Chances are, your questions will be answered here. But you can obtain all necessary forms, fee information, and further details from our office.

Feel free to call us at 408-885-2010 Monday through Friday 9am-4pm or email anytime at vitalrecords@hhs.sccgov.org.

Errors on Certificate/Name Changes
Out of the Area
General
Passport/Social Security Info
Service
Applications
Directions/Office Hours
Specific to Death Certificates

Errors on Certificate/Name Changes

1. There is a spelling error on my child’s birth certificate, how can I correct it?
An Application to Amend a Record is used to correct errors and not to change information on the certificate. It may be used to correct spelling errors, add information to blank items, and correct items 1A-11 only. Complete the form and submit it to the State Office of Vital Records. The current processing time for birth amendments through the state is approximately 7 months (subject to change without notice).*

2. My child’s birth certificate has the wrong <gender> <date of birth> <other health information> listed, how can I correct it?
Sometimes, hospitals will incorrectly type date of birth or other information on an individual’s birth certificate (e.g. “female” for male, or “male” for female, etc.). Gender and health information can be corrected through the hospital.

3. How can I change the name on my child's birth certificate?
Changing information on the birth certificate (i.e. name changes, changing mother’s name, translating names into another language, or removing an informant or certifier) requires a court order. Court orders can be obtained through Superior Court or call 882-2100 for more information. Once a court order is obtained, you must complete an Application for Amendment of Birth Record to Reflect Court Order Change of Name and send it, along with the certified copy of the court order signed by the judge, and appropriate fees to the State Office of Vital Records. The current processing time for birth amendments through the state is approximately 7 months (subject to change without notice). You will receive a certified copy of your original birth certificate marked “1 of 2,” and a copy of the amendment marked “2 of 2,” to indicate that your birth certificate is now a 2-page document.*

Note that adding a father’s name is covered in #7 below.

4. How do I add another name to my child’s birth certificate (i.e., first name or middle name) where one previously did not exist?
An Application to Amend a Record is used to add names on the certificate, where they were blank before. Complete the form and submit it to the State Office of Vital Records. The current processing time for birth amendments through the state is approximately 7 months (subject to change without notice). You will receive a certified copy of your original birth certificate marked “1 of 2,” and a copy of the amendment marked “2 of 2,” to indicate that your birth certificate is now a 2-page document.*

Note that to add additional names where names already existed or to drop a name, a court order is required (see also #3, above).

5. I requested for a certificate to be corrected through the State and I received two pages of the record.
Any amended document becomes a 2-page record. A 1-page certificate is only provided if the original has been "sealed and replaced" -- a process reserved for specific changes. For more information, contact our office.

6. Why isn’t the father listed on the birth certificate?
If the mother was not married to the father of the baby and the father was not available to sign a Declaration of Paternity at the time of birth, the certificate will be listed without the father’s name. See #7 below for information on how to add the father’s name after the birth certificate has been prepared.

If the mother was married to the father of the baby at the time of birth, it may have been a hospital error. This can be corrected by completing an Application to Amend a Birth Record – Acknowledgement of Paternity and sending it along with a copy of your marriage certificate to the State Office of Vital Records. Upon receipt of the application, declaration, and payment of the required fee, the State will review the documents and, if acceptable, will seal the original birth certificate and issue a new one in its place. The new birth certificate shall in no way indicate that it is not the individual’s original birth certificate and shall be the only birth certificate for that individual open to public inspection. The current processing time for paternity amendments through the state is approximately 12 months (subject to change without notice).*

7. When my child was born, I did not list the father on the birth certificate. Can I add the father now?
If you were/are not married to the father of the baby, you can add his name to the certificate by completing a Declaration of Paternity in front of a qualified witness (from a local child support agency, family law facilitator, local registrar, or notary public). A second form, the Application to Amend a Birth Record – Acknowledgement of Paternity should be completed. The original Acknowledgement of Paternity and a copy of the Declaration of Paternity, along with the appropriate fees should be mailed to the State Office of Vital Records. The original Declaration of Paternity should be mailed to the State Department of Child Support Services.

Upon receipt of the application and payment of the required fee, the State will review the documents and, if acceptable, will seal the original birth certificate and issue a new one in its place. The new birth certificate shall in no way indicate that it is not the individual’s original birth certificate and shall be the only birth certificate for that individual open to public inspection. The current processing time for paternity amendments through the state is approximately 12 months (subject to change without notice).*

Out of the Area

8. My child was born in another county within California. Where can I obtain his record?
Click here for a list of all California County Recorders and Local Registrars or contact the State Office of Vital Records.

9. I am unsure of the county of my birth (within California). How can I find out this information?
If you do not know the county of birth or death, send your request and fee ($14.00 for birth, $12.00 for death) to:

Department of Health Services
State Office of Vital Records - M.S. 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA  95899-7410

The average processing time is 12 weeks.

10. I was born to US Citizens in another country. Where might I obtain these vital records pertaining to locations outside of the U.S.?
American Citizens Abroad may be able to assist you with your search:

American Citizens Born Abroad
Department of State, Correspondence Branch
1111 19th Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20522
202.955.0307

General

11. Is the certificate I am ordering a certified document?
Yes, the certificates that our office provides are certified, legal documents. The birth certificates that the hospital provides, however, are not.

12. How many certified copies do I need?
It depends upon who needs them (e.g. foreign consulates, banking institutions, insurance companies, etc.), whether or not a photocopy will suffice, and whether or not it will be returned. Each financial/banking or other type of institution has different requirements for opening and closing accounts. Most institutions require an original certified copy, but some may require an Unrestricted copy. Check with each institution before making your purchase.

