Sacramento, California Public Records

The Superior Court handles felony criminal cases, misdemeanors, civil cases over $25,000, family law (divorce, custody, support), probate and conservatorship matters, juvenile dependency and delinquency, and small claims cases up to $10,000 ($5,000 for businesses). Additional facilities include the Carol Miller Justice Center at 501 I Street and the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse at 3341 Power Inn Road, both in Sacramento. Court records can be searched online through the Sacramento County Superior Court's case index at www.saccourt.ca.gov, which provides free access to case information including party names, case numbers, filing dates, and case status. For more detailed documents and certified copies, the court's Records Division charges fees: $15 for the first page of a certified document and $0.50 for each additional page. Copy fees for non-certified documents are $0.50 per page. California also provides statewide access to some appellate and supreme court records through the California Courts website at www.courts.ca.gov. To obtain full case files, visitors must go to the courthouse Records Division in person or submit written requests. Criminal case records may have restricted access depending on disposition and sealing orders. The court accepts requests by mail to P.O. Box 160619, Sacramento, CA 95816-0619.

The Assessor's website offers free online access to parcel searches by address, Assessor's Parcel Number (APN), or owner name, displaying assessed values, property characteristics, ownership history, tax exemptions, and assessment roll information. The office also provides a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping tool at www.saccounty.net that allows users to view parcel boundaries, zoning, and related spatial data. The Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder's Office, located at 600 8th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (phone: 916-874-6334, website: www.saccountyclerkrecorder.com), records and maintains official documents affecting real property, including deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, reconveyances, easements, and other encumbrances. The office provides free online access to recorded documents dating back to 1984 through the Official Records Search at www.saccountyclerkrecorder.com. Users can search by document type, recording date, grantor/grantee names, or book and page numbers. Copies of recorded documents can be purchased online for $2.00 per page for unofficial copies. Certified copies cost $10 for the first page and $2 for each additional page. To conduct a property search, residents can start with the Assessor's parcel search to identify the APN, then use the Clerk-Recorder's grantor/grantee index to find recorded documents. The combined resources provide comprehensive property ownership and lien history.

Technology has become increasingly important, with Intel operating a significant facility in nearby Folsom, and growing tech companies establishing operations in the region. Agriculture and food processing remain vital to the broader Sacramento County economy, with the region serving as a distribution hub for California's Central Valley agricultural products. Sacramento County government, with offices concentrated in Sacramento, is another major employer. Education is significant, with Sacramento State University (California State University, Sacramento) employing thousands and serving approximately 31,000 students. The Greater Sacramento area has emerged as a logistics and distribution center due to its strategic location between the Bay Area and the rest of Northern California. The median household income in Sacramento is approximately $68,000-$71,000, though this varies by neighborhood. Recent economic development has focused on downtown revitalization, including the Golden 1 Center arena (home of the NBA Sacramento Kings) which opened in 2016 and spurred surrounding development. The city has also seen growth in farm-to-fork dining and craft beverage industries. Sacramento's economy benefits from relative affordability compared to the Bay Area, attracting businesses and residents seeking lower costs while maintaining access to major California markets. The Port of Sacramento and proximity to major highways and rail lines support distribution and warehousing sectors.

The Sacramento Police Department, headquartered at 5770 Freeport Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95822 (phone: 916-808-5471, website: www.sacpd.org), serves the incorporated city limits of Sacramento. Residents can request police reports, incident records, and accident reports through the department's Records Unit by visiting in person, calling, or submitting requests online through the department website. Reports typically require a case number and may involve fees for copies. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, located at 711 G Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (phone: 916-874-5115, website: www.sacsheriff.com), provides law enforcement services to unincorporated areas of Sacramento County and operates the county jail facilities. The Sheriff's Office maintains its own records unit for incidents occurring in unincorporated areas and contract cities.

Arrest and jail booking records for Sacramento can be searched through the Sacramento County Main Jail inmate locator at www.sacsheriff.com/inmate_information. The online system displays current inmates housed at the Main Jail (651 I Street) and the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, showing booking photos, charges, bail amounts, booking dates, and housing locations. The system is updated regularly and provides custody status information. Under California's Public Records Act (California Government Code Sections 6250-6270), law enforcement records including arrest logs, booking records, and incident reports are generally considered public unless exempted for ongoing investigations or privacy concerns. Requests for police records should cite the Public Records Act and can be submitted in writing to the Sacramento Police Department or Sheriff's Office. Response times vary, but agencies must respond within 10 days. Fees may apply for copying and research time exceeding specific thresholds.

