Chances are, your questions will be answered here. And you can obtain all necessary forms, fee information, and further details from our office. But feel free to call us at 408-885-2010 Monday—Friday 9am-4pm or e-mail anytime at vitalrecords@hhs.sccgov.org

Click on the shortcut below to go directly to that section or scroll down for the whole list:

Errors on Certificate/Name Changes
Out of the Area
General
Passport/Social Security Info
Service
Applications
Directions/Office Hours
Specific to Death Certificates

Errors on Certificate/Name Changes

Q1. There is a spelling error on my child’s birth certificate, how can I correct it?
A. An Affidavit to Amend a Record is used to correct errors and not to change information on the certificate. It may be used to correct spelling errors, add information to blank items, and correct items 1A-11 only. See Correcting or Amending Certificates for more information.

Q2. My child’s birth certificate has the wrong <gender> <date of birth> <other health information> listed, how can I correct it?
A. Sometimes, hospitals will incorrectly type date of birth or other information on an individual’s birth certificate (e.g. “female” for male, or “male” for female, etc.). Gender and health information can be corrected through the hospital.

Q3. How can I change the name on my child's birth certificate?
A. Changing information on the birth certificate (i.e. name changes, changing mother’s name, translating names into another language, or removing an informant or certifier) requires a court order. Court orders can be obtained through Superior Court or call 408-882-2100 for more information. Once a court order is obtained, you must complete an Application for Amendment of Birth Record to Reflect Court Order Change of Name. See Correcting or Amending Certificates for more information.

Q4. How do I add another name to my child’s birth certificate (i.e., first name or middle name) where one previously did not exist?
A. An Affidavit to Amend a Record is used to add names on the certificate, where they were blank before. See Correcting or Amending Certificates for more information.

To add additional names where names already existed or to drop a name, a court order is required (see also #3, above).

Q5. I requested for a certificate to be corrected through the State and I received two pages of the record.
A. Most amended documents become a 2-page record. A 1-page certificate is only provided if the original has been "sealed and replaced" -- a process reserved for specific changes, like establishing paternity or adoption.

Q6. Why isn’t the father listed on the birth certificate?
A. If the mother was not married to the father of the baby and the father was not available to sign a Declaration of Paternity at the time of birth, the certificate will be listed without the father’s name. See #7 below for information on how to add the father’s name after the birth certificate has been prepared.

If the mother was married to the father of the baby at the time of birth, it may have been a hospital error. This can be corrected by completing an Application to Amend a Birth Record – Acknowledgement of Paternity and sending it along with a copy of your marriage certificate to the State Office of Vital Records. See Correcting or Amending Certificates for more information.

Q7. When my child was born, I did not list the father on the birth certificate. Can I add the father now?
A. If you were/are not married to the father of the baby, you can add his name to the certificate by completing a Declaration of Paternity in front of a qualified witness (from a local child support agency, family law facilitator, local registrar, or notary public). A second form, the Acknowledgement of Paternity should be completed. The original Acknowledgement of Paternity and a copy of the Declaration of Paternity, along with the appropriate fees should be mailed to the State Office of Vital Records. The original Declaration of Paternity should be mailed to the State Department of Child Support Services. See Correcting or Amending Certificates for more information.

Out of the Area

Q8. My child was born in another county within California. Where can I obtain his record?
A. You can contact the county directly (directory of county offices in California), or purchase through the State Office of Vital Records.

Q9. I am unsure of the county of my birth (within California). How can I find out this information?
A. If you do not know the county of birth or death, you can purchase through the State Office of Vital Records.

Q10. I was born to US Citizens in another country. Where might I obtain these vital records pertaining to locations outside of the U.S.?
A. American Citizens Abroad may be able to assist you with your search.

General

Q11. Is the certificate I am ordering a certified document?
A. Yes, the certificates that our office provides are certified, legal documents. They can be used to obtain a passport, etc. (The commemorative birth records that the hospital provides are for keepsake only. Insurance companies sometimes accept a hospital birth record as proof of birth, when adding a dependent onto the policy.)

Q12. How many certified copies do I need?
A. For death certificates, it depends upon who needs them (e.g. foreign consulates, banking institutions, insurance companies, etc.), whether or not a photocopy will suffice, and whether or not it will be returned. Each financial/banking or other type of institution has different requirements for opening and closing accounts. Most institutions require an original certified copy, but some may require an Unrestricted copy. Check with each institution before making your purchase.

For birth certificates, a minimum of 1-2 certified copies is usually adequate. Keep in mind that birth certificates are used for passports, opening bank accounts, school enrollment, athletic league registration, and more. It is also a good idea to keep a copy in a secure location, in case of an emergency.

Q13. Do I have to pay for the first copy?
A. There is no complimentary copy; you have to pay for all certified copies that you order.

Q14. Do I get the original copy?
A. No, the original certificate is the property of the State. You are able to purchase a certified copy, which is a legal document.

