Search Kern County Birth Records

Kern County birth records are maintained by the Assessor-Recorder office in Bakersfield. This large Southern California county spans the lower San Joaquin Valley and parts of the Tehachapi Mountains. Births at hospitals in Bakersfield, Delano, Ridgecrest, and other Kern County communities are all recorded locally. The county population exceeds 900,000, making it one of the more populous counties in California. Whether you need a personal birth certificate or are researching family history, this guide covers how to request certified copies of Kern County birth records.

Kern County Assessor-Recorder Office

The Kern County Assessor-Recorder is the local authority for birth certificates. The main office is in downtown Bakersfield. This combined office handles property assessment, recordings, and vital records for the entire county. Staff process birth, death, and marriage certificate requests along with their other duties.

The office address is 1115 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Call 661-868-6400 for information. Hours run Monday through Friday during regular business hours. The large county population means the office stays busy. Expect some wait time during peak periods. Morning visits tend to have shorter lines than afternoon.

Kern County charges $31 for each certified birth certificate copy. Payment options at the counter include cash, check, and credit card. Mail orders require a check or money order payable to Kern County Assessor-Recorder. The fee covers searching records and one certified copy. Additional copies ordered at once cost the same per copy.

Online ordering for Kern County birth certificates goes through VitalChek, the approved vendor for California vital records statewide.

How to Get Kern County Birth Certificates

Three methods let you get a birth certificate from Kern County. Visit the Bakersfield office in person, send a request by mail, or order online through VitalChek. Each has advantages depending on where you live and how quickly you need the certificate.

In person requests happen at the Assessor-Recorder office on Truxtun Avenue. Bring valid photo ID like a California driver's license. Fill out the birth certificate application at the counter. Provide the full name on the certificate, date of birth, and parents' names. Staff search the records. If found, they print your certificate while you wait. Pay $31 and you have your document. Simple requests take 20 to 40 minutes depending on office traffic.

Mail orders work well for people outside the Bakersfield area. Get the application form from the Kern County website. Print it and complete all sections. Include the birth name, date, place of birth in Kern County, and parents' names. Add your return address and explain your relationship to the person. Enclose a check or money order for $31 payable to Kern County Assessor-Recorder. Mail everything to 1115 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Processing runs 2 to 4 weeks including mail time.

VitalChek online ordering adds convenience but includes service fees. Go to VitalChek and select Kern County, California. Complete the online form with all birth details. Pay by credit card. VitalChek sends your request to the county. After processing, the certificate ships to your address. Total time is 2 to 4 weeks. Expedited shipping options cost more but arrive faster.

Birth Records Across Large Kern County

Kern County covers over 8,000 square miles. It is the third largest county in California by area. The county includes diverse communities from the agricultural heartland around Bakersfield to mountain towns and desert areas.

Bakersfield has the major hospitals where most births occur. Adventist Health Bakersfield, Kern Medical, and Mercy Hospital all handle labor and delivery. Births at any of these facilities create Kern County birth records filed with the Assessor-Recorder.

Delano in the northern part of the county has its own hospital. Ridgecrest in the eastern desert serves that remote population. Tehachapi in the mountains has medical services. Births in these outlying areas are still Kern County births. All records go to the central office in Bakersfield. You request certificates from the same place regardless of which town the birth occurred in.

The county's size means some residents live far from Bakersfield. Someone in Ridgecrest is about 100 miles from the county seat. For those people, mail or online ordering makes more sense than driving to Bakersfield for a birth certificate.

Who Can Request Kern County Birth Records

California law sets rules for who can get an authorized birth certificate. These statewide rules apply in Kern County just like every other county. Only specific people can receive the version that works as legal ID.

The authorized list 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 also qualify. Government agencies with official business can get copies. If you fall in one of these categories, Kern County gives you an authorized copy without restrictions.

People not on the list get an informational copy. This version has text printed across the face saying it cannot establish identity. Informational copies show all the birth details. They work fine for family research, personal records, and non-legal purposes. Genealogists order informational copies regularly.

When you apply, be prepared to prove your identity and relationship. Bring photo ID. Show how you connect to the person on the record if you are not the person named. The staff determines which type of copy to issue based on your application and documentation.

