Get a birth certificate or fix a mistake on one — $100–$125 flat, plus state fees
Need a certified copy of a California birth certificate, or need to correct a misspelled name, add a parent, or update a record after a court order? Rosa prepares the vital records paperwork with you, notarizes the sworn statement in our office, and tells you exactly where it goes. English or Spanish.
How do I get or correct a California birth certificate?
To get a certified copy of a California birth record, you submit Form VS 111 with the fee to the California Department of Public Health – Vital Records, or to the county where the birth happened. As of January 1, 2026, a certified copy is $31 each. To correct or add information, you submit an amendment form with supporting documents; the amendment fee is $26 and includes one certified copy of the amended record. Expert Multi-Services prepares this paperwork at your direction for a flat $100 for a copy request or $125 for a correction or amendment, plus those vital records fees.
What Rosa does
- Identifies the right form for your situation
- Completes the application or amendment with your information
- Notarizes your sworn statement on premises
- Lists the supporting documents and tells you where to send the packet
What we cannot do
- Issue birth certificates, which only the state or county can do
- Approve an amendment or promise a processing time
- Give legal advice about parentage or a court order
Need it for school, a passport, or a license?Bring what you have — walk-ins welcome.
Official sources: CDPH — Vital Records fees · Form VS 111 · Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder
Copies, corrections, and court-ordered changes
| What you need | Form | State fee |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy of a birth record | VS 111 | $31 per copy |
| Correct or add information (misspelling, wrong date) | VS 24 / VS 24B | $26, includes one copy |
| Add or establish a parent | VS 21 | $26, includes one copy |
| Update after a court-ordered name change | VS 23 | $26, includes one copy |
| Birth never registered | VS 85 / VS 108 | $26, includes one copy |
Bring these to your appointment
- Your photo ID
- The full name on the record, date of birth, city or county of birth
- Parents’ full names, including the mother’s maiden name
- A copy of the current birth certificate, if you have one
- Any court order, marriage certificate, or parentage document that supports a change
Authorized copy or informational copy
An authorized copy can be used to prove identity and is available to the person on the record, a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner, plus certain legal representatives. It requires a sworn statement signed under penalty of perjury, notarized when the request is mailed. An informational copy contains the same information but is marked so it cannot be used to establish identity, and it needs no notarized statement.
Why people get stuck: the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder issues copies of birth records, but it does not correct or amend them. Corrections go to the state, on a different form, with documents that prove the correct information. That is the part we handle with you.
Flat fee, plus state fees
- Our fee covers preparing your paperwork: $100 for a copy request, $125 for a correction or amendment. Vital records fees are paid separately, by check or money order, to the issuing agency.
- State fees shown are current for 2026 and are set by the State of California, not by us.
- Processing times are set by the agency and are not guaranteed.
- We are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice. We prepare documents at your direction.
“An outstanding experience from start to finish. Rosa made a stressful process simple and made sure my documents were accurate and on time. They handle divorces, custody, guardianship, immigration petitions, citizenship, and even DMV paperwork. Highly recommend.”Maria PerezClient
Birth certificate questions, answered
How much do you charge for birth certificate help?
Expert Multi-Services charges a flat $100 to prepare a request for a certified copy, and $125 to prepare a correction or amendment. Vital records fees are paid separately to the issuing agency.
How much does a California birth certificate cost?
As of January 1, 2026, a certified copy of a California birth record is $31 per copy. An amendment is $26 and includes one certified copy of the amended record.
How do I get a copy of my birth certificate in San Jose?
Submit Form VS 111 with the fee to the California Department of Public Health – Vital Records, or to the county where the birth occurred. For births in Santa Clara County, the county Clerk-Recorder can also issue copies.
What is the difference between an authorized and an informational copy?
An authorized copy can be used to prove identity and is limited to the registrant and close family or legal representatives. An informational copy has the same information but cannot be used to establish identity.
Who can request an authorized copy?
The person named on the record, a parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner, plus certain attorneys, agencies, and legal representatives.
Do I need a notarized sworn statement?
Yes, for an authorized copy requested by mail. The statement is signed under penalty of perjury and must be notarized. Our notary can do that in the office during your visit.
How do I fix a misspelled name on a birth certificate?
You file an amendment form with documents that show the correct information, such as early school or medical records. The amendment is attached to the original record, which is never erased.
Can I correct the date, time, or place of birth?
Yes. Errors like these are corrected through the amendment process, with documentation supporting the correct information.
How do I add a parent to a birth certificate?
Adding or establishing a parent uses the parentage amendment form, with a certified Voluntary Declaration of Parentage or a court order establishing the parent-child relationship.
How do I change a birth certificate after a court-ordered name change?
You submit the court-order amendment form with a certified copy of the court order. The new name is reflected on the amended record.
Does an amendment erase the original record?
No. The original certificate cannot be altered. The amendment becomes part of the record, and certified copies show the original with the amendment attached.
How long after a birth is the record available?
California birth records are generally available 21 days after the date of birth.
How long does it take?
Processing times are set by the vital records agency and change during the year. Accurate paperwork and complete documents help avoid rejections that add weeks.
I was born in another state. Can you help?
We can help you complete that state’s request form, but only the state where you were born can issue the record. California agencies cannot issue out-of-state certificates.
I was born in Mexico. Can you get my birth certificate?
No. Mexican records come from Mexican authorities, usually through the Mexican consulate. We can help with the U.S. paperwork that uses your record, such as a passport application.
Do you help in Spanish?
Yes. Rosa is a native Spanish speaker and explains every form in Spanish. Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM, at 434 Blossom Hill Rd, San Jose.
Let’s get your birth record sorted
Walk-ins welcome Monday–Friday, 10 AM–6 PM, at 434 Blossom Hill Rd, San Jose. Se habla español.
Expert Multi-Services Inc. is a registered and bonded Legal Document Assistant (LDA #269, Santa Clara County). We are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice. We prepare documents at your direction. We are not affiliated with the California Department of Public Health or any county recorder.