00. The fee is charged even if the office cannot find the record. They keep the search fee whether or not they locate what you asked for.

You can pay by cash, check, or money order at the office. Online orders accept credit cards and debit cards. Make checks payable to Alameda County Clerk-Recorder.

How Long It Takes to Get Your Certificate

Wait times vary by how you order and how old the record is. Walk in service is fastest. Mail takes longer.

For in person requests, death certificates from 1960 to now can be completed the same day in most cases. The office prints them while you wait. Certificates from 1871 to 1959 take up to three business days. These older records are stored differently and need more time to pull. Note that certificates for deaths before 1893 are not available from this office.

Mail orders take about two to three weeks from the date the office receives your request. After processing, delivery takes up to seven days more. That means mail orders can take about four weeks total from when you send the form to when you get the certificate back. If you need it faster, visit in person or use the online system.

According to the official California death records request page, death records become available about two weeks after the date of death. Do not try to order a certificate right away. Wait at least two weeks for the county to file the record.

Order Alameda County Death Certificates Online

Alameda County runs its own online ordering system. You do not need to use VitalChek. Go to the county's website to place your order.

The online portal is at www.acgov.org/bdmecomm_app/DisplayOrdServlet. You can order any time of day or night. The system accepts credit cards and debit cards. Processing time is the same as mail orders, about two to three weeks. The certificate will be mailed to you.

You still need to meet the legal requirements to get an authorized copy. For an authorized death certificate, you must be the spouse, child, parent, sibling, or other close relative of the person who died. You need to upload a notarized sworn statement. For an informational copy, anyone can order without the notarized statement. The price is the same for both types.

Information Needed to Order

Have these facts ready when you order:

• Full name of the person who died
• Date of death
• Place of death in Alameda County
• Your relationship to the person
• Your name and mailing address

The more details you provide, the easier it is for staff to find the record. If you do not know the exact date, give the year or a range of years. The office will search their files. The search fee of $28.00 is kept whether they find it or not.

Older Death Records in Alameda County

Alameda County has death records going back to 1871. Records before 1893 are not available from the Clerk-Recorder. For very old records or records before 1893, you may need to check with the California State Archives in Sacramento.

The State Archives has some pre-1905 vital records from select California counties. Call them at 916-653-6814 to ask if they have Alameda County death records from the time period you need. Records more than 75 years old are open for research without restriction.

Some old Alameda County death records may also be available through FamilySearch or Ancestry websites. These are informational copies only and cannot be certified.

Who Can Get a Death Certificate

California law controls who can get an authorized death certificate. The rules are set in Health and Safety Code Section 103526.

You can get an authorized copy if you are the spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the person who died. Legal representatives, attorneys for the estate, and court appointees can also get authorized copies. Funeral homes can order on behalf of authorized family members.

If you do not qualify, you can still get an informational copy. Informational copies show the same facts but have a stamp across them that says "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." These work for genealogy but not for legal use. Anyone can order an informational copy without proving their relationship.

Major Cities in Alameda County

Alameda County includes several major California cities. For deaths in any of these cities, contact the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder.

Cities with pages: Oakland, Fremont

Other cities in Alameda County include Berkeley, Hayward, Alameda, San Leandro, Livermore, Pleasanton, Newark, Union City, Dublin, and others. All death records for these cities are handled by the county office, not by the cities themselves.

Nearby Counties

If the death occurred outside Alameda County, you need to contact the county where it took place.

Neighboring counties: Contra Costa County, Santa Clara County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, San Mateo County