Find Mendocino County Death Records

Mendocino County keeps death records through the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections office in Ukiah. You can search for and get certified copies of death certificates for deaths that took place anywhere in Mendocino County. The office has records dating back to 1872. You can order copies by mail, in person, or through the VitalChek online service. Each certified death certificate costs $26.00. Staff can help you find the record you need if you have basic information about the person who died.

County Recorder Office Location

The Mendocino County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections office handles all death certificates for the county. The office is located at 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1020, in Ukiah.

Staff can assist with death record requests during regular business hours. The office maintains records for all deaths registered in Mendocino County since 1872. Walk in service is available for those who need copies right away.

For more information about birth, death, or marriage records, visit the Mendocino County birth and death records page. Staff can answer questions about what you need to bring and how to complete the request forms.

Order Death Certificates Online

Mendocino County uses VitalChek for online ordering. This service is run by a third party vendor approved by the state. You can place orders any time of day or night through their website.

The VitalChek service charges the $26.00 certificate fee plus additional processing fees. These extra fees vary based on shipping speed and payment method. Credit cards and debit cards are accepted. Orders are processed and mailed to you within a few weeks.

You must meet California legal requirements to get an authorized copy. If you are the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or other close relative of the person who died, you can get an authorized copy. You need to provide a notarized sworn statement with your order. Anyone can get an informational copy without the notarized statement. Informational copies show the same facts but have a stamp that says they cannot be used to establish identity.

Death Certificate Fees and Payment

Each death certificate costs $26.00 in Mendocino County. This is the base fee set by state law. The fee is the same whether you order in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek.

VitalChek adds processing fees on top of the base certificate fee. These fees pay for credit card processing, online service, and shipping options. If you want to avoid the extra fees, order directly from the county office by mail or in person.

The office keeps the search fee even if they cannot find the record you requested. Make sure you have accurate information before you order. Check spelling of names and verify dates to improve your chances of a successful search.

Information Required to Request Records

You need basic facts about the death to complete your request:

• Full name of the person who died
• Date of death or approximate year
• Place of death in Mendocino County
• Your name and contact information
• Your relationship to the person

If you do not know the exact date, provide as much detail as you can. Staff will search the files based on the information you give. The more accurate your details, the faster they can find the record.

For authorized copies, you also need a notarized sworn statement that declares under penalty of perjury that you are legally entitled to receive the certificate. This requirement comes from California Health and Safety Code Section 103526.

How Long It Takes

Wait times depend on how you order. In person requests are fastest. Walk in and get your copy the same day in most cases. Older records may take a day or two to pull from storage.

Mail orders take about two to three weeks from the date the county receives your request. Add a few more days for mail delivery each way. Plan on about four weeks total if you order by mail.

Online orders through VitalChek have similar processing times to mail orders. The county processes the request and mails the certificate to you. Expedited shipping options are available through VitalChek for an extra fee.

Keep in mind that death records become available about two weeks after the date of death. If the death was very recent, wait before ordering to give the county time to file the certificate. The official California death records page has more details about when records become available.

Ordering from the State Office

You can also order death certificates from the California Department of Public Health Vital Records office in Sacramento. The state office has copies of all death certificates for deaths in California since July 1905.

The state office charges $24.00 per copy. Processing takes five to seven weeks on average. County offices are usually faster. If you know the death happened in Mendocino County, ordering from the county is your best option for quicker service.

For deaths before 1905, you must contact the county where the death occurred. The state did not keep vital records before that date.

Who Can Get Certified Copies

California has a two tier system for death certificates. Authorized copies have full legal validity. Informational copies are stamped to show they cannot be used to establish identity.

You can get an authorized copy if you are related to the person who died. This includes spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. Legal representatives, court appointees, and attorneys for the estate can also get authorized copies. Funeral directors can order on behalf of eligible family members.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can get an informational copy. Anyone can order an informational copy without proving their relationship. These copies show all the same information as authorized copies but cannot be used for legal purposes like settling estates or claiming benefits.

The rules are set out in state law at California Health and Safety Code Section 103526. Law enforcement and government agencies have different rules and do not need notarized statements.

Older Death Records

Mendocino County has death records going back to 1872. Records before that date may not be available from the county office. For very old records or genealogy research, you may need to check other sources.

The California State Archives in Sacramento has some pre-1905 vital records from select counties. Call them at 916-653-6814 to ask if they have Mendocino County records from the time period you need. Records more than 75 years old are open without restriction.

Genealogy websites like FamilySearch and Ancestry may have indexed death records for Mendocino County. These are informational only and are not certified copies.

Nearby Counties

If the death took place outside Mendocino County, you need to contact the county where it occurred. Each county maintains its own death records.

Neighboring counties: Humboldt County, Trinity County, Tehama County, Glenn County, Lake County, Sonoma County