Find Inyo County Death Records

The Inyo County Clerk-Recorder in Independence maintains death records for the entire county. Certificates are available for deaths that occurred in Inyo County from the late 1800s to today. You can order copies by visiting the office, mailing a request, or using VitalChek online. Each certificate costs $26. Processing time varies from same day for walk in service to two or three weeks by mail. Inyo County sits along the eastern Sierra Nevada and includes Death Valley. The county seat is Independence, a small town on Highway 395.

Clerk-Recorder Office in Independence

All vital records for Inyo County go through the Clerk-Recorder's Office. The office is in the county courthouse in Independence. Staff handle death certificate requests along with property records and other documents. Walk in service is available during business hours. The office also processes mail requests and online orders through VitalChek.

The address is 168 North Edwards Street, Independence, CA 93526. Mailing address is P.O. Drawer F, Independence, CA 93526. Call them at 760-878-0224 or fax to 760-878-0382. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The office may close for lunch, so call ahead if you plan to visit.

Independence is remote. Most people use mail or VitalChek instead of driving there. If you do go in person, bring photo ID and details about the death you need. Staff can search their files and print copies while you wait if the record is recent.

Visit www.inyocounty.us/services/clerk-recorder/deaths for more information about ordering death certificates from Inyo County.

Cost of Death Certificates

Inyo County charges $26 per death certificate. This fee matches most California counties. The fee increased to $26 on January 1, 2026 under state law.

Payment methods depend on how you order. In person, you can pay by cash, check, or money order. Mail orders require a check or money order payable to Inyo County Clerk-Recorder. Online orders through VitalChek use credit cards or debit cards. VitalChek adds their own service fee, usually $7 to $13, plus shipping charges.

The $26 fee is charged even if the office cannot find the record. If they search and come up empty, they keep the fee as a search charge. You will get a letter saying no record was found.

Order Online with VitalChek

VitalChek processes online orders for Inyo County death certificates. Go to www.vitalchek.com and choose Inyo County. The website guides you through entering the deceased person's name, date of death, your information, and payment.

VitalChek charges the $26 county fee plus a service fee and shipping. You can pick regular mail or express delivery. Express costs more but arrives faster. Total cost depends on options you select, but expect to pay $40 to $50 for one certificate with standard shipping.

Processing time through VitalChek is about the same as mail orders, two to three weeks. You get an email confirmation and can track your order status online. If you need the certificate faster, visit the Independence office in person.

Turnaround Time for Requests

In person requests get handled fastest. If the death is recent, the office can print a copy the same day. Older deaths may require pulling archived files, which takes a few days.

Mail requests take two to three weeks once the office receives your form and payment. Add mailing time on both ends. Total wait is about three to four weeks from when you send the request to when the certificate arrives.

Online orders through VitalChek also take about two weeks for processing, then shipping time. If you choose expedited shipping, you get it faster after the county processes it.

Death records become available roughly two weeks after the death occurs, per California state guidelines. Wait before requesting a certificate for a very recent death.

Who Qualifies to Get Death Certificates

California law controls who can receive authorized death certificates. Eligible people include immediate family members such as spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Domestic partners, legal guardians, and estate attorneys also qualify. Funeral establishments can order for eligible family members.

If you are eligible, you must provide a notarized sworn statement with your request. The statement declares under penalty of perjury that you are authorized to receive the certificate. Law enforcement and government agencies are exempt from the notary requirement.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can get an informational copy. Informational copies show all the same data but have a stamp that says "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." Anyone can order informational copies without proving relationship or getting anything notarized. They work for family history research but not for legal or financial transactions.

These rules come from California Health and Safety Code Section 103526. The law took effect in 2003 to reduce identity theft using vital records.

California State Vital Records Office

You can order Inyo County death records from the state instead of the county. The California Department of Public Health in Sacramento keeps copies of all death certificates from July 1905 forward. That covers the entire period that death registration was required statewide.

The state charges $24 per certificate, two dollars less than Inyo County. But processing takes much longer, five to seven weeks. Mail your request to California Department of Public Health, Vital Records MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. Call 916-445-2684 for questions. Use form VS 112, available at cdph.ca.gov.

Most people order from Inyo County directly because it is faster and you get the same certificate. The state office makes sense if you need certificates from multiple counties in one order.

What to Include in Your Request

Provide these details when ordering:

• Full name of the deceased
• Date of death
• Place of death in Inyo County
• Your name and address
• Your relationship to the deceased
• Number of copies
• Payment

If you do not know the exact date, give the year or a range of years. Staff will search the indexes. The more information you provide, the faster they can find the record.

Old Death Records in Inyo County

Inyo County has been keeping death records since the late 1800s. The county was formed in 1866. California did not require statewide death registration until 1905, so records before then may be incomplete. Some deaths were registered voluntarily before 1905, and those records are in the county files.

For very old records or if the county cannot find what you need, check the California State Archives in Sacramento. They have microfilmed copies of some pre-1905 vital records from various counties. Call 916-653-6814 to ask what they have for Inyo County.

Genealogy websites like FamilySearch and Ancestry may also have transcribed or scanned Inyo County death records. These are not certified copies but can help with research.

Cities and Towns in Inyo County

Inyo County has only one incorporated city, Bishop. Other communities include Lone Pine, Big Pine, and Independence. None of these cities maintain their own death records. All certificates come from the Inyo County Clerk-Recorder.

Deaths in Death Valley National Park, which covers much of Inyo County, are also recorded by the county. Contact the Clerk-Recorder in Independence regardless of where in Inyo County the death occurred.

Neighboring Counties

If the death happened outside Inyo County, contact the correct county. Inyo County borders several other counties and the state of Nevada.

Nearby California counties include Mono County to the north, Tulare County to the west, and Kern County and San Bernardino County to the south. For deaths in Nevada, contact the Nevada county where it occurred.