California, San Mateo County
Where East Palo Alto's records are kept. East Palo Alto has its own city government, police department and clerk's office; county and state offices keep its other public records.
Start here
The cards below include East Palo Alto's own offices, along with State of California offices; the San Mateo County offices are on our San Mateo County page. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
Police & jail
East Palo Alto Police Department at 141 Demeter Street works on crime suppression, problem solving and community relationships, with online reporting, an anonymous tip line and parking complaints.
Open official site East Palo Alto Police DepartmentPolice & jail
The East Palo Alto police Records Division provides incident, arrest and accident reports, requested in person, by U.S. mail or by phone depending on report type, under California privacy laws.
Open official site How to Obtain Police Reports & RecordsCity records
The East Palo Alto City Clerk at 2415 University Avenue manages elections and City Council meetings, held the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, and provides access to city public records and archives.
Open official site City ClerkCity records
East Palo Alto's NextRequest portal for California Public Records Act requests, where past requests and responsive documents can be searched online before making a new request.
Open official site Public Records Request (PRA)Property records
Oversees how California's 58 county assessors apply property tax law, audits their practices, certifies appraisers and itself assesses utility and railroad property and pipelines spanning two or more counties.
Open official site California State Board of Equalization Property Tax DepartmentState records
The Secretary of State's archives holds over 105,000 cubic feet of California government records, maps and photographs, described in its Minerva catalog, including court, legislative, land grant and family history collections.
Open official site California State Archives CollectionsCounty court
Sits in San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Rosa and San Jose and posts judges' and 341 meeting calendars, local rules, forms and guidance for people filing without an attorney.
Open official site U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of CaliforniaCounty court
Judicial Branch guide to looking up a California case: county courts keep the records, so start on the court's website or with its clerk; juvenile and adoption files are confidential.
Open official site California Courts Self Help GuideVital records
Order certified California birth, death and marriage records from the state Office of Vital Records, with forms, fees and processing times.
Open official site California Department of Public Health Vital RecordsState records
The California Department of Justice unit that helps police locate missing people and identify unknown persons; its missing persons database, searchable by name, county and description, holds a subset of reported cases.
Open official site California DOJ Missing and Unidentified Persons SectionPolice & jail
FBI San Francisco Field Office posters for wanted fugitives, kidnapped and missing persons, cyber suspects and cases where agents ask the public for information; tips can be sent through tips.fbi.gov.
Open official site FBI San Francisco Wanted and Missing PersonsPolice & jail
California Department of Justice listing of registered sex offenders that state law allows it to disclose; some registrants are left out, and registrants who use the search face a fine or jail.
Open official site California Megan's Law WebsiteFederal
Census Bureau summary of East Palo Alto city, California, with population totals, age, sex, housing and business statistics. It carries the most recent estimates only, so earlier years need other Census tools.
Open official site U.S. Census Bureau QuickFactsCity records
East Palo Alto's city site, with the city clerk and council, elections and voter registration, the municipal code, business licenses, the permit center, rent stabilization, police and public works.
Open official site City of East Palo AltoCity records
The San Mateo County Libraries branch in East Palo Alto, with its hours and location, upcoming events such as bilingual storytime and free meals, plus library cards and catalog help.
Open official site East Palo Alto LibraryPolice & jail
California Attorney General guide to records the state DOJ holds: reviewing your own criminal history, fingerprint checks for jobs, licensing, adoption or immigration, and Megan's Law data. Court records stay with superior courts.
Open official site California DOJ Public Records AccessEverything else, organized
8 more East Palo Alto sources not listed above.
Local record guide
Local profile
East Palo Alto, a place of 30,034 people, is in San Mateo County, whose county seat is Redwood City. Court and property records sit with San Mateo County, and birth and death certificates come from the State of California. East Palo Alto's own offices are in the cards above, and our San Mateo County page lists each county office.
Straight answers
Open only the answer you need.
Voter registration in California is run by the California Secretary of State and local election officials. Its site lists the registration deadline, online voter registration, polling places and the local election office for East Palo Alto.
Deeds for property in East Palo Alto are recorded by the San Mateo County Recorder, and the county office that assesses property keeps the tax values. Our San Mateo County page lists the county offices.
Certified birth and death certificates for events in California come from the state vital records office, California Department of Public Health Vital Records. Its site lists who may order a copy, the fee and how to order.
Same county
Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.