Where do I get a birth certificate in San Diego, and how much does it cost?
From the County Recorder/County Clerk, in person at four offices, by mail, or online through VitalChek. Each copy is $34. Only births in San Diego County are on file; others go to that county or the state.
- Fee per copy
- $34
- Walk-in offices
- 4
- Online add-on
- +$12.95
- Phone
- 619-237-0502
Since Jan. 1, 2026
No appointment
VitalChek handling
Recorder/County Clerk
The short version
- Certified copies cost $34 each; the fee is set by the state and rose on Jan. 1, 2026.
- Walk in at the Recorder/County Clerk downtown (1600 Pacific Hwy.), Chula Vista, Santee or San Marcos; no appointment needed.
- By mail, send the application and a check or money order to P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-1750.
- Online orders go through VitalChek, which adds a $12.95 handling fee, plus $19 for expedited delivery.
- For a passport or REAL ID you need an authorized certified copy, which requires a sworn statement.
In San Diego County, birth records are held by the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC). If the person was born anywhere in the county, from Oceanside to Chula Vista, this office can issue a certified copy. If they were born elsewhere, order from that county or from the California Department of Public Health.
Which copy do you need?
Authorized vs informational copies
| Authorized certified copy | Informational certified copy | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can get it | The person, parents, and others the law allows | Anyone |
| Paperwork | Sworn statement; notarized if not ordering in person | No sworn statement |
| Good for ID | Yes: passports, REAL ID, Social Security | No: stamped not valid to establish identity |
| Cost | $34 | $34 |
Authorized certified copy
- Who can get it
- The person, parents, and others the law allows
- Paperwork
- Sworn statement; notarized if not ordering in person
- Good for ID
- Yes: passports, REAL ID, Social Security
- Cost
- $34
Informational certified copy
- Who can get it
- Anyone
- Paperwork
- No sworn statement
- Good for ID
- No: stamped not valid to establish identity
- Cost
- $34
Three ways to order
Pick the fastest route for you
- 01
In person (fastest)
Walk in to a Recorder/County Clerk office: downtown at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, or the Chula Vista, Santee or San Marcos branches. Bring ID; you sign the sworn statement there.
- 02
By mail
Fill out the county's application, have the sworn statement notarized for an authorized copy, and mail it with a check or money order payable to San Diego Recorder/County Clerk to ATTN: Vital Records, P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-1750. No cash.
- 03
Online
Order through VitalChek, the county's only authorized online vendor. Choose 'Authorized Copy' and 'San Diego County Recorder.' Expect $34 plus $12.95 handling, and $19 more for expedited shipping.
$34
Birth certificate
$24
Death certificate
County Recorder
3 weeks
Wait after a birth
Before ordering
Fee waivers exist for people experiencing homelessness and for foster youth. Getting a passport next? See where to apply for a passport in San Diego.
Offices
Census geocoder. Branches in Chula Vista, Santee and San Marcos.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 8, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryBirth Certificate Request
San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk · Checked Nov. 8, 2026
$34; VitalChek $12.95 and $19; mail address; no appointments; 3-week wait
San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk · 2026
AB 64 fee increase; downtown address; phone
County of San Diego HHSA
Authorized vs informational; fee waivers; 5530 Overland Ave.
- PrimaryDeath Certificate Request
San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
$24 per death certificate
Swift Probate · Nov. 1, 2026
Branch offices: Chula Vista, Santee, San Marcos; hours