Los Angeles County Birth Records

Los Angeles County birth records are managed by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office, the largest vital records agency in California. With nearly 10 million residents, LA County processes more birth certificate requests than any other county in the state. The office keeps records of all births that occurred within county boundaries going back many decades. Multiple service locations across the county make it easier for residents to get birth certificates in person.

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Office

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk handles all birth records for LA County. This is a large department with multiple offices across the county. The main headquarters is in Norwalk, but you can visit branch locations too. The office processes thousands of birth certificate requests every week.

Main contact information for LA County vital records:

• Phone: 800-201-8999 (toll-free within California)
• Main Office: 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The Norwalk office is the central location for vital records services. It has the largest staff and shortest wait times during off-peak hours. Branch offices in other parts of the county offer the same services but may have limited hours or longer waits. Call the main number to find the nearest location that handles birth certificates.

LA County has an online ordering system that sets it apart from most other California counties. You can order birth certificates through their website using a credit card. This online option speeds up the process for people who cannot visit an office in person. Orders placed online ship within a few business days.

How to Request Los Angeles County Birth Records

You have more options for getting birth certificates in LA County than in most other places. The large population has led to expanded services. Pick the method that works best for your schedule and needs.

Online ordering is the most popular choice now. Go to the LA County Registrar-Recorder website and use their vital records portal. Enter the required information about the birth. Pay by credit card. The office will mail your certified copy within 5 to 7 business days. This is faster than mailing a request yourself and you do not have to leave home.

In-person visits work well if you need a certificate quickly. The Norwalk office has dedicated windows for vital records. Bring your ID and know the details of the birth you need. Fill out the application. Pay the fee. Staff will search and print your certificate while you wait. Walk-in service takes 30 minutes to an hour on average. Busy periods around the start of school year or tax season can stretch that longer.

Mail requests are an option if you prefer not to use the website or cannot visit in person. Download the application form from the county website. Fill it out completely. Include a check or money order for the fee. Mail it to the Norwalk address. Processing takes 4 to 6 weeks by mail. Add time for your letter to arrive and for the certificate to mail back to you.

Who Can Get LA County Birth Certificates

California law determines who can receive an authorized copy of a birth certificate. The rules are the same across all counties, including Los Angeles. Not everyone can get every record. There are privacy protections in place.

You can get an authorized copy if you are the person named on the certificate. Parents shown on the record have access. So do legal guardians with proper court documents. The list also includes children, grandchildren, grandparents, siblings, spouses, and domestic partners of the person on the record. Attorneys can request copies for their clients. Government agencies get access for official purposes.

Everyone else receives an informational copy. This version looks almost the same but has a disclaimer printed across it. The words say the document cannot be used to establish identity. It still shows the birth facts. It just will not work for getting a passport, driver license, or other ID. Genealogy researchers and others doing family history work often use informational copies since they only need the data.

When you request a certificate, you must show ID and state your relationship to the person on the record. Making false statements is a crime under California law. The penalties can include fines and jail time. The rules protect against identity theft and fraud.

Los Angeles County Birth Certificate Fees

LA County charges $34 for a certified copy of a birth certificate. This is higher than the state minimum of $29 because the county adds a local surcharge. The fee covers the search and one copy. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost less each.

Payment options depend on how you order. Online, you pay by credit or debit card. In person, the office accepts cash, checks, and cards. By mail, send a check or money order made payable to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder. Do not mail cash.

There is no refund if the search does not find a record. The fee pays for staff time to look through the files. If you are not sure the birth happened in LA County, it is worth calling the office first. They can check their index to see if a record exists before you pay. This could save you the fee if the birth was in a different county or is not on file for some reason.

Processing Times for Birth Records

How fast you get your certificate depends on which method you choose. Online and in-person requests are quickest. Mail takes the longest.

Online orders through the county website typically ship within 5 to 7 business days. Add shipping time depending on how you want it delivered. Standard mail takes another 3 to 5 days. Express shipping costs more but arrives faster. Online is the best balance of speed and convenience for most people.

In-person requests at the Norwalk office or a branch location can result in same-day certificates. You might wait 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many people are ahead of you. The Norwalk office handles the most volume and has the most staff. Other locations might have shorter lines but fewer workers processing requests.

Mail requests take 4 to 6 weeks from the day you send your letter to the day you get your certificate. Much of that time is mail transit. Processing at the office takes about 2 weeks once they receive your request. Incomplete applications take even longer because staff must contact you for the missing information.

New births need time to enter the system. After a baby is born, the hospital files paperwork with the county. That registration process takes several weeks. Do not order a birth certificate until at least 4 weeks after the birth. Ordering too soon results in a notice saying no record was found. You lose the fee and have to start over later.

Cities in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County contains 88 cities plus large unincorporated areas. Birth records for all these places go through the county Registrar-Recorder. There is no separate city office for birth certificates in most LA County cities. A few exceptions exist.

The City of Long Beach has its own Health Department that issues birth certificates for births at Long Beach hospitals. If the birth happened in Long Beach, you can contact them directly instead of the county. Pasadena also has a separate vital records office for births within city limits. For all other LA County cities, use the county Registrar-Recorder.

Major cities in Los Angeles County:

Other Places to Find LA County Birth Records

The county Registrar-Recorder is the main source, but you have alternatives. The California Department of Public Health has copies of all LA County births since July 1905. You can order from the state by mail or through VitalChek.

The state health department charges $29 per copy, which is less than the LA County fee of $34. However, state orders take longer to process. Mail requests to Sacramento run 4 to 8 weeks. VitalChek online orders through the state add a service fee that brings the total close to what you would pay the county anyway.

For historical research, the California State Archives has some older records. The LA County Archives also maintains historical documents including vital records from earlier eras. Records more than 75 years old are public and open to anyone under state law. This makes genealogy research easier for births that happened long ago.

Family history websites like Ancestry and FamilySearch have indexes of California births. These can help you find names and dates before ordering official copies. They do not provide certified certificates. You still need to contact the county or state for those.

Nearby Counties

Los Angeles County is surrounded by several other counties. If the birth you need did not happen in LA County, check with one of these neighbors instead. Births are filed where they occur, not where the family lives. A person who lived in LA but gave birth in Orange County would have an Orange County birth record.