San Benito County Death Certificates

San Benito County issues death certificates through the Health and Human Services Agency in Hollister. You can order online using VitalChek or the Tyler Technologies portal. Mail and in-person requests are also accepted. The county keeps death records for all events that occurred within San Benito County boundaries. Staff at the vital records office can help you find the record you need if you know the name of the person who died and when it happened. Online ordering is open around the clock. The county charges a set fee per copy, and processing typically takes a few weeks. Most people choose online ordering for speed and ease of use.

Health and Human Services Agency

San Benito County's vital records are handled by the Health and Human Services Agency. The office is in Hollister. According to the official San Benito County vital records page, you can order birth, death, and marriage records through multiple channels.

The agency provides certified copies for deaths that occurred anywhere in San Benito County. This includes deaths in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and all unincorporated areas. No matter where in the county the death took place, you request the certificate from this office.

Staff can answer questions about what you need to provide, how much it costs, and how long it will take. If you are not sure about dates or spelling, they can search their database for you. Call ahead if you have questions before placing your order.

Two Online Ordering Systems

San Benito County offers two online ordering options. You can use VitalChek or the Tyler Technologies portal. Both are authorized by the county.

VitalChek is a third-party vendor used by many California counties. They process vital record orders online. You go to the VitalChek website, select San Benito County, and enter the details about the death record you need. You pay by credit or debit card. VitalChek charges the county's base fee plus their own service fees. Expedited shipping is available for an extra cost.

Tyler Technologies provides a self-service portal for county records. This system is also available for San Benito County vital records. The Tyler portal may have lower fees than VitalChek. Check both systems to compare pricing and processing times before you decide which to use.

Both systems ask for the same information. You need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and where in San Benito County the death occurred. You also state your relationship to that person and why you need the certificate. For an authorized copy, you may need to upload a notarized statement.

Death Certificate Fees

The base fee for a San Benito County death certificate is $26.00 per copy. This fee is set by California state law and went into effect on January 1, 2026. It applies whether you order online, by mail, or in person.

Online orders through VitalChek or Tyler Technologies include the $26.00 county fee plus service charges. These service charges cover credit card processing and the online system. The exact total is shown before you complete your purchase.

Mail and in-person orders cost just the $26.00 county fee with no extra charges. If you order by mail, send a check or money order made payable to San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency. Do not send cash. Include your payment with a written request and a copy of your ID.

If the office searches and does not find the record, they keep the $26.00 search fee. This is required by California law and applies to all counties. Make sure you have the right county before you order.

What Information to Provide

Have these details ready when you order:

• Full legal name of the person on the death record
• Date of death or approximate year
• City or area in San Benito County where death occurred
• Your full name and mailing address
• Your relationship to the person who died

The more specific you are, the faster the office can locate the record. If you do not know the exact date, give a range of years. The office will search within that time frame. Vague details may slow down your order or result in no match.

For an authorized copy, you must also submit a sworn statement under penalty of perjury. This statement must be notarized. It says you are entitled by law to receive the certificate. Without this notarized statement, you can only get an informational copy.

Who Can Get an Authorized Death Certificate

California law controls who can get an authorized death certificate. The law is Health and Safety Code Section 103526. It applies to all counties in California.

Authorized copies go to the spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the person who died. Court-appointed representatives, attorneys for the estate, and funeral directors working for the family also qualify. Law enforcement and government employees on official business can get authorized copies too.

To prove you qualify, you must submit a notarized sworn statement. The statement declares under penalty of perjury that you are one of the authorized people listed in the law. A notary public must witness your signature and stamp the document. Without this notarized statement, you cannot get an authorized copy.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can still get an informational copy. Informational copies show the same facts but have a stamp across them that says they cannot be used to establish identity. These work for genealogy and family history. The cost is the same, and no notarized statement is required.

Processing Times

How long it takes depends on how you order. Online and mail orders usually take two to three weeks from when the office receives your request. After processing, the certificate is mailed to you. Postal delivery adds a few more days. Total time can be about four weeks.

VitalChek offers expedited shipping for an extra cost. Expedited options may reduce wait time to around one week. Check VitalChek for current processing times and shipping fees.

In-person requests at the Health and Human Services Agency in Hollister may be faster. If you go to their office, they can look up the record and print it for you the same day in some cases. Call ahead to confirm hours and ask if they have the record you need.

Death records are not available right away. The state says death records become available about two weeks after the date of death. Wait at least two weeks before ordering. If you try to order too soon, the office will not have the record filed yet, and you will lose the search fee.

Older Death Records

San Benito County was formed in 1874. Vital records before 1915 may be incomplete because California did not require counties to keep them until that year. Records from 1915 forward are more reliable and easier to find.

For very old death records, especially those before 1905, the county may not have them. In that case, try 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 San Benito County death records from your time period.

Records more than 75 years old are open to the public. 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 San Benito County, contact the county where it happened. Each county keeps its own vital records.

Neighboring counties: Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, Fresno County