Del Norte County Death Records

Death records in Del Norte County are maintained by the Clerk-Recorder's Office in Crescent City. You can search for death certificates for anyone who died within the county. The office uses Tyler Technologies for online ordering. You can also visit in person or mail a written request. Each certified copy costs $26. Staff at the county office can help you locate the record you need and tell you what documents to bring. Processing times are usually quick for recent deaths. Older records may take a bit longer to retrieve from storage.

Del Norte County Clerk-Recorder

The Del Norte County Clerk-Recorder handles all vital records including death certificates. Their office is in Crescent City. This is the only office in the county that issues certified death certificates.

You can visit the office during regular business hours. Staff can look up the record and print a certified copy for you. Recent records are usually available right away. Older records might take a day or two if they need to be pulled from archives. Call ahead if you have questions about a specific record.

The main vital records page has information about fees, requirements, and office hours. Check there before you visit or mail a request.

The county is small and the office is not as busy as larger counties. You can often get help without a long wait. The staff knows the local records well and can guide you through the process.

Tyler Technologies Online Portal

Del Norte County uses Tyler Technologies for online death certificate orders. Tyler runs a self-service web portal that lets you request copies any time of day.

Go to delnortecountyca-web.tylerhost.net to access the system. You need to create an account or log in. Then you search for the death record by name and date. If the system finds a match, you can add it to your cart and pay with a credit card or debit card.

Tyler charges a small service fee on top of the county fee. The total cost will be a bit more than $26. Your order goes to the county electronically. They process it and mail the certified copy to you. This usually takes two to three weeks from order to delivery.

Death Certificate Costs

Del Norte County charges $26.00 per certified copy. This is the standard fee set by California state law.

If you order online through Tyler, you pay the $26 plus Tyler's service fee. The service fee is a few dollars per transaction. The exact amount shows up before you complete your order. You can avoid the service fee by ordering in person or by mail, but those methods take longer.

The county accepts cash, checks, and money orders in person. Online orders require a credit card or debit card. Make checks payable to Del Norte County Clerk-Recorder.

The search fee is included in the $26. If the county looks for a record and cannot find it, you still pay the fee. They keep it for the time spent searching.

How Long It Takes

Processing times vary based on how you order. In person is fastest. Online and mail take a few weeks.

Walk in service can be done the same day for recent records. You fill out a form, pay the fee, and wait while they make the copy. This works best if you live near Crescent City or can make the trip. For older records, you might need to come back in a day or two after they retrieve the file.

Online orders through Tyler take about two to three weeks. The county receives the request, pulls the record, certifies a copy, and mails it to you. Add a few more days for postal delivery. Total time is usually three weeks or so from when you order.

Mail orders take about the same time as online. You send a written request with payment. The county processes it and sends the certificate back. Figure on three to four weeks total.

Required Information

Have these details ready when you order:

• Full name of person who died
• Date of death or approximate year
• Place of death in Del Norte County
• Your name and mailing address
• Your relationship to the deceased

The more specific you can be, the easier it is for the county to find the record. Exact dates help. If you only know the year, give that along with any other details like age or spouse name. The county will do their best to locate it.

For an authorized copy, you need to show you are legally allowed to get one. This means being a close relative. You also need a notarized statement swearing to your relationship. For an informational copy, anyone can order without the notarized form. The fee is the same either way.

Who Can Get a Death Certificate

California law limits who can receive an authorized death certificate. The law is in Health and Safety Code Section 103526.

Authorized copies go to spouses, domestic partners, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings of the deceased. Legal representatives like attorneys for the estate or court-appointed administrators can also get them. Funeral homes acting on behalf of the family qualify too.

If you do not fit these categories, you can still get an informational copy. Informational copies have the same information but include a watermark that says "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." These work for family history but not for legal matters like settling an estate.

Anyone can order an informational copy. No notarized form is required. Just fill out the request and pay the fee.

Older Del Norte County Death Records

Del Norte County has death records going back to the late 1800s. The Clerk-Recorder keeps these older records. Not every death was recorded in the early years. Record keeping improved after California passed a law in 1915 requiring registration of all births and deaths.

For deaths before 1905, you must use the county. The state did not maintain vital records before July 1905. The county office is your only source for pre-1905 deaths. They will search for what you need, but very old records may be incomplete or missing. You still pay the search fee even if they cannot find the record.

The California State Archives may have some Del Norte County records. Call them at 916-653-6814 to ask. Records over 75 years old are open to the public without restrictions.

Genealogy websites like FamilySearch and Ancestry also have some digitized Del Norte County death records. These are not certified copies. They work for research but not for legal use.

California State Death Records

If you are not sure which county to contact, you can order from the state. The California Department of Public Health keeps copies of death records from all counties starting July 1905.

Visit the CDPH death records page for instructions. The state charges $24 per copy, which is less than Del Norte County. But state processing takes much longer. Expect five to seven weeks for a state order. County orders are faster.

Use the state if you do not know the county. If you know the death happened in Del Norte County, go directly to the county for faster service.

Cities in Del Norte County

Del Norte County is a rural county in far northern California. Crescent City is the county seat and largest city. The county does not have any cities over 100,000 population.

All death records for Crescent City and surrounding areas go through the Del Norte County Clerk-Recorder. The city does not issue death certificates. Only the county has that authority.

Other communities in the county include Gasquet, Klamath, and Smith River. These are unincorporated areas. Their death records are also handled by the county office in Crescent City.

Nearby Counties

If the death occurred outside Del Norte County, contact the county where it took place. Each county maintains its own records.

Neighboring counties: Humboldt County, Siskiyou County

Del Norte County borders Oregon to the north. For Oregon death records, contact the Oregon Center for Health Statistics.