Asst. Managers, Special Civil Courts (213) 974–5247
PROBATE
Probate filings are accepted at the Civil Filing Window in Room 102, Probate
case information is available from the Registers of Actions and Index in Room
106. Probate records can be viewed and copies made in Room 112, where you may
also purchase probate court forms.
The Probate Attorney?s Office is in Room 258, second floor.
The office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Clearing notes are from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Calendar clearing can be done 2 days prior to the hearing only.
Attorney’s phone: (213) 974–5471
Clerk’s phone: (213) 974–5484
Guardianship Clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, the hours are between 10:00
a.m. and 12:00 noon. Guradianship forms (packet) can be obtained from Room 112.
Ex–Parte sign in hours: 1:30 – 1:45 p.m.
No walk–thru orders except in emergency cases with a supporting declaration.
No general information given over the phone.
For a case number, call Probate Index: (213) 974–5175
For a certified copy of a document: (213) 974–5192
Probate Court Investigators: (213) 974–5859
Probate Volunteer Panel (PVP): (213) 974–5311
Minor’s account: (213) 974–5510
Creditor’s Claim: (213) 974–5521
Will / Inheritance (213) 974–5230
Bulletin Board – posting notices and policy changes.
THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY RECORDS CENTER–ARCHIVES
The Los Angeles County Records Center–Archives is located at 222 North Hill
Street, Room 212, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
The hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding regular court and County holidays. General information is available at
(213) 974–1195.
Court files are available for viewing during the hours of operation. Copies of
files and documents may be purchased between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.
The price for copies is $0.57 per page. Certified copies of documents may be
obtained for $6.00 per document. Certified copies of Judgments of Dissolution of
Marriage are $10.00 per document. For information call (213) 974–1378.
The Records Processing Unit, including the Microfilm Library, provide support
service to the Superior Court and to the public for the courts files and
documents stored in hard form and on microfilm in the County Records Center. The
unit processes copy requests, certifications, exemplifications, document entries
and inquiries for the Registers of Actions stored in the facility.
(213) 974–1547.
The Judgment Unit processes Writs of Execution ($7.00), Abstracts of Judgments
($7.00), Renewals of Judgments ($14.00), Dismissals, Cost Bills and Remittiturs
for files stored in the facility. (213) 974–3580.
Index Service is available for criminal cases from 1880 to 1955, and for
non–criminal cases from 1880 to 1965, phone (213) 974–1547.
Original records of cases filed in the Los Angeles County Court and District
Court prior to the year 1880 are stored at the Huntington Library in San Marino,
California. Questions regarding access to these records should be directed to
Mr. William P. Frank, Curator, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, 91108. The phone
number at the Huntington Library is (818) 405–2203.
The fax phone number is (818) 449–5720.
WHATS WHERE IN AND AROUND THE COURTHOUSE
Criminal Courts Building
210 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hall of Records
222 N. Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
County Records Center
222 N. Hill Street
Room 222
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Los Angeles Municipal Court (Also Small Claims Court)
Marriage License Information........(562) 462–2137
BIRTH RECORDS:
Mail Request:
Records are available for births occurring in Los Angeles County since 1876. A
certified copy of a birth record will be provided for an $15 fee per copy. The
fee is non–refundable. A “No Record Statement” will be issued if the record is
not found. Please submit a written request with the person’s full name, birth
date if known, or the range of years to be checked, number of copies you need,
and include a preaddressed stamped envelope. Payment for mail requests can be
made by check or money order payable to the Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk. Do
not send cash. Out of state checks are accepted. You may use the Birth
Application to provide the information on the record you are requesting.
Click here for APPLICATION FOR BIRTH RECORD
Send request and fee to: Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk, Birth Records P.O. Box
53120 Los Angeles, California 90053–0120
Most mail requests are processed in 20 working–days from the date the request is
received by this office. The processing time does not include the delivery time
to and from the office, weekends or holidays.
Expedited Credit Card Request:
For those in need of fast turnaround time, you may fax a request to (562)
864–3469, or place your request over the Internet if you have one of the
following credit cards: Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Discover.
Expedited service is available only to individuals applying for a certified
copy. Expedited orders will be processed within 3 working–days of receipt.
Credit card orders will be returned by regular mail unless Express Mail delivery
is requested which costs an additional $11.75. A $5.00 special handling fee will
be charged on all credit card orders in addition to the copy fee.
Click here to PLACE A REQUEST OVER THE INTERNET.