Q15. Can I pay over the phone or fax by credit card?
A. Our office is not set-up to receive orders or payment by telephone or fax at this time. Certain birth and death certificate orders can be placed online with a credit card through the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder for an additional fee.

Q16. Can you fax me a birth/death certificate?
A. A faxed copy of a birth or death certificate is not a certified copy. Our office only provides certified copies of birth and death certificates in-person or through the mail.

Q17. Is the birth/death certificate a legal document with a seal that I can use for legal purposes?
A. Yes, the birth and death certificates available from our office are copied onto security banknote paper with two seals (state and county) and serve as a legal document that can be used in a court of law. (Stamped, golden seals are no longer used or available in most recorder/registrar offices.)

An Apostille—authentication used outside of the USA—can be obtained through the California Secretary of State. Check with each country’s consulate or embassy to determine if you need one, and what that country requires for an authentication to be valid.

Q18. Do I need to send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive my documents?
A. No, the fees required to process the application for a birth or death certificate cover the cost of shipping, if applicable.

Q19. Should I mail in my request or come into the office to pick up the certificate?
A. For births or deaths, it takes from 1-3 weeks from the date of the event for the birth or death certificate to be ready. Mail-in requests take 1-2 weeks to process, whereas in-person requests are processed in 5-15 minutes. So, if you need it right away or do not want to pay a notary fee, come in to the office. If you do not need it right away or have mobility/transportation issues and do not care about a notary fee, mail in the request.

Q20. How can I obtain a marriage certificate?
A. Marriage certificates can be obtained through the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder or 408-299-2481 Monday—Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm. 

Passport/Social Security Info

Q21. What is the best way to obtain a passport?
A. It is best to apply through the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder or main Post Office nearest your locale that accepts passport applications. Passport agencies tend to have extremely long lines during the busiest months which result in longer waiting times for people applying in person at a passport agency. Since there are many more Clerks of Court and Post Offices conveniently located throughout the United States, these offices tend to have much shorter lines. See our list of local offices, or check the USPS website

Q22. Where do I go to apply for a social security card?
A. If you have not received the social security number/card of your child 2 months after the baby’s birth, call 1-800-772-1213.

Service

Q23. How long does it take to obtain a certified copy of a record?
A. For births or deaths, it takes about 1 ½-3 weeks from the date of the event for the birth or death certificate to be ready. Mail-in requests take 1-2 weeks to process, whereas in-person requests are processed in 5-15 minutes, if the record is registered.

Q24. Does somebody speak Spanish?
A. We do have Spanish-speaking staff available in our office.

Q25. I have not received my child’s birth certificate – Didn’t the hospital request it for me?
A. The hospital does not request or pay for a certified copy of a birth record. It is a parent’s responsibility to request and pay for a birth certificate through our office.

Q26. I sent in my money and application for a birth certificate last week. Can I go pick it up now?
A. If you sent in a request by mail, the certificate(s) will be sent back to you by mail. Normal processing time is 1-2 weeks, if the birth or death certificate is already registered.

Q27. Has the certificate for <Mary Jane> been registered?
A. We are able to check if your certificate is ready to be ordered; Contact our office for more information.

Q28. I sent an amendment to the State for correction of a certificate, have you received your file copy yet?
A. We are able to verify if amendments came in from the State; Contact our office for more information.

Q29. Did you mail out my certified copies?
A. Normal processing time is 1-2 weeks. If you sent your request longer than 4 weeks ago and you have not received your order, we are able to check the date your application was processed and the date any applicable certificates were sent to the address listed on the application; Contact our office for more information.

Applications

Q30. How can I obtain an Application for a Birth or Death Record?
A. The Application for a Birth or Death Record is available on the Obtaining a Birth or Death Certificate page or in our office. The application is also available at birthing hospitals throughout the county.

Q31. What is the difference between an In-Person Application and a Mail-In Application?
A. The In-Person application is designed for people who come to our office to request a birth or death record; they must have their signature witnessed by Vital Records staff. This will avoid a separate notary fee.

The Mail-In application is designed for people who cannot or prefer not to come into our office to request a birth or death record. If a person chooses to request a certificate by mail, a notary public must witness their signature when signing the application. A notary fee will be required.

Q32. On the application, do I write my child’s name or mine? Do I write the complete name?
A. When filling out an Application for a birth or death certificate, you must write out the requestor’s name in the Applicant section and the baby or decedent’s complete name in the Certificate section so we may locate the record.

Directions/Office Hours

Q33. What is your nearest cross street? What are your office hours?
A. Our office is located at 976 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126, suite 1300, in between Alameda and Stockton Streets. Enter through the back east entrance. We are open to the public Monday—Friday 9am-4 pm, with the exception of County-observed Holidays.

Specific to Death Certificates

Q34. What are the causes of death on <Jane Doe’s> death certificate?
A. We are unable to provide information on specific certificates without their purchase.

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