Birth Certificates
Important:
Birth certificates are available only for “this year and last year” from the Vital Statistics Office.
Birth certificates for “past years” are available from the Sonoma County Clerks Office.
Who May Apply for a Certified Birth Certificate?
A certified birth certificate is used to establish identity for legal purposes. California state laws help protect against identify theft by allowing only an authorized person to receive a certified copy of a birth certificate. Those who are authorized by law to receive a certified copy of a birth certificate are:
- The registrant;
- A parent or legal guardian of the registrant;
- A party entitled to receive the certificate as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth certificate in order to comply with the requirement of Section 3140 or 7603 of the 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);
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant; and
- 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.)
Get a Certified Birth Certificate
You will need:
- One completed application form for each requested birth certificate.
- Photo ID.
- Sign the "Sworn Statement" (page 2 of the application) in front of the clerk.
- Fee: $32 per certificate.
Payment:
- In person:
- Payment by cash, check, money order, Visa or MasterCard credit card, or debit card.
- By mail:
- Payment by check or money order, payable to Sonoma County Department of Health Services.
- Payment by credit or debit card, call the Office of Vital Statistics at (707) 565-4407 to provide your payment information.
- By fax:
- Payment by credit or debit card. Call the Office of Vital Statistics at (707) 565-4407 to provide your payment information.
Get a Certified "Informational Copy" Birth Certificate
A certified "informational copy" of a birth certificate is a copy of a birth certificate that cannot be used to establish identify and is marked "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." A certified "informational copy" of a birth certificate is not accepted for any legal purpose, such as school enrollment or obtaining a drivers license or a passport.
If you need a copy for a legal purpose, you must obtain a certified birth certificate.
In person, by mail or by fax. You need:
Update a Birth Certificate
The California Department of Public Health maintains the most current versions of all forms related to amendments for birth certificates such as:
- General Birth Amendment
- Court Order Name Change
- Correcting a Sex Field Error
- Sex Change/Reassignment
- Adoption
- Acknowledgement of Paternity/Parentage
- Adjudication of Paternity
- Supplemental Name Report
Not sure which form you need? Call the Office of Vital Statistics at • for more information. (707) 565-4407