Start with the record source—not a generic people-search site
California criminal records are divided among 58 county Superior Courts, local police and sheriff agencies, the California Department of Justice, county jails, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the state appellate courts. There is no single public California website that lets anyone type a name and receive a person’s complete statewide criminal history.
The right search depends on whether you need a court case, your own DOJ RAP sheet, recent arrest or booking information, a state-prison record, a sex-offender registry entry, an appeal, a warrant-related record or a certified court disposition.
Which California criminal record are you trying to find?
California agencies maintain different pieces of criminal-justice information. Searching the wrong system can easily produce a false “no record” conclusion.
Criminal court case
Filed charges, case number, court events, hearings, pleas, dispositions, judgments and available public case records.
State summary criminal history
California DOJ’s fingerprint-based criminal-history record, sometimes described as a RAP sheet. An individual may request their own record.
Arrest information
Arrest date, booking date, location, charges, bail and other information made public under California law, subject to statutory safety and investigative limits.
Current local custody
County sheriff and jail systems often publish current or recent booking information.
State prison record
Information about people incarcerated in California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities.
Criminal appeal
California Court of Appeal and Supreme Court case information is maintained in a separate appellate system.
How to search California criminal court cases
California does not operate one public statewide trial-court criminal case database covering every Superior Court by defendant name.
The Judicial Council of California specifically explains that it does not maintain individual criminal case records. Trial-court records are maintained by the Superior Court where the case was filed.
Find the correct California Superior CourtIdentify the county
Criminal cases are generally searched through the Superior Court for the county where the prosecution was filed—not necessarily where the defendant currently lives.
Open that Superior Court’s official website
Use California Courts’ Find My Court tool rather than relying on an unofficial directory. Enter a California city or ZIP code when you are unsure which court serves the location.
Look for Criminal Case Search, Case Access or Court Index
Terminology differs by county. Some courts allow defendant-name searches; others emphasize case-number searches or charge a fee for a name-index search.
Review the case number and courthouse
Write down the case number and filing location. They become especially important if you need to inspect the actual criminal file or order certified copies.
Visit or contact the clerk when online access stops
California intentionally restricts ordinary remote public access to many criminal case documents. The courthouse may provide records that are not viewable from home.
Why a California criminal case may appear online without the actual documents
California’s electronic-access rules make an important distinction between case information and the underlying criminal case records.
Under California Rule of Court 2.503, courts that maintain electronic criminal records generally provide the public electronic access at the courthouse, but ordinary remote public access to criminal case records is restricted.
A Superior Court may still make certain information available remotely, such as:
- case indexes
- registers of actions
- court calendars
- basic case status
- case number
- filing date
- party / defendant information allowed by the court
- hearing information
Courts can also restrict access to records that are confidential by law or sealed by court order.
California criminal case search examples by county
Each Superior Court sets up its own public-facing search tools within California’s statewide access rules. These examples show why a statewide article cannot simply give one universal criminal-case-search link.
| County | Official access | Useful local detail |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Los Angeles Superior Court Criminal Division | Defendant-name searches are available but incur an online public-access fee. Criminal document images are not generally available online. |
| San Diego | San Diego Superior Court Online Case Search | The court index can locate case number and courthouse. Criminal documents generally require courthouse viewing or a copy request. |
| Orange | Orange County Criminal & Traffic Case Access | Online public case data is available, but the court warns that online information is not the official certified record. |
| Riverside | Riverside Superior Court Public Access | Account creation is required. Name-index searches and document downloads can carry fees. |
| Sacramento | Sacramento Superior Court Case Search | Criminal search is available by name or case number. Sacramento launched a new criminal case-management system in August 2026. |
| Alameda | Alameda Superior Court Public Portals | Public criminal case information is available online. Nonconfidential criminal documents can be requested through the court’s records portal. |
| Santa Clara | Santa Clara Criminal Case Records | Public criminal records generally require a case number for document access. The court also explains courthouse public-terminal copying options. |
| San Francisco | San Francisco Superior Court Records | The court states that criminal records are not available online; public files can be viewed through the Hall of Justice records process. |
How to read a California criminal court result
A defendant’s name appearing in an index tells you very little by itself. Open the case details and determine what actually happened.
