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Are death certificates public record?

In California are death certificates public record? If so, is there a way to get a copy or a look at one online?

No they are not. You can only get a copy if you can prove you are a parent, a child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister, spouse, or domestic partner of the deceased.

The other people who can get that are law enforcement and the probate attorney.

They become public record in 110 years.

  1. evilattorney
    April 15th, 2011 at 00:40 | #1

    Yes. You contact the county recorder’s office in the county in which the person died or the California Department of Public Health.
    References :
    20+ years practicing law

  2. Landlord
    April 15th, 2011 at 01:16 | #2

    No they are not. You can only get a copy if you can prove you are a parent, a child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister, spouse, or domestic partner of the deceased.

    The other people who can get that are law enforcement and the probate attorney.

    They become public record in 110 years.
    References :

  3. Tom Cantine
    April 15th, 2011 at 01:23 | #3

    Oddly enough, both the above answers are correct.

    In California, only certain people can obtain authorized copies of birth and death certificates. Also you can get a court order to receive one, if you can establish for the court that you need one for a valid purpose.

    However, if you can’t get an authorized copy, you can obtain an informational copy. The informational copy just isn’t valid for establishing your identity; you can’t use an informational copy of someone’s birth certificate to apply for a driver’s license, for example.

    There doesn’t seem to be a way to view them online, although you can ORDER them online. The thing is, there’s a fee to order one.
    References :
    http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/Pages/AthorizedCopyvsInformationalCopy.aspx

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