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California Public Records

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State of California Most Updated Public and Criminal Records Portal

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Statewide public records directory

California Official Records, Agencies & Answers

Jump into the four biggest statewide record categories, review the refreshed California overview pulled from the live database, and open only direct government sources from the directory below.

Top topic Criminal Records Criminal history tools, sheriff links, and related justice records.
Top topic Court Records Civil, criminal, and court access resources.
Top topic Expungements Record-clearance and expungement guidance.
Top topic Inmate Search Custody, jail, and inmate lookup resources.
CA

California public records, redesigned

State of California Most Updated Public and Criminal Records Portal

Updated March 31, 2026

California takes great strides in protecting individuals' privacy, operating within enacted state laws and federal statutes, the state has imposed amongst the toughest restrictions to public records in the United States. California Department of Justice provides background checks for employers, professional certification or licenses, temporary VISA or immigration purposes and foreign adoptions or yourself only. Obtaining reco…

Official sources 90 Direct state links currently rendered on this page
Counties County coverage 58 County-level public records coverage tied to California
FAQ / Q&A 9 Live statewide answers surfaced from the database
Bonus cities 4 Standalone city record pages currently shown

About California

Open the dedicated background page for a deeper history, civic overview, and statewide public-records context beyond the agency directory.

Open about page

Explore cities & counties County links 🗺️ Local map

Move deeper into the state structure with the city directory, county access page, and location-specific record hubs without losing the statewide view.

Browse cities
✨ County picks County directory: open county access
Hub → sub pages

Explore every linked California specialty page

The hub now links directly to every live state-topic page we found for California. Use the cards below to jump straight into each specialty area.

13 sub pages linked
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Criminal Records Criminal history tools, sheriff links, and related justice records.
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Court Records Civil, criminal, and court access resources.
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Expungements Record-clearance and expungement guidance.
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Inmate Search Custody, jail, and inmate lookup resources.
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Most Wanted Wanted-person and fugitive resources.
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Police Police department and public-safety resources.
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County Sheriff County sheriff and detention access points.
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Background Checks Background screening and identity research resources.
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Asset Search Asset, ownership, and locator resources.
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DMV Driver, vehicle, and DMV resource links.
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Vital Records Birth, death, marriage, and health-record links.
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Genealogy Family-history and genealogy research tools.
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Missing Children Missing-child alerts and support resources.
Fresh database content

About California public records

This panel now uses the newer statewide heading content from the database instead of the old generic filler copy.

DB-backed content live

California takes great strides in protecting individuals' privacy, operating within enacted state laws and federal statutes, the state has imposed amongst the toughest restrictions to public records in the United States. California Department of Justice provides background checks for employers, professional certification or licenses, temporary VISA or immigration purposes and foreign adoptions or yourself only. Obtaining reco…

California, "The Golden State" obtained statehood on September 9, 1850. It is the third largest state in the country at 158,706 square miles with the largest state population. The state motto is the Greek word "Eureka" meaning "I have found it". It has appeared on the state seal since 1849. The state seal was designed by US Army Major R.S. Garnett. The seal depicts the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva with a grizzly bear and a cluster of grapes at her feet. A miner working near the Sacramento River with the Sierra Nevada peaks above. At the edge of the seal are 31 stars for the 31 states at California's time of…

State snapshot Did you know? In California, arrest searches usually work best locally first. If an arrest happened in a city, start with that city police or jail source, then check the county sheriff and county court where the booking was processed. That is why this page gives you both statewide tools and quicker city and county record links. Bonus tip: if the city search comes up thin, jump to the county sheriff and county court next—many California arrest trails become easier to follow there.
Frequently asked questions

About California public records

Clearer question cards, modern spacing, and the same live statewide answers from the database.