Use the strongest identifier
Save the exact case number. It is usually more reliable than repeating a common-name search.
Allegation, not outcome
A filed felony, misdemeanor or infraction charge does not by itself show whether the person was convicted.
Read the final result
Look for dismissal, acquittal, guilty or no-contest plea, conviction, diversion or another final case outcome.
Separate conviction from punishment
Sentencing entries can include custody, probation, fines, treatment, restitution and other orders.
Follow the timeline
The register or docket can show arraignment, motions, plea activity, trial, sentencing and later relief.
Check later changes
A later dismissal, sealing order or automatic relief can change what information is publicly accessible.
How to get copies of California criminal court records
Copies must normally come from the Superior Court where the case was filed—not from the California Department of Justice.
California Courts’ current statewide self-help guidance lists the following common record-related fees:
| Service | Typical statewide court fee | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Regular court copy | $0.50 per page | For ordinary copies of records on file. |
| Certified copy | $40 per document | Certification charge is generally in addition to applicable copy charges. |
| Clerk record search taking more than 10 minutes | $15 | Can apply when staff must conduct an extended record search. |
| Comparison with original | $1 per page | Applies when the clerk compares a supplied copy with the original. |
| Exemplification | $50 | Higher-level court authentication used for certain formal purposes. |
Local procedures, delivery costs and special record fees can differ. Confirm the actual amount with the Superior Court before mailing payment.
What information helps the clerk locate the file?
- defendant’s full name
- case number
- approximate filing year
- date of birth when the court accepts it
- courthouse location
- specific document requested
- whether you need certification
- mailing/contact information
Official statewide instructions: California Courts — How to get a copy of a court record .
Older California criminal records may require courthouse or archive research
County online indexes have different start dates. A case that is absent from an internet portal can still exist in paper files, microfilm, microfiche or off-site court storage.
Examples of county-specific historical limits show why this matters:
- San Diego’s online index generally covers many case types from 1974 forward, while older records may require microfilm research.
- Sacramento states that staff criminal-record research generally covers cases from 1989 forward, with older material available through historical formats such as microfiche.
- Los Angeles publishes different online defendant-name date ranges for felony and misdemeanor cases and directs users to archives for older files.
Search California criminal appeals
A criminal case can continue after the Superior Court judgment. California maintains a separate appellate case-information system for the Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court.
The California Appellate Courts Case Information System provides public case information for Supreme Court and Court of Appeal matters.
Available appellate information can include case events and copies of opinions. The California Judicial Branch says the appellate system is updated throughout the business day.
Supreme Court of California
350 McAllister StreetSan Francisco, CA 94102-4797
Phone: 415-865-7000
Public hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Search beyond the trial court
If the Superior Court disposition was appealed, review the later appellate docket and opinion before relying on the trial-court outcome alone.
California DOJ criminal-history records: who can obtain them?
California DOJ maintains state summary criminal-history information, commonly called a Record of Arrest and Prosecution or RAP sheet.
Access is substantially more restricted than access to ordinary public court indexes.
An individual can request a copy of their own California DOJ criminal-history record to review it for accuracy and completeness.
| Requirement | Current California DOJ rule |
|---|---|
| Whose record? | Your own California DOJ criminal-history record |
| Identity method | Fingerprints required |
| California resident method | Live Scan using form BCIA 8016RR |
| DOJ processing fee | $25 |
| Additional cost | Live Scan provider rolling fee varies by location |
| Fee waiver | Qualifying California residents may request waiver of the $25 DOJ fee |
| Third-party requests | Not authorized for ordinary Record Review |
How California residents request their own DOJ RAP sheet
Download the correct Record Review Live Scan form
California residents use BCIA 8016RR. Select or enter “Record Review” as instructed by California DOJ.
