Search the Correct California Criminal-Record System the First Time
California does not operate one public database where anyone can type a name and retrieve a complete statewide arrest history. A recent booking, police report, court case, DOJ fingerprint record and state-prison record are separate.
This guide explains which record answers each question, what California law makes public, how to request reports, how to obtain your own DOJ record, why criminal court documents may require courthouse access and what to do when a record is inaccurate or eligible for relief.
No single complete name-search portal.
Search the county sheriff or corrections department.
$25 plus fingerprint rolling fee.
58 separate county Superior Courts.
Usually 10 days; limited extension possible.
Choose the record based on the answer you need
Search the official inmate locator for the county where the person was arrested or booked.
Usually shows: custody, booking date, facility, charges, bail and release information.
Request the arrest report, incident report, probable-cause narrative or releasable supplements.
Usually shows: event narrative, arrest location, officer observations and report number.
Search the criminal case index and docket in the county where prosecution was filed.
Usually shows: formal charges, hearings, warrants, pleas, orders and disposition.
Request your own fingerprint-based Record Review. The DOJ does not provide another person’s statewide RAP sheet to the general public.
Use the CDCR inmate locator after county custody ends and the person enters California state-prison custody.
How to find someone recently arrested in California
Find the correct California county without guessing
| Known information | How to identify the county | Correct first search |
|---|---|---|
| Arresting police department | Identify the county where that city is located. | City holding information, then county jail. |
| California Highway Patrol arrest | Use the county of the traffic stop or collision. | County jail and county Superior Court. |
| Court case number | Check the court abbreviation or paperwork heading. | That county’s Superior Court portal. |
| Booking or jail number | Use the agency shown on the booking paperwork or receipt. | The issuing county’s inmate locator. |
| Only the person’s name | List likely arrest counties based on the event, employer, vehicle stop or known location. | Search likely counties one at a time. |
| State-prison location | County is no longer the primary custody locator. | CDCR inmate locator. |
What California jail and arrest fields mean
| Field | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking number | A specific county jail intake. | It does not show the final court outcome. | Use for jail, bail, visit and property questions. |
| CII number | A California criminal-history identifier assigned within the state system. | It is not a court case number. | Use when reviewing or correcting the person’s DOJ record. |
| Arrest date | When law enforcement made the arrest. | It may differ from booking or filing dates. | Use to separate multiple events involving the same name. |
| Booking date | When the county processed the person into custody. | It is not necessarily the incident time. | Compare it with the arrest report and court filing. |
| Arresting agency | The agency responsible for the arrest. | It may not operate the jail or maintain the court case. | Request the incident report from this agency. |
| Agency case number | The police or sheriff incident report. | It is not always the criminal court case number. | Include it in the records request. |
| Charge | The alleged offense recorded during arrest or booking. | It does not establish guilt and can be amended. | Check the filed complaint or information. |
| Bail | The currently recorded bail for a charge or case. | Paying one amount may not resolve another hold. | Confirm every charge and warrant before paying. |
| Release date | When the custody event ended. | Release does not mean dismissal or acquittal. | Search the criminal case for continuing obligations. |
| Disposition | The legal result recorded by the court or DOJ. | A brief code may not explain every count. | Obtain the final order or certified disposition. |
No California arrest or inmate result found?
Information an arresting agency generally must make public
Government Code section 7923.610 requires a California state or local law-enforcement agency to make specified arrest information public unless disclosure of a particular item would endanger a person or the successful completion of an investigation or related investigation.
How to request a California arrest or incident report
Why information may be withheld or redacted
Disclosure may be limited when it would endanger a person or interfere with an investigation.
Victim, witness, juvenile, medical and confidential identifying information may be removed.
The receiving office may direct the requester to the agency that created or maintains it.
California public-record response times and allowable costs
| Issue | California rule | What it means for the requester |
|---|---|---|
| Initial determination | Generally within 10 days after receipt. | The agency decides whether it possesses disclosable responsive records. |
| Unusual-circumstance extension | Written extension of no more than 14 additional days. | The notice should explain the reason and expected determination date. |
| Production date | Records must be made promptly available. | The 10-day period is not an automatic deadline for final production. |
| Paper or ordinary copy | Direct duplication cost or another statutory fee. | Rates vary by agency and record type. |
| Electronic copy | Direct cost of producing the electronic copy. | Ask for the record in its existing electronic format. |
| Data extraction or programming | Requester may bear compilation, extraction and programming costs. | Avoid requesting a custom database that does not already exist. |
| In-person inspection | Inspection of disclosable records is generally available without copy fees. | A requester may use non-contact personal equipment subject to safeguards. |
How to search the criminal case after an arrest
Each of California’s 58 counties has its own Superior Court. There is no single statewide trial-court criminal case search that replaces each county’s portal and courthouse.
