• A Certified Copy (Unrestricted Use) can be ordered by qualifying family members or certain government officials or professionals in order to do any of the following:
  • obtain death benefits
  • claim insurance proceeds
  • notify social security
  • obtain other services related to an individual's identity (e.g., passport, driver's license, social security card)
• A Certified Informational Copy (Restricted Use) can be ordered by anyone for historical purposes, but cannot be used to establish identity. These certificates show black redaction boxes across any signatures or social security numbers and will have the following legend across the face of the document: informational, not a valid document to establish identity.

Both authorized and informational copies are certified copies.

Family Members:

• The registrant
• A parent or legal guardian of the registrant
• A spouse or domestic partner of the registrant
• A sibling, child, grandparent, or grandchild of the registrant

Legal/Government Representatives:

• An attorney representing the registrant or the registrant's estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the registrant or the registrant's estate (If you are requesting a certified copy under a power of attorney, please include a copy of the Power of Attorney with the application form)
• An agent or employee of a funeral establishment who orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of any individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the California Health and Safety Code
• A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the record in order to comply with the requirements of Section 3140 or Section 7603 of the California Family Code
• A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business. (Companies representing a government agency must provide authorization from the government agency)

• If an individual applies in person, they must complete the application and sworn statement and attest under penalty of perjury that they are authorized to obtain the unrestricted certificate.
• If the request is mailed, the customer must have the sworn statement notarized, unless they are one of the exceptions listed below. Mailed requests for a Certified Copy without the notarized sworn statement will be rejected as incomplete and returned unprocessed.
• The two groups that do not need to complete the notarized statement are:
  • An agent or employee of a funeral establishment who orders certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of any individual specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the California Health and Safety Code
  • A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of a state or local government agency, as provided by law, who orders a copy of a record in conducting official business.

For additional information see the California Health and Safety Code, Section 103526.

Available records: For children born in Kern County that have not been adopted or had a name change prior to 1995 (other than marriage).

Fee: $29/copy ($31/copy effective 1/1/2026)

Ways to obtain:

• Order online (links to vitalchek.com - additional fees apply)
• Order by mail: Mail-Order Birth Certificate Application - Prior to 1/1/2026 (must be received by office prior to 1/1/2026, not postmarked) 
  Mail-Order Birth Certificate Application - After 12/31/2025
  • For mailed requests, it will take 10–14 days to receive the certified copy.
•  Order in-person: Visit the Hall of Records (Contact Information)
  • Acceptable payment methods: check, money order, or cash. Credit cards are not accepted.
  • Certificates will be generated while you wait.

Available records: For any marriage license issued in Kern County that is a public license (as opposed to a confidential license) and is recorded in Kern County. Recordation is the responsibility of the person who certifies the marriage.

Note: To get a copy of a Confidential Marriage License, you must request it from County Clerk and be a party to the confidential marriage.

Fee: $17/copy ($19/copy effective 1/1/2026)

Ways to obtain:

• Order online (links to vitalchek.com - additional fees apply)
• Order by mail: Mail-Order Marriage Certificate Application – Prior to 1/1/2026 (must be received by office prior to 1/1/2026, not postmarked)
  Mail-Order Marriage Certificate Application – After 12/31/2025
  • For mailed requests, it will take 10–14 days to receive the certified copy.
• Order in-person: Visit the Hall of Records (Contact Information)
  • Acceptable payment methods: check, money order, or cash. Credit cards are not accepted.
  • Certificates will be generated while you wait.

Standard Death Certificates

Available records: For deaths occurring in Kern County.

Fee: $24/copy ($26/copy effective 1/1/2026)

Ways to obtain:

• Order online (links to vitalchek.com - additional fees apply)
• Order by mail: Mail-Order Death Certificate Application - Prior to 1/1/2026 (must be received by office prior to 1/1/2026, not postmarked)
  Mail-Order Death Certificate Application - After 12/31/2025
  
  • For mailed requests, it will take 10–14 days to receive the certified copy.
• Order in-person: Visit the Hall of Records (Contact Information)
  • Acceptable payment methods: check, money order, or cash. Credit cards are not accepted.
  • Certificates will be generated while you wait.

Fetal Death Certificates

Available records: For fetal deaths/stillbirths occurring in Kern County beginning January 2008. For Fetal Deaths occurring prior to January 2008, copies must be purchased from the Department of Health Services of the State of California.

Fee: $21/copy ($23/copy effective 1/1/2026)

Ways to obtain:

• Order by mail: Mail-Order Fetal Death Certificate Application - Prior to 1/1/2026 (must be received by office prior to 1/1/2026, not postmarked)
  Mail-order Fetal Death Certificate Application - After 12/31/2025
  
  • For mailed requests, it will take 10–14 days to receive the certified copy.
• Order in-person: Visit the Hall of Records (Contact Information)
  • Acceptable payment methods: check, money order, or cash. Credit cards are not accepted.
  • Certificates will be generated while you wait.