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Correcting or Amending a Death or Fetal Death Certificate

VITAL RECORDS

Correcting or Amending a Death or Fetal Death Certificate

An Affidavit to Amend a Record VS 24 (PDF) form is required to:

Correct minor spelling errors
Correct most items on the certificate
Add an AKA (also known as) to the decedent’s name
Add information to most blank items

For further information please see the informational pamphlet for Affidavit to Amend a Death Record (PDF) and checklist.

Supporting Documents

Supporting documents are used to support the information being amended. Acceptable documents include copies of the following:

Vital Records (Birth, Death, or Marriage)
All other documents that support the request for the amendment

Sworn Statement

A notarized Sworn Statement is required if a certified authorized copy of the amended certificate is requested. For explanation of who may receive a certified authorized copy view this link.

Amendment Fees

Death Amendment

Within the first year from date of death: There is no fee to amend a certificate. However, to receive a certified copy of the amended certificate there is a fee of twenty-one dollars ($21) per certified copy
Any time after the first year of death: There is a twenty-three dollar ($23) processing fee, which includes one certified copy of the amended certificate. Each additional certified copy is twenty-five dollars ($21)

Fetal Death Amendment

Within the first year from date of death: There is no fee to amend a certificate. However, to receive a certified copy of the amended certificate there is a fee of eighteen dollars ($18) per certified copy
Any time after the first year of death: There is a twenty-three dollar ($23) processing fee, which includes one certified copy of the amended certificate. Each additional certified copy is eighteen dollars ($18)

Processing Times

CDPH-VR processing times may occasionally increase as do the volume of requests.

Currently Death (prior to 2005) and Fetal Death (prior to 2013) Amendments are processed within six (6) to eight (8) weeks from the date CDPH-VR receives the request.