Imperial County Birth Certificate Lookup

Imperial County birth records are maintained by the Clerk-Recorder office in El Centro. This desert county in California's far southeast corner borders Arizona and Mexico. Births at hospitals in El Centro, Brawley, Calexico, and other Imperial Valley communities are recorded by the county. The Clerk-Recorder has served this agricultural region since Imperial County was established in 1907. This guide covers everything you need to know about requesting certified birth certificates from Imperial County, including fees, methods, and processing times.

Imperial County Clerk-Recorder Office

The Imperial County Clerk-Recorder is the primary source for local birth certificates. The office is in El Centro, the county seat located in the heart of the Imperial Valley. Staff handle birth, death, and marriage records as well as property recordings and other county clerk functions.

The office address is 940 West Main Street, Suite 202, El Centro, CA 92243. Phone number is 442-265-1076. Call ahead to confirm current hours. The office operates Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Summer hours may differ due to the extreme desert heat. Staff can answer questions about fees, forms, and processing times.

Imperial County fees increased under Assembly Bill 64, effective January 1, 2026. The current fee adds $2 to the previous rate. Check with the office for the exact amount when you order. Expect to pay around $31 or more per certified copy. Payment at the counter can be cash, check, or credit card. Mail orders need a check or money order payable to Imperial County Clerk-Recorder.

The county website shows contact details and basic information about requesting vital records including birth certificates.

How to Get Imperial County Birth Certificates

Three main methods let you get a birth certificate from Imperial County. Visit the El Centro office in person for fastest service. Send a mail request if you cannot travel. Order online through an approved vendor for convenience.

In person requests happen at the Clerk-Recorder office on West Main Street in El Centro. Bring photo ID. Complete the application form at the counter. Write down the full birth name, date of birth, and parents' names. The clerk searches the records. If found, they print your certificate while you wait. Pay the fee and you are done. Simple requests take about 15 to 30 minutes.

Mail orders work well for people outside the Imperial Valley. Download the application form from the Imperial County website or write a letter with all the needed information. Include the birth name, date, place of birth within Imperial County, parents' names, your return address, and your relationship to the person. Enclose payment by check or money order. Mail everything to Imperial County Clerk-Recorder, 940 West Main Street, Suite 202, El Centro, CA 92243. Processing takes 2 to 4 weeks including mail time.

VitalChek online ordering adds convenience but costs more. Service fees stack on top of the county fee. VitalChek handles the order and passes it to Imperial County. After processing, the certificate ships to you. Total time runs 2 to 4 weeks depending on shipping speed selected. This option works well for people who cannot visit or prefer not to mail forms and checks.

Birth Records in the Imperial Valley Border Region

Imperial County sits along the Mexican border. Calexico directly adjoins Mexicali, Mexico. This border location creates unique situations for birth records. Some families have members born on both sides of the line. Others travel to the U.S. specifically for childbirth.

Births at U.S. hospitals in Imperial County create California birth records. El Centro Regional Medical Center and Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley handle most births in the county. These births get recorded with the Imperial County Clerk-Recorder. The certificates are standard California documents that work like any other state birth record.

Births in Mexico are a different matter. A baby born in Mexicali has a Mexican birth certificate, not a California one. Imperial County cannot issue a birth certificate for a birth that did not occur in California. People sometimes confuse this. If the birth happened in Mexico, you need records from Mexican authorities, not Imperial County.

The U.S. Consulate in Mexicali can help with questions about births abroad to American parents. Consular Reports of Birth Abroad handle certain situations. But for ordinary record requests, you must go to the jurisdiction where the birth actually took place.

Who Can Request Imperial County Birth Records

California law restricts who can get an authorized birth certificate. These statewide rules apply in Imperial County. Only certain people qualify for a copy that works as legal identification.

The authorized list under Health and Safety Code Section 103526 includes the person named on the certificate, parents, legal guardians, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, spouses, and domestic partners. Attorneys acting for the person or their estate qualify. Government agencies with official business have access. If you fall in one of these groups, Imperial County provides an authorized copy.

People not on the authorized list receive an informational copy instead. This version has text printed across it saying it cannot establish identity. Informational copies show all the birth facts. They work fine for genealogy, personal records, and other non-legal uses. Many people researching Imperial Valley family history order these copies.

When you apply, be ready to verify your identity and relationship to the person on the record. Bring photo ID. If you are not the person named, show proof of your connection. A parent could show their own ID. A child could show their own birth certificate linking them to the parent. Documentation helps the process go smoothly.