To order expedited service by FAX, please provide the additional information in
your faxed request.
The name on the credit card, the card number and expiration date.
The address where you would like the record mailed, whether you would like it
sent by regular mail or Express Mail delivery.
A daytime phone number including area code, should it be necessary to contact
you.
In Person Request:
Same day service is available for official abstracts of birth records that
occurred from 1964 to the present. Copies that are requested in person for birth
records occurring prior to 1964, and all full copies of birth records, are
mailed within 15 working–days. If you are requesting a birth certificate for the
purpose of obtaining a passport, you must request a full copy of the birth
certificate. The Passport Agency will not accept a birth abstract for the
purpose of issuing a passport. Orders for birth certificates can be made in
person at the following locations:
335–A East Avenue K–6
4716 East Cesar Chavez Avenue
7807 S. Compton Avenue, Room 215
12400 Imperial Highway
14340 West Sylvan Street Lancaster
Los Angeles (661) 723–4494 Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., M–F
Los Angeles (323) 260–2991 Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., M–F
Please call the regional office for information about other available services.
Payment for in–person requests can be made by cash, check or money order. If
paying by check, valid identification (i.e., Driver’s License) of the signer is
required and must be presented at time of request. Out of state checks are
accepted.
Adoption/Name Change:
If you are requesting a copy of a birth record of a child who has been adopted
or had a legal name change, your written request should be sent to the State
Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, P.O. Box 730241, Sacramento, CA
92422–0241, the telephone number is (916) 445–2684. There is a $12 charge for
each copy requested payable by check or money order to the office of Vital
Records.
DEATH RECORDS:
Mail Request:
Records are available for deaths that occurred in Los Angeles County since 1892.
A certified copy of a death record will be provided for an $8 fee per copy. The
fee is non–refundable. A “No Record Statement” will be issued if the record is
not found. Please submit a written request with the decedent’s name, date of
death, or the range of years to be checked, the number of copies you need, and
include a preaddressed stamped envelope. Payment for mail requests can be made
by check or money order payable to the Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk. Do not
send cash. Out of state checks are accepted. You may use the Death Application
to provide the information on the record you are requesting.
Send request and fee to:
Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk, Death Records P.O. Box 53120 Los Angeles,
California 90053–0120
Most mail requests are processed in 20 working–days from the date the request is
received by this office. The processing time does not include the delivery time
to and from the office, weekends or holidays.
Expedited Credit Card Request:
For those in need of fast turnaround time, you may fax a request to (562)
864–3469, or place your request over the Internet if you have one of the
following credit cards: Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Discover.
Expedited service is available only to individuals applying for a certified
copy. Expedited orders will be processed within 3 working–days of receipt.
Credit card orders will be returned by regular mail unless Express Mail delivery
is requested which costs an additional $11.75. A $5.00 special handling fee will
be charged on all credit card orders in addition to the copy fee.
Click here to PLACE A REQUEST OVER THE INTERNET.
To order expedited service by FAX, please provide the additional information in
your faxed request.
The name on the credit card, the card number and expiration date.
The address where you would like the record mailed, whether you would like it
sent by regular mail or Express Mail delivery.
A daytime phone number including area code, should it be necessary to contact
you.
In Person Request:
Orders for death certificates can be made in–person at the following locations:
335–A East Avenue K–6
4716 East Cesar Chavez Avenue
7807 S. Compton Avenue, Room 215
12400 Imperial Highway
14340 West Sylvan Street Lancaster
Los Angeles (661) 723–4494 Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., M–F
Los Angeles (323) 260–2991 Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., M–F
Copies ordered in person will be mailed within 15 working days. Same day service
is not available. Please call the regional office for information about other
available services.
Payment for in–person request can be made by cash, check or money order. If
paying by check, valid identification (i.e., Driver’s License) of the signer is
required and must be presented at time of request. Out of state checks are
accepted.
DIVORCE RECORD INFORMATION
Record information for divorce filings is available at the Superior Court where
the divorce was filed. The Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk does not have any
divorce information or files. If the Superior Court location is not known,
information can be obtained at the County Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los
Angeles, telephone (213) 974–5171 or (213) 974–5192. Divorce filings which took
place within the Central Los Angles area are transferred to the County Record
Center (Archives) normally within 2–3 years of the filing. Divorce filings
outside of the Central Los Angeles area can take five or more years for transfer
to the Archives. Records are transferred to the Archives when storage space at
the courthouses becomes limited. The Archives are located at 222 North Hill
Street, Los Angeles, telephone (213) 974–1378 or (213) 974–1379.
