Death Records in Plumas County

Plumas County keeps death records at the Clerk-Recorder's Office in Quincy. Anyone who wants to search for a death certificate in this county can order through the VitalChek online system or make a request by mail. The county charges a flat fee for each copy. Records date back to when the county first began keeping vital statistics. Staff can help you look up death records from recent years or from many decades ago. Most people use the VitalChek portal for faster service. You can also call the office to ask about their files and confirm they have the document you need before placing an order.

Plumas County Clerk-Recorder

The County Clerk-Recorder in Quincy handles all vital records for Plumas County. This includes birth and death certificates for events that took place within county boundaries.

According to the official Plumas County birth and death certificates page, you can order records online through VitalChek or by mail. The office is located in the county courthouse in Quincy. You can call them for help or to ask if they have the record you are looking for. Staff can tell you what you need to provide and how long it will take to get your copy.

For older records or historical documents, the clerk can help you search their archives. Some very old death records may not be available due to gaps in record keeping from early county history. The state did not require counties to file vital records until 1915. Prior to that, record keeping was not always consistent.

Order Death Certificates Online

Plumas County uses VitalChek for online orders. VitalChek is a state-approved vendor. You can place your order at any time and pay by credit card. The system guides you through the steps and asks for all the facts they need to look up the record.

VitalChek charges the base county fee of $26.00 per certificate plus their own service fees. These fees vary based on how you want it shipped and how fast you need it. Standard processing takes a few weeks. Expedited options cost more but get you the document faster. All charges show up before you finish your order so you can see the full cost.

To use VitalChek, you must provide the name of the person who died, the date of death, and where in Plumas County the death occurred. You also need to state your relationship and why you need the certificate. For an authorized copy, you may need to upload a notarized statement proving you have the legal right to get it.

The VitalChek system is available through the county website or by going directly to the VitalChek portal. Both routes lead to the same ordering system.

Cost and Payment Methods

Each death certificate from Plumas County costs $26.00. This is the base fee set by state law. VitalChek adds processing fees on top of that. If you mail in a request, you only pay the $26.00 county fee with no extra charges.

For mail requests, you can pay by check or money order. Make it payable to Plumas County Clerk-Recorder. Cash is not accepted through the mail for safety reasons. Include your payment with your written request and mail it to the county office in Quincy. Write your contact info on the check in case there is a problem.

Online orders through VitalChek accept credit cards and debit cards. You will see all fees before you confirm your purchase. If the county cannot find the record, they keep the search fee. This is standard across all California counties and is set by law.

Information Needed for Your Request

To order a death certificate, you must provide key facts about the person who died and about yourself.

• Full name of the person on the death record
• Date of death or an approximate year
• Place of death in Plumas County
• Your relationship to that person
• Your name and current address

The more details you give, the easier it is for staff to find the right record. If you do not know the exact date, provide a range of years. The office will search within that time frame. If the search takes longer because of vague details, it may delay your order.

For an authorized copy, you also need to submit a notarized statement under penalty of perjury. This statement says you are entitled by law to get the certificate. Only certain family members and legal representatives qualify for authorized copies. If you do not qualify, you can still get an informational copy without the notarized statement.

Who Can Request an Authorized Copy

California law defines who can get an authorized death certificate. These rules apply in all 58 counties, including Plumas. The rules come from Health and Safety Code Section 103526.

You qualify if you are the spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the person who died. Attorneys acting for the estate, court-appointed representatives, and funeral directors working on behalf of the family can also get authorized copies. Law enforcement and government agencies can get them for official business.

If you are not in one of these categories, you can still order an informational copy. Informational copies show all the same facts but have a notice across the top that says they cannot be used to establish identity. These copies work fine for family history and genealogy research. The cost is the same.

How Long It Takes

Wait times depend on how you order and how busy the office is. Mail orders usually take two to three weeks from the time the office gets your request. After they process it, they mail the certificate to you. That adds a few more days for delivery. Total time from when you send your request to when you get the certificate can be about four weeks.

VitalChek orders take about the same amount of time unless you pay for expedited service. Expedited service costs more but may cut the wait time down to a week or less. Check the VitalChek website for current processing times and shipping options.

Note that death records are not available right away. According to the state, death records become available about two weeks after the date of death. Do not place an order immediately after someone dies. Wait at least two weeks for the county to receive and file the record. If you try to order too soon, the office will not find it and you will lose your search fee.

Historical Death Records

For very old Plumas County death records, especially those from before 1905, the county may not have them on file. The state did not require counties to keep vital records until 1915. Some counties kept them earlier, but record keeping was spotty.

If the county does not have the record you need, check with the California State Archives in Sacramento. They have some early vital records from select counties. Call them at 916-653-6814 to ask if they have Plumas County death records from your time period.

Records more than 75 years old are open to the public without restriction. You do not need to prove your relationship to access these historical documents. The State Archives can help with genealogy research and provide copies if they have what you need.

Nearby Counties

If the death occurred outside Plumas County, you must contact the county where it happened. Each county keeps its own vital records.

Neighboring counties: Lassen County, Sierra County, Butte County, Tehama County