Alameda County Death Records

Death certificates for Alameda County are kept by the County Recorder located in Oakland. If someone died in Alameda County, you can get a copy of their death record from the recorder office. They have records going back to 1893. You can visit in person at their main office or at the Dublin satellite location. Orders by mail take about two to three weeks. The fee is $28 per copy. This covers the search and one certified copy. Alameda County can only issue certificates for deaths that took place within the county. If you are not sure where a death happened, you can try the state office instead.

Alameda County Recorder Vital Records Office

The Alameda County Auditor-Controller/County Clerk handles all death certificates. Their main office is at 1106 Madison Street in Oakland. This is where most vital records requests are processed. They also have a satellite office in Dublin at 7600 Dublin Boulevard, Suite 160. Both locations accept walk-in requests. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

For mail requests, send your completed application to the Oakland address. Include payment of $28 per copy. You can pay by check or money order made out to Alameda County Clerk Recorder. Mail orders take two to three weeks to process from the date they receive your request. If you need it faster, visit in person or use the online ordering system. The online system charges an extra $2 convenience fee per order.

Call the office at 1-510-272-6362 if you have questions. For toll-free service, dial 1-888-280-7708. You can also reach them by email at Vitalrec@acgov.org or by fax at (510) 208-9957. Staff can tell you if a record is available before you order. They do not give out information from certificates over the phone but can confirm if a record exists in their system.

Processing time varies by the age of the record. Certificates from 1871 to 1959 take up to three business days to complete because they are stored separately. Records from 1960 to the present can be done the same day in most cases if you visit in person. Certificates for deaths before 1893 are not available from any source in Alameda County. The county did not keep vital records before that year.

You can find more details on the Alameda County death certificate request page. This page has the application form and a list of what documents you need to bring or mail. It also explains the difference between an authorized copy and an informational copy. An authorized copy requires a notarized sworn statement. An informational copy does not.

Note: Alameda County can only issue death records for events that occurred within county borders.

Who Can Get an Authorized Copy

Not everyone can get an unrestricted certified copy of a death certificate. California law defines who qualifies. If you are the spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the deceased, you can request an authorized copy. Domestic partners are also eligible. So are attorneys representing the estate and funeral directors handling the remains.

To prove your relationship, you must submit a notarized sworn statement. This statement says you are authorized by law to receive the record. Sign it under penalty of perjury in front of a notary. Without this, the county will issue an informational copy instead. That copy has a legend that says it cannot be used to establish identity. Most legal and financial institutions will not accept informational copies.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can still get an informational copy. The fee is the same. You do not need to prove a relationship or provide a notarized statement for an informational copy. These are useful for genealogy and family history research. Anyone can request one.

Steps to Request a Death Certificate

First, gather the details about the death. You need the full name of the deceased. Knowing the date of death or at least the year helps. If you have the file number or certificate number, include that. It speeds up the search. If you are requesting an authorized copy, prepare your notarized statement ahead of time.

Download the application form from the county website or pick one up at the office. Fill it out completely. Include your name, address, phone number, and relationship to the deceased. Say how many copies you want. Most people order two or three because banks and insurance companies often keep one copy for their files.

For in-person service, visit the Oakland or Dublin office during business hours. Bring a photo ID. If you need an authorized copy, bring the notarized statement. Staff will process your request while you wait if the record is recent. Older records may take longer. Pay by cash, check, or credit card. There is no extra fee for credit cards at the counter.

To order by mail, send the completed form, your payment, and the notarized statement if needed. Use a check or money order. Do not send cash. Mail everything to County Recorder, 1106 Madison Street, Oakland, CA 94607. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want to speed up the return. Processing takes about two to three weeks. They will mail the certificate to the address on your application.

For online orders, go to the Alameda County online ordering portal. You must create an account. Enter the required information about the deceased. Upload a scanned copy of your notarized statement if you need an authorized copy. Pay with a credit card. The system adds a $2 convenience fee to your order. Online orders are usually processed faster than mail requests. You will get an email when the certificate is ready or shipped.

Fees and Payment Methods

Alameda County charges $28 for each death certificate. This is higher than the state fee of $26. The fee includes one search of the death files and one certified copy. If the record is not found, they keep the fee and issue a Certificate of No Public Record. This is a statement that they searched but could not locate the record based on the information you gave.

You can pay by check, money order, or credit card. Make checks payable to Alameda County Clerk Recorder. If you order online, there is an extra $2 fee. This is a convenience charge for using the online system. Credit card payments at the counter in person do not have an added fee. Do not send cash through the mail.

If you order multiple copies of the same record at the same time, you still pay $28 for each copy. There is no discount for bulk orders. Some people order extra copies to save time later. Banks, insurance companies, Social Security, and pension plans all require certified copies. They will not return the certificate after they review it.

Cities and Towns in Alameda County

Alameda County includes many cities and towns. The county recorder in Oakland handles death certificates for all of them. If a death happened in any city within Alameda County, you must go through the county office. No city in this county issues death certificates on its own, except Berkeley. Berkeley has a separate health jurisdiction and maintains its own vital records office for very recent deaths.

Major cities in Alameda County include Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, San Leandro, Livermore, Alameda, Pleasanton, and Union City. Smaller communities include Newark, Dublin, Emeryville, Piedmont, Albany, and Castro Valley. All death records for these places are kept by the Alameda County Recorder unless the death occurred very recently in Berkeley city limits.

For deaths in Berkeley, you may be able to get a certificate from the Berkeley Office of Vital Statistics if the death happened within the past two years. For older records or if Berkeley does not have the record, contact the Alameda County Recorder. Berkeley can only issue records for deaths within Berkeley city limits, not other parts of the county.

Note: Always check with the county recorder first if you are not sure which office has the record.

Nearby County Death Records

If the death did not happen in Alameda County, you need to contact a different office. Nearby counties have their own vital records offices. Contra Costa County is to the north and east. Santa Clara County is to the south. San Mateo County is to the west across the bay. San Francisco County is northwest. Each county can only issue records for deaths within that county.