| Term | Plain-language meaning | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed | Formal criminal allegations were filed. | Every count and later amendment. |
| Arraignment | The defendant is advised of charges and enters or schedules a plea. | Plea, release conditions and next date. |
| Pending | The case has not reached a final result. | Newest docket entry and next hearing. |
| Dismissed | The court dismissed a charge or case. | Whether all counts were dismissed. |
| Convicted | A conviction resulted from a plea or verdict. | Exact count, level, judgment and sentence. |
| Diversion | The case entered an authorized diversion process. | Completion status and resulting dismissal or other outcome. |
| Bench warrant | A judge issued a warrant, often connected with a missed appearance or order. | Current warrant status with the court or law enforcement. |
| Closed | The case is no longer active in the court system. | The actual final order; “closed” does not explain the result. |
Why California criminal court documents may not appear online
Courts maintaining electronic records must provide electronic access to indexes, calendars and registers of actions when feasible.
Public electronic access to criminal case documents is generally provided at the courthouse rather than remotely over the internet.
Counties use different portals, courthouse terminals, vendor systems, appointment rules and copy-order procedures.
Electronic-access charges
A California court may charge fees covering the cost of providing public electronic access. If access is available only through a vendor, the court must ensure that the vendor’s fees are reasonable.
How to obtain your own California DOJ criminal history
A fingerprint-based copy of your California state summary criminal history maintained by DOJ.
$25, plus the separate fingerprint rolling fee charged by the Live Scan provider.
The personal Record Review cannot be used for visa, immigration or foreign-nation transactions.
What may appear in the record
Live Scan Record Review instructions
Manual fingerprint-card Record Review instructions
Use form BCIA 8705, Application to Obtain Copy of State Summary Criminal History Record.
Use an FD-258 manual fingerprint card completed through a local law-enforcement agency or qualified fingerprint provider.
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207
Blank fingerprint-card assistance: 916-227-3849
Who may qualify for the California DOJ fee waiver?
The waiver applies to the $25 DOJ Record Review processing fee for eligible California residents. It does not eliminate the fingerprint provider’s rolling fee.
Examples listed by DOJ include CalFresh, Food Stamps, Medi-Cal and Disability.
Eligibility may be based on income for the applicant’s area and household size.
A California resident with no income may qualify.
How to correct an inaccurate California criminal record
| Incorrect information | Office to contact | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Current custody or booking field | County sheriff or corrections department | Photo ID, booking number and documentation of the mismatch. |
| Arrest narrative or agency charge | Arresting police or sheriff agency | Agency case number, court order and supporting records. |
| Court docket or disposition | County Superior Court clerk | Case number and filed judgment, dismissal or correction order. |
| California DOJ state summary | DOJ Record Review & Challenge Section | BCIA 8706, DOJ record copy and corroborating proof. |
| Commercial background report | The background reporting company | Correct official record and written dispute. |
DOJ challenge process
When to switch from the county search to CDCR
- Arrest happened recently
- Person is awaiting arraignment or trial
- Person is posting bail
- Person is serving a county-jail sentence
- Transfer has not been confirmed
- Person received a state-prison sentence
- County confirms transfer to CDCR
- A CDCR number is available
- Person is housed at a California state prison
- Parole information is connected with CDCR custody
California Fair Chance Act protections
Before a conditional job offer
California’s Fair Chance Act generally covers public and private employers with five or more employees and prohibits conviction-history questions or consideration before a conditional job offer, subject to listed exceptions.
Information a covered employer generally may not consider
Subject to limited statutory exceptions, an arrest not followed by conviction generally cannot be considered.
Completed pretrial or posttrial diversion and covered dismissed underlying matters generally cannot be considered.
Covered sealed, dismissed, expunged or statutorily eradicated convictions generally cannot be considered.
If the employer wants to withdraw the offer
California automatic relief, arrest sealing and conviction remedies
| Situation | Possible path | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible arrest or conviction in DOJ database | Automatic record relief under applicable statutes | Adds a relief notation and limits disclosure; does not delete the DOJ record. |
| Arrest did not lead to a qualifying conviction | Arrest sealing under applicable California law | Eligibility and procedure depend on the record and case circumstances. |
| Eligible conviction after sentence completion | Conviction dismissal or another court remedy | A dismissal does not erase every legal consequence. |
| Eligible wobbler felony | Request reduction to misdemeanor where permitted | Not every felony is reducible. |
| Juvenile case | Juvenile record-sealing process | Juvenile rules differ from adult criminal-record rules. |
| State-prison conviction or serious collateral consequences | Certificate of Rehabilitation, pardon or other relief | Eligibility, waiting periods and legal effects vary. |
| Arrest associated with factual innocence claim | Factual-innocence procedure where legally available | Requires a higher showing than ordinary dismissal. |
How automatic record relief works
What should you do next?