VIEWING VITAL RECORDS
The Department of Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk is located at 12400 Imperial
Highway in Norwalk. The following will provide you with the procedure for
viewing vital records. Certificates and indexes of birth, death and marriage
records not exempt from public inspections may be examined at the Office of the
Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except holidays. In addition to certificates on file, there are indexes
of birth, death and marriages available for public inspection as follows: Births
prior to 1905 and from 1964 to the present; Deaths from 1877 to the present; and
Marriages from 1852 to the present. Some Statewide indexes are also available:
Births from 1956 to 1984; Deaths from 1940 to 1977, and 1980 to 1989; and,
Marriages from 1949 to 1977. Records of confidential marriages performed
pursuant to Family Code Section 500 are not available for public review.
Certificates and indexes may be examined at no charge unless a deputy is
requested to search and/or retrieve more than five records. Information sufficient to identify the
requested record must be provided.
MARRIAGE LICENSE
A marriage license can be obtained from one of the following locations (by law
it cannot be issued by mail):
Please contact the regional office for other information available. You must
present your application to the cashier no later than 4 p.m. to obtain the
license on the same day. The processing time is 1 hour. For same day services we
recommend that you be at the office by 3 p.m. Applications presented after 4
p.m. are placed on “will–call pick–up” on the next business day.
To obtain a marriage license, which is valid for 90 days, by law both bride and
groom must appear to complete the application and pay the required fee, which is
$67 for a regular license and $69 for a confidential license. Payments can be
made in cash or by check or money order. If paying by check, valid
identification i.e. driver’s license of the signer is required and must be
presented at time of request.
Both the bride and groom must be present and produce “Proof of Identity” and age
documents, such as a driver’s license, passport or alien resident card. Photo
and age verification is mandatory. A birth certificate or baptismal record may
be presented along with a picture form identification. All documents must be in
English. Documents in any other language must be submitted with an English
translation by a certified translator.
A blood test and health certificate are not required to obtain a marriage
license.
There is no residence or citizenship status requirement.
Applicants must be unmarried. A previous marriage is valid until the final date
of dissolution. Written proof of a divorce or the dissolution of a previous
marriage is required, if the event occurred within the last two years or less.
If the final dissolution was more than two years, written proof may not be
required, but the date of the final dissolution must be provided at the same
time the license is requested.
Applicants living together as husband and wife who meet the required conditions
may request a confidential marriage license that must be used in Los Angeles
County.
The marriage license is usually processed in two hours after submitting the
application. However, the waiting time may vary depending on the workload at the
location where you are requesting your license. We recommend that you visit our
offices on Monday through Thursday for faster service.
Marriage License “Under 18”:
A person “Under 18” must provide a Notarized Parent or Guardian Consent
Statement and an order of the Superior Court granting the minor permission to
marry to obtain a marriage license.
SOLEMNIZING QUALIFICATIONS
After you obtain a marriage license, which is valid for 90–days, you may be
married by your choice of one of the following persons qualified to perform
marriage ceremonies: 1) a priest, minister or rabbi of any religious
denomination who is 18 years of age or older; 2) an active or retired Judge,
Commissioner, or Assistant Commissioner of a court or record or Justice Court in
this State; or 3) by a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages.
CIVIL CEREMONY
Marriage ceremonies conducted by the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of
Civil Marriage are performed at the following offices of the
Registrar–Recorder/County Clerk:
4716 E. Cesar Chavez Avenue
7807 S. Compton Avenue Room 215
12400 Imperial Highway
14340 W. Sylvan Street Los Angeles
Los Angeles (323) 260–2991 Friday, by appointment
Norwalk (323) 586–6192 Friday, by appointment
Van Nuys (562) 462–2137 Monday–Friday, by appointment
(818) 374–7176 Friday, by appointment
We cannot guarantee that your marriage license will be issued on the same day as
your appointment for the ceremony so we recommend that you obtain your license
prior to the date your ceremony is to be performed. Please contact one of the
above offices for more information. At least one witness must be present at the
ceremony unless the couple is marrying using a confidential marriage license in
which case no witness is required.
The fee for the civil ceremony is $25. Payment can be made by cash, check or
money order. If paying by check, valid identification (i.e., Driver’s License)
of the signer is required and must be presented at time of request.