San Jose Death Records

San Jose death certificates are maintained by Santa Clara County, not the city. The county clerk recorder handles all death records for anyone who died within San Jose city limits. Their main office is at 110 West Tasman Drive in San Jose, making it easy for local residents to visit in person. You can also request death certificates by mail or through VitalChek online. The county has records dating back to 1873 for all deaths in San Jose and other Santa Clara County cities. Recent death records take about four weeks to become available after the date of death. Fee is $26 per copy. Authorized individuals can get certified copies for legal use, while anyone can request informational copies for genealogy or personal records.

Santa Clara County Clerk Recorder Office

All San Jose death records are handled by Santa Clara County. The county clerk recorder office is at 110 West Tasman Drive, First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134. This office serves all of Santa Clara County, including San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and other cities in the county. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed on weekends and county holidays.

Call (408) 299-5688 to ask about a death record or to check if a certificate is ready. Staff can tell you if the county has received the record from the state registration system. For recent deaths, it takes about four weeks for the county to get the file. If someone just died, wait a month before you try to order. You can also email clerkrecorder@rec.sccgov.org with questions about the process or what documents you need to bring.

The Santa Clara County office has its own online ordering system through VitalChek. Visit the county death certificate order page to start an online request. VitalChek is the only authorized online service for Santa Clara County death certificates. Other sites may claim to offer California records, but the county only works with VitalChek. There is an additional service fee when you order online, usually around $7.

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

What a Death Certificate Shows

A death certificate contains the full name of the deceased, their gender, date of birth, age at death, and place of birth. It also lists the cause of death, time and date of death, and location where the death occurred in San Jose. The certificate names the attending physician or coroner who certified the death. You will also see the deceased person's occupation, marital status, and spouse name if married. Parents' names are included on the record as well.

The certificate may show the funeral home that handled arrangements and the disposition method, such as burial or cremation. If buried, the cemetery name and location appear on some certificates. Death records do not include financial information, medical history beyond cause of death, or details about property or assets. For estate matters, you need probate court records, not just the death certificate.

Santa Clara County provides two types of copies. An authorized certified copy has a raised seal and can be used for legal purposes like closing bank accounts, claiming life insurance, transferring property, and applying for survivor benefits. An informational copy has a watermark stating it is not valid to establish identity. Informational copies work for family history research but not for official transactions. The fee is the same for both types.

Steps to Request a Death Certificate

To order a San Jose death certificate from Santa Clara County, you need the deceased person's full name and date of death. Having the exact date helps speed up the search. If you only know the year, 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 person.

If you want an authorized copy, you must prove you are an authorized individual under California law. This includes the spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren of the deceased. Attorneys for the estate, funeral directors, and government agencies also qualify. You need to fill out a sworn statement declaring your relationship and get it notarized. Without a notarized statement, you will receive an informational copy instead.

For in person orders, go to 110 West Tasman Drive during business hours. Bring your completed application form, notarized statement if you want an authorized copy, a photo ID, and payment of $26 per certificate. Staff will search the record and print your copy. If the death happened a long time ago, the record may be archived off site, and you might need to come back the next day. For deaths from the 1900s or early 2000s, most records are available right away.

For mail orders, send your application, notarized statement, payment, and a self addressed stamped envelope to County of Santa Clara Clerk Recorder, 110 West Tasman Drive, First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134. Use a check or money order made out to County of Santa Clara. Do not send cash. Mail orders take about two to three weeks to process and mail back to you.

For online orders, go to the county website and click the VitalChek link. You will need a credit card to pay online. VitalChek charges an extra fee on top of the $26 county fee. You can choose regular mail delivery or expedited shipping for an additional cost. Online orders are processed within a few business days after you submit the request. You still need to upload or mail in your notarized statement if you want an authorized copy.

Cost and Payment Options

Santa Clara County charges $26 for each death certificate as of January 1, 2026. This is set by state law under Assembly Bill 64. The fee covers the cost of searching the records and providing one certified copy. If the county does not find a record based on the information you give, they still keep the fee. They will issue a Certificate of No Public Record to show they searched but found nothing.

When you order in person, you can pay with cash, check, credit card, or debit card. Make checks payable to County of Santa Clara. Some credit card payments have a small convenience fee added. For mail orders, send a personal check, cashier's check, or money order. Do not mail cash because it can get lost or stolen. Personal checks may delay your order by a week or two while the check clears the bank.

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

Note: The certificate fee pays for the search, so even if no record is found, you do not get a refund.

California Death Record Laws

California death records are governed by the Health and Safety Code. The state requires that every death in California be registered with the local county within 8 days. Funeral directors usually file the death certificate with the county. 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.

Access to death records is controlled by Health and Safety Code Section 103526. This law lists 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. Everyone else receives an informational copy with a watermark.

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

If you need to amend a death certificate to correct an error, 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 for amendments include correcting misspelled names, wrong dates, or inaccurate cause of death information.

Additional Resources for San Jose Residents

The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner Coroner investigates deaths that occur under suspicious, sudden, or unusual circumstances in San Jose. Their office is at 850 North First Street. Call (408) 793-1900 for information about a case under investigation. The coroner does not issue death certificates, but they certify the cause of death for cases they handle. Once the coroner releases the body, the funeral home files the death certificate with the county.

For help with funeral costs, the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency offers indigent burial assistance for low income families. This program helps cover basic burial or cremation expenses when a family cannot afford to pay. Contact the agency at (408) 792-1600 to ask about eligibility. The county also maintains a list of funeral homes and cremation services in the San Jose area.

If you need legal advice about estate matters after a death, the Santa Clara County Bar Association has a referral service. Call (408) 971-6822 to get connected with an attorney who handles probate, wills, and trusts. Many attorneys offer a free or low cost initial consultation. Legal aid organizations in San Jose also provide free help to qualifying individuals.

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 find the county, you can order the certificate from that county's office.

Other Santa Clara County Cities

If you need death records for other cities in Santa Clara County, the same county office handles all requests. Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Mountain View, and Palo Alto all use the Santa Clara County Clerk Recorder for death certificates. There are no separate city offices for vital records in these communities.

For deaths in nearby counties, you must contact those county offices. Alameda County serves Oakland, Fremont, and Hayward. San Mateo County handles Daly City, Redwood City, and San Mateo. Each county has its own fees and procedures, but they all follow the same state laws for who can get authorized copies.