Complete your personal information
Fill in the identifying details requested by DOJ before visiting the fingerprint provider.
Find a public Live Scan provider
DOJ maintains a searchable statewide list. Live Scan services may be offered by police departments, sheriff offices and approved public providers.
Bring valid photo identification
DOJ’s public Live Scan directory instructs applicants to present valid photo ID. Expired identification is not accepted by listed providers.
Pay the DOJ fee and provider rolling fee
DOJ currently charges $25 for Record Review. The fingerprint provider’s rolling fee is separate and varies by location.
Review the record carefully when received
If information appears inaccurate or incomplete, use DOJ’s formal challenge procedure described later in this guide.
Find an official fingerprint provider: California DOJ Public Live Scan Locations .
Official fee-waiver tool: California DOJ Record Review Fee Waiver .
Requesting your California criminal record from outside California
People living outside California—including people outside the United States—cannot normally use the California-resident Live Scan path for their personal Record Review.
California DOJ instructs out-of-state applicants to use manual fingerprints on an FD-258 fingerprint card together with the required DOJ application.
California DOJ Record Review & Challenge Section
California Department of JusticeBureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207
Record Review Unit: 916-227-3849
California Department of Justice headquarters
California Department of Justice
Office of the Attorney General1300 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-2919
Main phone: 916-445-9555
Do not use this map to choose a fingerprint site
The Sacramento DOJ office is shown as an agency reference point. For a personal criminal-record review, use DOJ’s official public Live Scan locator rather than assuming fingerprinting is performed at Attorney General headquarters.
California arrest records and public booking information
California summary criminal-history records are confidential, but that does not mean every piece of arrest information is confidential.
California Government Code § 7923.610 requires state and local law-enforcement agencies to make specified arrest information public, unless releasing a particular item would endanger someone’s safety or endanger an investigation.
The statutory public arrest information includes items such as:
- full name of the arrested person
- occupation
- specified physical-description information
- time and date of arrest
- time and date of booking
- location of arrest
- factual circumstances surrounding the arrest
- bail amount
- release information or custody location
- charges and specified holds
How to request California police or sheriff records
California’s Public Records Act is codified at Government Code § 7920.000 et seq. For police, sheriff and other agency-held records, identify the agency that actually created or maintains the information.
Identify the arresting or investigating agency
A city-police report should normally be requested from that police department; a sheriff booking record from the sheriff or county agency responsible for the jail.
Find the agency’s Public Records Act request page
Many California agencies provide an online portal, records email address or downloadable request form.
Describe the specific record
Include useful details such as incident date, location, report number, arrested person’s name, booking number or document type when known.
Ask for public portions if the full file is restricted
Even when investigative material is exempt, California law separately identifies categories of arrest and incident information that can be subject to disclosure.
Read the agency’s written determination
California agencies generally have 10 days to determine whether a request seeks disclosable records. Statutory extensions can apply in unusual circumstances.
California DOJ Public Records guidance: Office of the Attorney General — Public Records .
California arrest warrants and search-warrant records
Arrest warrants
California does not provide an unrestricted public statewide website containing every active arrest warrant issued by every Superior Court and local law-enforcement agency.
When you know the locality, check:
- the relevant Superior Court criminal case
- the county sheriff’s official website
- the city police department when appropriate
- the court clerk if online information is incomplete
Search warrants
Search-warrant records follow a different rule. California Penal Code § 1534 provides that search-warrant records are not open to the public while the warrant remains unexecuted and within its active period.
After an executed warrant is returned to the court—or after the applicable warrant period ends—records can become public judicial records, subject to sealing orders and protections for confidential information or informants.
California county jail and booking searches
California county jails are local systems. There is no single California county-jail roster containing every local detainee.
