Find San Mateo Birth Records

Birth records for San Mateo city residents are maintained by the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder. San Mateo is a city of about 105,000 people on the San Francisco Peninsula. The city shares a name with its county, which can cause some confusion. When you need a birth certificate for someone born in San Mateo city, you go through the county office in Redwood City. The county Clerk-Recorder keeps all vital records for births that occurred anywhere within San Mateo County.

Where San Mateo Residents Get Birth Certificates

San Mateo city does not have its own vital records office. The county office in Redwood City handles all birth certificates for the county. This may seem confusing since the city and county have the same name. But they are separate entities. The county office serves all cities within San Mateo County, including the city of San Mateo.

Redwood City is the county seat and is about 10 miles south of San Mateo city. The drive takes 15 to 20 minutes on Highway 101 depending on traffic. The Clerk-Recorder office is in the county government center with other administrative services.

Here is the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder contact info:

• Address: 555 County Center, 1st Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063
• Phone: (650) 363-4500
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM
• Website: smcacre.org

San Mateo County charges a fee per certified birth certificate copy. Check the county website for current pricing. Payment at the counter can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Mail orders require a check or money order.

How to Get a San Mateo Birth Certificate

San Mateo city residents have several options for requesting birth certificates from the county. Your choice depends on your timeline and convenience.

Walking into the Redwood City office gives you same day service in most cases. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license or passport. Fill out the vital records request form at the counter. Staff search their system while you wait. If the record is found and you qualify, you leave with your certified copy that day. Plan for 30 to 45 minutes at the office.

Mail requests work well when a personal visit is not practical. Download the birth certificate request form from the county website. Fill out all fields with the birth details. Include a photocopy of your ID and your payment by check or money order. Mail everything to the Redwood City office. Processing takes about 3 to 5 weeks after receipt. Allow additional time for postal delivery.

Online ordering is available through third party vendors. These services let you submit your application and pay by credit card. They forward your request to the county. The total cost is higher because vendors add service fees. Certificates ship in 2 to 4 weeks through this method.

San Mateo Medical Center serves local residents for hospital births. Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame is also popular with San Mateo families. Both hospitals file birth records with San Mateo County automatically.

Who Can Get San Mateo Birth Records

California law restricts who can receive certified birth certificates. These rules protect privacy while ensuring family members can access needed documents.

The person named on the certificate can request their own record. Parents and legal guardians can get copies for their children. Adult children can request their parents' birth certificates. Other close family members are also approved. This includes grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. Spouses and registered domestic partners can request each other's records.

Attorneys representing the person or their estate have access. Government agencies and law enforcement can get records for official work. Courts may order records released in legal cases. Anyone else falls outside the approved categories.

People not on the list can still request a copy. They receive an informational version instead of certified. This type has words printed on it saying it is not valid as identification. The birth data is the same. You cannot use it for things like passport applications. Genealogy researchers commonly get informational copies.

Identity verification is required for all requests. Show a valid government photo ID at the counter. Mail requests must include a copy of your ID with the application.

Peninsula Birth Record Resources

San Mateo city is centrally located on the Peninsula between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The area includes several cities in San Mateo County. Understanding where a birth took place helps determine which office has the record.

Most peninsula cities go through San Mateo County for vital records. San Francisco is different because it is both a city and a county. Births in San Francisco go through that city's own vital records office. If you are unsure where a birth occurred, the state health department can help identify the county.

Legal aid organizations on the Peninsula can help low income residents with vital records issues. Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto serves parts of the county. They may be able to help if you face barriers getting needed documents.

San Mateo Birth Certificate Processing Times

Processing time varies depending on how you submit your request. Plan ahead based on when you need the document.

In person service at the Redwood City office is same day for most requests. Visits typically take 30 to 45 minutes. Staff search the computer system for your record. Once located, they print and certify the copy. Wait times depend on how busy the office is.

Mail orders take 3 to 5 weeks to process at the county. Add time for mail delivery both ways. Most people receive their certificate 5 to 7 weeks after mailing the request. Complete applications help avoid delays.

Online orders through vendors ship in 2 to 4 weeks. Some services offer rush options for extra fees. Shipping method affects delivery time. Express options cost more but arrive faster than standard mail.

New birth records are not available right away. Wait at least 6 weeks after a birth before ordering. Hospitals have 21 days to file paperwork. County processing adds more time. Ordering too soon means the record will not be in the system yet.

Historical San Mateo Birth Records

San Mateo County has birth records going back to the late 1800s. The city of San Mateo was incorporated in 1894. Records from before and after that date are held by the county office.

For births before July 1905, the county is your only source. California did not begin statewide vital records until then. Very old records may be on microfilm or in archives. Contact the Clerk-Recorder for help finding historical records.

Records more than 75 years old are public under state law. Anyone can request copies without proving a family relationship. The California State Archives may have some historical San Mateo County records. Call them at (916) 653-6814 for research assistance.

Nearby Cities for Birth Records

Other San Mateo County cities use the same county office for birth records. San Francisco has its own vital records system.

San Francisco issues its own birth certificates. If a birth occurred in San Francisco, contact that city's vital records office instead of San Mateo County.

San Mateo County Birth Records

For complete details on San Mateo County vital records, including forms and full procedures, visit our county page.