Find Riverside Birth Certificates
Riverside birth records are issued through the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder office. The city of Riverside serves as the county seat, making it the main hub for vital records in the region. With over 300,000 residents, Riverside is the largest city in the Inland Empire. The county office downtown handles birth certificate requests for anyone born in Riverside or anywhere else in Riverside County. You can order copies in person, by mail, or through approved online vendors.
Riverside Birth Records Quick Facts
Where to Get Birth Certificates in Riverside
The city of Riverside does not issue birth certificates directly. Like most California cities, Riverside relies on the county for vital records. All birth certificate requests go through the Riverside County office system.
Being the county seat has its perks. The main Clerk-Recorder office is right in downtown Riverside. Residents can walk in during business hours to get copies of birth records. The building is part of the county administrative complex. It handles all types of vital records including births, deaths, marriages, and domestic partnerships. Staff assist visitors with searches and applications each weekday.
Riverside County also has branch offices in other parts of the county. These locations can help with some vital records requests. However, the main Riverside office has the fullest services. If you live in the city of Riverside, the downtown office is your best bet for fast service.
The California Department of Public Health offers another route. They have statewide birth records going back to 1905. Some people order from the state when the county office is too far away or when they are unsure which county has the record.
Riverside County Clerk-Recorder Office
The Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder handles all birth record requests for Riverside. Their main office serves as the central location for vital records in the county. Staff can search for any birth that took place within Riverside County lines.
Contact information for the office:
- Address: 2720 Gateway Drive, Riverside, CA 92507
- Phone: (951) 486-7000
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Website: rivcoacr.org
Birth certificates cost $34 per copy in Riverside County. This fee applies to both authorized and informational copies. You pay the same rate either way. The office accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. There may be a small convenience fee for card payments. Checks should be made payable to Riverside County Clerk-Recorder.
The office can get crowded at times. Monday mornings see the heaviest traffic. Try visiting later in the week if your schedule allows. Bring all required paperwork with you to avoid extra trips. The county website has downloadable forms you can fill out ahead of time. Coming prepared speeds up the process quite a bit.
How to Order Riverside Birth Certificates
Three main ways exist to get a birth certificate from Riverside. Each method works a bit differently. Consider your timeline and needs when picking how to order.
In-person visits are the fastest path to a certificate. Go to the Clerk-Recorder office in downtown Riverside with your ID and the details of the birth. Staff will search the records while you wait. If the record is on file, you can usually leave with your copy within an hour. Same-day service is standard for walk-in requests. The $34 fee is due when you pick up the copy.
Mail orders take more time but work well for people who cannot visit the office. Download the application form from the county website. Fill it out with all the birth details you know. Include a check or money order for $34 made out to the county. Add a copy of your photo ID. Mail everything to the Riverside office address. Processing takes about 2 to 3 weeks. Then factor in mail time both ways. Plan on 4 to 6 weeks from start to finish for mail requests.
Online ordering is also an option. Riverside County partners with vendors like VitalChek for web orders. You enter the birth info on their site and pay by credit card. Vendor fees add to the base cost. Expect to pay around $48 to $55 total through these services. Orders typically ship in 2 to 4 weeks. Faster shipping options cost extra.
The state office in Sacramento is a fourth choice. The California Department of Public Health charges $29 per copy. Their processing time can be longer than the county though. For most Riverside residents, the county office remains the most practical option.
Who Can Get Riverside Birth Records
California law sets strict rules on who can receive an authorized birth certificate. Not just anyone can walk in and request a copy. The rules exist to protect personal data on vital records.
You can get an authorized copy if you are named on the certificate. Parents and legal guardians qualify for their children's records. Spouses and domestic partners are eligible too. Children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings of the registrant can request copies. Attorneys representing the person or their estate have access. Government agencies get copies for official business.
Everyone else receives an informational copy. This version has text printed across it. The text says the document cannot be used for identification. The exact wording is "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." You can still use this copy to prove a birth occurred. It just will not work for getting a passport or driver license.
When you apply, proof of identity is required. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID to the office. For mail requests, include a copy of your ID in the envelope. The application form asks you to state your relationship to the person on the record. You sign under penalty of perjury. Making false statements on the form is a crime under California law. The county can refuse suspicious requests and refer them for investigation.
Birth Certificate Processing Times
The time it takes to get your certificate varies by method. Walk-in service is quick. Mail and online orders need more patience.
At the counter, expect to wait 30 minutes to an hour for most requests. Staff search the database right there. When the record comes up, they print it for you. Pay the fee, get your copy, and head out. Busy days might push wait times to 90 minutes or more. But same-day service is typical for in-person visits.
Mail requests require 2 to 3 weeks for processing. That is just the time at the county office. Add postage time on both ends. Your request travels to the office. Then the certificate travels back to you. Total time runs 4 to 6 weeks for most mail orders. Missing information on your form slows things down even more.
Online orders through VitalChek or similar vendors ship in 2 to 4 weeks. Standard mail delivery adds another few days. Express shipping is available at extra cost. The vendor site shows all options during checkout.
New births take a while to enter the system. Hospitals have 21 days to file birth records. The county then processes the filing. Wait at least 4 to 6 weeks after a birth before ordering. Request too soon and you may get a "no record" result. The fee is still charged even when no record is found.
Historical Birth Records in Riverside
The Riverside County Clerk-Recorder has birth records stretching back many decades. Older records may be on microfilm or in archived storage. The county can still search these older files for you.
For births before July 1905, the county is your only source. The state did not start keeping centralized records until then. Very old records might be harder to find. Some early documents were lost or damaged over time. But the county does have records going back to the 1800s in many cases. Contact the office directly if you need a very old birth certificate.
The California State Archives is another resource for genealogy. They hold some historical vital records from various counties. Records more than 75 years old are open to the public without restriction. The State Archives can be reached at (916) 653-6814 for questions about their holdings.
Family history researchers often find useful records in Riverside County. The area has grown over many generations. Old birth certificates help connect family trees. The county office staff can advise on searching for hard-to-find historical records.
Nearby Cities for Birth Records
Other large cities in Riverside County use the same Clerk-Recorder office. The process and fees are identical across the county. Here are other major cities in the area:
All these cities fall under Riverside County jurisdiction for birth records. The $34 fee and same procedures apply no matter which city the birth occurred in within the county.
Riverside County Birth Records
For complete details about Riverside County birth certificates, visit our main county page. It covers fees, forms, office hours, and all ordering options.