Santa Clara County Obituary Records

Santa Clara County death certificates are maintained by the Clerk-Recorder office in San Jose. They keep death records for all people who died in the county. The collection goes back to 1873. You can order a certificate in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek. Recent death records are usually available from the clerk office about four weeks after the event. The certificate fee is the same as the state rate. A death certificate includes the full name and gender of the deceased, plus the cause, time, date, and location of death. The fee pays for the record search, and you get charged even if no record is found. VitalChek is the only authorized online service for Santa Clara County death certificates.

Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder

The Clerk-Recorder office is at 110 West Tasman Drive, First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134. This is the main location for all vital records in the county. Call them at (408) 299-5688 with questions about death certificates. You can also send an email to clerkrecorder@rec.sccgov.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed on weekends and county holidays.

Staff can help you figure out what type of copy you need. They can tell you if a record is on file. They do not give out details from the death certificate over the phone, but they can confirm if they have the record in their system. If you are not sure whether Santa Clara County has the record, call them first before you order.

The county website has a page for ordering death certificates. This page lists the fees, the forms you need, and the steps to request a copy. It also explains the difference between authorized and informational copies. You must be an authorized person under California law to get a copy without the informational watermark.

Santa Clara County has maintained death records since 1873. That is one of the longest continuous collections in California. These early records may be on microfilm or in archived storage. If you need a very old record, ask the clerk how long it will take to retrieve it. Most records from the 1960s forward are kept on-site and can be copied quickly. Older records may take a few extra days.

Recent death records become available about four weeks after the death. The funeral home or coroner files the initial paperwork with the county health department. After processing, the record is sent to the Clerk-Recorder for permanent storage and public access. If you need a certificate for a very recent death, call first to see if it has been filed yet.

Note: Santa Clara County can only issue death records for deaths that occurred within county borders.

Information on Death Certificates

A Santa Clara County death certificate includes several pieces of information. It shows the full name of the deceased and their gender. It lists the cause of death as determined by a physician or coroner. The certificate includes the exact time and date of death. It also shows the location where the death occurred, such as a hospital, home, or other place.

Other details on the certificate may include the deceased's age, date of birth, address, occupation, and place of birth. It may list parents' names and the name of a surviving spouse. The certificate shows who provided the information and who completed the medical section. A funeral director or other person handling the remains is also listed.

California law requires all this information to be recorded. The information helps establish identity and is used for legal and statistical purposes. Public health agencies use death certificate data to track disease and injury patterns. Families use the certificates to settle estates and claim benefits.

Steps to Request a Death Certificate

Start by gathering details about the deceased. You need the full name and the date or approximate year of death. Knowing the city or location where the death occurred helps. If you have the file number or certificate number, include that. It makes the search faster. If you are requesting an authorized copy, get your notarized sworn statement ready.

Download the application form from the county website or pick one up at the Clerk-Recorder office. Fill it out completely. Include your name, mailing address, phone number, and your relationship to the deceased. Say how many copies you want. Most people order two or three because agencies keep the copy and do not return it.

For in-person service, visit the office at 110 West Tasman Drive in San Jose during business hours. Bring a photo ID and your notarized statement if you need an authorized copy. Staff will search the records and print a certified copy. If the record is recent and on-site, you can get it while you wait. Pay by cash, check, credit card, or money order.

For mail requests, send the completed application, payment, and notarized statement if needed. Use a check or money order made out to Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder. Do not send cash. Mail everything to Clerk-Recorder, 110 West Tasman Drive, First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134. Processing takes two to four weeks for most mail orders. They will mail the certificate to the address on your application.

You can also order online through VitalChek. This is the only authorized online service for Santa Clara County. Go to the VitalChek website and search for Santa Clara County. Follow the prompts to enter the required information. Upload a scanned copy of your notarized statement if you need an authorized copy. VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the state fee. Expedited shipping costs extra. Most VitalChek orders are completed within one to two weeks.

Who Can Get an Authorized Copy

California law defines who can receive an authorized certified copy of a death certificate. The list includes immediate family members. This means a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the deceased. Domestic partners are also authorized. So are attorneys representing the estate or the deceased person. Funeral directors and their employees who handled the remains can request authorized copies.

To prove you are authorized, you must submit a notarized sworn statement. This statement declares under penalty of perjury that you are entitled to receive the record. Sign it in front of a notary public. The notary will stamp and sign the document. Attach this to your application. Without it, the county will issue an informational copy instead.

An informational copy has all the same information as an authorized copy. The difference is a watermark. It says the copy is informational and 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 for legal and financial transactions.

If you do not qualify as an authorized person, you can still get an informational copy. You do not need to prove a relationship or provide a notarized statement. The fee is the same. Informational copies are useful for genealogy, family history research, and personal records. They just cannot be used for legal purposes.

Death Certificate Fees

Santa Clara County follows the state fee schedule. Death certificates cost $26 per copy as of January 2026. This fee covers the cost of searching the records and issuing one certified copy. If the county searches and does not find a record, they keep the fee. They issue a statement saying no record was found instead of a certificate.

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. Many people order several copies because they need to give them to different agencies. Banks, insurance companies, and government offices all require their own certified copy. They do not return it after they review it.

If you order through VitalChek, add their service fee. VitalChek charges for processing and shipping. Standard service adds about $12 to $15 to your total. Expedited shipping costs more. Check the VitalChek website for current fees before you order. The county does not charge extra for online orders, but VitalChek does.

You can pay by cash, check, money order, or credit card in person. For mail orders, use a check or money order. Do not send cash through the mail. Make checks payable to Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder. Some counties charge a convenience fee for credit cards, but Santa Clara County does not mention one on their website.

Cities and Towns in Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County includes many cities and towns. Major cities include San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Campbell, Saratoga, Los Altos, and Monte Sereno. All death records for these places are kept by the County Clerk-Recorder in San Jose.

No city in Santa Clara County has its own vital records office. All requests must go through the county. If a death occurred anywhere in Santa Clara County, the Clerk-Recorder has the record. The city or town where the death happened will be listed on the certificate, but you cannot get it from the city directly.

Note: Always verify the county of death before ordering to avoid wasted fees.

Nearby County Death Records

Santa Clara County is in the South Bay area. San Mateo County is to the north. Alameda County is to the northeast. Stanislaus County is to the east. San Benito County is to the south. Santa Cruz County is to the southwest. If the death did not happen in Santa Clara County, contact the correct county office. Each county can only issue records for deaths within that county.