Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays
Processing Times
Service Type
Expected Time of Completion
Notes
EDRS/FDRS Submissions
3 business hours
Submissions and emails received after 3:00 p.m. will be reviewed by 9:00 a.m. the next business day
Email Requests
2 business hours
Certified Copy Orders - Pick up
3 business days
If certified copies are needed sooner, counter service is available for up to 3 applications
M – F, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Note: Credits cannot be issued for orders submitted in error.
Certified Copy Orders - Mailed
10 business days
Amendment - Electronic
2 business days
Amendment - Drop to Paper
6 – 8 weeks
Permit Fees All permit fees are due within 10 days of issuance. Credits cannot be issued for permits paid in error.
Incomplete Records Unnecessary, incomplete EDRS/FDRS records or amendments must be abandoned promptly.
Registration within Eight Days of Death Each death that occurs in Orange County shall be registered with this office within eight days after death and prior to any disposition of human remains. Additionally, the body of any person whose death occurs in Orange County or whose body is brought in to Orange County from outside the state for disposition shall not be held temporarily more than eight calendar days after death, unless a permit for disposition is obtained from this office. (H&SC 102775, 103070)
Service Requests The Death Registration unit now offers Service Requests via email which includes issuing PDF burial permits.
note: The Email/Fax Filing Service is available for the following scenarios only:
Any disposition of full body remains that were held Pending disposition at OC Coroner
Permits with corrected/updated information as submitted on an Amendment for OC Deaths
Ship-in of full body remains for Cremation at an OC Crematory or Burial at an OC Cemetery
Ship-in or Refile of cremated remains handled by an OC Funeral Establishment
Disinterment of full body remains from an OC Cemetery
Amending Death Certificates and Signatures Required
General Amendment
Death Certificate Items
Signatures Required
1 – 6*, 9 - 45**
Two funeral staff electronic signatures are acceptable. Any two persons with knowledge of facts can sign.
* Minor typographical errors in items 1 and/or 3 may be corrected with two electronic funeral staff signatures.
**Embalmer signature and license number may be added to items 42 and 43. Embalmer signature and license number may not be changed or removed with an amendment once added.
EXCEPTIONS: If name items 1 and/or 3 are completely changing, then the Physician or Coroner must sign.
Physician/Coroner Amendment
Death Certificate Items
Signatures Required
7 - 8, 101 - 103, 105 - 114,
116, 118
Physician or Coroner. If Physician will sign, drop amendment to paper for ink signature. If Coroner will sign, Coroner can sign electronically.
119 - 125
Coroner can sign electronically.
NOTE: County of death item 104 cannot be corrected with an amendment. Requires DC replacement process.
There is no fee submitting Physician/Coroner Amendments - regardless of date of death. Mail paper Physician/Coroner amendments to the CDPH Vital Records address in Sacramento below.
General
Amendments submitted after one year from date of death
1. Drop the amendment to paper from EDRS and obtain ink signature(s).
2. Complete a Vital Record application with Sworn Statement.
3. Make the $23.00 check payable to CDPH Vital Records. This fee includes 1 amended certified copy.
4. Mail all documents to: California Department of Public Health
Vital Records - M.S. 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
Allow 6 – 8 weeks for registration by the State Registrar.
Weekend and Holiday Emergency Filing The Birth and Death Registration office is closed on weekends and all County holidays. Emergency filing is available to California licensed funeral establishments on weekends and minor holidays between 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. when a disposition of human remains must take place on these days.
Contact Orange County Communications on weekends and minor holidays between 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at (714) 628-7000 to contact the registrar on call. The registrar will return your call and obtain the information necessary to process your request.
Emergency filing is available on the following minor holidays:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Lincoln’s Birthday
President’s Day
Columbus Day
Veteran’s Day
Friday after Thanksgiving
Emergency filing is not available on any major holiday listed below, including those that may fall on a weekend:
EDRS and FDRS Training To obtain an EDRS account, go to the EDRS Account Page (www.edrs.us/accounts.jsp) to complete a Participation Agreement. Orange County Funeral Establishments can email DeathRegistration@ochca.com for training information.
To obtain an FDRS account, go to the FDRS Account Page (www.edrs.us/fdrs/accounts.htm) to complete a Participation Agreement. Contact the FDRS help desk at (916) 552-8123 for webinar training information.
External References
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The policies that apply to the County of Orange Official Web Portal may not be the same as the terms of use for other web sites. The County of Orange cannot attest to the accuracy of the information provided by the linked websites. Any link to an external website is not intended as an endorsement of that external website, any product or service offered or referenced to or any views that might be expressed or referenced therein.
