Getting Your Documents

If you were born in Sonoma County, click here to apply for a copy of your birth certificate online.  

The cost is normally $28, but your case manager can give you a waiver to get your certificate for free. 

You may also print out an application.

You can bring your application and waiver to the office at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103 in Santa Rosa. Check here for the hours the Recorder's office is open. 

You can  also mail your application and waiver. All applications by mail must be notarized.

If you were born in another county, google  that county's name along with "recorder's office" and you should be able to find county-specific information about getting your birth certificate. A waiver from a COTS case manager will ensure free processing in any California county. 

Along with California, many other states provide fee waivers or fee reductions for homeless people to obtain their vital documents.  These include Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.  It's not a sure thing that you'll be able to obtain a free copy if you no longer live in your birth state, but you can ask your case manager  or the client enrichment services manager to collaborate with a homeless agency in your birth state.

You may also use VitalChek to obtain your birth certificate. Prices vary per state.  Tip about using VitalChek: in order to verify your identity, the online application will ask you a series of questions about your past addresses and your past school, financial and work history. Take a few minutes before you start the process to remember previous addresses and credit accounts. Sometimes it's helpful to obtain a credit report, which lists previous addresses and accounts. You can also call family members or friends with whom you lived to verify addresses.

You can start the process online here and then visit the DMV. In order to start the process online, you will need to create an account with the DMV or with ID.Me.

Click here for for a full description of the documentation you need to provide and the steps you need to take to get your DMV documents .

If you have lost your social security card, you may be able to obtain a replacement online. Click here for more information. If you cannot meet the requirements to obtain your card online, you can also find a printable application on the site which you can mail. 

If you do need to mail your application, we recommend you talk with your case manager about getting a copy of your Social Security card. 

You can also drop by Red Tape Club (T/Th, 10 to 2; W/F, 3 to 5) to get an appointment at Social Security to drop off your application. If you prefer to make an appointment on your own, you can call Social Security office at 877-870-6384 to make an appointment. 

Click here to learn how to obtain your military records.

Your case manager may be able to speed the process. 

If you were married in Sonoma County, click here for an application to get  a copy of your marriage certificate. 

If you were married in another California county, you can visit the California Department of Public Health to obtain an application for records. The application includes mailing addresses for the Recorder's Office for each California County. 

There is a $15 fee to obtain a copy of your marriage certificate. 

If you were married in another state, you can easily obtain a copy of your certificate through VitalChek. Costs vary by state.

To obtain records of your Sonoma County divorce, you can go through the Family Law Division of the Sonoma County Superior Court. 

If you divorced in another county, contact the Superior Court of that county.

For any record of divorce in the United States or its territories, you may use Vital Chek.  Costs vary by state.