Applicants must complete an application form, provide valid photo identification, and demonstrate a direct relationship or legal interest in the record. Online ordering is available through VitalChek at www.vitalchek.com with additional service fees. The California Department of Public Health - Vital Records Office in Sacramento at 1501 Capitol Avenue, MS 5103, Sacramento, CA 95814 (phone: 916-445-2684, website: www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx) also issues certified copies of birth and death certificates for events occurring anywhere in California. State office fees are $31 for birth certificates and $24 for death certificates. California birth records are available from July 1905 forward, and death records from July 1905 forward. Only authorized individuals can obtain certified copies, including the registrant (for birth), immediate family members, legal representatives, or persons with a court order or legal entitlement. Marriage licenses are issued by the Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder at 600 8th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (phone: 916-874-6334). The fee for a marriage license is $87 if taking the premarital education course ($108 without the course). Confidential marriage licenses cost $97. Marriage certificates are available immediately after the ceremony, with certified copies costing $16 for the first copy and $14 for each additional. Divorce records (dissolution decrees) are maintained by the Sacramento County Superior Court, not the Clerk-Recorder, and must be requested from the court at 720 9th Street. Marriage records are public; divorce records may require proof of relationship or legal interest.

The city provides an online business license search at the Finance Department website to verify existing licenses. Renewal is required annually. Fictitious business name statements (Doing Business As - DBA) must be filed with the Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder's Office at 600 8th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (phone: 916-874-6334). The filing fee is $26 for the first business name and $5 for each additional name on the same statement. After filing, the statement must be published in a newspaper of general circulation within 30 days. The Clerk-Recorder maintains a searchable database of active fictitious business names on their website. Corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other business entities must register with the California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division (phone: 916-657-5448, website: www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs). The Secretary of State maintains a free online business search at bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov where users can look up entity status, registration dates, agent for service of process, entity addresses, and corporate officers. The database includes active, suspended, and dissolved entities. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statement searches are conducted through the California Secretary of State's UCC Division at www.sos.ca.gov/ucc. This system allows searches for liens on personal property and business assets. Commercial property tax assessments can be searched through the Sacramento County Assessor's Office at assessor.saccounty.net, which provides detailed information on business property valuations and tax obligations.

Sacramento voters are served by the Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections Office, located at 7000 65th Street, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95823 (phone: 916-875-6451, website: www.elections.saccounty.net). This office administers all federal, state, county, and municipal elections for Sacramento city residents, including voter registration, ballot preparation, vote-by-mail operations, polling place coordination, and election result certification.

California residents can register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov, the official state voter registration portal managed by the California Secretary of State. Registration deadlines are 15 days before Election Day for online and mail registration; California also offers conditional voter registration up through Election Day at county election offices and vote centers. No identification is required to register, but applicants must provide their California driver license or ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

The City of Sacramento operates under a strong-mayor form of government with a mayor and nine city council members elected from districts. Municipal elections are held in even-numbered years during the June primary and November general election. The next Sacramento mayoral election is scheduled for 2024, with city council races occurring every four years on a staggered basis. Sacramento residents can find information about local candidates, ballot measures, and campaign finance disclosures through the Sacramento City Clerk's office at www.cityofsacramento.org/Clerk/Elections.

Sacramento voters can find their assigned polling place or vote center by visiting the County Elections Office website at www.elections.saccounty.net and using the polling place lookup tool, or by calling 916-875-6451. California implemented the Voter's Choice Act in Sacramento County, providing multi-day vote centers where any county voter can cast a ballot, in addition to receiving vote-by-mail ballots automatically.

Under California law, certain election records are public. Voter registration lists (containing names, addresses, and party affiliation but not birthdates or driver license numbers) can be requested for election-related purposes. Campaign finance disclosure statements for local candidates are maintained by the Sacramento City Clerk and are searchable online. State candidate filings are available through the California Secretary of State at www.sos.ca.gov. Election results by precinct are published on the County Elections website after certification.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Sacramento County reported approximately 65-67% voter turnout of registered voters, with over 550,000 ballots cast out of approximately 850,000 registered voters. Sacramento city turnout mirrored county-wide participation rates.

On November 3, 2026, Sacramento and California voters will decide several critical races. California will hold elections for Governor (Gavin Newsom's current term expires in January 2027), statewide constitutional officers including Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Controller, Treasurer, and Insurance Commissioner, all state legislature seats (80 Assembly districts and 20 of the 40 state Senate districts), and all 52 U.S. House of Representatives seats representing California. U.S. Senate races in 2026 will not include California (both Senators Padilla and Butler have terms extending beyond 2026). Sacramento County offices on the ballot will include various judgeships, the County Assessor, and potentially Board of Supervisors seats depending on district rotation. City of Sacramento elections in 2026 will include city council seats from districts on the four-year cycle. Local ballot measures addressing taxation, development, and municipal services may also appear.

California is a universal vote-by-mail state. Every registered voter automatically receives a vote-by-mail ballot before each election. Sacramento County voters can return mail ballots by USPS (postmarked by Election Day), at official drop boxes located throughout the county (until 8 PM on Election Day), or at any vote center. To request a replacement ballot or update mailing address, contact the Sacramento County Elections Office at 916-875-6451 or visit www.elections.saccounty.net. Vote-by-mail ballots are typically mailed 29 days before Election Day.