San Diego County Public Health phones, clinics, records and local service routing
If you live in San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Oceanside, Escondido or elsewhere in the county, the local health department is County of San Diego Public Health Services, usually shortened to PHS. It operates under the County Health and Human Services Agency rather than the City of San Diego.
The right destination depends on what you need. Vaccines, birth certificates, TB testing, STI care, restaurant complaints, WIC and private medical records do not all go through the same phone number or office.
What people usually mean by “San Diego Health Department”
For local public-health services, the official agency is County of San Diego Public Health Services. The City and County health departments were consolidated decades ago, so City of San Diego residents generally use the County system for communicable-disease control, immunizations, public-health clinics, vital records and other countywide public-health programs.
Vaccination programs, disease prevention, community epidemiology, TB services, HIV/STI programs, maternal and child health, public-health preparedness, public-health nursing and vital records.
Restaurant permits, food inspections, housing sanitation, public pools and body-art permitting. Those functions are primarily handled by Environmental Health and Quality.
San Diego County uses regional Public Health Centers plus program-specific offices. The headquarters address is not automatically the right destination for vaccines, testing or certificates.
San Diego public health phone numbers and headquarters address
The current County departments directory lists Public Health Services at 619-542-4170. PHS headquarters relocated from the old Rosecrans Street complex to the County Operations Center campus at 5530 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123 in spring 2025.
That headquarters is an administrative location. If you need a vaccine, TB test, sexual-health service or another clinic service, use the appropriate Public Health Center instead of assuming you should walk into the headquarters building.
| Need | Phone / office | Use this for | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Public Health Services | 619-542-4170 | General PHS routing and public-health program direction. | Use a direct program number below when possible. |
| PHS headquarters | 5530 Overland Ave., San Diego, CA 92123 | Administrative headquarters reference. | Not a substitute for a regional clinic address. |
| Vital Records | 619-692-5733 5530 Overland Ave., Suite 170 |
Recent San Diego County birth and death certificates, burial permits and related records. | Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; certificate rules depend on record age. |
| Immunization Unit | 866-358-2966 | County immunization program information and vaccine resources. | For an actual vaccination, call a clinic first. |
| HIV/STI services | 619-293-4700 | Sexual-health clinic information, testing and program routing. | Clinic capacity and schedules vary. |
| TB program | 619-692-5565 | TB program information and provider referrals. | Regional centers provide selected TB services. |
| Food & Housing Division | 858-505-6900 5500 Overland Ave., Suite 170 |
Restaurant permits, inspections, food complaints, pools, housing and body art. | This is Environmental Health & Quality, not PHS. |
Six San Diego County Public Health Centers
County clinic services are spread across the region. That matters in a county stretching from the South Bay to Oceanside and inland to Escondido and El Cajon. Call the center before driving over because vaccination, TB and sexual-health schedules are not identical at every site.
| Region | Address | Phone | Before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 5101 Market St., Suite 2000, San Diego, CA 92114 | 619-229-5400 | Use the current Southeastern Live Well Center address rather than older University Avenue listings. |
| East | 367 N. Magnolia Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020 | 619-441-6500 | Call for the exact clinic program and service hours. |
| North Central | 5055 Ruffin Rd., San Diego, CA 92123 | 858-573-7300 | County TB Clinic services formerly associated with Rosecrans are now provided here. |
| North Coastal | 1701 Mission Ave., Suite 210, Oceanside, CA 92058 | 760-967-4401 | The County moved this center from Ocean Ranch Boulevard in 2025. |
| North Inland | 649 W. Mission Ave., Suite 2, Escondido, CA 92025 | 760-740-3000 | Useful for North Inland residents; confirm service-specific clinic hours first. |
| South | 690 Oxford St., Chula Vista, CA 91911 | 619-409-3110 | Sexual-health clinic services may use a separate clinic line and schedule. |
Vaccines, school shots and California immunization records
County Public Health Centers provide immunization services for eligible residents. County guidance specifically tells patients to call ahead to confirm hours, vaccine availability and eligibility rather than assuming every vaccine is stocked every day.
Children and adults without health insurance, and people whose insurance does not cover vaccines, are among the groups identified by the County for Public Health Center immunization services.
Take any school form, prior vaccine record, insurance information if applicable, photo ID and parent/guardian documentation for a minor. That helps clinic staff determine what is actually due.
Do not assume a County Public Health Center is a travel clinic. Some County facility pages specifically state they do not provide travel-related immunizations.
Know whether this is for school, childcare, work, a routine adult dose, flu, or another requirement.
Ask whether the vaccine is available, whether you qualify, whether an appointment is required and what documents to bring.
The California Digital Vaccine Record portal can provide a digital copy of vaccinations reported to the California Immunization Registry.
If a vaccination is missing from your digital record, work with the healthcare provider that administered it so the information can be reported correctly.
San Diego County Vital Records: current 2026 certificate fees and address
The Office of Vital Records and Statistics is at 5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 170, San Diego, CA 92123 and lists public hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 619-692-5733 before visiting if your record is older, needs a correction or involves an unusual circumstance.
| Record | 2026 fee | Which office? | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | $34 per certified copy | OVRS for San Diego County births within the last 2 years; older records route to Recorder/County Clerk. | Full name on certificate, mother’s maiden name, date of birth and valid government photo ID. |
| Death certificate | $26 per certified copy | OVRS for deaths within the last 2 years; older records route to Recorder/County Clerk. | Full name, date and place of death, ID and proof of authorization when required. |
| Marriage certificate | $19 per copy | San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, not Public Health Services. | Names on marriage record, marriage date, ID and authorization documents if applicable. |
| Hospital medical records | Provider-specific | Hospital, clinic or healthcare provider that created the record. | Patient information, dates of care, ID and provider authorization form. |
TB, HIV, STI and communicable-disease services
San Diego County provides prevention and testing services through regional centers and specialized public-health programs. The practical point is that TB testing and sexual-health clinics have their own eligibility rules, schedules and daily capacity.
