Birth Certificate FAQs

1. Who do we keep records for?

The Vital Statistics Program at the Fresno County Department of Public Health maintains records for individuals who were born in Fresno County during the current or previous year.

For Fresno County records prior to these years, contact the Fresno County Assessors – Recorder’s Office at (559) 600-3476.

For births occurring outside of Fresno County, please contact that county, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/County-Registrars-and-Recorders.aspx

For birth certificates involving an adoption or legal name change, please contact the State of California Department of Health Services at (916) 445-1719.

2. How can I obtain a certified copy of a record?

Applications are accepted in person or by mail. Our office does not accept requests by fax, e-mail or over the internet.

In-Person: please visit Room 128 on the first floor of the Department of Public Health to pick up an application. The application can be completed and payment may be made to the cashier in the form of cash, check, money order or credit card (Visa/ MasterCard). Credit card transactions require valid identification. There is a 2% service fee when using a credit card.

You will need to provide the following information:

  • The child's full name as stated on the birth certificate
  • The mother's full MAIDEN name 
  • The father's full name 
  • The child's date of birth

Fee: $25.00 for each certified copy

By-Mail: send a completed birth certificate application to:
Fresno County Department of Public Health
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 11867
Fresno, CA 93775

You will need to provide:

  • The child's full name as stated on the birth certificate
  • The mother's full MAIDEN name
  • The father's full name
  • The child's date of birth
  • If requesting an authorized copy, the sworn statement must be notarized
    And

  • Complete address where the copy is to be mailed
  • A self-addressed stamped envelope
  • Include payment (check or money order made payable to Fresno County) of $25.00 per certified copy. DO NOT SEND CASH BY MAIL.  Fresno County Department of Public Health Vital Statistics program cannot be held responsible for fees paid that are lost, misdirected, or undelivered.  We are not responsible for lost or stolen mail.

The birth certificate will be mailed to the provided address within two weeks.

3. How do I obtain an apostille?

Public Health issued birth certificates that will be used in a foreign country must first be authenticated by the County Clerks Office. Please contact the Fresno County Clerk /Elections Department at (559) 600-2575 or clerkelections@co.fresno.ca.us. For more information regarding apostilles go to https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/specialised-sections/apostille.

 

4. I am not married to my child’s father, how do I add dad to the Birth Certificate?

The Paternity Opportunity Program, allows unwed parents to file a Declaration of Paternity form used to legally establish paternity of a child.

 

5. How do I correct or amend a birth certificate?

If you would like information on how to correct or amend a birth certificate to reflect a legal name change please visit Amending a California Birth Record.

 

6. How do I correct a spelling error on a birth certificate?

After a certificate has been registered, the original certificate cannot be changed. Errors may be corrected by completing an Affidavit to Amend a Record. Please call the Vital Statistics program at (559) 600-3310 for more information.

 

7. Can Vital Statistics assist in obtaining birth records from another state or Country?

For persons born outside of California please visit The National Center for Health Statistics. For persons born outside of the United States please visit travel.state.gov.