Before shipping a decedent’s remains to foreign country, a mortuary or designated relative of the decedent needs to obtain a certified Port of Entry letter from the local health department. The Custodian of Records is the office within the Department of Public Health that processes requests for Port of Entry letters. The letter certifies that the remains to be shipped are free from communicable disease. Please note, where the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s cause of death determination is deferred, a mortuary/designated relative must first obtain a Deferral Letter with an original signature from Department of Medical-Examiner-Coroner and the original death certificate prior to requesting a Port of Entry letter.
The County of Los Angeles Custodian of Records will not process or provide letters for decedent cases that remain under investigation by the County Medical Examiner-Coroner or for decedent cases within the jurisdiction of the City of Long Beach and City of Pasadena Public Health departments.
To request a Body
Shipment/Port of Entry Letter,
click here
