Search Alpine County Genealogy Records

Alpine County genealogy records document family history in California's smallest county by population. The Alpine County Assessor-Recorder office in Markleeville maintains birth, death, and marriage certificates for events that occurred within county boundaries. You can now purchase these vital records online through the county portal, though an additional fee applies. Mail and in person requests remain available for genealogy researchers who prefer those methods. Certificates typically mail within two business days from receipt of your application. The office recommends calling 530-694-2283 before ordering to verify that your record is on file, which saves time and money if the event occurred elsewhere.

Alpine County Vital Records Office

The Alpine County Assessor-Recorder handles all genealogy record requests. The office is located at 99 Water Street in Markleeville, behind the court house. Mailing address is PO Box 155, Markleeville, CA 96120. Phone 530-694-2283 for questions about records availability and ordering procedures.

Recording hours run Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. General office hours extend from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the same lunch break. The office closes on county holidays. Donald O'Connor serves as the current recorder. Contact Jeanette Millar via email at jmillar@alpinecountyca.gov for assistance with vital records requests.

Alpine County only provides birth and death certificates if the event occurred within county boundaries. They cannot access records from other counties. Marriage certificates are available if issued in Alpine County. For confidential marriage records, contact the County Clerk directly rather than using the standard vital records process.

Order Alpine County Records Online

Birth, death, and non confidential marriage certificates can now be purchased through the Alpine County online vital records portal. An additional non refundable five dollar service and credit card processing fee applies to all online orders. The system also charges a thirty five cent Vital Verify fee for delivery orders.

Requests process between Monday and Friday during office hours. Shipping uses the United States Postal Service. Allow seven to ten business days for delivery after approval. Certificates for new births take up to two weeks to become available in the system. Do not order immediately after an event occurs.

If no record is found, the search fee is retained as required by law. You receive a Certificate of No Public Record instead of the document you requested. This confirms that Alpine County has no record matching the information provided.

Alpine County Genealogy Records Fees

Birth certificates cost thirty one dollars per copy. Death records run twenty six dollars. Marriage certificates are nineteen dollars. These fees match the standard California rates effective January 2026. The county accepts payment by check, money order, cash, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. Personal checks are fine for mail orders.

Online orders carry the additional five dollar processing fee plus the Vital Verify charge. Mail requests avoid these extra costs but take longer to process. In person visits allow immediate pickup if the record is readily available. Choose your ordering method based on urgency and budget.

Genealogy researchers can request informational copies without notarized statements. These cost the same as certified copies but display a legend stating they cannot establish identity. Informational copies work perfectly for family history research and avoid the hassle of notarization.

Who Can Request Alpine County Vital Records

California law defines authorized persons who may receive certified copies of vital records. The registrant qualifies. So do parents and legal guardians. Children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, spouses, and domestic partners count as authorized. Attorneys representing the registrant or their estate can also request records. Law enforcement and government agencies may access records for official business.

Court orders allow parties entitled to receive records. Licensed adoption agencies seeking birth records to comply with Family Code requirements qualify. Anyone not fitting these categories receives an informational copy instead of a certified copy for identity purposes.

For genealogy work, most researchers are not authorized persons under the strict definition. This does not block access. You simply get an informational copy which contains all the same data. The legend stating it cannot establish identity does not matter for tracing family trees. Informational copies also skip the notarization requirement, making them easier to order by mail.

Alpine County History and Records

Alpine County formed in 1864 during the mining boom era. It remains California's least populous county with just over one thousand residents. The small population means fewer records overall compared to urban counties. Many early residents were miners and their families who moved frequently between camps and towns.

Vital records from the 1800s may be sparse or missing entirely. California did not require registration of births and deaths until 1915. Some events were recorded voluntarily after 1905 when the state began accepting filings, but compliance remained low until the law changed. Church records, cemetery records, and historical society files sometimes provide information when official records do not exist.

The county seat in Markleeville has been stable since the 1860s. Records kept there have survived better than in counties that moved their seats or suffered fires. The mountainous terrain and harsh winters limited population growth, which ironically helped preserve the small number of records that do exist. Less traffic through the courthouse meant less wear on old books and files.

Note: Alpine County borders Nevada, so verify that events occurred on the California side before ordering records.

Tips for Alpine County Genealogy Research

Always call ahead before ordering. The office staff can check if a record exists. This saves money on search fees for records that are not on file. Provide as much detail as possible including full names, exact or approximate dates, and parents' names if known. More information helps staff locate records faster.

Consider nearby counties if you cannot find a record in Alpine. Families moved between Alpine, Mono, El Dorado, and Amador counties depending on where mining and ranching work was available. Check those counties if Alpine has no record of an ancestor you believe lived in the area.

Nevada records are separate. South Lake Tahoe sits partly in California and partly in Nevada. Verify which state an event occurred in before requesting records. Alpine County cannot provide Nevada records even if the location is very close to the border.

Nearby Counties for Genealogy Research

Alpine County shares borders with several other California counties. El Dorado County lies to the north and northwest. Amador County sits to the west. Calaveras County borders to the southwest. Mono County extends along the southern and eastern boundaries. Nevada forms the entire eastern border. Check these adjacent counties if your ancestors lived in the region but records are not in Alpine County.