Sacramento County Obituary Records

Sacramento County provides access to death records and obituary information through the County Clerk Recorder office. You can request death certificates for any death that occurred within Sacramento County. The office maintains records of all marriages, births, and deaths that took place in the county from the 1800s to present. Order copies in person at 600 8th Street in Sacramento, by mail, or through the online portal. The fee is $26 per copy. Documents received before 3:00 p.m. on business days are recorded the same day. Processing times for death certificate requests vary from same day for recent records to several days for older archived files.

County Clerk Recorder Office

The Sacramento County Clerk Recorder is the official source for death certificates in the county. Their main office is at 600 8th Street in Sacramento, California 95814. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The office is closed on county holidays.

Call (916) 874-6334 with questions about death records. A toll free number is available at (800) 313-7133. Staff can help you determine if they have the record you need. They can also explain the difference between authorized and informational copies. If you are not sure which type you need, ask before you place your order.

The main page for the office is at ccr.saccounty.gov. This site has information about all the services the clerk recorder provides. You can find forms, contact details, and links to online ordering systems. The office handles recording of deeds, marriage licenses, and many other public documents in addition to vital records.

Note: Same day service is available for in person requests if the record is readily available.

Order Death Records Online

Sacramento County offers an online ordering portal for death certificates. This system lets you place orders without visiting the office or mailing forms. You enter information about the deceased and pay with a credit card. The portal charges a service fee on top of the base $26 county fee. Processing times for online orders typically run one to two weeks.

You need basic details to complete an online order. Provide the full name of the deceased as it appears on the death record. Enter the date of death if you know it. If you only have an approximate year, enter that. The county where the death occurred must be Sacramento County for this portal to work. Include your contact information and mailing address for delivery.

For an authorized copy, you must upload a scanned notarized sworn statement. This document proves you are an authorized person under California law. Sign the statement in front of a notary public before you scan it. Without this document, the county will send you an informational copy instead of an authorized copy. Both types cost the same but serve different purposes.

The online portal sends you an email confirmation when you place your order. You get a tracking number to check your order status. The county processes online orders in the order received. Busy periods may cause delays. Call the office if you have not received your certificate after three weeks.

Visit the Office in Person

Walk in service is available at 600 8th Street in Sacramento during business hours. Bring a photo ID when you visit. You also need information about the deceased including full name and date of death. Staff at the counter help you fill out a request form. You can ask questions and get answers right away.

Payment is due when you place your order. The office accepts cash, personal checks, cashier's checks, and credit cards. There is no convenience fee for credit card payments in person. Make checks payable to Sacramento County Clerk Recorder. Do not make checks out to an individual staff member.

Recent death records from the past few decades may be available while you wait. Staff search the system and print your certificate on the spot if it is found. Older records from the 1800s and early 1900s may require staff to retrieve files from storage. This can take a few days. The office will mail your certificate when it is ready if they cannot provide it same day.

If you need an authorized copy in person, you must complete a sworn statement at the counter. Staff have you sign the statement under penalty of perjury in front of them. You declare that you are an authorized person under the law. No notary is required for in person statements. Just bring your ID and be ready to state your relationship to the deceased.

Mail in Your Request

Send mail requests to Sacramento County Clerk Recorder at 600 8th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Include a completed application form, payment, and a notarized sworn statement if you want an authorized copy. Processing time for mail orders is typically two to three weeks from when they receive your envelope.

Payment must be by check or money order. Do not mail cash. Make the check payable to Sacramento County Clerk Recorder. Include a phone number where staff can reach you if they have questions about your order. Also include a return mailing address for delivery of your certificate.

The notarized statement for mail orders must be signed in front of a notary public before you mail it. The notary verifies your identity and watches you sign. Then they stamp and sign the document. This proves you swore under oath that you are an authorized person. Mail the original notarized document, not a photocopy.

If the county cannot find the record, they send you a letter explaining that no record was located. They keep your search fee. This can happen if the name spelling is wrong, the date is incorrect, or the death occurred in a different county. Double check your information before mailing to avoid this outcome.

Note: Include a self addressed stamped envelope to speed up delivery of your certificate.

Fees for Death Certificates

Death certificates cost $26 per copy in Sacramento County. This is the standard fee set by California state law as of January 1, 2026. The fee covers the cost of searching for the record and providing one certified copy. It is the same whether you order an authorized copy or an informational copy. You pay this base fee no matter which request method you use.

Online orders through the county portal add a service fee. This extra charge covers the cost of running the online system and credit card processing. Expect to pay about $5 to $10 more for online orders compared to mail or in person. Check the portal for the current service fee amount before you submit your order.

If you order multiple copies of the same death certificate at the same time, you pay the full fee for each copy. There is no discount for bulk orders. Each certified copy requires a new search and certification process according to county procedures. Order only the number of copies you actually need to save money.

California Death Certificate Law

California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 controls access to certified death records. This law limits who can get an authorized copy. Authorized persons include family members in specific relationships to the deceased. A spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling qualifies. Domestic partners have the same rights as spouses under this law.

Attorneys representing the estate of the deceased can get authorized copies. Funeral directors and their employees qualify while handling the disposition of remains. Government agencies and law enforcement with proper credentials also have access. Insurance companies can get copies if they have a claim pending. Anyone not on this list receives an informational copy instead.

The informational copy shows all the same information as an authorized copy but it has a printed legend across the face. The legend says the copy is not valid to establish identity. You cannot use it for most legal purposes. Banks, insurance companies, and government benefit programs require authorized copies. Genealogy research and personal records work fine with informational copies.

Cities in Sacramento County

Sacramento County contains several cities with populations over 100,000. All death records for these cities are maintained by the Sacramento County Clerk Recorder, not by the individual cities.

Residents of these cities and all other Sacramento County locations must contact the county office for death certificates.

Nearby Counties for Death Records

If the death occurred in a neighboring county, contact that county's clerk recorder office. Each county only has records for deaths within its boundaries.