Imperial County Death Certificates
Imperial County death records document deaths in this Southern California desert region near the Mexican border. The Clerk-Recorder office maintains these vital records and issues certified copies to qualified individuals. Death certificates cost $26 per copy as of January 2026. You can request records in person, by mail, or through VitalChek online. The office processes same day requests for in person visits and handles mail orders within seven to ten business days. Staff serve families, legal representatives, funeral establishments, and researchers who need death certificate information under California Health and Safety Code requirements.
Imperial County Death Index Facts
Imperial County Vital Records
The Imperial County Clerk-Recorder handles vital records including death certificates. Their office implements the fee increase mandated by Assembly Bill 64. Effective January 1, 2026, a $2 fee increase applies to certified copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates. Death certificates now cost $26 per copy.
Records requested in person will be issued same day. For mail orders, allow seven to ten business days for processing. Contact the Public Health department at 760-482-4438 with questions. You can email ICCRInfo@co.imperial.ca.us or fax requests to 442-265-1091.
Imperial County provides vital records information through their Recorder services webpage.
The website includes fee schedules, contact information, and instructions for requesting death certificates from Imperial County.
How to Get Death Certificates
You can request Imperial County death certificates three ways. Visit the office in El Centro. Mail your application. Or order through VitalChek online.
In person requests get same day service. Bring valid photo ID. Complete the death certificate application. Provide the deceased person's full name, date of death, and place of death in Imperial County. Pay $26 by cash, check, or money order. Staff will process your request while you wait.
Mail requests need a completed application, ID photocopy, and check for $26 made out to Imperial County. Send to the Clerk-Recorder office in El Centro. Processing takes seven to ten business days once they receive your envelope.
VitalChek operates the online ordering system. Select Imperial County, enter the deceased person's details, upload ID, and pay by credit card. VitalChek adds service fees. Orders process in one to three weeks.
Who Can Request Records
California law controls who gets authorized certified copies versus informational copies. Authorized copies work for legal purposes. Informational copies are for research.
Authorized copies go to immediate family, attorneys, court reps, funeral directors, and government officials. You need a notarized sworn statement proving your relationship or legal right.
Anyone can get informational copies without notarization. These have a stamp limiting their use for establishing identity.
Why You Need Death Certificates
Death certificates serve many critical purposes. Insurance companies require them to pay life insurance benefits to families. Banks need certified copies to settle accounts. Social Security Administration uses them to stop payments. Probate courts require certified copies to process estates.
Real estate transactions need death certificates. Property cannot be transferred from a deceased person without proof of death. Courts use them in guardianship cases and trust matters. Medical examiners may request them. Vital statistics agencies need them for census updates.
Genealogists and family historians use death certificates for research. These documents show place of death, cause, occupation, and parent names. They help build family trees. Researchers value older death certificates for historical data. Immigration authorities may ask for death certificates. Pension offices require them for survivor benefits.
Legal Requirements and Privacy
California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 controls death record access. Only authorized persons can get certified copies. The law protects privacy of the deceased and living family members.
Immediate family members count as authorized. This includes parents, adult children, siblings, and spouses. Domestic partners also qualify. Legal representatives like attorneys and executors can request copies if they represent an estate or family. Funeral directors qualify as authorized persons because they handle the body.
You must prove your relationship. A notarized sworn statement provides proof. This is a document you sign in front of a notary public who stamps and signs it. You state your relationship to the deceased. This statement becomes part of your request file. Some offices also accept driver's licenses or birth certificates showing family relationship.
Adjacent Counties
Riverside County borders north. San Diego County is west. The Mexican border forms the southern boundary. Arizona state line defines the eastern edge.