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RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹BRANCHā€‹ā€‹

Request Vital Records Data

Vital Records Data Applications and Dictionaries

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ā€‹ā€‹Update  Due to significant staff reduction, please anticipate increased application processing times and delays in email responses. We apologize for any inconvenieā€‹nce this may cause.
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To conformā€‹ with productionā€Æstaff salaries, the current rate for custom file production is $87/hour. This rate isā€Ære-evaluated each fiscal year and notification will be sent out by Listservā€Æin the event of any change.ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ Following our recent review, an updated rate will take effect May 1, 2025, with a notification to be sent out shortly.ā€‹

Califā€‹ornia Department of Public Health ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹Vital Statistics Applications Submission System

The Califā€‹ornia Department of Public Health ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹Vital Statistics Applications (CDPH VSA) ā€‹allows requesters to submit online vital statistics applications for:

CDPH VSA provides requesters access to all previously submitted applications. This allows requesters to review all associated forms and documents, and determine the status of submitted applications and studies. Personnel listed on the application will  have access to the associated study within CDPH VSA.

Once registered within CDPH VSA, requestors are encouraged to review theā€‹ Vital Statistics Applications GridVital Statistics Application Fā€‹AQ and Data Product Guidance Tool to determine the most suitable application and data products for their research purposes.ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ For information on pricing, see the Vital Records Data Fees Cost Modelā€‹ webpage.

ā€‹Vital Statistics Applications

Anti-Fraud - Birth

  • Contains the following variables:
    • Firstā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth,  Place of Birth, and Motherā€™s Maiden Name
  • Apply via CDPH VSA

ā€‹Anti-Fraud - Deathā€‹

  • Contains the following variables:
    • First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Place of Death, Date of Death, Motherā€™s Maiden Name, Social Security Number, and Fatherā€™s Last Name
  • Apply via CDPH VSA

ā€‹ Public Use - Birth

  • Contains the following variables:

    • First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, and Place of Birth

  • Apply via CDPH VSAā€‹ā€‹ā€‹

ā€‹Public Use - Death

  • Contains the following variables: 
    • First, Middle, and Last Name, Sex, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Place of Death, Date of Death, and Fatherā€™s Last Name
  • Apply via CDPH VSA

ā€‹Public Use - Marriage

  • Contains the following variables: 
    • ā€‹Date of Marriage, Last Name of Groom, First Name of Groom, Middle Initial of Groom, Last Name of Bride, First Name of Bride, Middle Initial of Bride
  • Apply via CDPH VSA

Neā€‹w Research Projects

ā€‹For use by scientific researchers
ā€‹ ā€‹ā€‹Continuing Projects 

For changes to any existing application

  • Aā€‹ccess CDPH VSA  and complete a Continuing Application Form
ā€‹California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI)

HCAI Data can be found for non-CDPH requestors at HCAIā€™s website. This application is only to be used by external, non-CDPH applicants. CDPH programs are not permitted to submit for HCAI (formerly OSHPD) data via this application. Please refer to the BUCP instructions if you are a CDPH program requesting HCAI data. 

ā€‹Business Use Case Proposal (BUCP)

For California State governmental agencies.

  • If you are interested in vital statistics data please email HIRS@cdph.ca.gov to set up a meeting with CDPH Research and Analytics Branch (RAB). RAB staff will walk through with you the BUCP application process and BUCP-template expectations. ā€‹

Local Health Departments (LHD)

For use by California Local Health Departments

ā€‹ California Cancer Registry (CCR)

Researchers may apply to receive death record data linked to the CCR.

  • Once CCR has supplied project authorizations, access CDPH VSA to submit your application for VSAC approval.
ā€‹Tabulated Data

For custom tabulated, de-identified vital records data (e.g. counts of birth or death in California)

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Vital Statistiā€‹ā€‹cs Applications Grid

Requestor/
Organizā€‹aā€‹tion

Research

ā€‹Government
(non-research)

Public Use

Anti-fraudā€‹

CDPH Program (BUCP)

Local Health Department

California Cancer Registry (CCR)

Tabular

Researchers

Yes

 

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Yes

ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹Student with sponsor

Yes

 

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Yes

Universities

Yes

 

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Yes

Government Agency

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Yes

Media

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

Yes

Public

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

Yes

Law Enforcement

 

 

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Fraud Prevention Agencies

 

 

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies

 

 

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

Officers of the Court

 

 

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Yes

School District

Yes

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

Yes

Local Health Department

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

Yes

 

Yes

Other CDPH programs

Yes

 

Yes

 

Yes

 

Yes

Yes

Mortuaries/Funeral Homes

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

Yesā€‹

For information regarding the availability of data and the data request process, see the ā€‹ā€‹Vital Statistics Request Guide (PDF).

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Data Dictionarā€‹ies

Note: Please refer to the data source comparison charts posted on Data and Limitations for updated year availability and detailed data source descriptions.ā€‹ā€‹

ā€‹Bā€‹irthā€‹

Birth Cohort

Death

Fetal Death

ā€‹ā€‹Multiple Causes of Death (MCOD)ā€‹

  • ā€‹MCOD Layouts are provided by CDC and can be accessed through the CDC website.

All data dictionaries should beā€‹ filled out completely and all variables justified.

Please contact Health Information and Research Section (HIRS) for assistance if the requested Data Dictionary is not available. HIRS is currently working on updating all of the Data Dictionaries and appreciates your patience during this transition. ā€‹ā€‹

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Contact Informā€‹ā€‹ation

ā€‹Please contact the Health Information and Research Section (HIRSā€‹) at HIRS@cdph.ca.gov for more information related to data.

ā€‹Go to the CHSI Main Pageā€‹ā€‹

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