Norwalk Birth Records

Birth records for Norwalk residents are kept by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. This office handles all vital records for the more than 100,000 people who live in Norwalk. The city sits in the southeast part of Los Angeles County and has been a major residential area since the mid-1900s. When you need a birth certificate for someone born in Norwalk, you must go through the county office in Norwalk itself or other LA County locations. The county charges $34 per copy for birth certificates.

Where Norwalk Residents Get Birth Certificates

Norwalk does not have its own vital records office. Like most California cities, residents must contact the county for birth certificates. The good news for Norwalk residents is that the main Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder office is located right in Norwalk at 12400 Imperial Highway. This makes it one of the most convenient places in LA County to get birth records in person.

The Norwalk location serves as the headquarters for LA County vital records. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. You can walk in without an appointment on most days, though lines can get long during busy periods. The office handles thousands of birth certificate requests each week from across the county.

Here is the contact info for the LA County office in Norwalk:

• Address: 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650
• Phone: (562) 462-2137
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM
• Website: lavote.gov/home/county-clerk/vital-records

The fee is $34 for each certified copy of a birth certificate. This price is set by state law and applies to all requests whether you go in person, order by mail, or use the online system. Extra copies ordered at the same time cost the same amount per copy.

How to Get a Norwalk Birth Certificate

You have three main ways to get a birth certificate for someone born in Norwalk. Each method has its own timeline and steps. Pick the one that fits your needs.

In-person visits are fastest. Go to the LA County office on Imperial Highway in Norwalk. Bring a valid photo ID like a driver's license or passport. Fill out the request form at the counter. Staff will search for the record while you wait. If they find it and you qualify for a certified copy, you can leave with it the same day. Most people are done in 30 minutes to an hour. Cash, checks, and credit cards are all accepted.

Mail orders work well if you cannot visit in person. Download the application form from the LA County website. Fill it out with all the details about the birth. Include a copy of your ID and a check or money order for $34 per copy. Mail everything to the Norwalk office. Processing takes about 4 to 6 weeks from when they get your request. The county will mail your certificate back to you.

Online ordering is also an option through approved vendors. LA County works with services that let you fill out a form on the web and pay by credit card. These services add their own fee on top of the county fee. Total cost runs about $45 to $55. Orders ship in 2 to 4 weeks. This is a good choice when you need a copy mailed to you but want to skip the paperwork of a mail order.

Who Can Get Norwalk Birth Records

California law limits who can get a certified copy of a birth certificate. Not everyone qualifies. The rules come from state health code and apply to all birth records in the state, including those for Norwalk residents.

You can get a certified copy if you are the person named on the certificate. Parents and legal guardians can request copies for their children. Spouses and domestic partners are on the list too. So are children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings of the person named. Attorneys working for the person or their estate can also request certified copies. Law enforcement and government workers get access for official work.

If you are not on that list, you can still get a copy. It will be an informational copy instead of a certified one. This type has words printed on it that say it cannot be used as ID. The copy still proves a birth took place. You just cannot use it for things like a passport or license. Researchers and family historians often get informational copies when they are not closely related to the person on the record.

When you apply, you must prove who you are. Bring a valid government ID to the office. For mail requests, include a copy of your ID. The form asks you to state your relationship to the person on the record under penalty of perjury. False claims are a crime.

Other LA County Locations for Birth Records

While the Norwalk office is the main location, LA County has other places where you can get birth certificates. These branch offices serve different parts of the county. If you live or work closer to one of them, it may be more convenient than coming to Norwalk.

The Lancaster branch serves the Antelope Valley area. It is at 1040 West Avenue J in Lancaster. Hours are the same as the main office. The Inglewood branch at 10831 South La Cienega Boulevard serves the South Bay and west side areas. Both locations can process birth certificate requests for any birth that took place in LA County.

Wait times vary by location and day of the week. Mondays and the first day after holidays tend to be busiest. Late mornings and early afternoons often have shorter lines. Call ahead if you want to check how busy a location is before you go.

Norwalk Birth Certificate Processing Times

How long it takes to get your birth certificate depends on how you order. The county handles a high volume of requests, so times can shift based on demand.

Walk-in requests at the Norwalk office are usually done the same day. Plan for 30 minutes to an hour at the counter. Busy days may take longer. Arrive early to avoid the afternoon rush. The office gets crowded after lunch most days.

Mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks to process. This does not count mail time. Figure about 6 to 8 weeks total from when you drop your request in the mail to when you get the copy back. If the county needs more info from you, add extra time. Make sure your form is filled out right the first time.

New births take longer to show up in the system. California law gives hospitals 21 days to file birth records. Then the state and county need time to process the filing. Wait at least 6 weeks after a birth before ordering. If you order too soon, the county may not find the record yet and will issue a notice that no record was found.

Historical Birth Records for Norwalk

Norwalk became an incorporated city in 1957, but the area has been settled since the late 1800s. Birth records for people born in the Norwalk area before incorporation are still held by LA County. The county has records going back to the early 1900s.

For births before July 1905, the county is your only option. The state did not start keeping statewide records until then. Very old records may be on microfilm or in archives. Contact the county office if you need help finding an old birth record from the Norwalk area.

The California State Archives also has some LA County vital records for genealogy research. Records more than 75 years old are open to anyone without restriction under state law. Contact the State Archives at (916) 653-6814 if you need help finding historical birth records.

Nearby Cities for Birth Records

Several cities near Norwalk are also served by LA County for birth records. If a birth took place in one of these cities instead of Norwalk, the same county office can help you. All LA County birth records are in the same system.

Not sure where the birth took place? You can search the California statewide index. The state health department has records for all California births since July 1905. They can tell you which county has the record.

Los Angeles County Birth Records

For complete details on birth records in LA County, including all branch locations, forms, and procedures, visit our main county page.