Imperial County Death Records Search

Imperial County death records go through the County Recorder's Office in El Centro. The office handles all certificates for deaths in Imperial County from past years to now. You can request copies by mail, phone, or through VitalChek online. The fee is $26 per copy. Processing takes a few days for walk in visits and a couple weeks by mail. Imperial County sits in the far southeast corner of California along the Mexican border. Most deaths occur in El Centro, Calexico, and Imperial. The county keeps records back to when it formed in 1907.

Imperial County Recorder Office

The Recorder operates from the county administration building in El Centro. The office maintains all vital records including death certificates for Imperial County. Staff can help you request copies or answer questions about how to order.

If you go in person, bring valid photo ID and know the full name of the person who died. Date of death helps staff search faster. The office sits at 940 West Main Street, Suite 202, El Centro, CA 92243. Office hours run Monday through Friday, usually 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call ahead at 760-482-4278 to check hours or ask if they have the record. Fax requests go to 760-482-4384.

The main website for the Recorder is recorder.imperialcounty.org. You can find contact details and forms there. Most people use mail or VitalChek instead of walking in since El Centro is remote from big cities.

VitalChek Online Ordering

Imperial County uses VitalChek for online death certificate orders. VitalChek is a third party service that processes requests for many California counties. Go to www.vitalchek.com and select Imperial County from the list.

The site walks you through filling out the order form. You enter the name of the deceased, date of death, place of death, your relationship, and where to mail the certificate. Payment goes by credit card or debit card. VitalChek adds a service fee of about $7 to $13 on top of the $26 certificate fee. You also pay for shipping. Express options cost more but deliver faster.

Processing time through VitalChek matches the county's mail order time, around two weeks. You can track your order online. If the county cannot find the record, VitalChek refunds part of your payment but keeps the search fee.

Some people prefer VitalChek because it is convenient and you can order any time. Others go straight to the county to avoid extra fees. Either way works.

Death Certificate Costs

Each death certificate from Imperial County costs $26. This fee applies to all order methods. If you order online through VitalChek, you also pay their service charge and shipping. In person orders can pay by cash, check, or money order. Mail orders need a check or money order payable to Imperial County Recorder.

The $26 fee is set by California state law under Assembly Bill 64, which raised vital record fees starting January 1, 2026. Before that, fees were slightly lower. Now all California counties charge about the same, between $23 and $28 per copy.

How Long to Get Your Copy

Walk in service at the El Centro office is fastest. Most recent records print the same day. Older records may take a few business days if stored in archives.

Mail orders take two to three weeks from when the office receives your form to when you get the certificate back. Add a few days for your mail to reach them and for return delivery. Total time is about three to four weeks.

VitalChek online orders also take about two weeks for processing, then shipping time on top. If you pick expedited shipping, you get the certificate faster after it processes. Regular mail adds another week.

Death records become available about two weeks after the date of death, according to the California Department of Public Health. Do not request a certificate right after someone dies. Wait at least two weeks for the county to file and index it.

Who Can Order Death Certificates

California law divides death certificates into two types. Authorized copies go to family members and legal representatives. Informational copies go to anyone else.

To get an authorized copy, you must be the spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the deceased. Domestic partners, legal guardians, and attorneys for the estate also qualify. Funeral homes can order on behalf of eligible family members. You need to provide a notarized sworn statement that proves your relationship. The statement is part of the application form.

If you do not meet those requirements, you can still order an informational copy. These show the same data but have a legend printed on them that says "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." Informational copies work for genealogy or personal records but not for legal purposes. No notarized statement is required.

The rules come from California Health and Safety Code Section 103526, which took effect in July 2003. Before that, anyone could get any vital record.

Ordering from California State Office

You can also order Imperial County death records from the California Department of Public Health in Sacramento. The state office has copies of all death certificates from July 1905 forward. For Imperial County, that covers everything since the county formed in 1907.

The state charges $24 per copy, two dollars less than the county. But processing takes longer, about five to seven weeks. The state address is P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. Phone is 916-445-2684. Use form VS 112, which you can download from the California vital records website.

Most people find it faster to order from Imperial County directly unless they need certificates from multiple counties. Then ordering from the state makes sense.

Details Needed for Your Request

Include these facts when you order:

• Full legal name of the deceased person
• Date of death or approximate year
• Place of death within Imperial County
• Your full name and mailing address
• Your relationship to the deceased
• Number of copies needed
• Fee payment

The more detail you give, the easier the search. If you do not know exact dates, provide a range. The office will look through their files. Even if they cannot find the record, they keep the search fee.

Old Death Records in Imperial County

Imperial County was created in 1907 from parts of San Diego County. Death records for the area before 1907 are kept by San Diego County. Check with the San Diego County Recorder for pre-1907 deaths.

For deaths in Imperial County from 1907 forward, the Imperial County Recorder has them. Very old records may take longer to retrieve if stored in archives. Some gaps may exist in early years due to incomplete registration. California did not require death registration statewide until 1905, and rural counties were slow to comply.

Genealogists researching old Imperial County deaths can also check the California State Archives in Sacramento. They have some pre-1905 vital records from select counties on microfilm. Call them at 916-653-6814 to ask what they have for Imperial County.

Cities in Imperial County

Imperial County has several incorporated cities. Death records for all of them go through the Imperial County Recorder, not through city offices. Cities do not maintain their own vital records.

Major cities include El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, Imperial, and Holtville. None of these cities meet the population threshold for individual pages on this site. For deaths in any Imperial County city, contact the County Recorder in El Centro.

Surrounding Counties

If the death occurred outside Imperial County, you must contact the correct county. Imperial County borders several other counties and the state of Arizona.

Nearby California counties include San Diego County to the west and Riverside County to the north. For deaths in Arizona near the border, contact the Arizona county where it happened.