Historical Kern County Birth Records

Kern County was established in 1866. Some birth records exist from the early days. However, California did not require statewide birth registration until 1905. Records from before that time may be incomplete or missing entirely.

For births before July 1905, the county is your main source. The state does not have records that old. Contact the Kern County Assessor-Recorder to ask about historical holdings. Staff can search older indexes and archives. The oil boom brought many people to Kern County in the early 1900s. Some of their birth records survive while others were lost over time.

Mining camps, railroad towns, and agricultural settlements dotted Kern County in the late 1800s. Births in these places were not always properly recorded. Home births with midwives might not have been registered at all. If researching ancestors from this period, expect some gaps in the official records.

The California State Archives has historical vital records from various counties. Records more than 75 years old are open to any researcher. Contact the archives in Sacramento at (916) 653-6814 to ask about Kern County materials. Local historical societies may also have information that supplements official records.

State Option for Kern County Birth Records

The California Department of Public Health is another source for Kern 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. That is $2 less than Kern County charges. However, CDPH has no walk-in counter. All orders go by mail or through VitalChek online. The state handles records for all 58 counties. Volume is high and processing takes longer. Expect 4 to 8 weeks from the state versus 2 to 4 weeks from Kern County.

To order from the state, fill out form VS 111. Include the birth name, date, and that the birth happened in Kern County. Add parents' names. For an authorized copy, have your signature notarized. Mail the form and payment to CDPH Vital Records, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. The certificate comes by mail when ready.

Most Kern County residents find the local office more convenient. The state option makes sense if you are already dealing with CDPH for other records or want the slightly lower fee and can wait longer.

Kern County Birth Certificate Processing Times

How quickly you receive your birth certificate depends on which method you use. In person is fastest. Mail takes several weeks. Online falls in between.

At the Bakersfield office, you can often get a certificate the same day. Staff search records, print certificates, and collect payment at the counter. The whole visit might take under an hour. Complicated requests or older records need more research time. The staff will tell you if they need to mail the certificate later.

Mail requests take more time. The county receives your application, processes it, and mails back the certificate. Allow 2 to 4 weeks total. Busy periods stretch this timeline. Add extra days for mail transit if you live far from Bakersfield.

VitalChek orders go through an extra step. VitalChek receives your online order, sends it to Kern County, waits for processing, then ships the certificate. Total time runs 2 to 4 weeks with standard shipping. Rush delivery costs more but cuts the wait. Check shipping options when you order to match your timeline.

New births take a few weeks to appear in the system. Hospitals file paperwork with the local registrar. That information then reaches the county and state. Wait at least three weeks after a birth before ordering a certificate. Earlier requests may return a "no record found" response.

Correcting Kern County Birth Certificates

Birth certificates sometimes contain errors. A name might be misspelled. The date could be wrong. Information might be missing or incorrect. Kern County handles amendments through the Assessor-Recorder office.

Minor corrections are simpler to process. Typos and small errors need an amendment application and supporting documents. Proof might include hospital records, baptismal certificates, or other papers from around the birth date. Submit the form, documents, and fee. The county reviews everything and updates the record if the correction is justified.

Major changes require court involvement. Adding a father to a birth certificate after the fact usually needs a court order. Legal name changes go through the court system. The Kern County Superior Court handles these proceedings. Once a judge signs an order, the Assessor-Recorder amends the birth record to match. An attorney can help navigate these more complex situations.

Delayed registration handles births that were never properly recorded. Some older births in rural Kern County were not registered at the time. California allows late registration with enough evidence. You need proof like old school records, census documents, or sworn statements. The county evaluates the evidence before creating a delayed registration.

Nearby County Birth Records

Kern County shares borders with many other California counties. If the birth happened outside Kern County, contact the right county for that location.

Tulare County is to the north. Their office is in Visalia and charges $31. Kings County is to the northwest with offices in Hanford. Los Angeles County is to the southwest, the most populous county in the nation with offices in Norwalk. San Bernardino County is to the east. Inyo County is to the northeast. San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties border Kern to the west and southwest.

Some Kern County communities sit near county lines. A family might live in one county but travel to a hospital in another. If the birth happened in a neighboring county, you need records from that county. Kern County cannot issue certificates for births that occurred elsewhere.

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.

View All 58 Counties