San Francisco Death Records

San Francisco death certificates are issued by San Francisco County, which is both a city and county. The Office of Vital Records handles all death certificates for people who died in San Francisco. As of August 2025, all birth and death certificates are available at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 160. You can also visit the office at 101 Grove Street, Room 105. You can request death certificates in person or by mail. San Francisco has death records from 1906 forward after the earthquake. Recent deaths take about three weeks before certificates are ready. The fee is $26 per copy. Authorized family members can get certified copies for legal use, while anyone can request informational copies for genealogy. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

San Francisco County Office

San Francisco County handles all San Francisco death records. The office is at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 160, San Francisco, CA 94102. Call (415) 554-2700 for information. Hours are Monday through Friday, with same day service available for in person visits in most cases. For recent deaths, certificates take about Same Day to process.

You need the deceased person's full name and date of death to request a certificate. Authorized family members can get certified copies for legal use. Anyone can request informational copies for genealogy. The fee is $26 per certificate whether a record is found or not.

For an authorized copy, you must be a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, attorney, or funeral director. State law requires a notarized sworn statement proving your relationship. For informational copies, no notary is needed. These have a watermark and cannot be used for official purposes.

How to Order

In person service is fastest. Bring your application, notarized statement if you want an authorized copy, photo ID, and payment. Most requests are done while you wait. For mail orders, send your application and payment to the county office. Allow Same Day for processing. Online orders may be available through the county website or VitalChek.

The county charges $26 for each certificate. This covers the search even if no record is found. If they do not find a record, you still pay the fee. The county will send a no record letter. Make sure your information is accurate before you order.

What the Certificate Shows

A death certificate lists the person's full name, gender, date of birth, age at death, and birthplace. It shows when and where the death occurred in San Francisco. The cause of death and certifying doctor or coroner appear. You see occupation, marital status, and spouse's name if married. Parents' names are included. The certificate does not contain financial information or full medical history.

California Death Record Laws

California requires all deaths be registered with the county where they occurred. Funeral directors file the certificate within days. Access is controlled by Health and Safety Code Section 103526. This law defines who can get certified copies. Only family and legal representatives get unrestricted copies. Others receive informational copies with watermarks.

Records over 75 years old are public. Anyone can request these without proving a relationship. To fix an error on a certificate, contact the California Department of Public Health, not the county. The state handles all amendments.

Additional Resources

The county coroner investigates sudden or suspicious deaths in San Francisco. For genealogy, the California State Archives has old county records on microfilm at 1500 11th Street in Sacramento. Call (916) 653-6814 for help. The state death index for 1905 to 1997 is free to search online through FamilySearch and other genealogy websites.

Legal assistance is available through county bar associations. They refer you to probate attorneys. Many offer free consultations. Legal aid groups help low income residents with death related legal issues.