Direct answer and scope
The monthly dataset answers a dated question: what administrative license records and displayed statuses appeared in the identified public files. For the snapshot obtained August 25, 2026, the source files were updated August 1, 2026. The Funeral_Data00.xls file contained 6,137 records, and the Cemetery_Data00.xls file contained 6,688 records. Those totals describe records in the two archived files; they do not describe a current subset or establish that every record remained unchanged after the file update date.
The files provide administrative fields rather than consumer evaluations. A displayed status must be read as the status contained in the source record, not as evidence about service availability, ownership relationships or the quality of services. A public address of record likewise remains an administrative field and does not establish that services are delivered at that address.
The snapshot has deliberately bounded coverage. It can support statements tied to its date, source files and documented fields. It cannot establish what a license search displays at a later time, and it does not by itself show relationships among separately licensed entities.
How to use the supplied evidence
Use the snapshot for reproducible, date-specific reporting. The archived Funeral_Data00.xls file is identified by the SHA-256 checksum 62f35460f34dd8748672f889839c03dde187891922d0837f08b615b4bcf3be50. The archived Cemetery_Data00.xls file is identified by the SHA-256 checksum 20b784291214b01de0670e242d36971c050b5a0be481f87dcce8f900a0ce47a4. These checksums identify the exact archived file bytes used to derive normalized records. They do not establish that every source record was current, active, complete or correct after August 1, 2026.
Keep the snapshot-obtained date and file-updated date attached to different events. August 25, 2026 is when the fixed snapshot was obtained. August 1, 2026 is the update date attached to the DCA files. Recording both dates preserves the provenance of the snapshot without representing collection on August 25 as a source-data refresh.
When reporting a matched entity from a current DCA search, retain the exact license type, license number, displayed status, official source reference and verification date. Confirm each involved entity separately. A same-name search result is not a confirmed match unless its license number and license type identify the intended entity.
Decision framework
Start by identifying the question the evidence must answer. Use the August snapshot when the question concerns the contents of the files updated August 1, their documented administrative fields, their record totals or the fixed file bytes represented by their checksums. Describe any status as the status displayed in that dated record.
Use the current DCA lookup when the question concerns license information displayed at the time of verification or available disciplinary and public documents. Record the verification date because status can change. If multiple businesses, professionals or facilities are involved, search and document each separately rather than treating one record as evidence for another.
Use all-status control totals only for reconciliation within the identified snapshot. The raw totals are 1,127 Funeral Director Establishment records, 238 Crematory records, 266 Cremated Remains Disposer records, 711 Crematory Manager records and 4 Alkaline Hydrolysis Facility records. These figures include all license statuses. An active subset would require exact normalized status filtering, together with disclosure of the filtering criteria and coverage.
Do not combine unlike measures. A record total is not a count of unique businesses, and neither measure supplies a count of consumer-facing providers or services currently offered. A manager record also remains separate from a facility record, while records sharing a name or address do not by themselves establish an ownership or operating relationship.
Limits and what to verify next
Before relying on current status, check the DCA lookup and capture the exact license type, license number, displayed status and verification date for the matched entity. Review the available disciplinary or public documents associated with the relevant record, and repeat the check for every separately involved entity.
Treat unresolved identity questions as unresolved. A matching or similar name without the corresponding license number and type does not confirm identity. Likewise, the absence of a result from one search does not establish the broader record history of a person or organization.
Keep administrative status distinct from other questions. The public dataset does not supply ratings, quality findings or current service availability. Its fields also do not establish ownership links or relationships among separately licensed entities. Payment cannot alter the DCA source record or an editorial status filter derived from that record.
Current requirements and official records should be verified directly with the relevant California authority. The monthly snapshot remains a dated evidence source even when a later lookup supplies newer information.
Evidence behind this page
Each point below is restricted to what the cited primary source supports. Administrative listing status is not a quality endorsement.
| Evidence | Supported point | Scope and limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence 1 | Report the exact DCA license type, number, displayed status, source URL, and verification date for each matched entity. | Status can change, a same-name result is not a confirmed match without the number and type, and absence from one search is not proof of a clean record. |
| Evidence 2 | Describe the DCA files as monthly refreshed public-disclosure license records and use the documented license type, license number, individual or organization indicator, public address of record, expiration date, and license status fields. | The dataset is monthly rather than real-time; a public address of record is not proof of a service location, and the fields do not establish service availability, quality, ownership links, or relationships among separately licensed entities. |
| Evidence 3 | Disclose the exact snapshot date, DCA file update date, filenames, record totals, and checksums as provenance for normalized records derived from this snapshot. | This is an immutable snapshot rather than a live DCA view; checksums identify the archived file bytes but do not prove that every source record is current, active, complete, or correct after 2026-08-01. |
| Evidence 4 | Report these five values only as raw control totals across all license statuses for the identified 2026-08-25 snapshot of files updated 2026-08-01. | These are not active counts, unique business counts, consumer-facing provider counts, service-availability counts, or proof of relationships; any active subset requires exact normalized status filtering with the criteria and coverage disclosed. |
| Evidence 5 | Keep paid placement separate from DCA-derived directory status and explain that payment cannot change the source record or editorial status filter. | Do not turn a displayed Active status into a quality badge or imply that DCA approved an advertiser. |
Questions people ask
How often does DCA say its public information files are refreshed?
DCA describes the public information files as being refreshed automatically at the beginning of each month. They are monthly public-disclosure license records rather than a real-time source.
What update date was attached to the validated August 2026 snapshot?
The snapshot obtained on August 25, 2026 used DCA files updated August 1, 2026. The update date applies to both identified source files in that snapshot.
Why are the snapshot-obtained date and file-updated date separate?
They document different events. August 25, 2026 records when the immutable snapshot was obtained, while August 1, 2026 records the update date attached to the DCA files. Keeping them separate avoids treating the collection date as a source-file refresh.
Do all-status control totals equal active facilities available to consumers?
No. The five control totals count raw records across all license statuses in the identified snapshot. They are not active counts, unique business counts, consumer-facing provider counts or service-availability counts. Producing an active subset requires exact normalized status filtering with the criteria and coverage disclosed.
Why should a current DCA lookup be kept separate from the monthly snapshot?
The snapshot is a fixed copy of monthly files and preserves what those files contained at their stated update date. A current DCA lookup is the separate source for license information displayed on the verification date and for available disciplinary or public documents. Status may change after the monthly file update.
When does a current-status result remain unresolved?
It remains unresolved when the intended entity cannot be confirmed through the exact license number and license type, when separately involved entities have not each been checked, or when the needed current status has not been verified and dated. A same-name result alone does not confirm a match, and one unsuccessful search does not establish a broader record conclusion.
Primary sources
- California Department of Consumer Affairs — Advanced License Search Verified 2026-08-25
- California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau — Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases Verified 2026-08-25
- California Department of Consumer Affairs — Public Information Licensee Lists Overview and Record Layout Verified 2026-08-25
- California Department of Consumer Affairs — Public Information Dataset Box Folder Verified 2026-08-25