Search Pasadena Death Certificates

Pasadena death certificates are available from the city's Office of Vital Records for deaths that occurred in Pasadena from 1993 to the present. The office is part of the Pasadena Public Health Department, which operates independently from Los Angeles County. For deaths before 1993, you need to contact Los Angeles County Recorder. Pasadena offers walk in service and mail requests but does not have online ordering. The office is at 1845 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Room 1610. Fee is $26 per copy as of January 1, 2026. Same day service is available for in person requests with an additional $10 charge. Most mail orders process in seven to ten business days. You must prove you are an authorized person to receive a certified copy, or you can request an informational copy without restrictions.

Pasadena Office of Vital Records

Pasadena operates its own Office of Vital Records under the city's Public Health Department. The office is at 1845 North Fair Oaks Avenue in Room 1610. This is the main Public Health building. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed on Fridays. Walk in service is available during these hours. No appointment is needed. Staff help you complete the request form and can process same day copies for an extra $10 fee. Standard service takes about three business days for in person pickup.

Call (626) 744-6010 for questions about whether Pasadena has a specific death record. Phone hours match the office hours. Staff can verify if a death occurred in Pasadena before you submit a request. This saves you the $26 search fee if the death was actually in another city. The office handles birth certificates and death certificates. For marriage records, contact Los Angeles County Clerk since Pasadena does not issue marriage licenses.

Parking is available in the lot at the Public Health building. There is no charge for the first two hours. Street parking on Fair Oaks Avenue is metered. Public transit access is available via Metro bus routes. The building is accessible for people with disabilities. An elevator serves all floors including Room 1610 on the second floor.

Note: Pasadena does not offer online ordering at this time, so you must visit in person or send a mail request.

Which Death Records Pasadena Has

Pasadena maintains death records for deaths that occurred within Pasadena city limits from 1993 forward. In 2020, the city expanded access to these historical records. Before that change, Pasadena only had very recent records. Now they can issue any Pasadena death certificate from 1993 to the present. For deaths before 1993, you must go to Los Angeles County Recorder. The county has all Pasadena deaths from 1905 through 1992, plus older records in some cases.

The death must have happened in Pasadena. City boundaries define jurisdiction, not where the deceased lived. If someone was a Pasadena resident but died in Los Angeles or another city, that other city or the county handles the certificate. Pasadena hospitals include Huntington Hospital. Deaths at Huntington Hospital are Pasadena deaths if the hospital is in city limits. Check with the hospital or funeral home if you are unsure where a death occurred.

For very recent deaths, it may take four to six weeks before the certificate is available. The attending physician or coroner must complete the medical section. Then the local registrar files it with the city health department. Once filed, the record goes into the system and you can request copies. If you need urgent proof of death, ask the funeral home for a temporary document while you wait for the official certificate.

Pasadena's 1993 start date is later than Long Beach or Berkeley. Long Beach has records from 2005, and Berkeley only keeps the most recent two years. Each of the three California cities with independent vital records offices sets its own policy on how far back they maintain records. This reflects differences in when each city health department gained authority to issue vital records.

Cost of Pasadena Death Certificates

Pasadena charges $26 per death certificate as of January 1, 2026. Assembly Bill 64 raised the fee by $2 in 2026. The $26 covers a search and one certified copy. If the office does not find the record, you do not get a refund. They will tell you to contact Los Angeles County instead. This fee matches the standard California rate. Additional copies ordered at the same time may cost less. Ask staff about the price for extra copies when you place your order.

Same day service adds $10 to your order. This is optional. If you visit in person and need the certificate immediately, pay the extra $10. Staff will process your request and print the certificate while you wait. This usually takes 30 minutes or less. Without same day service, in person requests take about three business days. You pick up your certificate when it is ready. Mail orders do not offer same day service. Standard mail processing takes seven to ten business days.

Payment methods depend on how you order. In person, you can pay with cash, check, money order, or credit card. Make checks payable to City of Pasadena. Credit cards may have a small convenience fee. For mail orders, send a check or money order. Do not send cash by mail. Personal checks may delay processing while they clear. Use a money order if you want faster handling of your mail request.