Q What is included in a California background check?
In California, background checks are governed by the California Public Records Act (CPRA) (California Government Code § 7920.000 - § 7931.000 (recodified January 1, 2023)). They may include criminal history, sex offender status, court filings, arrest records, and vital statistics. Agencies must respond within 10 calendar days to respond. The law is administered by California Attorney General's Office, (916) 210-6276; California State Auditor for state-agency disputes.
Q Where can I find police reports in California?
Police reports in California are public records under the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Submit your request to the agency that generated the report. Who may request: Any person - no residency requirement; however, state prison. Response deadline: 10 calendar days to respond. If access is denied, you may appeal to district or circuit court. Under the California Public Records Act (Cal. Gov. Code § 6250), most incident and accident reports become public after the investigation is closed. Requests can be submitted to the records division of the reporting agency. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) handles reports generated by state troopers; local police departments and county sheriff offices handle their own reports. Allow 5-10 business days for standard requests; fees typically range from $5-$25 per report.
Q What are the procedures to obtain California vital records, and what is included in those records with address, not URLs?
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce) in California are maintained by the state Department of Health or Vital Statistics. Standard fees: Direct cost of duplication only (no staff time charges for most requests); elect. Certified copies carry separate fee schedules. Fee waivers may be available for journalists, nonprofits, and public-interest requesters - always ask.
Q What is the school district and performance data for California?
California's performance data for school districts is gathered by the California Department of Education (CDE). This data includes statewide standardized test results, graduation rates, English learner progress, suspension rates, college and career readiness metrics, English learner reclassification rates, and MyData portal access, as well as a variety of measures related to early learning, school spending and staffing. The CDE also provides a detailed online report card for each school district which includes detailed data from the California School Dashboard, which includes statewide and district specific performance data over a range of subjects, including English learner achievement, college and career readiness, suspension rates, English learners reclassification rates, and many more.
Q What is the crime statistics for California?
California crime statistics are published by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) at oag.ca.gov and through the FBI UCR program. The CA DOJ publishes an annual Crime in California report. In 2022, California reported a violent crime rate of approximately 500 per 100,000 residents. Local data is available through the CA DOJ OpenJustice portal at openjustice.doj.ca.gov. Major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego publish live crime dashboards.
Q If I get arrested in California where would I go to jail and court? include address.
If arrested in California, you would be taken to the local county jail. Court appearances are scheduled in the county where the arrest occurred. Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), arrest records and booking information are generally public. Oversight: California Attorney General's Office, (916) 210-6276; California State Auditor for state-agency disputes. Appeals go to district or circuit court.
Q Can I find Public records in California State Library?
Yes. California state and public libraries provide access to public records databases. The California Public Records Act (CPRA) (California Government Code § 7920.000 - § 7931.000 (recodified January 1, 2023)) guarantees public access to government documents. Many libraries offer free access to LexisNexis, court records portals, and vital record indexes.
Q Where is the California State Library located?
The California State Library is located in Sacramento, California. It is located at 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. The library maintains public access to government records, historical archives, genealogy databases, and legal research tools. Under the California Public Records Act (Cal. Gov. Code § 6250), California residents may request government documents through the state library's reference services. Collections include census records, land patents, vital statistics indexes, and digitized newspapers. Most state library services are free to California residents. Contact the library by phone or visit the official CA state library website for research guides and online catalog access.
Q California State fingerprinting office
California fingerprinting services for background checks are managed by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Criminal Information & Analysis. Live Scan fingerprinting is required for most California employment and licensing purposes. Live Scan sites operate statewide at police stations, libraries, courthouses, and private vendors - find locations at oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. For federal background checks, IdentoGO operates California locations - schedule at identogo.com.
Did you know?

Some California cities have standalone record pages

Fun fact: some California cities skip the county layer entirely. They have their own public record hubs—go straight to them below.

Community

Angels

Open the local page for focused public-record links and a quicker statewide sweep into this community.

Open Angels records
Community

Coachella

Open the local page for focused public-record links and a quicker statewide sweep into this community.

Open Coachella records
Community

Fillmore

Open the local page for focused public-record links and a quicker statewide sweep into this community.

Open Fillmore records
Community

Fillmore

Open the local page for focused public-record links and a quicker statewide sweep into this community.

Open Fillmore records
Last reviewed: Mar 25, 2026 Updated: Mar 25, 2026