Frequently Asked Questions

Office of Vital Records
1947 Center Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
Office Hours: Mon-Fri   9:00 a.m. To 4:00 p.m.

TEL: (510) 981-5139 
FAX: (510) 981-5315

I am adopted.  How do I get my Birth Certificate?

Your birth certificate is available anytime and can be obtained from this office if you were born in Berkeley during 1989 or later.  If you were born before 1989, your pre-adoption record was sealed and a new Birth Certificate was created for you.  Contact us, by phoning (510) 981-5139, to find out if your record is on file at the City of Berkeley Vital Records office.  We can request your Birth Certificate from the State Registrar if it is not already available in our office.  Allow approximately 3 - 4 weeks for the State to issue the certified copy when it is requested by the local office on your behalf.

I want to do a search on a Birth or Death Certificate.   How much will it cost me?

We can usually determine from our database whether we have a record of the person who died or was born in Berkeley if you have complete information and if the event occurred during or after 1905.  A fee is charged to search for records using incomplete information or for events that occurred before 1905.  The fee is the same as if you ordered the certificate even if the record is not found, as per Section 10606 of the California Health & Safety Code.

Corrections to misspelled names or to parent’s information and/or other typographical errors can be made with an Affidavit to Amend a Record form.  These forms are available at our office or at any local California registrar's office.  Send the completed Affidavit form to the State Office of Vital Records.   If the amendment occurs more than one year from the date of birth or death, include the $20 fee that is charged by the State to make changes and issue a copy of the amended record.   

I want to change the name on the Birth Certificate.

A court order is necessary to change any part of a baby's name or any part of the parents’ names except for adding a middle name (refer to the last paragraph of this section).  Contact the Alameda Superior Court at (510) 272-6002 located at 1225 Fallon Street, Room 109, Oakland, CA 94612 to obtain information about the court order.

A certified copy of the Court Order, the $20 fee, and a completed Amendment to Reflect a Court Order Change of Name form must be sent to the State Office of Vital Records.   A copy of the amended Certificate will be forwarded to you as part of the fee.  The Amendment form is available at our office or at any local California registrar’s office.

Adding an infant's middle name when there is no middle name will not require a court order.  However, you must fill out the Affidavit to Amend a Record form that is  available at our office or any local California registrar's office.  Send the completed form to the State Office of Vital Records.  If the change occurs after one year from date of birth, you must also include the $20 fee to make the change and obtain a copy of the amended Birth record.

My child’s Birth Certificate does not have the father’s name on it. What is needed to add his name to the Certificate?

As of January 1, 1997, California State law permits the father's name to be reported on the birth certificate only if the couple is legally married.  Adding the unmarried father's name requires that the father complete the Declaration of Paternity form and sign it,  witnessed by any Vital Records staff or a notary public.  The completed Declaration of Paternity form, a $20 fee, and an Application to Amend the Record - Acknowledgement of Paternity form must be submitted to the State Office of Vital Records.  You may request these forms from our office or any local California registrar's office.

My child was born outside a hospital facility or at home.  How do I register the birth?

Non-hospital births or home births occurring in Berkeley must be registered within one year of birth to use this process.  (Additional information will be required by the State Registrar if more than one year has elapsed since the unregistered birth.)  An appointment must be made with our office by calling (510) 981-5139.  The following information is needed to complete the registration. You may fax this information, FAX (510) 981-5315, when you call for an appointment:

• California ID card or Driver’s License for both parents.
• Proof of residency (i.e., utility bill, phone bill, medical bill with the parent's name and address on it).
• Diagnosis of pregnancy from the physician or midwife.  (Diagnosis from midwife must be on official letterhead and a mock birth certificate from the midwife is also helpful.)
• Notification of birth letter from the medical records department if the child was taken to a neighboring hospital after birth.
• A Newborn Screening Form or PKU or GDF 10 or 6 or, if none, you may sign a refusal form at our office.

Other necessary information includes details of prenatal care and pregnancy history, details of the actual birth, information about parents employment and education, social security numbers, birth dates and places.

For more information, phone (510) 981-5139 or (510) 981-5300.  Or Email us at vitalrecords@ci.berkeley.ca.us.

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Health & Human Services Division of Public Health 1947 Center Street, Second Floor Berkeley, CA 94704 (510) 981-5300 Fax: (510) 981-5345 TDD: (510) 981-6903 TTY: (510) 981-5373 Email: publichealth@ci.berkeley.ca.us