Note: Pasadena's same day fee of $10 is lower than some other jurisdictions that charge $20 or more for expedited service.

Steps to Order a Death Certificate

To order a Pasadena death certificate, you need the full name of the deceased and the date of death or at least the year. The more information you have, the easier the search. If you want an authorized certified copy, you must prove you are an authorized person under California law. Authorized persons include spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and legal representatives of the estate. You need a notarized sworn statement that confirms your relationship to the deceased. Take your photo ID to a notary public to get this statement notarized.

Download the application form from the city website or pick one up at the office. Fill out the form with your name, address, phone, and relationship to the deceased. List how many copies you need. Sign and date the form. If you need an authorized copy, attach your notarized statement. For informational copies, no notarized statement is required. Anyone can request an informational copy.

For in person requests, bring your completed form, notarized statement if needed, photo ID, and payment to 1845 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Room 1610. Go during business hours Monday through Thursday. If you choose same day service, pay the extra $10 and staff will process your request immediately. If you choose standard service, they will call you when your certificate is ready in about three business days. You return to the office to pick it up.

For mail requests, send your completed form, notarized statement, and payment to Pasadena Public Health Department, Office of Vital Records, 1845 N. Fair Oaks Ave, Room 1610, Pasadena, CA 91103. Include a return address on your envelope. Processing takes seven to ten business days. You will receive your certificate by mail. If the record is not found, you get a letter directing you to Los Angeles County Recorder.

Note: Allow extra time for mail orders during busy periods like tax season when many people request vital records.

Getting Death Records from Before 1993

For Pasadena deaths before 1993, contact Los Angeles County Recorder. Their office is in Norwalk at 12400 Imperial Highway. The county has Pasadena death records from 1905 through 1992. They also have more recent records in their system, but Pasadena is faster for deaths from 1993 onward. You can order from the county by mail, online, or in person. Online orders go through the Los Angeles County vital records portal.

Los Angeles County charges $26 per copy, the same as Pasadena. Processing times are longer because the county handles millions of requests each year. Mail orders take two to four weeks. Online orders through their portal take about one week. In person visits to the Norwalk office can provide same day service if the record is readily available. Bring the same documents you would need for a Pasadena order, including a notarized sworn statement if you want an authorized copy.

For deaths before 1905, the county may have some archived records, but not all early deaths were registered. Check with the California State Archives or use FamilySearch to search microfilmed Los Angeles County vital records from the 1800s. These databases sometimes have Pasadena deaths from the 19th century. The Los Angeles County death records page has more information on ordering older Pasadena certificates from the county system.

Authorized vs Informational Death Certificates

Pasadena issues two types of death certificates. An authorized copy is a fully certified document with a raised seal. You can use it for legal purposes like settling estates, claiming life insurance, or closing financial accounts. Banks, courts, and government agencies accept authorized copies. To get one, you must be an authorized person as defined by California law. This includes immediate family members and attorneys for the estate. You must submit a notarized sworn statement proving your relationship.

An informational copy shows the same data but has a watermark stating it cannot be used to establish identity. Anyone can request an informational copy without proving a relationship. No notarized statement is needed. These copies work for genealogy research, family history, or personal records. Most agencies will not accept informational copies for legal transactions. The fee is the same for both types. Pasadena sends the type you request if you qualify. If you request an authorized copy but do not provide proper documentation, they send an informational copy instead. No refund is given.

California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 lists who qualifies as an authorized person. This law applies to all vital records offices in California, not just Pasadena. The statute includes spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and legal representatives. If you are not on this list, you can only get an informational copy. The law protects privacy while allowing family members access to records they need for legal matters.

If you are researching family history and are not an immediate relative, request an informational copy. It has all the same details like name, date of death, age, cause of death, and parents' names. The only difference is the watermark and the inability to use it for legal identity purposes. For genealogy, this is usually not a problem. You just need the information, not the legal status.