For birth certificates, a minimum of 1-2 certified copies are usually needed. Keep in mind that birth certificates are used for passports, opening bank accounts, school enrollment, athletic league registration, and more. For death certificates, many more may be needed. For each bank account to be closed or other financial transaction, usually an original death certificate is required.

13. Do I have to pay for the first copy?
There is no complimentary copy; you have to pay for all certified copies that you order.

14. Do I get the original copy?
No, the original certificate is the property of the State. You are able to purchase a certified copy, which is a legal document that can be used in a court of law.

15. Can I pay over the phone or fax by credit card?
Our office is not set-up to receive orders or payment by telephone or fax at this time.

16. Can you fax me a birth/death certificate?
A faxed copy of a birth or death certificate is not a certified copy. Our office only provides certified copies of birth and death certificates in-person or through the mail.

17. Is the birth/death certificate a legal document with a seal that I can use for legal purposes?
Yes, the birth and death certificates available from our office are copied onto security banknote paper with two seals (state and county) and serve as a legal document that can be used in a court of law.

Note that stamped, golden seals are no longer used or available in most recorder/registrar offices.

18. Do I need to send a self addressed, stamped envelope to receive my documents?
No, the fees required to process the application for a birth or death certificate cover the cost of shipping, if applicable.

19. Should I mail in my request or come in the office to pick up the certificate?
It depends how soon you need the certificate. For births or deaths, it takes about 2-3 weeks from the date of the event for the birth or death certificate to be ready. Mail-in requests take 3-4 weeks to process, whereas in-person requests are processed in 10-20 minutes.

Note that our office holds birth and death certificates for the current year and one previous year. Previous years’ certificates are available through the Office of the Clerk-Recorder or 299-2481.

20. How can I obtain a marriage certificate?
Marriage certificates can be obtained through the Office of the Clerk-Recorder or 299-2481 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Passport/Social Security Info

21. What is the best way to obtain a passport?
It is best to apply through the Office of the Clerk-Recorder or main Post Office nearest your locale that accepts passport applications. Passport agencies tend to have extremely long lines during the busiest months which result in longer waiting times for people applying in person at a passport agency. Since there are many more Clerks of Court and Post Offices conveniently located throughout the United States, these offices tend to have much shorter lines. Click here for a list of local offices.

22. Where do I go to apply for a social security card?
If you have not received the social security number/card of your child 2 months after the baby’s birth, call 1-800-772-1213.

Service

23. How long does it take to obtain a certified copy of a record?
For births or deaths, it takes about 2 weeks from the date of the event for the birth or death certificate to be ready. Mail-in requests take 3-4 weeks to process, whereas in-person requests are processed in 10-20 minutes, if the record is registered.

Note that our office holds birth and death certificates for the current year and one previous year. Previous years’ certificates are available through the Office of the Clerk-Recorder or 299-2481.

24. Does somebody speak Spanish?
We do have Spanish-speaking staff available in our office.

25. I have not received my child’s birth certificate – Didn’t the hospital request it for me?
The hospital does not request or pay for a certified copy of a birth record. It is a parent’s responsibility to request and pay for a birth certificate through our office.

Note also that the birth certificate that the hospital provides is not a legal document. The certificates that our office provides, however, are certified legal documents.

26. I sent in my money and application for a birth certificate last week. Can I go pick it up now?
If you sent in a request by mail, the certificate(s) will be sent back to you by mail. Normal processing time is 2-3 weeks.

27. Has the certificate for <Mary Jane> been registered?
We are able to check if your certificate is ready to be ordered; Contact our office for more information.

Note that for births or deaths, it takes about 2 weeks from the date of the event for the birth or death certificate to be ready, but that if you order a certificate through the mail, it will be returned to you by mail and not available for pick-up.

28. I sent an amendment to the State for correction of a certificate, have you received your file copy yet?
We are able to verify if amendments came in from the State; Contact our office for more information.

29. Did you mail out my certified copies?
Normal processing time is 2-3 weeks. If you sent your request longer than 4 weeks ago and you have not received your order, we are able to check the date your application was processed and the date any applicable certificates were sent to the address listed on the application; Contact our office for more information.

Applications

30. How can I obtain an Application for a Birth or Death Record?
The Application for a Birth or Death Record is available on our website (go to Obtaining a Birth or Death Certificates) or in our office. The application is also available at birthing hospitals throughout the county.

31. What is the difference between an In-Person application and a Mail-In application?
The In-Person application is designed for people who come to our office to request a birth or death record; they must have their signature witnessed by Vital Records staff. The Mail-In application is designed for people who cannot or prefer not to come into our office to request a birth or death record. If a person chooses to request a certificate by mail, a notary public must witness their signature when signing the application.

32. On the application, do I write my child’s name or mine? Do I write the complete name?
When filling out an application for a birth or death certificate, you must write out the requestor’s name in the Applicant section and the baby or decedent’s complete name in the Certificate section so we may locate the record.

Directions/Office Hours

33. What is your nearest cross street? What are your office hours?
Our office is located at 976 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126, suite 1300. We are open to the public Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., with the exception of County-observed holidays.

Specific to Death Certificates

34. What are the causes of death on <Jane Doe’s> death certificate?
We are unable to provide information on specific certificates without their purchase.

* You can obtain all necessary forms, fee information, and further details from our office.

• Birth & Death Certificates Home