For recent custody, identify the county where the arrest occurred and search the official sheriff, correctional facility or county inmate-information system.
Some counties publish recent booking logs as Public Records Act data, while others use searchable current-custody databases.
California state-prison records: use CDCR CIRIS
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation replaced its older “Inmate Locator” branding with the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS).
CIRIS provides public information about people incarcerated in CDCR facilities.
Public information can include:
- name
- age
- CDCR number
- current institution
- date of admission
- county or counties of commitment
- parole-eligibility information where applicable
California Megan’s Law public registry
The California Department of Justice operates the official California Megan’s Law website .
The site uses information from the California Sex and Arson Registry and publicly displays qualifying sex-offender information as authorized by Penal Code § 290.46.
California DOJ also warns users to take extreme care with identity matching and prohibits using registry information to harass people or their families.
California juvenile criminal records are not ordinary public criminal records
California juvenile delinquency records have strong confidentiality protections.
California’s court-access rules specifically place juvenile court proceedings among the categories that are not generally available to ordinary public remote users. Access normally requires that the requester be a party, attorney or another person legally authorized to inspect the file.
California automatic record relief, sealing and dismissal
California has several mechanisms that can change how an arrest or conviction appears in public or authorized criminal-history systems.
Automatic arrest-record relief
Penal Code § 851.93 provides automatic relief for certain qualifying arrest records. California Courts notes that some arrests not resulting in conviction may already have been automatically sealed by DOJ.
Automatic conviction relief
Penal Code § 1203.425 provides automatic relief for certain qualifying conviction records. California Courts explains that some misdemeanor convictions may already have received automatic relief, depending on eligibility.
Petition to seal an arrest
For qualifying arrests that did not result in conviction, California Courts provides Form CR-409 and instructions for petitioning the court to seal arrest and related records.
Petition to dismiss a conviction
Eligible misdemeanor and felony convictions can have additional petition-based relief pathways, commonly involving Form CR-180 and the court’s order form CR-181.
Official starting point: California Courts — Clean Your Record .
How to correct an inaccurate California DOJ criminal record
California DOJ provides a formal challenge procedure when your own criminal-history record contains information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
First obtain your DOJ Record Review
DOJ requires you to receive your own criminal-history record before submitting the formal accuracy challenge.
Identify the exact disputed entry
Compare arrest, charge and disposition information with your certified court or agency documents.
Complete BCIA 8706
DOJ includes the “Claim of Alleged Inaccuracy or Incompleteness” form with a Record Review response containing criminal information.
Attach supporting documentation
Include available proof such as a certified court disposition, dismissal order or other document supporting the correction.
Mail the challenge using DOJ’s form instructions
Explain specifically why the entry is inaccurate or incomplete and keep copies of everything submitted.
California criminal records and employment background checks
Public court research is different from a consumer background report used for employment.
California’s Fair Chance Act generally prevents covered employers from asking about criminal history before making a conditional job offer, subject to statutory exceptions.
California Courts also explains that covered employers generally cannot consider certain records such as convictions that have been sealed, dismissed, expunged or otherwise statutorily eradicated.
Employers using a consumer-reporting company may also have obligations under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and other California laws.
Federal criminal records in California
California Superior Court systems do not contain federal criminal prosecutions.
Federal cases should be researched through PACER.
California contains four federal judicial districts:
Northern District
Federal cases from the Northern District of California.
Eastern District
Federal cases from the Eastern District of California.
Central District
Federal cases from the Central District of California.
Southern District
Federal cases from the Southern District of California.
If you do not know the federal district, use the PACER Case Locator. Federal inmates should be searched separately through the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
California criminal-record search tips that save time
Find the county first
California trial-court records are county-based. There is no universal public statewide defendant-name portal.
Save the case number
Once found, a case number is usually the fastest route to courthouse records and copy requests.
