Los Angeles County Death Records

Los Angeles County death certificates are handled by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk in downtown Los Angeles and Norwalk. The office maintains death records for all of Los Angeles County from 1850 to the present. You can request certified copies online, in person at multiple locations, or by mail. Each certificate costs $23. Processing time runs from same day for walk in service to about two weeks for mail orders. Los Angeles is California's most populous county with over 10 million residents. Death records cover Los Angeles city and dozens of other municipalities throughout the county. The Registrar-Recorder operates offices in downtown Los Angeles and Norwalk to serve the large population.

Registrar-Recorder Office Locations

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk operates two main offices for vital records. The downtown Los Angeles office is at 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650. A second office serves downtown at 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration.

Both offices handle death certificate requests. Walk in service is available during business hours. Bring valid photo ID and information about the death. Staff can search files and print certified copies. Recent deaths usually process same day. Older records may take longer if stored in archives.

Office hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call ahead to verify hours at 562-462-2060 for the Norwalk office. The downtown office phone is listed on their website. Check rrcc.lacounty.gov for current information and additional office locations.

Online Death Certificate Orders

Los Angeles County offers online ordering through two systems. You can use VitalChek or the county's own online application portal. Both process requests for Los Angeles County death certificates.

VitalChek is at www.vitalchek.com. Select Los Angeles County from the California list. VitalChek charges the $23 county fee plus a service fee of about $7 to $13 and shipping costs. Processing takes about two weeks.

The county portal is at apps.lavote.net/bdm. This system may have different fees and processing times than VitalChek. Check both to compare costs and delivery options.

Both systems guide you through entering the deceased person's name, date of death, place of death in Los Angeles County, and your information. Select whether you need an authorized or informational copy. Payment goes by credit or debit card.

Death Certificate Fees

Los Angeles County charges $23 per death certificate. This is two dollars less than most California counties. The fee applies to all order methods whether in person, mail, or online.

Walk in orders can pay by cash, check, money order, or credit card at the office. Mail orders require check or money order payable to Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Online orders use credit or debit cards and add service fees depending on which system you use.

The $23 fee is charged even if staff cannot locate the record. If they search and find nothing, you still pay the search fee. Make sure your information is accurate before ordering.

Processing Time for Requests

Walk in service at the Norwalk or downtown offices is fastest. Most recent records print the same day. Staff can search, verify your eligibility, and make a certified copy within an hour or less in many cases.

Older records from before computerization may take longer. Deaths from the 1800s and early 1900s sometimes require extra time to retrieve from archives. The office will tell you when to return or they can mail the certificate once ready.

Mail orders take about two to three weeks from when the office receives your request to when they mail back the certificate. Add postal delivery time on both ends for total wait of three to four weeks.

Online orders through VitalChek or the county portal also take about two weeks for processing, then shipping time. If you select expedited shipping, you get it faster after the county processes it. Regular mail adds another week.

Death records become available approximately two weeks after the date of death. The California Department of Public Health recommends waiting at least two weeks before requesting a certificate for a very recent death to allow time for registration.

Who Qualifies for Death Certificates

California law creates two types of death certificates. Authorized copies go to immediate family and legal representatives. Informational copies are available to anyone.

Eligible people for authorized copies include spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, legal guardian, estate attorney, and court appointee. Funeral homes can order on behalf of eligible family members. You must provide a notarized sworn statement declaring eligibility under penalty of perjury.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can get an informational copy. These show the same information but have a stamp reading "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." Informational copies work for genealogy but not for legal or financial use. Anyone can order them without proving relationship or providing notarization.

The law is California Health and Safety Code Section 103526. It took effect in 2003 to reduce identity theft involving vital records.

California State Vital Records

You can order Los Angeles County death records from the California Department of Public Health in Sacramento. The state office keeps copies of all death certificates from July 1905 forward. For Los Angeles County, that covers records from 1905 to present. Earlier records from 1850 to 1904 are only at the county level.

The state charges $24 per copy, one dollar more than Los Angeles County. Processing takes five to seven weeks though. Mail 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 Los Angeles County directly because it is faster and costs less.

Information Required for Orders

Include these details in your request:

• Full legal name of deceased person
• Date of death or approximate year
• Place of death in Los Angeles County
• Your name and mailing address
• Your relationship to deceased
• Number of copies
• Payment

More detail helps staff find the record faster. If you do not know exact dates, give a range. They will search indexes.

Historic Los Angeles County Death Records

Los Angeles County has death records dating back to 1850. This makes it one of the longest vital record collections in California. Records before 1905 may be incomplete since statewide death registration did not start until then. Many early deaths were voluntarily registered.

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 select counties including Los Angeles. Call 916-653-6814.

Genealogy websites like FamilySearch and Ancestry have extensive Los Angeles County death record indexes. These help with research but are not certified copies.

Major Cities in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County includes 88 incorporated cities. Death records for all of them are handled by the county Registrar-Recorder. Cities do not maintain their own vital records offices.

Cities with pages: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona, Torrance, Pasadena, El Monte, Downey, Inglewood, West Covina, Norwalk

Other significant cities include Burbank, Compton, Carson, Lakewood, Whittier, Hawthorne, and many more. For deaths in any Los Angeles County city, contact the Registrar-Recorder.

Neighboring Counties

If the death occurred outside Los Angeles County, contact the correct county office. Los Angeles County borders several other Southern California counties.

Nearby counties: Kern County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County, and Orange County. Each maintains its own death records.