How to Find California Birth Records
How to Find United States Birth Records 
California Births
Statewide registration of births began in 1905 in California with general compliance by 1920.
Next Step: When did the birth occur? |
|
|---|
Births before 1905
Before 1905, no births were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.
| Records that give birth information: | ||
 |
Los Angeles County delayed birth certificates 1866-1920, as well as those from several other counties, are available on microfilm at the Family History Library. |
Births after 1905
In 1905, statewide registration of births began in California. If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.
For births that exist during this time period, try the following databases:
| Includes Index Only | ||||
| Try 1st: | ||||
| California Birth Index, 1905-1995 | FamilySearch - Free; index only, no images | |||
| Try 2nd: | ||||
| California Births, 1905-1995 | FamilyTreeLegends - Free; index only, no images | |||
| Try 3rd: | ||||
| California Births, 1905-1995 | SFgenealogy - Free; index only, no images | |||
| Try 4th: | ||||
| California Births, 1905-1995 | VitalSearch-ca.com - $; index only, no images | |||
| Try 5th: | ||||
| California Births, 1996-2009 | VitalSearch-ca.com - $; index only, no images | |||
| Try 6th: | ||||
| At FamilySearch Centers/Libraries: | ||||
| California Birth Index, 1905-1995 | Ancestry Library edition - free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center includes digital images | |||
| Use Your Ancestry subscription: | ||||
| California Birth Index, 1905-1995 | Ancestry subscription - $, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry | |||
| Try 7th: | ||||
| California Births, 1996-2009 | FamilyRelatives.com - $; index only, no images | |||
| Try 8th: | ||||
| California Births, 1905-2009 | FamilyRelatives.com - $; index only, no images | |||
| Next try: | ||||
| California Births, 1812-1988 | FamilySearch - Free; incomplete index, no images | |||
| Can't find your ancestor online in the index? | Tips for searching online indexes | |||
| No birth record for your ancestor? | Other records with birth information | |||
Obtain the Certificate
With full names, exact dates and places (from your records or the index above) of an event, you can order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from the local county offices, Office of Vital Records, or VitalChek.
|
Los Angeles birth certificates from 1905-1930, as well as those from several other California counties, are available on microfilm through the Family History Library. |
Restrictions for ordering California birth certificates:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate, you must be:
- The person on the certificate
- The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate
- The spouse of the person on the certificate
- The child of the person on the certificate
- The sibling of the person on the certificate
- The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
- Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
- NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above.
If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search.