Imperial County Death Certificate Search

Imperial County death records and obituaries are available through the county clerk recorder's office in El Centro. The county maintains death certificates for events that occurred within Imperial County. You can order copies online through VitalChek or by visiting the office in person. The fee is $26 per copy as of January 1, 2026 due to Assembly Bill 64 which increased the fee by $2. VitalChek is the only company authorized by Imperial County to provide online ordering services. Mail and in person requests are also accepted. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

How to Request Death Certificates

To order a death certificate from Imperial County, visit the Imperial County Clerk Recorder website. This page has information about vital records services. The county clerk recorder is located at 940 West Main Street, Room 202, El Centro, CA 92243. Phone number is (442) 265-1075. Email is iccrinfo@co.imperial.ca.us.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek. This is the only third party vendor authorized by Imperial County to provide this service. Go to the VitalChek website and select California, then Imperial County. Enter information about the deceased including full name and date of death. Choose whether you need an authorized or informational copy. Pay by credit card and select your shipping method.

In person requests can be made at the county clerk recorder office in El Centro. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Bring a photo ID and information about the deceased. Staff will help you fill out an application form. You can get the certificate while you wait if the record is readily available. In person service is the fastest way to get a death certificate.

For mail requests, send a completed application form with payment of $26 per copy. Make checks or money orders payable to Imperial County Clerk Recorder. Include a self addressed stamped envelope. Mail to 940 West Main Street, Room 202, El Centro, CA 92243. Do not send cash by mail. Processing time for mail orders is typically two to four weeks.

Death Certificate Fees

The fee for an Imperial County death certificate is $26 per copy. This fee went up from $24 on January 1, 2026. The increase was required by Assembly Bill 64. The $2 increase applies to all vital records including birth, death, and marriage certificates. The fee is the same whether you order an authorized or informational copy.

Each additional copy of the same record costs $26. Imperial County does not offer discounts for ordering multiple copies at once. If the county cannot locate the record you request, they keep your fee. They will issue a Certificate of No Public Record showing they searched. Make sure you have accurate information before ordering.

VitalChek charges additional service fees on top of the $26 county fee. These fees cover processing and shipping. Expect to pay about $13 for the VitalChek service fee. Shipping costs vary depending on the method you choose. Standard mail is cheapest while expedited shipping costs more.

Authorized vs Informational Copies

Imperial County issues two types of death certificate copies. An authorized copy is certified and can be used for legal purposes. An informational copy has a watermark stating it cannot be used to establish identity. The fee is the same for both types at $26 per copy.

Only authorized persons can receive an authorized copy. This includes the spouse or domestic partner of the deceased. Parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings qualify. Attorneys representing the estate and funeral directors can also get authorized copies. You must provide a notarized sworn statement proving you are an authorized person.

The notarized statement must be signed in the presence of a notary public. It declares under penalty of perjury that you are eligible to receive an authorized copy under California Health and Safety Code Section 103526. Without this statement, you will receive an informational copy even if you qualify as an authorized person.

Informational copies are available to anyone. No proof of relationship is needed. These copies work well for genealogy research or personal records. They cannot be used for legal transactions like settling estates or claiming insurance benefits.

Wait Times and Processing

In person requests at the Imperial County office can be completed the same day if the record is available. Staff will search for the record and print it while you wait. Most records from recent years are in the computer system and process quickly. This is the fastest method to get a death certificate.

Mail requests take longer. Allow two to four weeks from the date the office receives your application until you get the certificate in the mail. High volume periods may cause longer delays. Sending a complete application with all required information helps speed the process. Incomplete applications are returned without processing.

VitalChek online orders typically process within a few days to one week. The vendor forwards your request to the county clerk recorder's office. After processing, the certificate is mailed to you. Expedited shipping options can reduce delivery time to a few days but cost extra.

Information Required to Order

You must provide the full legal name of the deceased. Middle names help but are not always required. The date of death is very important. If you do not know the exact date, provide the year and month. A narrow date range increases the chance of finding the record quickly.

The place of death within Imperial County helps speed the search. This could be a city, hospital, or other location. Your relationship to the deceased must be stated on the application. This determines whether you receive an authorized or informational copy.

For authorized copies, prepare a notarized sworn statement before you submit your request. The statement must declare under penalty of perjury that you are an authorized person under California law. It must be signed in front of a notary public. Notary services are available at most banks and shipping stores.

Note: Providing incomplete or incorrect information can delay processing or result in a no record found response.

Death Records for Imperial County Cities

Imperial County includes seven cities. These are El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, Imperial, Calipatria, Holtville, and Westmorland. None of these cities issue death certificates. All vital records are maintained by the Imperial County Clerk Recorder in El Centro.

If someone died in any Imperial County city, you must request the death certificate from the county office. The city where the death occurred will be noted on the certificate. This applies to both incorporated cities and unincorporated areas within the county. The county office has all death records regardless of where in the county the death took place.

El Centro is the county seat and largest city in Imperial County. The clerk recorder's office is located in downtown El Centro at the county government center. This makes it convenient for residents across the county to visit in person.

Older Imperial County Death Records

Imperial County was formed in 1907 from the eastern part of San Diego County. For deaths before 1907 in areas that became Imperial County, check with San Diego County. The Imperial County Clerk Recorder has death records from 1907 forward.

California did not require statewide death registration until July 1, 1905. Early Imperial County records from 1907 forward are available at the county clerk recorder's office. These early records may be on microfilm or in archived storage. Requesting a record from the early 1900s may take extra time to retrieve.

Older records may have less information than modern death certificates. They typically show basic facts like name, date, age, and cause of death. Call ahead if you need a record more than 50 years old to ask about availability and retrieval time. Staff can search old records if you provide enough identifying information.

Neighboring California Counties

Imperial County borders San Diego County to the west and Riverside County to the north. Arizona is to the east and Mexico is to the south. If you are unsure which county a death occurred in, check with these neighboring counties.

Contact information for nearby counties:

• San Diego County Assessor Recorder Clerk: (619) 237-0502
• Riverside County Clerk Recorder: (951) 486-7000

Each county maintains only its own death records. If the death occurred outside Imperial County, you must contact the correct county. The Imperial County office cannot provide records from other counties even if they share a border. For deaths in Arizona or Mexico, contact the vital records office in that state or country.