Calaveras County Death Records

Calaveras County maintains death records through the Clerk-Recorder's Office in San Andreas. The office handles death certificates for anyone who died in this county. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through online systems. Calaveras County offers a self-service web portal for ordering vital records around the clock. VitalChek is also available as a third party option. Each death certificate costs $26.00. The Clerk-Recorder office provides walk in service during business hours. Staff can help you fill out request forms and answer questions about which records are available. Online orders get processed and mailed to you. Processing times depend on how you order and how old the record is.

Clerk-Recorder Office in San Andreas

The Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder handles all death records for the county. Their office is in San Andreas, the county seat. Staff can process walk in requests during business hours. They will help you complete the necessary forms and answer questions about fees and requirements.

The official death records page is at clerkrecorder.calaverasgov.us/Vital-Records/Death-Records. That page explains how to order death certificates and what information you need to provide. It also links to the online ordering portal.

Contact the office by phone or email if you have questions before you order. They can tell you whether they have the record on file. This saves time and prevents rejected requests. Make sure you are ordering from the right county. Calaveras County can only issue death certificates for deaths that occurred within its borders.

Order Death Certificates Online

Calaveras County offers a self-service web portal for ordering vital records. The portal is at recorderweb.calaverascounty.gov/Web/action/ACTIONGROUP201S1. You can use it any time of day or night. The system accepts credit cards and processes orders electronically.

The portal guides you through each step. You enter the details about the death and the person who died. You select how many copies you need. The system calculates the total cost including service fees. Payment is processed online. Your certificate is mailed to the address you provide. Processing time is similar to mail orders.

VitalChek is also available as a third party option. VitalChek is used by many California counties. They charge their own processing fees in addition to the $26.00 certificate fee. Some people prefer VitalChek because it offers expedited shipping options. The county portal does not offer expedited shipping.

Death Certificate Fees

Each death certificate costs $26.00 in Calaveras County. This is the standard fee set by California law.

Online orders include additional service fees. The county portal charges a service fee for processing your order electronically. Credit card fees may also apply. VitalChek charges its own processing fees plus credit card fees. The total cost for an online order can be $40 or more once all fees are added. If you want to avoid extra fees, order by mail or in person.

The search fee is non-refundable. If the office cannot locate the record, they keep the $26.00. Make sure you have accurate information before you order. Calling ahead or checking online can help confirm the record exists.

How Long It Takes to Get Your Certificate

Walk in requests may be processed the same day or within a few business days. It depends on how busy the office is and how old the record is. Recent records are easier to pull. Older records take more time.

Mail orders typically take one to three weeks from the date the office receives your request. After processing, delivery takes several more days. Online orders through the county portal or VitalChek take about the same time as mail orders. You get the convenience of ordering any time, but not faster processing.

Death records become available about two weeks after the date of death. Do not try to order a certificate immediately. Wait at least two weeks for the county to file the record. The official California death records request page explains this waiting period.

Information Required for Requests

Have these details ready when you order a death certificate:

• Full name of the person who died
• Date of death or year
• Place of death in Calaveras County
• Your name and mailing address
• Your relationship to the deceased
• Number of copies needed

If you do not know the exact date, provide the year or a range of years. The office will search their files. The more accurate your information, the faster the search goes. Incomplete information can slow down processing or lead to a failed search. The search fee is kept even if the record is not found.

Who Can Get Authorized Copies

California law sets rules for who can get an authorized death certificate. The law is in Health and Safety Code Section 103526. Authorized persons include the spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the deceased.

Legal representatives, attorneys for the estate, and court appointees can also get authorized copies. Funeral homes can order on behalf of authorized family members. To get an authorized copy, you must complete a notarized sworn statement under penalty of perjury. This statement declares that you are an authorized person under California law.

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

Older Death Records and Archives

For very old death records or records before 1905, check with the California State Archives in Sacramento. The State Archives holds some pre-1905 vital records from select California counties.

Call them at 916-653-6814 to ask if they have Calaveras County death records from the time period you need. Records more than 75 years old are open for research without restriction. You can visit the archives at 1500 11th Street in Sacramento. Their collections include microfilmed copies and original records from 28 California counties. Some old Calaveras County death records may also be available through FamilySearch or Ancestry websites. These are informational copies only and cannot be certified.

Neighboring Counties

If the death occurred outside Calaveras County, you need to contact the county where it took place. Calaveras County can only issue death certificates for deaths that happened within its borders.

Nearby counties include Amador County, Tuolumne County, San Joaquin County, and Stanislaus County. Each county maintains its own death records. If you are not sure where the death occurred, start with the county where the person lived or where the hospital was located.