San Joaquin County Obituaries

San Joaquin County death certificates and obituary records are maintained by the Assessor Recorder Clerk office in Stockton. The office provides certified copies of death records for deaths that occurred anywhere in San Joaquin County from the 1800s to present. You can request copies in person at the county office, by mail, or through online vendors. The fee is $26 per certified copy as of January 1, 2026. Recent deaths may take several weeks to become available as the funeral director and physician must complete and file the record first. Processing times vary from same day for in person requests of recent records to one to three weeks for mail orders or older archived documents that staff must retrieve from storage.

Assessor Recorder Clerk Office

The San Joaquin County Assessor Recorder Clerk office is the official source for death certificates in the county. This office maintains vital records including death certificates for all deaths that took place within San Joaquin County. They have records dating back to the late 1800s when California counties first began keeping formal death records.

The office is located in Stockton, the county seat. Visit their death certificates page for current information about fees, requirements, and processing times. This page explains what you need to include with your request and how long it takes to get your certificate.

Call (209) 468-3939 with questions about death records. Staff can tell you 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 for your situation, ask before you place your order. This saves time and ensures you get the right document the first time.

Order a Death Certificate

To order a San Joaquin County death certificate, gather the required information first. You need the full name of the deceased as it appears on the death record. Provide the date of death if you know it. If not, give an approximate year or range of years. State that the death occurred in San Joaquin County. Include your contact information so staff can reach you if they have questions.

Decide if you need an authorized copy or an informational copy. An authorized copy is a full legal document you can use for official purposes like settling estates, claiming insurance, or closing accounts. You must prove you are an authorized person under California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 to get this type. Immediate family members, domestic partners, attorneys for the estate, and funeral directors qualify as authorized persons.

An informational copy shows the same information but has a watermark stating it cannot be used to establish identity. Anyone can get an informational copy without proving a relationship. This type works for genealogy research and personal records. Most legal matters require an authorized copy. If you need an authorized copy, prepare a notarized sworn statement declaring your relationship to the deceased under penalty of perjury.

Submit your request with the required fee. San Joaquin County charges $26 per copy. This covers the search and one certified copy. If staff cannot locate the record, they keep the fee and send you a letter saying no record was found. Make sure your information is accurate to avoid this outcome.

Visit the Office in Stockton

You can request death certificates in person at the San Joaquin County office in Stockton. Bring a photo ID and information about the deceased. Staff at the counter help you fill out an application form. You pay when you submit your request. The office accepts cash, checks, and credit cards for in person payments.

If you need an authorized copy, complete a sworn statement at the counter. Staff provide the form. You sign it under penalty of perjury in front of them. State your relationship to the deceased. No notary is required for in person sworn statements. The staff member witnessing your signature serves as the official witness.

Processing time for in person requests depends on the age of the record. Recent deaths from the past few decades may be available while you wait. Staff search the computer system and print your certificate on the spot if they find it. Older records from the 1800s and early 1900s may be stored offsite in archives. These can take several days to retrieve. Staff will mail your certificate to you when it becomes available if they cannot provide it same day.

Note: Call ahead to verify office hours and confirm record availability before making the trip.

Mail in Your Request

Mail requests go to the San Joaquin County Assessor Recorder Clerk office in Stockton. Include a completed application form, payment, and a notarized sworn statement if you want an authorized copy. Processing time for mail orders typically runs one to three weeks from when the office receives your request. Busy periods may cause longer delays.

Pay by check or money order. Make it payable to San Joaquin County Assessor. Do not mail cash as the county cannot be held responsible for lost money. Include your phone number on the application so staff can contact you if they need more information. Write your return mailing address clearly for delivery of your certificate.

The notarized statement for mail orders must be completed before you mail it. Go to a notary public and bring your photo ID. Sign the statement in front of the notary. They verify your identity and watch you sign. Then they stamp and sign the document to certify you swore under oath. Mail the original notarized statement, not a copy. The county will not accept photocopied notarizations.

If the record cannot be found, the county sends a letter explaining no record was located based on the information you provided. They keep your fee. This happens if the name spelling is wrong, the date is inaccurate, or the death occurred in a different county. Verify your details before mailing to avoid losing the fee on an unsuccessful search.

Fees and Processing Times

Death certificates cost $26 per copy in San Joaquin County. This is the standard California county fee effective January 1, 2026. The fee is the same for authorized copies and informational copies. It covers the cost of searching county records and issuing one certified copy. You pay this amount no matter which request method you use.

Processing times vary based on how you order and how old the record is. In person requests for recent records may be available while you wait. Mail orders take one to three weeks. Online orders through third party vendors like VitalChek process in a similar time frame but add extra service fees on top of the base county fee. Older archived records can take longer as staff must retrieve them from storage.

There is no refund if the record cannot be found. The search fee is retained even when no record is located. Order multiple copies at once if you need more than one. Each copy costs the full $26 fee. There is no discount for bulk orders. However, submitting one request for several copies saves you time and effort compared to ordering them separately later.

California Death Certificate Law

California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 controls who can receive an authorized certified copy of a death record. This law lists specific relationships that qualify. A spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the deceased can get an authorized copy. So can a domestic partner. Attorneys representing the estate qualify. Funeral directors and their employees can get copies while handling disposition of remains.

Government agencies with proper authority can get authorized copies. Law enforcement officers with official credentials qualify. Insurance companies with a pending claim can receive copies. Anyone not on this list gets an informational copy instead. The informational copy has the same data but includes a printed watermark limiting its legal use.

Death records become public records once filed with the county. California public records laws allow anyone to request an informational copy without proving a relationship. Only the authorized copy is restricted. This balance protects privacy while allowing public access to vital records for legitimate purposes like genealogy research and historical documentation.

Cities in San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County includes several cities. Two have populations over 100,000. All death records for San Joaquin County cities are handled by the county office, not by individual cities.

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

Neighboring County Offices

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