Vital Records In California

California Department of Health Services
Office of Vital Records –M.S. 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
(916) 445-2684

Has records since July 1905. When requesting a search, supply as much factual information as known so that persons with identical names can be distinguished. For further details go to their web site. Processing time for mail requests is about 6 weeks for birth and death records, and 2-3 years for marriage records. They will supply marriage records only for 1949-1986 and 1998-1999. For other years and for faster service for those particular years, contact the county recorders office where the marriage took place

The California Birth Records index 1905-1995.

Some indexing on deaths prior to 1905.

The California Death Records index 1940- 1997.

Vital Records In Los Angeles County

Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
12400 Imperial Highway
Norwalk, CA 90650
(562) 462-2137

Has birth records from 1876, death records from 1877, and marriage records from 1852. In 1971, confidential marriages became an option in addition to conventional marriages. Confidential marriage records are available only to the spouses or by court order and cannot be searched using the marriage indexes. Mail requests should be sent to Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, P.O. Box 53120, Los Angeles, CA 90053-0120. For an additional fee, requests can be faxed to (562) 864-3469. Only the Norwalk address has records available for viewing. Walk-in requests for Los Angeles County vital records can also be placed at 7807 S. Compton Ave., Room 215, Los Angeles, (323) 586-6192; 11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., 6th Floor, Los Angeles (310) 727-6142; 14340 W. Sylvan St., Van Nuys, (818) 374-7176; 4716 East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, Los Angeles, (323) 260-2991; and 335-A East Avenue K-6, Lancaster (661) 723-4494. Birth records for persons who were adopted or had a name change are only available from the Office of the State Registrar of Vital Statistics in Sacramento.

Los Angeles County Clerk
111 North Hill Street, Room 118-C
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-5171

Has divorce records index 1966 to present

Los Angeles County Records Center
222 North Hill Street, Room, 212
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-1547

Has divorce records index prior to 1966.

For further information on vital records, please call the History and Genealogy Reference Desk at (213) 228-7400.