Plumas County Death Index

Plumas County keeps death records for deaths in the county. The Clerk-Recorder office maintains these vital records. You can order certified copies for estates, insurance, benefits, and family history. Records date back many years. Request them by mail, online, or in person. Wait times vary by method. Recent deaths need processing time before certificates are ready to order.

Two Types of Certificates

California provides two kinds of death certificates. An authorized certified copy serves legal and financial needs. Use it for estates, insurance, and bank accounts. It proves identity. An informational certified copy has the same facts but cannot establish identity. Use it for genealogy but not for legal or money matters.

Only specific people can get authorized copies. Family members qualify including parents, children, spouses, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Estate representatives have access. Lawyers for the family or estate can get them. Government workers on duty can request them. Funeral homes that handled the service qualify. Others receive informational copies only.

You need a notarized sworn statement for an authorized copy. Sign under penalty of perjury. A notary public witnesses and stamps your signature. Without notarization, you get the informational copy. This helps prevent fraud.

The Plumas County forms and vital records page has information about ordering death certificates. You can find forms, fees, and contact details.

In-Person Requests

Visit the Clerk-Recorder office in Quincy during business hours. Bring photo ID and payment. Fill out an application. Staff will search for the record. Recent files may be ready the same day. Older records take longer. You'll be told when to return if needed.

In-person service works well for local residents. You can ask questions right away. If your application has errors, staff tells you how to fix them. This saves time compared to mail. Pay with cash, check, or card depending on office policy.

Mail Orders

Get the application from the Plumas County website or call to request one. Fill out all sections. Use the deceased's full legal name. Give the death date or at least the year. Note the place of death. It must be in Plumas County. Attach a copy of your ID. For an authorized copy, get the sworn statement notarized by a notary public.

Include a check or money order for the fee. Make it payable to Plumas County. Don't mail cash. Send everything to the address on the form. Processing takes several weeks. The certificate arrives by mail. If the record doesn't exist, you get a letter and the fee is kept.

Online Ordering

VitalChek handles online orders for Plumas County. Go to their site and select California, then Plumas County. Enter death details. Upload an ID photo. Choose the copy type. Pay with credit card. VitalChek charges a processing fee plus the county fee. Shipping costs extra for rush service. Standard mail is included.

Online ordering is convenient. You can do it any time. No printing or postage needed. You get an email confirmation. The certificate arrives by mail in a few weeks. The downside is extra cost.

Fees

The death certificate fee is $26 per copy as of January 2026. California law sets this. It went up by $2 under Assembly Bill 64. Each copy costs the same. Multiple copies mean paying for each one. No bulk discount exists. Authorized and informational copies have the same price.

If the search finds no record, the fee is not returned. State law lets counties keep it to cover search costs. Verify information before ordering. Make sure you have the right county and correct spellings.

Processing Time

Deaths must be registered within eight days in California. But the certificate takes longer to become available. Doctors or medical examiners complete paperwork. The county reviews and files it. This takes two to four weeks or more after death.

In-person requests are often done same day for recent records. Older records may take longer. Mail orders take three to six weeks total. Online orders through VitalChek typically arrive within two to four weeks.

Required Information

Write the deceased's full legal name. Don't use nicknames. Give the death date. If unknown, provide the year or month and year. The place of death must be in Plumas County. If elsewhere, contact that location.

Additional details help find the record. Include birthdate and parents' names if known. You must also give your own name, address, phone, and email. State your relationship to the deceased. This determines which copy type you receive.

Historical Records

Plumas County has records from the 1800s. Not all old files survived. Fires and poor storage destroyed some. What remains helps genealogists. Before July 1905, only counties kept vital records. Old records may be handwritten with faded ink. The clerk copies what is readable. Partial information is better than none.

Common Uses

Life insurance needs death certificates to pay. Banks use them to close accounts. Social Security needs them for survivor benefits. Pension plans require them. Probate courts need certified copies. Real estate cannot be transferred without them. Vehicle titles need them too. The authorized version is required for legal and financial matters. For genealogy, death certificates list parents' names and birthplaces. They show occupation and residence. Informational copies work for research.

Privacy Laws

California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 controls access to authorized copies. This prevents fraud. Close family and legal representatives get access. Others receive informational copies. The clerk checks ID and documents.

Contact Information

The Plumas County Clerk-Recorder office is in Quincy. Call for hours and location. The website has forms and fees. You can email with questions.

Nearby Counties

• Butte County
• Lassen County
• Sierra County