Contra Costa County Death Certificates
Contra Costa County death certificates document all deaths within this Bay Area county. The Vital Registration Office in Martinez handles recent records from this year and last year. For older death certificates, contact the County Clerk-Recorder. Each certified copy costs $30. You can request death records by visiting the office in person, mailing an application, or ordering through VitalChek online. The office provides both authorized certified copies for legal use and informational copies for research. Processing times range from same day for walk in requests to several weeks for mail orders. Staff serve families, attorneys, funeral homes, and others who need vital records under California law.
Contra Costa County Death Index Facts
Vital Registration Office
The Contra Costa County Vital Registration Office sits at 10 Douglas Drive, Suite 220, in Martinez. This office handles death certificates for deaths occurring in the current year and previous year within Contra Costa County. Their phone number is 925-313-1125. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM.
For death records older than two years, you must contact the County Clerk-Recorder office. They maintain the historical archive of vital records. The two office split responsibilities based on record age.
Death certificates in Contra Costa County cost $30 per certified copy. This is higher than the standard California fee of $26 that most counties charge. Each county sets some of its own pricing within state guidelines. The fee covers staff time to search files and produce an official certified document with the county seal.
If staff search but cannot find the record you request, they keep the fee. This is standard across California under Health and Safety Code Section 103650. They issue a no record found statement instead of a certificate.
How to Request Death Records
Three methods exist to get death certificates from Contra Costa County. Visit the Vital Registration Office in person. Send a mail request with application and check. Or order online through VitalChek.
Walk in during office hours with valid photo ID like a driver license or passport. Ask for the death certificate application. Provide the deceased person's full name, date of death, and place of death in Contra Costa County. More details help staff locate the right record faster. Pay the $30 fee by cash, check, or money order. Recent records often get processed same day.
For mail requests, download the application from the county website. Fill it out completely. Include an ID photocopy. Write a check for $30 to Contra Costa County Health Services. Mail to 10 Douglas Drive, Suite 220, Martinez, CA 94553. Allow two to four weeks for processing and mail delivery.
VitalChek processes online orders. Go to their California portal and select Contra Costa County. Enter the required details. Upload ID documents. Pay by credit card. VitalChek adds service fees to the $30 certificate cost. Orders process in one to three weeks typically.
The California Department of Public Health provides statewide access to death certificate information and ordering options.
You can request Contra Costa County death certificates from either the county Vital Registration Office or the state office in Sacramento.
Authorized vs Informational Copies
California law defines two types of death certificates. Authorized certified copies contain full details and work for legal purposes. Informational copies have the same data but a stamp limiting their use.
Authorized copies go to immediate family including parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, spouses, and domestic partners. Lawyers for the deceased or estate qualify. Court appointed reps, funeral directors, and government officials conducting official business can get copies too.
Authorized requests need a notarized sworn statement declaring your relationship under penalty of perjury. Visit a notary public to have your signature witnessed and sealed. One statement covers multiple certificate orders.
Anyone can get informational copies without notarization. These work for genealogy and family history but not for legal identity purposes.
Adjacent Counties
Contra Costa County borders several Bay Area counties. Alameda County lies south. Solano County is northeast. Sacramento County and San Joaquin County are east. Marin County sits across the water to the west.
Each county runs its own vital records office with different fees and procedures. Make sure you know which county the death occurred in before requesting records.
Major Cities
Contra Costa County includes several large cities. Richmond, Concord, and Antioch all have populations over 100,000. Other sizeable cities include Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and Berkeley (partially). Deaths in any city within the county get registered with Contra Costa County offices, not city halls.