Coroner's FAQ
We at the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Section extend our deepest sympathy to you during this difficult time. We hope that this information will assist you by providing answers to commonly asked questions.
The Coroner is required by state law (G.C. 27491) to investigate any sudden, violent, or unusual deaths, or other deaths that fall within the jurisdiction of the Coroner. It is the responsibility of the Coroner’s Office to establish the positive identity of the deceased, determine the date, time, circumstances, and the cause and manner of death. The Coroner’s investigation is not only limited to the examination of the deceased but may include interviews with family members and other witnesses. The collection of physical evidence and the safeguarding of personal property found at the death scene may also occur.
Select a funeral home and inform the funeral director that the death is being handled by the Coroner’s Office. Ask them to notify us as soon as possible. Our office does not select funeral homes, nor do we make arrangements. In the event someone is making arrangements for the family, the Coroner must be provided with written authorization to release the deceased, signed by the legal next-of-kin.Funeral homes in Yolo County:
• River Cities Funeral Chapel (916-371-4535)
• Woodland Funeral Chapel (530-666-4200)
• McNary’s Chapel Inc. (530-662-5411)
• Smith Funeral Home (530-795-5500)
• Yolo Funeral & Cremation (530-980-1044)
The decedent will be transported to the Coroner’s main facility located at 140 Tony Diaz Drive, Woodland, CA 95776 (530) 668-5292.
No. In many of the cases, visual identification is not required. Should it become necessary for you to come in or bring other records or x-rays, you will be contacted.
No. The Coroner’s Office has a no viewing policy. Arrangements can be made at the funeral home for viewing.
The Coroner will decide if an autopsy is necessary, however, approximately 75% of deaths we investigate do not require one. We may not perform an autopsy if the cause of death can be determined from other criteria and is of “natural causes.” If the deceased has been under the care of a physician accessing the medical history, and no suspicion of foul play exists, an autopsy may be waived.
No. Although incisions are made, they are placed so that they will not be seen and are very carefully closed after the procedure just as in surgical procedures. At all times, the decedent is treated with the utmost respect.
Generally, it should not take more than two to three days. Your funeral director will coordinate the release on your behalf.
The County is required to assess certain fees for transportation and storage. You will be asked to pay this fee by your funeral service provider.
A death certificate is issued after the examination is completed. If more extensive testing is required, an interim death certificate is issued which will allow the family to make funeral arrangements. Contact your funeral home or the Yolo County Recorder's Office
To obtain a copy of a Coroner’s report, you must submit an official request to the Yolo County Coroner’s Office. The first set of reports is provided free of charge to the next of kin.
Please complete the Coroner Report Request Form and submit it by one of the following methods:
Email: yolo.coroner@yolocounty.gov
Mail or In-Person Delivery:
Yolo County Coroner’s Office
140 Tony Diaz Drive
Woodland, CA 95776
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact the Coroner’s Office at (530) 668-5292. Staff are available 24 hours a day to assist you.
In conjunction with Sierra Donor Services and other agencies, we will try to provide information to you about tissue donation. If you are interested in donating, call Sierra Donor Services at (916) 567-1600. www.sierradonor.org
Persons who have served in the Armed Forces were honorably discharged and meet other service requirements may be entitled to a Veteran’s burial. For information contact the Veteran’s Service Office and your Funeral Director.
If the deceased or the legal next-of-kin do not have sufficient funds for burial, the alternative may be indigent cremation. The next-of-kin should contact the Yolo County Public Administrator at (530) 406-5137 to apply for the Indigent Cremation Program. To qualify, both the decedent and the next-of-kin must be indigent. Public Administrator Web Page
Any personal possessions in the custody of the Coroner may be claimed by the legal next-of-kin. To avoid any inconvenience, call the Coroner’s Office for an appointment. Sometimes personal possessions are taken into custody by other law enforcement agencies. You will need to contact those agencies to recover personal possessions in their custody. Unless there is a need to hold clothing as evidence, it will be disposed of for the safety of all persons involved. Governmental documents (driver’s licenses, passports, military identification cards) will not be released to the next-of-kin but will be returned to the issuing agency for disposition.
If the deceased left behind any pets and there is no one available to care for them, Yolo County Animal Services will be contacted, and an Animal Services Officer will respond to the residence. The pet(s) will be safely transported to the shelter until the next-of-kin can be reached. The Deputy Coroner will coordinate with Animal Services to provide any next-of-kin information. https://www.yoloshelter.org/
It is a misdemeanor to remove and/or tamper with the Coroner Seal or enter without written authorization from the Coroner’s Office.
Contact Us
Yolo County Sheriff's Office
140 Tony Diaz Drive
Woodland, CA 95776
Get Directions
Phone Numbers
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 530-666-8282
Administration: 530-668-5280
Administration Fax: 530-668-5238
Detention (Main Jail): 530-668-JAIL
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