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Effective July 1, 2003, the California Health
and Safety Code, Section 103526, will permit only authorized
individuals to receive certified copies of death records. Those
who are not authorized by law to receive a certified copy will
receive a certified copy marked “Informational, not a valid
document to establish identity."
The law describes an authorized person as:
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A parent or legal guardian of the
registrant.
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A party entitled to receive the record as
a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed
adoption agency seeking the birth record in order to comply
with the requirements of Section 3140 or 7603 of the Family
Code.
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A member of a law enforcement agency or a
representative of another governmental agency, as provided
by law, who is conducting official business.
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A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling,
spouse, or domestic partner of the registrant.
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An attorney representing the registrant or
the registrant’s estate, or any person or agency empowered
by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the
registrant or the registrant’s estate.
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A funeral director ordering certified
copies of a death certificate on behalf of an individual
specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of
subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health and Safety
Code.
In order to obtain a Certified Copy on or
after July 1, 2003, you must complete the sworn statement
included with the death certificate application form and sign
the statement under penalty of perjury. If you mail your
request, your sworn statement must be notarized. If your mailed
request indicates that you want a Certified Copy but does not
include a notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury,
the request will be rejected as incomplete and returned to you
without being processed. (Note: A funeral director ordering
copies on behalf of an individual specified in paragraphs (1) to
(5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 7100 of the Health
and Safety Code is not required to complete the notarized
statement.)
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