What to do
If you need a birth certificate for a child under 3 years old, go to the Department of Public Health Office of Vital Records.
Order online from VitalChek.com
You can order a birth certificate online through VitalChek for anyone over 3 years old.
Fees:
- $25 for the search
- $12.95 VitalChek fee
- $19 shipping for UPS Air (optional)
We charge $25 for the search, even if we don’t find your record. The search fee includes a copy of the birth certificate, if we find it.
If you want more than one copy of a birth certificate, you need to pay $25 each.
We will mail you a copy of your birth certificate in 5 to 10 business days.
You can call VitalChek at (800) 708-6733 to check on an order or if you have questions.
In-Person
Go to the Office of the County Clerk
You can apply to get a birth certificate in person at the Office of the County Clerk. The birth certificate must be for someone:
- born in San Francisco
- born after 1906
- over 3 years old
The person applying must bring an unexpired government-issued photo ID.
To save time, you can also bring your completed application form.
You can pay by cash, credit card or check (from a US bank). You can also pay by money order or cashiers check, in US dollars.
If you need a birth certificate for a child under 3 years old, go to the Department of Public Health Office of Vital Records.
Office of the County Clerk
Room 1621 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Mon to Fri,
8:00 am to 3:45 pm
Closed public holidays
1. Fill out the form
Download the PDF and fill out your details.
2. Get the statement notarized
Take your form to a notary public and have it notarized.
You don’t need to have your application notarized for an Informational Copy. Informational copies are certified, but have “Informational: Not a valid document to establish identity” printed on them.
3. Mail your application
You must include:
- your application
- notarized sworn statement
- self-addressed, stamped envelope
- $25 payment
You can pay by money order or personal check. Your personal check must:
- have the account holders name printed on it
- be from a bank in the USA
- payable to "SF County Clerk"
You should get your birth certificate in 5 to 10 business days.
City Hall
Who can get a birth certificate
You can apply for a Certified Authorized Copy of a birth certificate for:
- Yourself
- Your child
- Your spouse, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or state-registered domestic partner
Anyone can request an informational copy of a birth certificate.
Special cases
Get a birth certificate for someone else
You can also apply for a certified copy of a birth certificate if you:
- Have authorization from a certified court order
- Have power of attorney and can show a certified copy of your Power of Attorney document
- Are the executor of the person’s estate, with estate documents to prove it
- Work for another government agency and can show your work ID
We can’t give certificates to government employees for personal use.
Get help
City Hall, Room 162
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94103
Processing: Mon to Fri, 8 am to 3:45 pm
Information only: Mon to Fri, 4 to 5 pm
Closed on public holidays
Last updated November 02, 2020
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