County TB services prioritize high-risk people and those who cannot easily access services elsewhere. Insured patients are generally directed to their regular healthcare provider when appropriate.
The County states that registered students at UC San Diego, SDSU, CSU San Marcos and USD should use their student health service or a private provider for routine TB testing.
County sexual-health clinics provide HIV/STI-related services at selected regional centers. Arrive early and verify hours because clinics may stop accepting patients when capacity is reached.
Restaurant permits and food complaints go to a different County department
If your “health department” question is about a restaurant inspection, food permit, temporary event, public pool, body-art facility, housing sanitation or a foodborne-illness complaint, the right County office is usually the Department of Environmental Health and Quality, Food and Housing Division.
Ask about health permits, plan review, facility requirements and applicable permit fees before construction or opening.
Provide the facility name, exact location, visit date, concern, food involved and other factual details that can help staff identify the establishment.
The Food and Housing Division also regulates several non-restaurant public-health settings, so use its program pages instead of calling a vaccine clinic.
Public Health Services vs HHSA, Behavioral Health, WIC and the Recorder/Clerk
San Diego County has a large integrated health-and-social-services system. One of the easiest ways to waste time is to assume every health-related question belongs to PHS.
| Your task | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccines, TB, STI or communicable-disease program | Public Health Services / regional Public Health Center | These are core county public-health functions. |
| Birth or recent death certificate | Office of Vital Records and Statistics | OVRS handles recent San Diego County birth/death records under its current rules. |
| Older birth/death record or marriage certificate | Recorder/County Clerk | Older vital records and marriage certificates route outside PHS. |
| Restaurant inspection or food permit | Environmental Health & Quality | Food and Housing Division handles these regulatory functions. |
| Medi-Cal, CalFresh or cash assistance | HHSA Self-Sufficiency / ACCESS | Benefit eligibility and case management are not PHS clinic functions. |
| Mental-health or substance-use services | County Behavioral Health Services | Behavioral Health Services is a separate HHSA department; use 988 for crisis support. |
| Hospital chart, imaging or lab results | Your hospital or medical provider | Private medical records are not the same as County vital records. |
How to get the right San Diego County public health help
Decide whether you need a vaccine, TB service, STI testing, certificate, food permit, benefit program, WIC, medical record or another type of help.
Use Public Health Services for county public-health programs, Vital Records for recent birth/death certificates, and Environmental Health for food and facility regulation.
Ask about eligibility, appointment versus walk-in service, required ID, fees, payment methods and the exact office address.
Bring the records, forms, identification, insurance information, school documents, provider referral or facility details relevant to your task.
Clinic capacity, special closures, address changes, vaccine supply and program hours can change faster than a general directory page.
What to have ready before calling or visiting
Official San Diego County public health links
Use these government pages for final confirmation before visiting, paying a fee, submitting private information or relying on a clinic schedule.
San Diego Health Department FAQs
Is there a City of San Diego Health Department?
The local health department for San Diego is County of San Diego Public Health Services, part of HHSA. Official County history says the City and County health departments were consolidated in 1953.
What is the San Diego Health Department phone number?
The current County departments directory lists Public Health Services at 619-542-4170. For vaccines, Vital Records, TB, sexual health or Environmental Health, use the direct program number because those services use separate lines.
What is the San Diego Health Department address?
County of San Diego Public Health Services headquarters relocated to 5530 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123 in spring 2025. This is an administrative headquarters, so clinic visitors should use the correct regional Public Health Center.
Where can I get vaccines from San Diego County Public Health?
Eligible residents may receive immunization services through County Public Health Centers. Call the nearest center before visiting to confirm eligibility, vaccine supply, hours and appointment requirements.
How do I get a San Diego County birth certificate?
For a San Diego County birth within the last two years, contact the Office of Vital Records and Statistics at 5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 170, San Diego, or call 619-692-5733. The 2026 certified-copy fee is $34. Older records route to the Recorder/County Clerk.
How do I get a San Diego County death certificate?
For a death within the last two years, contact the Office of Vital Records and Statistics at 619-692-5733. The office is at 5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 170. The 2026 certified-copy fee is $26. Older records route to the Recorder/County Clerk.
Who handles restaurant permits and food complaints in San Diego County?
The Department of Environmental Health and Quality Food and Housing Division handles restaurant permits, food facility inspections, food complaints, public pools, body art and related environmental-health matters. Its Food and Housing phone is 858-505-6900.
Does San Diego County Public Health offer TB testing?
County Public Health Centers provide selected TB services for eligible and high-risk residents, with priority for people who cannot access care elsewhere. Insured residents are generally directed to their regular provider when appropriate. Call the relevant center first.
Where are San Diego County Public Health Centers?
The County operates six regional Public Health Centers: Central, East, North Central, North Coastal, North Inland and South. They are located in San Diego, El Cajon, Oceanside, Escondido and Chula Vista.
Is Department-of-Health.org the official San Diego health department website?
No. Department-of-Health.org is an independent informational guide. Use SanDiegoCounty.gov, SDARCC.gov and other linked government pages for official services, fees, forms, clinic schedules and legal notices.