Rohnert Park Obituary Search

Rohnert Park death records and obituaries are handled by Sonoma County, not the city. The Clerk-Recorder-Assessor office in Santa Rosa maintains all death certificates for deaths that occurred within Rohnert Park city limits. Their office is at 585 Fiscal Drive Room 103 in Santa Rosa, about 15 minutes from Rohnert Park. You can request death certificates in person, by mail, or through online ordering systems. Sonoma County has records from 1873 to the present for all deaths in the county. New death records take about one month to become available after the death occurs. The fee is $26 per copy for both authorized and informational certificates. Authorized persons can get certified copies for legal use, while anyone can request informational copies for family research or personal needs.

Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor

All Rohnert Park death certificates are maintained by Sonoma County. The Clerk-Recorder-Assessor office handles vital records for all cities in the county including Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Cotati, and Sebastopol. Their office is at 585 Fiscal Drive Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Hours are Monday through Friday during standard business hours. The office is closed on weekends and county holidays.

Call (707) 565-3800 to ask questions about a Rohnert Park death record. Staff can tell you if they have received a recent death certificate or help you determine what information you need to provide with your request. For automated information 24 hours a day, call (707) 565-3700. You can also send an email to ClerkRecorder@sonomacounty.gov with questions about the process or required documents.

Visit the Sonoma County death certificates page for current information about fees, processing times, and what documents you must include with your request. The page explains the difference between authorized and informational copies. Only authorized persons under California law can get copies without the informational watermark.

Parking is available at the county building on Fiscal Drive. Bring your photo ID and payment when you visit. Most in person requests for recent Rohnert Park deaths are processed the same day if the record is in the county system. For very old records from the 1800s or early 1900s, processing may take longer because those files are stored in archives off site.

What Information is on a Death Certificate

A Rohnert Park death certificate shows the full name of the deceased, their date of birth, age at death, and gender. It lists the date, time, and exact location where the death occurred in Rohnert Park. The cause of death is stated along with the name of the attending physician or coroner who certified the death. The deceased person's occupation, marital status, and spouse name if married are also included.

The certificate names the parents of the deceased, including the mother's maiden name. This information is very helpful for genealogy research. You will also see the funeral home that handled arrangements and the method of disposition, such as burial or cremation. If buried, the cemetery name may appear on some records. Death certificates do not show financial details, medical history beyond cause of death, or information about property or estates.

Sonoma County issues two types of death certificate copies. An authorized certified copy has a raised seal and can be used for legal purposes like settling estates, claiming insurance benefits, or closing bank accounts. To get an authorized copy, you must be an authorized person under California law and provide a notarized sworn statement. An informational copy has a watermark stating it cannot be used to establish identity. Anyone can get an informational copy without proving a relationship to the deceased. The fee is $26 for both types.

How to Request a Death Certificate

To order a Rohnert Park death certificate, you need the deceased person's full name and date of death. Having the exact date speeds up the search. If you only know the year or approximate time, the county can still search, but it may take longer. You also need to provide your own name, address, phone number, and relationship to the deceased.

Decide if you need an authorized copy or an informational copy. Authorized copies are for legal matters like probate court, Social Security claims, insurance, or transferring property. You must be a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, attorney for the estate, or funeral director to get an authorized copy. Fill out a sworn statement declaring your relationship and get it notarized before you submit your request.

For in person orders, visit 585 Fiscal Drive Room 103 in Santa Rosa during business hours. Bring your completed application, notarized sworn statement if you need an authorized copy, a photo ID, and payment of $26 per certificate. Staff will search the record and provide your copy. If the death occurred long ago, the record may be archived, and you might need to return the next day or receive it by mail.

For mail orders, send your application form, notarized statement if required, payment, and a self addressed stamped envelope to County of Sonoma Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, 585 Fiscal Drive Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Use a check or money order payable to County of Sonoma. Do not mail cash. Mail orders take about two to three weeks to process and return to you.

