Find Upland Death Records

Upland death records are processed by San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk. The city does not maintain its own vital records office. All deaths in Upland are registered at the county level. Certificates become available 30 to 60 days after the date of death. You can order copies at the county office in San Bernardino, through VitalChek online, or by mail. The cost is $26 per certificate starting January 2026. San Bernardino County maintains historical death records from the late 1800s to present for all county deaths.

Upland Death Certificate Requests

Visit the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk at 222 West Hospitality Lane in San Bernardino for in person service. This location is about 20 miles east of Upland via I-10. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Walk in with your photo ID, payment, and details about the deceased. Staff search the database and print certified copies while you wait. Processing usually takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on office traffic.

VitalChek is the authorized online vendor for San Bernardino County. Create an account on their website, complete the electronic application, upload required documents including your ID and notarized statement if requesting an authorized copy, and pay by credit card. VitalChek charges a service fee in addition to the $26 certificate fee. Processing takes two to three weeks once the death record appears in the county system. Records need 30 to 60 days after date of death to become available.

Mail requests go to Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, 222 West Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Include a completed application form from the San Bernardino County vital records website, photocopy of your ID, notarized statement if needed, and payment by check or money order payable to San Bernardino County Recorder. Never mail cash. Processing takes three to four weeks after the county receives your request.

Call (855) 732-2575 with questions about specific records or to confirm a death certificate is available before you order. County staff can search their database and tell you if the record exists. This helps avoid ordering too early when records are still processing.

What You Need to Provide

The full legal name of the deceased is required including first, middle, and last names plus any suffix like Jr. The exact date of death helps, but the county can search by name and year if you do not know the precise day. Additional helpful details include age at death, place of death such as San Antonio Regional Hospital, and spouse name. These facts help staff locate the correct record when common names create multiple database matches.

Authorized copies require proof you are an authorized person. California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 defines who qualifies. Immediate family members can request authorized copies, including spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Attorneys representing the estate and funeral directors also qualify. You must submit a notarized sworn statement confirming your relationship. San Bernardino County provides this form on their website. Take it to a notary public with valid photo ID. Notaries charge about $15 per signature in California.

All requesters must show valid photo identification. Driver license, state ID card, passport, or military ID are acceptable. The county verifies identity before releasing vital records. For mail and online orders, include a clear photocopy or scan showing your photo, name, and ID number.

Payment is $26 for the first certified copy as of January 1, 2026. Assembly Bill 64 raised the fee by $2. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost less. Ask about bulk pricing if you need multiple certificates for settling estates. In person, pay with cash, check, or credit card. Mail orders require check or money order. Online orders through VitalChek use credit card with an added service fee.

Understanding Certificate Types

Authorized copies are fully certified death certificates with a raised seal. They work for all legal and financial purposes. Banks need them to close accounts. Insurance companies require them for death benefit claims. Courts use them in probate cases. Real estate transactions need them for property transfers. Social Security requires them to stop benefit payments. Only authorized persons can obtain this type. The certificate shows no usage restrictions.

Informational copies contain the same death information but have a watermark stating they are for informational purposes only and cannot be used to establish identity. Anyone can request an informational copy without proving a relationship to the deceased. No notarized statement is required. These copies work for genealogy research, family history projects, historical documentation, and personal records. Most legal and financial institutions will not accept informational copies. The fee is $26, same as authorized copies.

If you request an authorized copy but cannot prove you qualify as an authorized person, the county will issue an informational copy instead and keep your fee. Make sure you understand the requirements before ordering. Read California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 to see the complete list of who qualifies. San Bernardino County follows this statute exactly.

When Certificates Are Ready

Death certificates take time to process after someone dies. The San Bernardino County Public Health Department registers all county deaths. They collect information from physicians, medical examiners, coroners, and funeral homes. Cause of death must be determined and certified. All paperwork must be completed and verified. Then the record transfers to the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk for public issuance. This entire process takes 30 to 60 days from the date of death.

You cannot order a certificate before this time because the county database will not have it yet. If you try to order too soon, staff will tell you to wait. For urgent needs, contact the funeral home that handled arrangements. Funeral directors receive a preliminary death certificate before the county does. They may provide an uncertified copy for immediate use. Many organizations accept funeral home copies initially but eventually need the official county certificate.

Historical death records going back to the late 1800s are available for Upland and all San Bernardino County deaths. Older records may not be digitized in the electronic database. Staff might need to search microfilm or paper archives for deaths from decades ago. This research takes longer than searching recent digitized records. Call ahead if you need a certificate from before 1980 to confirm availability and expected turnaround time.

Note: Always wait the full 30 to 60 days after date of death before attempting to order a certificate.

Related Death Information Resources

San Bernardino County Coroner investigates sudden, unexpected, or suspicious deaths throughout the county including Upland. Contact them with questions about cause of death or to request autopsy reports. Autopsy reports are public records in California and can be ordered separately from death certificates. These detailed medical reports explain how someone died and include toxicology test results. Attorneys, insurance investigators, and families frequently request autopsy reports for legal cases and insurance claims.

Upland obituaries appear in the San Bernardino Sun and local newspapers. Obituary archives are searchable online through newspaper websites and aggregator services like Legacy.com. Obituaries provide biographical information, funeral service details, and names of surviving family members. While not legal documents, they help with genealogy and provide personal details about the deceased. Many Upland funeral homes also post obituaries on their websites.

The California State Archives maintains historical vital records for genealogy research. They hold microfilm and digitized copies of early California death records from all counties including San Bernardino. This resource helps trace family history and locate deaths from the 1800s and early 1900s. FamilySearch and the Family History Library also offer California death record collections available to researchers worldwide.

The California Department of Public Health keeps duplicate copies of all death records since 1905. You can order from the state instead of the county if preferred. Visit their vital records request page for state ordering information. State processing typically takes longer than county ordering and costs the same $26 fee.

Other San Bernardino County Cities

All San Bernardino County cities use the same death record system through the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk. Nearby cities include Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Chino, Chino Hills, and Fontana. Each follows identical procedures and fees. The $26 cost and 30 to 60 day processing time apply across all county locations.