Born in San Diego County? Get your birth certificate from the County Recorder three ways: in person (the San Marcos office is closest to North County), online through VitalChek, or by mail. It costs $34 a copy, and the fee isn't refunded if no record is found.
Which copy, and the fastest way to get it
Certified Copy or Informational Copy?
A Certified Copy is the one you need for a driver's license, a passport, a Social Security card and other services tied to who you are. By law only these people can get one:
- The person named on the certificate.
- A parent or legal guardian.
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner.
- An attorney for the person or their estate, someone appointed by a court to act for them, or a party with a court order.
Anyone else gets a certified Informational Copy, marked "Informational, not a valid document to establish identity." It won't work for a REAL ID or a passport.
In person: San Marcos, downtown, Chula Vista or Santee
- Closest to North County: the San Marcos office, 141 E. Carmel St., San Marcos, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.
- Downtown: County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, weekdays 8am to 5pm. Free underground parking (Ash Street entrance) for up to 3 hours while you're on County business.
- Not Kearny Mesa: that office doesn't do birth certificates.
- No appointment needed. You sign the application in front of a County Clerk and show a valid government-issued photo ID.
- $34 per copy, by cash, check, money order or card (cards add $2.50).
Online: VitalChek only
VitalChek is the only outside company the County Recorder authorizes to take online orders. For a Certified Copy choose "Authorized Copy" and pick "San Diego County Recorder" as the agency. Cost: $34 per copy, a $12.95 VitalChek handling fee, and an optional $19 for expedited delivery. Other sites that offer to "order your birth certificate" aren't on the County's list.
By mail
- Fill in the County's birth certificate application (also in Spanish on the County page).
- For a Certified Copy, complete the Sworn Statement and have it notarized. Living out of state? The notary can cross out California and write in their state.
- Mail it with a $34 check or money order (no cash) payable to San Diego Recorder/County Clerk: ATTN: Vital Records, P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-1750.
Born somewhere else, or there's a mistake on it?
- Born in another county: the San Diego office only holds San Diego County births. Contact the Recorder in the county where you were born.
- A name or date is wrong: the County can't correct or amend a birth certificate. That goes through the California Department of Public Health: amending a California birth record.
What it's usually for
A birth certificate is one of the proofs of identity for a REAL ID or a passport, and it helps with the free senior ID card at 62 and up. Getting one for a parent? You can order their Certified Copy yourself as their child. Stuck on the VitalChek order or the form? Text PJ; he helps with the forms and sign-ins, not legal advice.
Source: San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk, Birth Certificate and Office Locations, checked October 12, 2026. Questions for the County: (619) 237-0502. This page is an independent local guide, not the County.
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Questions people ask
How do I get my birth certificate in San Diego County?
If you were born in San Diego County: in person at the County Recorder's San Marcos, downtown, Chula Vista or Santee office (no appointment), online through VitalChek, or by mail. It's $34 a copy.
How much is a birth certificate in San Diego?
$34 per copy from the County Recorder, not refunded if no record is found. Paying by card in person adds $2.50; VitalChek online adds a $12.95 handling fee and an optional $19 for expedited delivery.
Can I get my mother's or father's birth certificate?
Yes. A child of the person named on the certificate is authorized by law to get a Certified Copy. In person you sign in front of a County Clerk with photo ID; by mail the Sworn Statement must be notarized.
Do I need an appointment at the County Recorder?
No. Appointments aren't necessary at the offices that issue birth certificates. The Kearny Mesa office doesn't issue them.
What's the difference between a certified and an informational copy?
A Certified Copy proves identity for a driver's license, passport or Social Security card. An Informational Copy is marked not valid to establish identity and goes to anyone not authorized for a certified one.
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