Mariposa County Death Record Access

Mariposa County death certificates come from the County Clerk's Office in the town of Mariposa. The office maintains records for deaths in Mariposa County from the 1800s to today. You can order certified copies in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek. Each certificate costs $26. Processing varies from same day for walk in service to about two weeks for mail and online orders. Mariposa County sits in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Yosemite National Park. The county seat is Mariposa, one of California's oldest mining towns. The clerk's office handles vital records along with marriage licenses and business filings.

County Clerk Office

The Mariposa County Clerk handles all death records for the county. The office is in the county government center at 5100 Bullion Street, Mariposa, CA 95338. Staff process vital record requests along with other official documents. Walk in service is available during business hours.

Office hours run Monday through Friday, typically 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call ahead at 209-966-2007 to verify hours or ask if they have the record before you visit. You can visit without an appointment. Bring valid photo ID and details about the death. Staff will search files and make certified copies. Recent deaths usually process same day. Older records may take a few days if stored in archives.

Visit www.mariposacounty.org/1804/Vital-Records-Request for more information about ordering vital records from Mariposa County.

VitalChek Online System

Mariposa 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 Mariposa County.

The VitalChek site walks you through the order form. Enter the deceased person's name, date of death, place of death in Mariposa County, and your information. Select whether you need an authorized or informational copy. Provide your relationship if ordering an authorized copy.

Payment goes by credit card or debit card. VitalChek charges the $26 county fee plus a service fee of about $7 to $13 and shipping costs. Total price depends on delivery speed you choose. Standard shipping is cheapest. Express options cost more but deliver faster.

Processing takes about two weeks after VitalChek forwards your order to the county. You can track status online with your confirmation number.

Death Certificate Fees

Mariposa County charges $26 per death certificate. This fee matches most California counties after the January 2026 increase under Assembly Bill 64.

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

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

Turnaround Times

In person service at the Mariposa office is fastest. Most recent records print the same day. Staff can search, verify eligibility, and make a certified copy within a short time if the death is on file.

Older records from many decades ago may take a few days 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 weeks from when the office receives your request to when they mail the certificate back. Add postal time on both ends for total wait of three to four weeks.

VitalChek online orders 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 roughly 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.

Who Can Request 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 display 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.

State Vital Records Office

You can order Mariposa 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. That covers most Mariposa County records since mandatory registration began.

The state charges $24 per copy, two dollars less than the 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 Mariposa County directly because it is faster.

Details to Include

Include these details in your request:

• Full name of deceased person
• Date of death or approximate year
• Place of death in Mariposa 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 Mariposa County Death Records

Mariposa County has death records dating back to 1850 when the county was one of the original California counties. This makes it one of the longest vital record collections in the state. California did not require statewide death registration until 1905, so earlier records may be incomplete. Some deaths were voluntarily registered before then, especially during the Gold Rush era.

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. Call 916-653-6814 to ask what they have for Mariposa County.

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

Cities in Mariposa County

Mariposa County has no incorporated cities. The unincorporated town of Mariposa serves as the county seat. Other communities include Coulterville, El Portal, and Midpines. Death records for all locations in the county are handled by the Mariposa County Clerk.

Deaths occurring in Yosemite National Park, which covers much of eastern Mariposa County, are also recorded by the county clerk.

Bordering Counties

If the death occurred outside Mariposa County, contact the appropriate county office. Mariposa County borders several central California counties.

Nearby counties: Tuolumne County, Madera County, Merced County, and Mono County. Each maintains its own death records.