Ontario Birth Records Lookup

Birth records for Ontario, California residents come from the San Bernardino County Clerk-Recorder. The city does not maintain its own vital records office. Ontario has about 175,000 residents in the western Inland Empire. It is home to the Ontario International Airport and a growing business district. All birth certificate requests go through the county office in San Bernardino. You can also order by mail or online through approved vendors. The standard fee is $34 for each certified copy. This guide shows Ontario residents how to get the birth certificates they need through the county system.

San Bernardino County Office for Ontario Births

The San Bernardino County Clerk-Recorder handles all vital records for Ontario. This includes birth certificates, death records, and marriage licenses. The main county office is in the city of San Bernardino, about 15 miles east of Ontario. The drive takes 20 to 30 minutes on the I-10 freeway.

Staff at the county office can search for Ontario birth records while you wait. They have a database covering all births in San Bernardino County. This includes births at Ontario hospitals going back many years. Modern records are in digital format. Older records may be stored on microfilm or paper files. The staff can make certified copies from any format.

San Bernardino County has branch offices in different locations. Some of these handle vital records requests. Check the county website to see which branches offer birth certificate services. The main office in San Bernardino has full services and the most staff. Branch offices may have limited hours or longer wait times.

The main office is open Monday through Friday. Hours run from about 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. They close for state and county holidays. Call ahead to confirm hours before making the trip. The phone number and address are on the county website.

Ways to Get Ontario Birth Certificates

San Bernardino County provides three methods for requesting birth certificates. Each has its own process and timeline. Consider how fast you need the document and what is most convenient for your situation.

Visiting the office in person is the fastest method. Bring a valid photo ID like a driver's license or passport. Fill out a request form at the counter or bring one you printed from the county website. Give it to a staff member. They will search for your record while you wait. If they find it, they print a certified copy right there. You pay the $34 fee and leave with your document. Most in-person visits take 30 to 60 minutes.

Mail requests are a good option for people who cannot make the trip. Get the application form from the county website. Fill in all the details about the birth you are looking for. Be as complete and accurate as you can. Sign the form. Include a check or money order for $34. Make it payable to San Bernardino County. Mail the form and payment to the Clerk-Recorder in San Bernardino. Processing takes about 3 to 4 weeks including mail time.

Online ordering through VitalChek is the third option. You fill out the form on the VitalChek website and pay by credit card. The vendor adds service fees on top of the county fee. Your total comes to around $45 to $55 for one copy. Orders ship in 2 to 3 weeks. You can pay extra for rush processing and faster shipping.

What Information You Need for Ontario Birth Records

Every request needs specific information about the birth. The county uses these details to search their records. Having complete information makes the process go faster. Missing or wrong info can cause delays.

Start with the full legal name on the birth certificate. This is the name the baby was given at birth. Middle names matter if there is one. If the name changed later through adoption or court order, you still need the original birth name. The date of birth is also very important. Include the month, day, and year. Even just the year helps narrow the search if you do not know the full date.

The place of birth should be as specific as possible. For Ontario births, the hospital name helps a lot. Kaiser Permanente Ontario and San Antonio Regional Hospital are major providers. Some families used other area hospitals. If you do not know the hospital name, just list Ontario as the city of birth.

Parents' names round out the search information. The mother's maiden name is the most useful. This is her last name before she got married. The father's name helps too if it appears on the record. Give whatever information you have.

Who Can Request Ontario Birth Certificates

State law limits who can get an authorized copy of a birth certificate. The rules protect the privacy of the person named on the record. Only people with a close relationship qualify for the full legal document.

You can get an authorized copy if you are the person named on the certificate. Parents can request copies for their children. Spouses and domestic partners qualify. The list also includes grandparents, grandchildren, children, and siblings. Legal guardians appointed by a court are eligible. Attorneys working on behalf of the person or their estate can request copies. Law enforcement and government employees get copies for official work.

People not on the list receive an informational copy. This type looks like a regular birth certificate but has a notice printed on it. The notice says the document cannot be used for identification purposes. You cannot use it for a passport, driver's license, or school enrollment. But it still proves a birth happened. Genealogists and family researchers often use informational copies for their work.

The request form asks you to state your relationship. You sign under penalty of perjury. This means making false statements is a crime. Staff may verify your relationship in some cases.

