Official
Court records
California Criminal Self Service Center
How to see or get a copy of records from criminal cases.
Open official site California Criminal Self Service CenterStart here
Official California background check sources
Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
Official
Police & jail
California Sex Offenders
California Sex Offenders, with the criminal case, warrant and offender information the agency publishes.
Open official site California Sex Offenders
Official
Police & jail
California Wanted Alerts
California Wanted Alerts: Search for fugitives wanted by the California department of Corrections. The state's wanted person's online database to the public will show photo, age, physica.
Open official site California Wanted Alerts
Official
Police & jail
California Inmate Locator
California Inmate Locator, the custody facility for the county, with inmate information and visiting rules as the facility publishes them.
Open official site California Inmate Locator
Official
Police & jail
California DOJ Criminal Record Review
California residents can request a copy of their own state criminal history record from the Department of Justice through Live Scan fingerprinting and check it for accuracy. Requests for another person's record are not accepted.
Open official site California DOJ Criminal Record Review
Official
Police & jail
California Background Check System
California Background Check System, with the criminal case, warrant and offender information the agency publishes.
Open official site California Background Check System
Official
State records
California Online Driver Records Access
California Online Driver Records Access: California Driving History, on the official site of the office that keeps it.
Open official site California Online Driver Records Access
Official
State records
California Licensee Searches
California Licensee Searches, the state office that licenses professions, with licensee lookups and the disciplinary records it publishes.
Open official site California Licensee Searches
Official
Property records
California Property Records
California Property Records, the office that values property for tax, with parcel data, assessment records and appeal information.
Open official site California Property Records
Official
State records
California Search the Secretary of State
California Search the Secretary of State, the office that registers businesses, with entity and trade name searches and copies of the filings it holds.
Open official site California Search the Secretary of State
Official
Criminal history
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol patrols state highways and posts live traffic incident information statewide. Collision reports are requested from the CHP area office that handled the crash.
Open official site California Highway Patrol
Official
State agencies
California Department of Fish and Game
Fishing licenses, hunting licenses and more.
Open official site California Department of Fish and GameNothing in this category on this page.
Everything else, organized
More official California record sources
10 more California sources not listed above.
More California sources
- California Attorney GeneralCalifornia office of the attorney general.
- California Property Records by City - LoopNet.comFind and research California property record information, California property tax data, property owners, property mortgage records and recent sales on LoopNet.c
- California Birth, Marriage and Death CertificatesCalifornia Department of Public Health, Vital Records
- California Judgments Liens and Court RecordsJudicial court forms
- California Court Records Lookup - CA Court Case SearchYou can obtain court records in California by visiting the Superior Court of the county where the case was filed. You can use the Superior Court directory to fi
- California Courts: Find My CourtUse the California Judicial Branch directory to locate the correct Superior Court for your county.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of CaliforniaCourt locations, case information, rules and procedures
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Central District of CaliforniaCourt rules, forms, general orders and information
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of CaliforniaSearch case files and bankruptcy records in San Diego and Imperial counties
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of CaliforniaFiling requirements, case information, processes and procedures
Guide
How to run a background check in California
Criminal history: statewide criminal history checks come from the California Department of Justice.
Court records: case files stay with the clerk of the court that heard the case; start with the California courts.
Vital records: certified birth and death certificates come from the California Department of Public Health, Vital Records.
Licenses, businesses and property: the California Secretary of State keeps business entity filings, and professional licenses are checked with the board or agency that issued each one.
Employment, tenant, credit or insurance decisions: use a consumer reporting agency that follows the FCRA. PublicRecordCenter.com is a directory of official sources, not a consumer reporting agency; your rights are on the Background Check Help page.
Record guide
About California background check sources
At a glance
Background Checks in California
- State
- California
- Official sources
- 22
- Criminal history
- 6
- Court records
- 5
- State agencies
- 5
- Links checked
- Sep. 17, 2026
Using these background check sources
Use official government sources whenever you need certified or admissible records. Fees, response times, identity verification, and access rules can vary by agency. For employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance, or other FCRA-covered uses, verify compliance with applicable law and agency rules before relying on any search results.
PublicRecordCenter.com is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Records found through these sources may not be used for employment, tenant, credit or insurance decisions; for those use a compliant screening provider, and know your rights on the Background Check Help page.
More California records on this site: California public records, Criminal Records, Court Records, Asset Search, Vital Records, Business Background Check Questions.
Straight answers
California background check questions
Open only the answer you need.
Where do I start a California background check?
Start with the statewide source listed first on this page, California Sex Offenders, then use the court, vital records and license offices in the cards for the specific record you need. Every link goes to the agency that keeps the record.
Can I use these California records for hiring or tenant screening?
Not directly. PublicRecordCenter.com is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Employment, tenant, credit and insurance decisions require a compliant screening provider that follows the FCRA and California law.
All states
Background Checks by state
Every state page lists that state's official background check sources, each opened and verified.
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