Online orders can be placed through VitalChek on the county website. You need a credit card to pay online. VitalChek charges an extra service fee on top of the $26 county fee. You can choose regular mail or expedited shipping for an additional cost. Online orders are processed within a few business days. Upload your notarized sworn statement if you need an authorized copy, or mail it separately to the county office.

Note: The county receives death certificates about one month after the death, so very recent deaths may not be available yet.

Cost and Payment Information

Sonoma County charges $26 for each death certificate as of January 1, 2026. This fee is set by California state law under Assembly Bill 64. The $26 covers the cost of searching records and providing one certified copy. If the county searches and does not find a record based on the information you give, they keep the fee. They send you a Certificate of No Public Record instead.

When you order in person, you can pay with cash, check, credit card, or debit card. Make checks payable to County of Sonoma. Some offices charge a small convenience fee for credit card payments. For mail orders, send a personal check, cashier's check, or money order. Never mail cash. Personal checks may delay your order by a week while the check clears.

VitalChek adds a service fee when you order online, usually around $7. If you choose expedited shipping, there is another charge for overnight or two day delivery. Regular mail shipping through VitalChek is included in their service fee. The total cost for an online order with fast shipping can reach $50 or more, so ordering in person or by mail saves money if time is not urgent.

California Death Certificate Laws

California law requires every death in the state to be registered with the county within a set time. Funeral directors file the death certificate with the local health department. The attending physician or coroner must certify the cause of death. Once registered, the county sends a copy to the California Department of Public Health in Sacramento and keeps a permanent copy at the county level.

Access to death records is controlled by Health and Safety Code Section 103526. This law defines who can receive an authorized certified copy. It was enacted to prevent identity theft and protect privacy. Only close family members, legal representatives, and certain government officials can get authorized copies without redactions. Everyone else receives an informational copy with a watermark and redacted signatures and social security numbers.

Death records more than 75 years old are considered public and open to anyone without restriction. For Rohnert Park deaths from before 1951, you do not need to prove a relationship to get a copy. You can request these older records from Sonoma County or from the California State Archives in Sacramento. The state archives has microfilmed copies of old vital records from many counties including Sonoma.

If you need to correct an error on a death certificate, you must file a request with the California Department of Public Health, not the county. The state processes all amendments to vital records. There is a separate fee for amendments. Common reasons include correcting misspelled names, wrong dates, or inaccurate cause of death information.

Other Resources for Rohnert Park Residents

The Sonoma County Medical Examiner Coroner investigates deaths that occur under suspicious or unusual circumstances in Rohnert Park. Their office handles cases involving unattended deaths, accidents, suicides, and homicides. The coroner does not issue death certificates, but they certify the cause of death for cases they investigate. Once the coroner releases the body, the funeral home files the death certificate with the county.

For help with funeral costs, Sonoma County offers indigent burial assistance for low income families who cannot afford funeral expenses. This program helps cover basic burial or cremation costs. Contact the county social services department to ask about eligibility and application procedures. The county also maintains a list of funeral homes and cremation services in the Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa area.

If you need legal advice about estate matters after a death in Rohnert Park, the Sonoma County Bar Association has a referral service. Many attorneys offer a free or low cost initial consultation. Legal aid organizations in Sonoma County provide free help to qualifying individuals for probate, wills, and trust matters. These services can guide you through the process of settling an estate and explain what documents you need from the county.

The California Department of Public Health maintains a statewide death index for deaths from 1905 to 1997. This index is available for free on FamilySearch and other genealogy websites. You can search by name to find the year and county of death. This helps when you do not know exactly where or when someone died in California. Once you locate the county, you can order the certificate from Sonoma County if the death occurred in Rohnert Park.

Other Sonoma County Cities

If you need death records for other cities in Sonoma County, the same county office handles all requests. Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Cotati, and Sebastopol all use the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor for death certificates. There are no separate city offices for vital records in these communities. The county maintains all records at the single location in Santa Rosa.

For deaths in nearby counties, you must contact those county offices directly. Marin County serves San Rafael and Novato. Napa County handles records for Napa and American Canyon. Mendocino County covers Ukiah and Fort Bragg. Each county has its own fees and procedures, but they all follow the same state laws for who can get authorized copies.