Call the arresting department, then search the county jail after transfer and booking.
Send a narrow CPRA request to the agency that created the report.
Find the county Superior Court and locate the final disposition.
Submit fingerprints through Live Scan or the out-of-state card process.
Correct the local source and submit BCIA 8706 when the DOJ summary is inaccurate.
Review Fair Chance and background-report rights before responding to an employer.
Switch from the county jail portal to the CDCR inmate locator.
Use the California Courts questionnaire to identify the correct remedy and forms.
Order the certified court disposition rather than using an arrest screenshot.
What this statewide guide includes directly
All disclosure categories listed in Government Code section 7923.610 and the safety/investigation limitation.
Ten-day determination, limited 14-day extension, duplication costs, electronic extraction charges and inspection rights.
Forms, $25 fee, Live Scan instructions, out-of-state mailing, waiver eligibility and challenge procedure.
County-by-county routing, remote index access, courthouse criminal-document limits and possible vendor fees.
Conditional-offer requirement, individualized review, notice, report copy and response periods.
Automatic-relief operation, local-record separation and common court-cleaning pathways.
California arrest and criminal-record questions answered
Can I search every California arrest from one website?
No. Current custody is county-based, arrest reports are maintained by the arresting agency, criminal cases are maintained by 58 county Superior Courts and complete DOJ summaries are restricted.
Where should I search first after a recent arrest?
Start with the arresting police department, then the official county jail locator. A city holding delay can prevent an immediate county result.
Does OpenJustice provide individual criminal records?
OpenJustice primarily provides California criminal-justice data and statistics. It is not a public substitute for an individual DOJ RAP sheet, county jail locator or county criminal case search.
What information can I request about an arrest?
California law generally makes the name, occupation, physical description, arrest and booking times, location, factual circumstances, bail, release or custody information, charges and holds public, subject to safety and investigation limits.
Does the agency have to produce records within 10 days?
The 10-day rule concerns the agency’s determination and notice. It is not necessarily the final production deadline. Records must then be made promptly available.
Can the agency extend the 10-day period?
In unusual circumstances, the agency may send written notice extending the determination date by no more than 14 days and explain the reason.
Can I inspect records instead of buying copies?
Yes, disclosable records can generally be inspected at the agency. A requester may use non-contact personal equipment subject to protections for the records and computer systems.
Why can I find the criminal case but not open the documents?
California’s remote-access rule generally permits online indexes, calendars and registers but restricts public remote access to criminal case documents. The documents may be available at a courthouse terminal or by copy order.
How much does my California DOJ record cost?
The DOJ fee is $25. California residents also pay the Live Scan provider’s rolling fee. Eligible residents can seek a waiver of the DOJ fee, but not the rolling fee.
Can I use my DOJ Record Review for immigration?
No. The DOJ states that a personal Record Review cannot be used for visa, immigration or foreign-nation transactions. Use the separate process required for that purpose.
Can I order my spouse’s or employee’s DOJ record?
No general public third-party process exists. DOJ records are released only to the subject and agencies authorized by law for specified purposes.
What do I need for an out-of-state California record request?
Use form BCIA 8705, an FD-258 fingerprint card and the $25 payment payable to California Department of Justice. Mail the complete packet to the Record Review & Challenge Section.
How do I dispute a missing court disposition?
Obtain the certified disposition from the county Superior Court and include it with form BCIA 8706 and a copy of the DOJ record.
Does automatic record relief erase the record?
No. DOJ adds a relief notation and limits many disclosures, but the arrest or conviction remains in the state summary. Additional court relief may still be available.
How do I know whether automatic relief was applied?
DOJ does not automatically notify individuals. Request your own Record Review and look for the applicable relief notation.
Can an employer reject me because I was arrested?
A covered employer generally may not consider an arrest that did not lead to conviction, subject to statutory exceptions. California Fair Chance and federal background-report rules may also apply.
How long do I have to respond to a preliminary job denial?
A covered California employer must generally provide at least five business days. A timely dispute of the report can provide five additional business days.
When should I use the CDCR inmate locator?
Use it after the person enters California state-prison custody. Use the county jail search for recent arrests, pretrial detention and county sentences.
What is the best proof that a case was dismissed?
Obtain the filed dismissal or certified court disposition. A jail release date, deleted mugshot or third-party website update is not equivalent to the court order.