Find Death Records in San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County has two offices that handle death certificates. The Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk keeps all historical death records for the county. The Public Health Department holds recent records from the current year and the past few years. Both offices issue certified copies for deaths that occurred anywhere within San Bernardino County. You can order online using Permitium or VitalChek, by mail, or in person. Online ordering is open day and night and accepts credit cards. The county charges a set fee per copy. Processing time for most orders is about two to three weeks. Many people use online ordering for convenience. Staff can answer questions if you call ahead about what you need or how to find a specific record.

Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk and Public Health

San Bernardino County provides vital records through two departments. The Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk handles all death records from the county's earliest history to the present. The Public Health Department keeps recent records, usually from the current year and one to two years back.

For most requests, either office can help you. If the death was recent, Public Health may process your order faster. For older records, the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk is your best option. Both charge the same fee and issue the same type of certified copy.

The Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk's official San Bernardino County vital records page explains how to order and what documents you need. The Public Health Department also has an online portal for ordering recent death certificates.

Order Death Certificates Online

San Bernardino County offers two online ordering systems. The Public Health Department uses Permitium at sanbernardinohdcavitals.permitium.com/rod. The county also accepts orders through VitalChek.

Permitium is a web-based system that lets you request vital records any time. You enter the name of the person who died, the date of death, and other details. You pay by credit or debit card. Permitium adds a small service fee on top of the county's base fee. The total cost is shown before you finalize your order.

VitalChek is a third-party vendor used by many California counties. They process vital record orders online. VitalChek charges the county's base fee plus their own service fees. Expedited shipping is available for an extra cost. Compare both systems to see which one works best for your needs.

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 Bernardino 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 sworn statement.

Cost of Death Certificates

Each death certificate from San Bernardino County costs $26.00. This is the base fee set by state law effective January 1, 2026. The fee is the same no matter which office you use or how you order.

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

If you order by mail, you pay only the $26.00 county fee. Send a check or money order made payable to San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk or San Bernardino County Public Health, depending on which office you contact. Do not send cash through the mail. Include your payment with a written request and a copy of your photo ID.

The fee is charged whether the office finds the record or not. If they search and do not locate it, the $26.00 is kept as a search fee. This is standard across California and required by law.

Information You Need to Provide

Before you order, gather these facts:

• Full name of the person on the death record
• Date of death or approximate year
• Place of death in San Bernardino County
• Your name and current address
• Your relationship to the person who died

The more specific you are, the easier it is for staff to locate the record. If you do not know the exact date, provide a range. The office will search within that time frame. Vague details can slow down the process or result in no match.

For an authorized copy, you must also provide a notarized sworn statement under penalty of perjury. This statement says you are entitled by law to receive the certificate. Only certain people qualify, as defined by California law.

Who Can Request an Authorized Copy

California law sets the rules for who can get an authorized death certificate. These rules are in Health and Safety Code Section 103526. They apply in all California counties.

You qualify if you are the spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the person who died. Court-appointed representatives, attorneys handling the estate, and funeral directors working on behalf of the family can also get authorized copies. Law enforcement and government officials on official business are authorized too.

To prove you qualify, you must submit a sworn statement notarized by a notary public. The statement declares under penalty of perjury that you are one of the authorized people. Without this notarized statement, you cannot get an authorized copy.

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

How Long It Takes

Processing time varies by how you order. Online and mail orders typically take two to three weeks from when the office receives your request. After they process it, they mail the certificate to you. Postal delivery adds a few more days. Total time can be about four weeks from request to receipt.

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 Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk's office may be faster. If you go to their office in San Bernardino, they can look up the record and print it for you the same day in many cases. Call ahead to confirm hours and ask if they have the record you need.

Death records are not available immediately after someone dies. The state says death records become available about two weeks after the date of death. Wait at least two weeks before placing your order. If you order too soon, the office will not have the record on file yet, and you will lose the search fee.

Older Death Records

San Bernardino County has death records dating back to when the county was formed in 1853. However, vital records were not consistently kept until 1915, when California law required all counties to register births and deaths. Records before 1915 may have gaps.

For very old death records, especially those before 1905, contact 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 Bernardino 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.

Cities in San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County includes many incorporated cities. Death records for all these cities are kept by the county, not by the cities themselves.

Cities with pages: San Bernardino, Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, Hesperia, Chino, Chino Hills, Upland, Apple Valley, Redlands, Rialto

Other cities in San Bernardino County include Yucaipa, Colton, Adelanto, and many more. For deaths in any of these areas, contact the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk or Public Health Department.

Nearby Counties

If the death occurred outside San Bernardino County, contact the county where it happened.

Neighboring counties: Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Kern County, Inyo County