Search Glenn County Death Records
Glenn County death certificates document all deaths in this Northern Sacramento Valley agricultural county. The Clerk-Recorder office in Willows maintains these vital records and issues certified copies to authorized individuals. Death certificates cost $26 per copy under California state law. You can request records in person at the county office, by mail with proper application and payment, or through VitalChek online ordering. The office keeps death records for Glenn County from historical files through current registrations. Staff process requests from family members, legal representatives, funeral establishments, and others who qualify under California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 for accessing death record information.
Glenn County Death Index Information
Glenn County Clerk Recorder
The Clerk-Recorder office in Willows handles all vital records for Glenn County. This includes death certificates, birth records, and marriage licenses. Staff maintain files for deaths that occur anywhere within Glenn County boundaries. Visit the county website at countyofglenn.net for office hours and contact information.
You can call the office during business hours to ask questions about death certificate requests. Staff will explain what forms to complete, which ID to bring, and how long processing takes. They can also check if a recent death record is available yet in their system.
Death certificates cost $26 each. This is the standard California fee under Health and Safety Code Section 103625. The fee went up by $2 on January 1, 2026 due to Assembly Bill 64. It was $24 before that date. You pay this amount for in person, mail, or online requests. The fee covers staff time to search files and create a certified copy with the county seal.
If staff cannot locate your requested record, state law allows them to keep the search fee. They issue a Certificate of No Public Record instead. This document proves they searched their database but found no match.
Glenn County provides information about vital records services through their Clerk-Recorder department website.
The county website includes contact details, office hours, and information about requesting death certificates and other vital records from Glenn County.
How to Get Death Certificates
Three methods exist for requesting Glenn County death certificates. Visit the Willows office in person. Mail an application with payment. Or order online through VitalChek.
In person requests offer the fastest service. Go to the Clerk-Recorder office during regular hours. Bring valid government photo ID like a driver license or passport. Ask for a death certificate application. Fill in the deceased person's full name, date of death, and place of death within Glenn County. Include other details you know such as age or parents' names. More information helps staff find the right record.
Pay the $26 fee by cash, check, or money order made out to Glenn County. Staff will search their files and produce a certified copy if the record exists. Many requests process same day for recent deaths. Older records may take a few days to retrieve from archives.
For mail requests, download the death certificate application from the county website or call to have one sent. Complete all sections clearly. Make a photocopy of your government ID. Write a check or money order for $26 to Glenn County. Mail everything to the Clerk-Recorder in Willows. Include your return address. Allow two to four weeks for processing and mail delivery both ways.
VitalChek operates the state authorized online ordering system. Visit their California portal and select Glenn County. Enter the required details about the deceased. Upload ID documents. Pay by credit card. VitalChek charges the $26 certificate fee plus their service fees. Processing typically takes one to three weeks depending on shipping method selected.
Who Qualifies for Copies
California law restricts who receives authorized certified copies of death records. These copies show complete information and work for legal uses like insurance claims and estate settlement. People who do not qualify can still get informational copies.
Authorized copies go to immediate family members. Parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, spouses, and registered domestic partners of the deceased all qualify. Attorneys representing the deceased or estate can request copies. Court appointed representatives managing the estate have access. Funeral directors handling the case qualify. Law enforcement and government employees conducting official business may obtain records too.
To get an authorized copy, you must submit a notarized sworn statement. This declaration states under penalty of perjury that you have a legal right to the record. Visit a notary public who will verify your identity, watch you sign, and apply their seal. Banks, post offices, and shipping stores often have notaries. One notarized statement can cover multiple certificate requests. Law enforcement and funeral establishments may be exempt from notary requirements in certain official situations.
Informational copies are available to anyone without a notarized statement. Just fill out the application and pay the fee. These copies contain the same data but display a notice across the front stating they cannot establish identity. People use informational copies for genealogy and family history. They do not work for legal purposes.
California State Death Records
The California Department of Public Health Vital Records office maintains death certificates from across the state. Their collection begins in July 1905 when California started centralized vital records. Any Glenn County death since 1905 should exist in the state database.
You can request Glenn County death records from CDPH instead of the county office. The state charges the same $26 fee. Their advantage is a statewide index so you do not need to know which county the death occurred in. This helps when information is incomplete.
Contact CDPH Vital Records at P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. Phone 916-445-2684 Monday through Friday during business hours. They accept mail orders using form VS 112 and work with VitalChek for online requests. State processing times usually run longer than county offices because they handle all 58 California counties.
For deaths before July 1905, contact the Glenn County Clerk-Recorder directly. The state did not maintain vital records before that date. Very old county records may be incomplete or missing. Some historical records exist at the California State Archives on microfilm but coverage varies by county and time period.
Surrounding Counties
Glenn County sits in the Northern Sacramento Valley. Tehama County borders to the north. Butte County lies northeast. Colusa County is south. Lake County sits to the west across the Coast Range mountains. Mendocino County touches the northwest corner.
Each county maintains its own vital records office with different procedures and hours. The $26 death certificate fee is standard across California. Make sure you know which county the death occurred in before submitting a request. Deaths near county borders sometimes get misattributed. The death certificate is filed in the county where the person died, not necessarily where they lived.
When Records Become Available
New death certificates take approximately two weeks to become available after the date of death. Funeral directors, physicians, and medical examiners must file death information with the county within eight calendar days under California Health and Safety Code Section 102775. The county then reviews, indexes, and processes each record before making it accessible for requests.
For very recent deaths, call the Clerk-Recorder office before submitting a certificate request. Staff can check their system to see if the record is ready. If not, they can tell you when to expect it. Some deaths take longer to process, especially if a coroner must investigate the cause. Deaths requiring autopsy or toxicology testing may take weeks or months before the final certificate is filed and available.