Historical Imperial County Birth Records

Imperial County is one of California's newer counties. It was carved from San Diego County in 1907 as the Imperial Valley's irrigation systems brought agricultural development. Birth records exist from the county's beginning, though earlier births in this area were recorded by San Diego County.

If you need a birth record from before 1907, the birth would have occurred when the area was still part of San Diego County. Contact the San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk for records from that period. They have historical records for the region that predates Imperial County's creation.

The California Department of Public Health has copies of Imperial County births from July 1905 onward. This overlaps with county records. Either the state or county can provide copies of births from 1907 onward. For the brief window between July 1905 and county formation in 1907, when the area was part of San Diego County, the state office is a good backup option.

Very old records may have issues. Handwriting varies in clarity. Some information may be missing. The desert climate damaged some paper records over the years. Staff at the Clerk-Recorder office can help search historical indexes and explain what records survive from different periods.

State Records for Imperial County Births

The California Department of Public Health is another source for Imperial County birth certificates. CDPH in Sacramento keeps copies of all California births since July 1905. You can order from the state instead of the county if you prefer.

The state fee is $29 per copy. Imperial County charges slightly more after the AB 64 fee increase. However, the state has no public counter. All orders go by mail or through VitalChek online. CDPH handles records for all 58 counties. Volume is high and processing takes longer. Expect 4 to 8 weeks from the state versus 2 to 3 weeks from Imperial County.

To order from the state, fill out form VS 111. Include all birth details and note the birth happened in Imperial County. Add parents' names and your information. For an authorized copy, notarize your signature. Mail the form and payment to CDPH Vital Records, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. They mail the certificate when ready.

Most people find the county faster for Imperial County records. The state works better if you need records from multiple counties or already deal with CDPH for other vital records.

Processing Times for Imperial County Birth Certificates

How fast you get your birth certificate depends on the method you use. In person is quickest. Mail takes a few weeks. Online falls in between.

At the El Centro office, you can often get a certificate the same day. Walk in during business hours. Complete the form. Pay the fee. Staff print the certificate if the record is on file. The whole visit might take half an hour or so. Complex cases or older records take more time if extra research is needed.

Mail orders require patience. The county receives your request, processes it, and mails back the certificate. This cycle takes 2 to 4 weeks total. Busy periods may extend this. Mail from El Centro to other parts of California or out of state adds time. Allow extra days for delivery each way.

VitalChek orders go to the county for processing. After Imperial County handles the request, VitalChek ships the certificate. Total time runs 2 to 4 weeks depending on shipping method. Faster shipping costs more but gets results sooner. Check options when you order to pick what works for your timeline.

Correcting Imperial County Birth Records

Birth certificates sometimes contain errors that need fixing. Names may be misspelled. Dates could be off. Information might be missing. Imperial County handles corrections through a formal amendment process.

Minor corrections are simpler to make. Typos in names or small date errors require an amendment form and proof of the correct information. Supporting documents might include hospital records or other papers from around the time of birth. Submit everything to the Clerk-Recorder with the fee. They review and update the record if the correction is justified.

Major changes need legal proceedings. Adding a parent to a birth certificate after the fact usually requires a court order from Imperial County Superior Court. Legal name changes also go through the court. Once a judge signs the order, the Clerk-Recorder amends the birth record. Attorneys can help with these more involved situations.

Delayed registration handles births never properly recorded at the time. Though less common now, some births decades ago in rural Imperial County were not registered. California allows late registration with enough proof. You need evidence like old school records, census records, or sworn statements from witnesses. The county evaluates the evidence and decides whether to create a delayed registration.

Nearby County Birth Records

Imperial County has borders with other California counties and international boundaries. If the birth happened outside Imperial County, contact the correct county.

San Diego County lies to the west. Their office is in San Diego and charges $34 per copy. Riverside County is to the north. They charge $34 from offices in Riverside. These are much larger counties with bigger populations. Imperial County is smaller and more rural by comparison.

If the birth occurred in Arizona or Mexico, California counties cannot help. Arizona has its own vital records system through county and state offices. Mexican births require records from Mexican civil registry offices. Be sure you know where the birth actually took place before contacting any records office.

Browse More California Birth Records

Need birth records from another California county? Use the links below to find information for nearby areas and major population centers across the state.

View All 58 Counties