Getting a Death Certificate in California

Pricing and Fees for Certificates

In order to initiate probate, you will need a death certificate. This can be a bureaucratic process but it is absolutely necessary for managing inheritance of allotment interests.

Where to get a death certificate:

You will need to contact the BIA office in writing where the land is located and supply the Real Estate/Probate Division with a certified copy of the death record and a request to begin a probate.

Again, contract the BIA office in the area where your land is located.

This is not necessarily the office in the part of California where you live.

The BIA has offices in:

Northern California
Central California
Southern California
Palm Springs

Each of these offices falls under the Pacific Regional office of the BIA.

A certified copy of the death record will cost $24 (as of May 20, 2025).