Marin County Obituary Lookup

Marin County death certificates are available through the County Recorder office in San Rafael. They keep records of deaths that took place in Marin County starting in the 1850s. That makes this one of the older vital records collections in California. You can visit the recorder office in person to request copies. Most certificates are printed and certified while you wait. The fee is $26 per copy. If the death was very recent, within the last six weeks, you need to contact the Marin County Office of Vital Statistics instead of the recorder. They handle the newest records before transferring them to the recorder for permanent storage.

Marin County Recorder Office

The Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk office is at 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 232 in San Rafael. This is the main location for death certificate requests. Call them at (415) 473-7215 if you have questions. The mailing address is PO Box C, San Rafael, CA 94913. Office hours are not listed on their website, so call ahead to confirm they are open before you visit.

When you visit in person, bring a photo ID and information about the deceased. You need the full name and at least an approximate date or year of death. Staff can search their records and print a certified copy while you wait in most cases. There is a request form available in the lobby. Fill it out and hand it to the clerk along with your payment.

For deaths that happened in the last six weeks, the County Recorder may not have the record yet. New death certificates go to the Marin County Office of Vital Statistics first. They process the paperwork and file the legal documents. After that initial processing, they send a copy to the County Recorder for permanent storage and public access. If you need a very recent death record, call the Office of Vital Statistics to see if they have it.

The county website has a page about getting a copy of a death certificate from Marin County. This page gives details on how to request records, what to bring, and who to contact. It also explains the difference between authorized and informational copies. You must be an authorized person to get a copy without the informational watermark.

Marin County has one of the oldest collections of death records in California. Records go back to the 1850s when the county was first established. These early records may be on microfilm or in archived files. Ask the clerk about access to very old records. Some may take extra time to retrieve if they are in offsite storage.

Authorized and Informational Copies

California law sets rules for who can get a certified copy of a death record. If you are an immediate family member, you can get an authorized copy. This includes a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling. Domestic partners are also on the list. So are attorneys representing the estate and funeral directors.

To prove you are authorized, bring a notarized sworn statement. This must say under penalty of perjury that you are entitled to the record. Sign it in front of a notary before you go to the recorder office or before you mail your request. Without this, you will get an informational copy instead.

Informational copies have all the same information as authorized copies. The difference is a watermark. It says the copy cannot be used to establish identity. Banks, insurance companies, Social Security, and most legal agencies will not accept informational copies. They need the authorized version.

If you do not qualify for an authorized copy, you can still get an informational copy. You do not need to prove your relationship. No notarized statement is required. The fee is the same at $26 per copy. Informational copies are useful for family history research, genealogy, and personal records. They just cannot be used for legal or financial transactions.

Mail Requests for Death Records

You can order a death certificate by mail if you cannot visit in person. Download the application form from the county website or write a letter with the required information. Include the full name of the deceased, the date or year of death, and the place of death if known. Add your name, address, phone number, and relationship to the deceased.

For an authorized copy, include your notarized sworn statement. Attach it to your application or letter. Make sure the notary stamped and signed it. If the notarization is missing or incomplete, the county will send back your request or issue an informational copy instead.

Send payment of $26 per copy. Use a check or money order made out to Marin County Recorder. Do not send cash through the mail. Include a note saying how many copies you want. If you need more than one, say so clearly. Some people order multiple copies to give to different agencies at the same time.

Mail everything to PO Box C, San Rafael, CA 94913. Processing time for mail orders is not stated on the county website. Most California counties take two to four weeks for mail requests. You can call the recorder office to ask about current processing times. They will mail the certificate to the address on your application once it is ready.

Note: Always include a return address on your envelope and in your letter to ensure delivery.

Death Certificate Fees

Marin County charges $26 for each death certificate. This matches the state fee. The fee covers a search of the county records and one certified copy. If they search and do not find a record, they keep the fee. You will get a statement saying no record was found instead of a certificate.

There is no extra charge for using a credit card at the office. Some counties add a convenience fee for credit cards, but Marin County does not mention one. You can pay by cash, check, or money order in person or by mail. Online ordering is not available directly through the county. If you want to order online, you may need to use a third-party service like VitalChek, which adds its own fees.

Each additional copy of the same record costs $26. There is no discount for ordering multiple copies at once. If you need five copies, you pay $130 total. Some people order extras to avoid coming back later. Banks and insurance companies often keep the copy you give them, so you may need several for different purposes.

Cities and Towns in Marin County

Marin County includes cities like San Rafael, Novato, San Anselmo, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Tiburon, Fairfax, and Ross. Unincorporated areas include places like Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Inverness, and Muir Beach. The County Recorder in San Rafael handles death certificates for all of these locations.

No city in Marin County has its own vital records office. All death records are kept at the county level. If a death happened anywhere in Marin County, you must go to the County Recorder to get a copy of the certificate. The city where the death occurred will be listed on the certificate, but you cannot request it from that city directly.

Nearby County Vital Records

Marin County is located in the Bay Area. Sonoma County is to the north. Contra Costa County is to the east. San Francisco County is to the south. Each county maintains its own death records. If the death did not happen in Marin County, you need to contact the correct county. The county where the death occurred is the only place that can issue the certificate.