SERVICE
Get a death certificate for someone who died in the last 3 years
We issue death certificates for someone who passed away in the last 3 years. You can get them in person or by mail.
Office of Vital RecordsWhat to know
Cost
$26per copy
The death certificate must be for someone:
- Who died less than 3 years ago in San Francisco
You can apply for a certified copy of a death certificate for:
- Your spouse, parent, grandparent, grandchild, child, sibling, or state-registered domestic partner
Anyone can request an informational copy of a death certificate.
What to know
Cost
$26per copy
The death certificate must be for someone:
- Who died less than 3 years ago in San Francisco
You can apply for a certified copy of a death certificate for:
- Your spouse, parent, grandparent, grandchild, child, sibling, or state-registered domestic partner
Anyone can request an informational copy of a death certificate.
What to do
Get a death certificate in person
1. Please visit our location and check in:
Office of Vital Records, City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 160
San Francisco, CA 94102
2. The person applying must bring an unexpired government-issued photo ID. We will accept IDs from foreign governments.
3. Fill out the form
4. Complete your purchase: Credit card, personal check, money order, cashier's check or cash.
To save time, please bring a completed application.
Note: We charge for every search, so you will pay the fee even if we cannot find the record.
Get a death certificate by mail
1. Fill out the form
Download the application. Fill out the form.
2. Get the statement notarized
Take your form to a notary public and have it notarized.
You don’t need to get your application notarized to receive an Informational Copy. But the certificate will say “Informational: Not a valid document to establish identity".
3. Mail the application
You must include:
- Your application
- Notarized sworn statement
- Prepaid and addressed return envelope
- A money order, cashier's check or personal check for $26 per copy.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Office of Vital Records, City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 160
San Francisco, CA 94102
You should get the birth certificate in 5 to 10 business days.
We recommend a pre-paid self-address express envelope (USPS, UPS or FedEx).
Special cases
Get a death certificate for someone else
You can also apply for a Certified Authorized Copy of a death certificate if you:
- Have a certified court order
- Have a valid Power of Attorney document
- Are an authorized attorney (with supporting documents)
- Are a licensed adoption agency (with an order of relinquishment)
- Requests from other government agencies must include a worker’s ID and a letter from the supervisor that approves the request.
Correcting a death certificate
Correcting or ammending a death certificate happens at the state level. Go to the California Department of Public Health page for more information.
Related
Partner agencies
Contact us
Address
1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102