The fee for birth and death certificates is the same for all of California. $15 for birth certificates and $13 for death certificates. The quickest way to obtain certificates is to go in person to the County Recorder in the county where the event occurred or the California State Office of Vital Records in Sacramento. Most counties and the State will issue the certificate the same day (may have to come back later that day) or the next day, depending on time of day you submit your request and the workload. However, if you mail in your request it can take up to 6 weeks (sometimes longer) to receive the certificate. So, if in a hurry, the quickest way is to go there yourself or find someone else who can do it for you. However, there are restrictions about who can obtain certificates. The new California law about birth and death certificates requires a special form be completed. If directly related, you must verify your relationship and sign that form in the presence of personnel at the offices. If not directly related, you sign in a different place on that same required form and the certificate you receive will have stamped faintly in the background, the words: INFORMATIONAL - NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY. This certificate is exactly the same except for these words which do not block out any of the information. For genealogists, the Informational certificate presents no problems. Mary Inglis Sims California Genealogical Research Sacramento, California