Expect remote limits
Seeing a case index online does not mean the public can download the underlying criminal filings.
Recent arrest? Search local
Police, sheriff and county-jail sources can be more useful than DOJ for very recent custody information.
Do not order someone else’s RAP sheet
California DOJ Record Review is for the subject’s own record, not an unrestricted third-party lookup.
Look for later relief
Dismissal, sealing or automatic record relief can change how older case information should be interpreted.
Search appeals separately
A Superior Court judgment may have been reviewed or changed by the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court.
Older case? Ask about archives
Online index date ranges differ by county. Microfilm, off-site storage or archives may be required.
Verify identity carefully
Common-name matches can be wrong. Compare lawful identifiers and the actual court file whenever possible.
California criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Is there a statewide California criminal court case search?
California does not provide one public statewide trial-court defendant-name search covering all 58 Superior Courts. Use California Courts’ Find My Court tool to identify the county Superior Court and then use that court’s official criminal case-search system.
2. Can I look up someone else’s California DOJ criminal history?
Not through the ordinary DOJ Record Review process. California DOJ states that an individual may request their own criminal-history record for review, while third-party personal Record Review requests are not authorized.
3. How much does a California DOJ Record Review cost?
California DOJ currently charges a $25 processing fee. California residents using Live Scan will also pay the fingerprint provider’s rolling fee. Qualifying California residents may apply to waive the $25 DOJ fee, but the provider rolling fee still applies.
4. Why can I see a California criminal case online but not its documents?
California Rule of Court 2.503 limits ordinary remote public access to criminal case records. Courts may publish indexes, calendars, registers of actions and basic case information online while requiring the public to visit the courthouse to inspect other criminal records.
5. Are California arrest records public?
California Government Code § 7923.610 requires law-enforcement agencies to make specified arrest information public, subject to safety and investigative exceptions. Public arrest information is different from a complete California DOJ summary criminal-history record.
6. How do I find someone in a California state prison?
Use the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS). For someone in county-jail custody, use the appropriate county sheriff or jail search instead.
7. How do I get a certified California criminal court record?
Contact the Superior Court where the case was filed. California Courts currently lists a general $40 court certification fee per document plus applicable copying charges, although local procedures and special fees can vary.
8. Why can’t I find an old California criminal case online?
County online systems have different historical cutoff dates. Older records may exist only in paper files, microfilm, microfiche, off-site storage or archives. Contact the criminal clerk for the county where the case was filed.
9. Can a California criminal record be sealed or dismissed?
Yes. California has automatic and petition-based relief pathways for qualifying arrests and convictions, including provisions under Penal Code §§ 851.93 and 1203.425 and court petition procedures. Eligibility and legal effects depend on the individual record.
10. Do California criminal court searches include federal cases?
No. Federal prosecutions are separate from California Superior Court records. Use PACER for federal court cases and the Federal Bureau of Prisons search for federal inmate information.
Official California sources used for this guide
Search portals, fees and record-access rules can change. Verify information with the government agency or court maintaining the original record before relying on it for an important purpose.
- Judicial Branch of California — Find My Court
- California Courts — How to Look Up a Court Case
- California Courts — Viewing Electronic Court Case Records
- California Rule of Court 2.503 — Public Electronic Court Record Access
- California Courts — How to Get a Copy of a Court Record
- California Appellate Courts Case Information
- Supreme Court of California — Case Information
- California DOJ — Request Your Own Criminal Record
- California DOJ — Record Review Fee Waiver
- California DOJ — Public Live Scan Locations
- California DOJ — Record Review FAQ and Challenge Information
- California DOJ — Public Records Act Guidance
- California Government Code § 7923.610 — Public Arrest Information
- California Courts — Clean Your Record
- California DOJ — Automatic Record Relief
- CDCR — California Incarcerated Records and Information Search
- California DOJ — Megan’s Law Website
- PACER — Federal Court Case Search