Search Kings County Death Records

Kings County death certificates come from the County Clerk-Recorder in Hanford. The office keeps records for deaths throughout Kings County going back over a century. You can get certified copies by visiting in person, sending a mail request, or ordering online through Permitium. Each certificate costs $26. Processing varies from same day for walk ins to about two weeks for mail and online orders. Kings County sits in the southern San Joaquin Valley with Hanford as the county seat. The clerk's office handles all vital records for the county including births, deaths, and marriages.

Kings County Clerk-Recorder

The Kings County Clerk-Recorder maintains all death records for the county. The office is in the county government center in Hanford at 1400 West Lacey Boulevard. Staff handle vital record requests, property documents, and other official filings. Walk in service is available during regular business hours Monday through Friday.

For phone inquiries, call 559-852-2350. You can also fax requests to 559-585-3501. The office usually opens at 8:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm. Call to confirm hours before you visit. Bring photo ID and details about the death when you come in person. Staff will search files and print copies while you wait if the record is readily available.

If you cannot visit in person, you can mail your request or use the online system. Many people find online ordering more convenient than mailing forms and waiting for checks to clear.

Order Online Through Permitium

Kings County uses Permitium for online death certificate orders. Permitium is a records portal system used by several California counties. Access it at kingscav.permitium.com/rod.

The Permitium site guides you through the order form. Enter the name of the deceased, date of death, place of death in Kings County, and your information. Select whether you need an authorized or informational copy. Provide your relationship to the deceased if ordering an authorized copy.

Payment goes by credit card or debit card. Permitium charges the $26 county fee plus a service fee of about $5 and credit card processing fees. You also pay a Vital Verify fee of around $1. Total cost is roughly $35 to $40 for one certificate depending on exact fees at the time.

Processing takes about two weeks. You receive an email confirmation and can check status online. The certificate mails to the address you provide. Permitium does not offer express shipping options like some other vendors.

Cost of Death Certificates

Kings County charges $26 per death certificate. This fee matches most California counties after the January 1, 2026 increase under Assembly Bill 64. Before that date, fees were slightly lower.

Walk in orders can pay by cash, check, or money order. Mail orders require check or money order payable to Kings County Clerk-Recorder. Online orders through Permitium use credit or debit cards and add service fees on top of the $26 base price.

If staff cannot locate the record you requested, you still pay the $26 search fee. They will issue a letter stating no record was found. Make sure your information is accurate before ordering to avoid losing the fee on a fruitless search.

Wait Times for Certificates

In person service is fastest. Recent death records often print the same day. Older records may take a few days if stored in archives. Staff will tell you when to return or they can mail the certificate once ready.

Mail requests take about two weeks after the office receives your form and payment. Add mailing time on both ends. Total wait is roughly three weeks from when you send it to when you get it back.

Permitium online orders also take about two weeks for processing, then regular mail delivery. No expedited options are available through Permitium. If you need the certificate urgently, visit the Hanford office in person.

Death records become available approximately two weeks after the death occurs. The California Department of Public Health recommends waiting at least two weeks before requesting a certificate for a very recent death. This allows time for the death to be registered and indexed.

Who Can Order Death Certificates

California law divides death certificates into authorized and informational types. Authorized copies go to immediate family and certain legal representatives. Informational copies are available to anyone.

Eligible people for authorized copies include spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased. Domestic partners, legal guardians, estate attorneys, and court appointees also qualify. Funeral homes can order on behalf of eligible family members. You must provide a notarized sworn statement declaring your eligibility under penalty of perjury.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can get an informational copy. These display the same information but have a stamp that says "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." Informational copies work for genealogy and family history but cannot be used for legal or financial transactions. Anyone can order them without proving relationship or providing notarization.

These rules are set in California Health and Safety Code Section 103526. The statute became effective in 2003 to reduce identity theft involving vital records.

California State Vital Records

You can order Kings County death records from the state instead of the county. The California Department of Public Health keeps copies of all death certificates from July 1905 forward. Kings County was created in 1893, so the state has most Kings County records.

The state charges $24 per copy, two dollars less than the county. Processing takes much longer though, about five to seven weeks. Mail requests 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 for death certificate requests. Download it at cdph.ca.gov. The form includes space for all required information and a notarized sworn statement section.

Most people order from Kings County directly because it is faster. The state office makes sense if you need certificates from multiple counties in one order.

Details Needed for Your Request

Include this information when ordering:

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

If you do not know exact dates, provide a year or range of years. Staff will search indexes. More detail helps them find the record faster.

Older Kings County Death Records

Kings County has death records from the 1890s when the county formed. California did not require statewide death registration until 1905, so earlier records may be incomplete. Some deaths were voluntarily registered before mandatory registration began.

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

Genealogy websites like FamilySearch and Ancestry may have indexed or transcribed Kings County death records. These are not certified copies but help with research.

Cities in Kings County

Kings County has several incorporated cities. Death records for all of them come from the Kings County Clerk-Recorder. Cities do not maintain their own vital records offices.

Major cities include Hanford, Corcoran, Lemoore, Avenal, and Armona. None meet the population threshold for individual pages on this site. For deaths in any Kings County city, contact the Clerk-Recorder in Hanford.

Bordering Counties

If the death occurred outside Kings County, contact the appropriate county office. Kings County borders several other counties in the San Joaquin Valley and coast ranges.

Nearby counties: Fresno County, Tulare County, Kern County, and Monterey County. Each county maintains its own death records.