Office of Vital Records and Statistics

Assembly Bill (AB) 1733

Fee Waiver for Homeless Person or a Homeless Child or Youth

Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 103577, each local registrar or county recorder shall, without a fee, issue a certified record of live birth to any person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or a homeless child or youth.

An affidavit must be used for the purpose of requesting a fee exempt certificate copy of a Certificate of Live Birth.

Access the Public Records Fee Waiver bill text, bill analysis or fact sheet.

When does AB 1733 take effect?

AB 1733 will take effect on and after July 1, 2015.

Does AB 1733 only apply to birth records?

Yes, AB 1733 is only for issuance of authorized live birth certificates.

Who is eligible to request a fee exempt birth certificate pursuant to AB 1733?

A homeless person or a homeless child or youth on behalf of themselves can make a request for a birth certificate, or any person lawfully entitled to request a birth certificate on behalf of a child, if the child has been verified as a homeless person or a homeless child or youth. A homeless services provider, pursuant to Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 103577(d)(3), is responsible for making the determination on who is considered homeless.

What is a “homeless services provider?”

1) A governmental or nonprofit agency receiving federal, state, or county or municipal funding to provide services to a “homeless person” or “homeless child or youth,” or that is otherwise sanctioned to provide those services by a local homeless continuum of care organization.

2) An attorney licensed to practice law in this state.

3) A local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth designated as such pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code, or a school social worker.

4) A human services provider or public social services provider funded by the State of California to provide homeless children or youth services, health services, mental or behavioral health services, substance use disorder services, or public assistance or employment services.

5) A law enforcement officer designated as a liaison to the homeless population by a local police department or sheriff’s department within the state.

This information is included on the affidavit instruction page. County offices are not responsible for making a determination on who is considered a qualified provider.

How may an applicant submit a request for processing?

The best method would be to submit in-person at a local county office and a county official may take a statement sworn under penalty of perjury (HSC Section 103526).

Can an applicant order multiple certificates?

A person applying for a certified record of live birth is entitled to only one birth record per application for each eligible person verified as a homeless person or a homeless child or youth.

For more information send us an email or phone 619-692-5733.