Yolo County Death Certificates

Yolo County death certificates are available from the Assessor Clerk Recorder office in Woodland. The office maintains vital records including death records for all events that occurred within Yolo County. You can request certified copies in person, by mail, or online. Each death certificate costs $26. The county has records dating back to the late 1800s. Recent deaths may not be available for several weeks after the event as the record must be filed and processed first. Most orders placed by mail or online process within two to three weeks depending on how busy the office is and whether staff can locate the record quickly based on the information you provide.

Yolo County Vital Records Office

The Yolo County Assessor Clerk Recorder handles all vital records for the county. Death certificates are part of their vital records services. The office is in Woodland at the county administrative building. Staff maintain death records from the 1800s to the present day. They issue certified copies to authorized persons and informational copies to anyone who requests them.

Visit the Yolo County vital records page for detailed information about services and requirements. This page explains the difference between authorized and informational copies. It also lists the documents you need to submit with your request. Read this information before you order to make sure you send everything required.

The office address is 625 Court Street in Woodland, California. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The office closes for lunch from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Plan your visit accordingly if you want to request records in person. Parking is available near the county building but spaces fill up quickly during busy times.

Request a Death Certificate

To order a Yolo County death certificate, you need specific information. Provide the full name of the deceased. Include the date of death or at least the year if you do not know the exact date. The county cannot search without some time frame. State that the death occurred in Yolo County. If you are not certain of the county, check with neighboring counties as well to avoid ordering from the wrong place.

Download the death certificate application form from the county website. Fill out every field on the form. Include your name, address, phone number, and email if you have one. State your relationship to the deceased. Indicate whether you want an authorized copy or an informational copy. If you want an authorized copy, you must also submit a notarized sworn statement proving your relationship.

California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 lists who qualifies for an authorized copy. Immediate family members such as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild can get one. So can a domestic partner. Attorneys representing the estate also qualify. Funeral directors handling the remains can get copies. If you do not fit one of these categories, you will receive an informational copy no matter what you request.

Include payment with your application. The fee is $26 per copy. Make checks or money orders payable to Yolo County Assessor Clerk Recorder. Do not send cash by mail. Credit cards are accepted for online and in person orders. Some counties charge a convenience fee for credit card payments but check with Yolo County for their current policy.

Visit or Mail Your Order

You can visit the Yolo County office in person at 625 Court Street in Woodland. Bring your photo ID and information about the deceased. Staff at the counter help you fill out the application if you need assistance. You pay when you submit your request. The office accepts cash, checks, and credit cards in person.

Processing time for in person requests depends on the age of the record. Recent records from the past few decades may be available while you wait if staff can locate them quickly. Older records stored in archives or on microfilm may take several days to retrieve. Staff will tell you how long to expect when you place your order. They can mail your certificate to you if it is not ready the same day.

Mail your request to the same address in Woodland. Include your completed application form, payment, and notarized statement if needed. Use a check or money order, not cash. Write your phone number on the application so staff can call if they have questions. Processing time for mail orders is typically two to three weeks from when the office receives your envelope. Busy periods such as the start of the year may cause longer delays.

Note: Call the office before visiting to confirm they have the record you need, especially for very old deaths.

Types of Death Certificates

Yolo County issues two types of death certificate copies. An authorized certified copy is a full legal document you can use for official purposes. It shows all information from the original death record. No details are redacted or hidden. You can use this type to settle estates, claim life insurance, close bank accounts, and stop government benefits. Most agencies and companies require an authorized copy for these matters.

To get an authorized copy, you must prove you are an authorized person under California law. Submit a notarized sworn statement with your request. The statement must declare under penalty of perjury that you have a qualifying relationship to the deceased. Sign this document in front of a notary public. The notary verifies your identity and watches you sign. They stamp and sign the statement to certify it. Send the original notarized document, not a photocopy.

An informational certified copy shows the same data as an authorized copy but it has a watermark printed across it. The watermark states that the copy is not valid to establish identity. This limits how you can use the document. Most banks, insurance companies, and government offices will not accept informational copies for legal matters. However, informational copies work well for genealogy research, family history projects, and personal records.

Anyone can get an informational copy without proving a relationship to the deceased. No notarized statement is required. Just fill out the application form and pay the fee. The cost is the same for both types. Choose which one you need based on how you plan to use it. If you are not sure, ask the agency requesting the death certificate which type they will accept before you order.

Cost of Death Certificates

Yolo County charges $26 per death certificate copy. This is the standard fee for California counties as set by state law effective January 1, 2026. The fee covers the cost of searching for the record and issuing one certified copy. It is the same for authorized copies and informational copies. You pay this amount whether you order in person, by mail, or online.

If the office cannot find the record you requested, they keep the search fee. You do not get a refund. They send you a letter stating no record was found based on the information you provided. This can happen if the name is spelled wrong, the date is incorrect, or the death occurred in a different county. Make sure you have accurate details before you order to avoid losing the fee on an unsuccessful search.

Order multiple copies at the same time if you need more than one. Each copy costs the full $26 fee. There is no discount for ordering several at once. However, ordering all copies together saves you the trouble of submitting separate requests later. Think about how many copies you need for different agencies and order them all in one request.

Cities in Yolo County

Yolo County includes several cities and towns. None have populations over 100,000, so they do not maintain their own vital records offices. All death certificates for Yolo County cities are handled by the county assessor clerk recorder in Woodland.

Cities in Yolo County include Woodland, Davis, West Sacramento, and Winters. Residents of these cities and all other Yolo County locations must contact the county office for death records.

Nearby County Offices

If the death occurred outside Yolo County, you must contact the correct county office. Each county only maintains records for deaths within its borders.