Hospitals and Birth Records in Ontario

Knowing the birth hospital helps with your request. The hospital name makes it easier to locate the right record in the county system. Ontario residents have used several hospitals over the years.

Kaiser Permanente Ontario Medical Center is a major hospital in the city. It has a large maternity unit and handles many local births. The facility sits on Vineyard Avenue and serves Kaiser members throughout the region.

San Antonio Regional Hospital in Upland is another popular choice. Upland borders Ontario, and many Ontario families use this hospital. Its maternity services have served the west end of San Bernardino County for decades.

Some Ontario births happen at hospitals in other nearby cities. Pomona Valley Hospital is to the west in Los Angeles County. If the birth was there, you need to contact the Los Angeles County Clerk-Recorder instead. Births at any San Bernardino County hospital go through the same county office.

Birth Certificate Costs for Ontario Residents

San Bernardino County charges $34 for each certified copy of a birth certificate. This fee is the same for authorized and informational copies. Each additional copy costs $34. There is no discount for ordering multiple copies at once. The fee covers the search and one certified document.

If the county cannot find a record, they still charge for the search. This happens when the birth was in another county or no record exists for some reason. Double-check that the birth happened in San Bernardino County before you pay. Births in Los Angeles County or other counties require separate requests to those offices.

Online orders through VitalChek add extra costs. The service fee runs about $12 to $16. Credit card processing may add more. Shipping varies based on speed. Standard shipping is around $5. Overnight delivery costs $25 to $35 or more. Your total for one copy ordered online could be $50 to $70 with fast shipping.

The county office accepts several payment methods. Cash and checks work for in-person visits. Make checks out to San Bernardino County. Credit and debit cards are accepted at the counter. Mail orders require a check or money order.

Processing Times for Ontario Birth Records

How fast you get your copy depends on how you order. Each method has different timelines. Plan ahead if you have a deadline coming up.

In-person visits are the quickest option. Most people wait 30 to 60 minutes at the county office. Staff search the database and print your copy while you are there. Busy days may take longer. Try going on a Tuesday or Wednesday for shorter lines. Monday mornings and the last hour before closing tend to be crowded.

Mail orders take about 3 to 4 weeks from start to finish. The county needs about 2 weeks to process your request after they receive it. Add a week or so for mail time in each direction. If your form has errors or missing information, the county will contact you for more details. This extends the wait time.

Online orders through VitalChek ship in 2 to 3 weeks with standard processing. You can pay for rush processing to reduce that time. Shipping speed also affects delivery. Standard shipping adds several more days. Express and overnight options get the copy to you faster but cost significantly more.

Historical Birth Records in Ontario

San Bernardino County has birth records going back many decades. Ontario was founded in 1891. Birth records from the city's early years are on file with the county. These historical records help with genealogy research and proving family connections.

For births before July 1905, the county is your only source. California did not keep statewide birth records until then. The county Clerk-Recorder has older records that may go back further. Some are stored on microfilm. Others are in paper files. Staff can search these historical records when you make a request.

Very old records may have less detail than modern ones. Early records sometimes have spelling variations or incomplete information. Names may be recorded differently than expected. Be flexible in your search if you are looking for a very old Ontario birth record.

The California State Archives has some historical vital records too. Their collection includes birth records from select counties and time periods. Records more than 75 years old are generally open to anyone without restrictions. Contact the State Archives to ask about their San Bernardino County holdings.

Ordering from the California State Office

You can also get Ontario birth certificates from the California Department of Public Health. The state keeps copies of all California births since July 1905. Some people prefer the state option. Others find the county more convenient.

The state fee is $29 per copy. That is $5 less than the county charges. But the state does not have a public counter for walk-in visits. All orders must go by mail or through VitalChek online. Mail orders to the state take about 10 to 15 business days to process. Add time for mail in both directions.

The state option works well when you do not know which county has the record. The state can search all 58 California counties at once. This helps when the birthplace is uncertain. Once you find which county has the record, you can order directly from that county next time.

The State Archives has additional resources for researching historical California vital records.

Birth Records in Nearby Inland Empire Cities

Other cities in San Bernardino County use the same Clerk-Recorder office. If the birth happened in a nearby city, you still go to the same place. All county births are in one database.

These major cities are also in San Bernardino County:

For full details on the San Bernardino County Clerk-Recorder office, see our county guide. It covers hours, contact information, and all ordering options.