Arrest Records · Jail Bookings · Courts
California
Arrest Records
Website Guide
Find official California websites for recent arrests, county jail bookings, criminal court cases and personal criminal history requests.
Understand which records are public, where to search by county and how to avoid misleading third-party results.
Quick answer: There is no single public California arrests website that searches every person’s statewide arrest and booking history. For recent custody information, use the relevant county sheriff’s official inmate lookup. For a filed criminal case, search the county superior court. To review your own statewide criminal history, use the California Department of Justice fingerprint-based Record Review process.
Which California Arrests Website Should You Use?
California arrest information is maintained by different agencies. A police department may keep the original arrest or incident report, a county sheriff may maintain jail booking information, and a superior court maintains records of cases filed in that county.
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains a statewide criminal history repository, but its individual records are not available through an unrestricted public name search.
Choose your official source based on what you want to find.
Begin with the police or sheriff’s office responsible for the arrest. Look for arrest logs, booking logs or a public records request page.
Find County Resources →Use the county sheriff’s inmate locator for the county where the person is believed to be held.
Follow the Search Steps →Use the superior court in the county where the criminal proceeding was filed. Some records require courthouse access.
Find the Official Court ↗Submit a fingerprint-based Record Review request to the California DOJ for your own state criminal history record.
DOJ Record Review ↗Search the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s CIRIS system rather than a local county jail roster.
Open CIRIS ↗These distinctions are particularly important when a search involves an old arrest, someone who has already been released, or a case that ended without a conviction.
Important: A website displaying a person’s name, charge or booking photograph does not prove that the person committed a crime. An arrest and a conviction are different legal events.
California Arrests Websites by County
California has 58 counties, and each county has its own superior court. County sheriff departments operate many of the state’s local detention systems, while municipal police departments may maintain separate arrest and incident reports.
The following official county resources are practical starting points. They are not combined into a single statewide booking database.
The Sheriff’s Inmate Information Center provides public custody and booking information. LASD notes that bookings occurring within the last two hours may not yet appear.
Official Inmate Information Center ↗The Sheriff’s Who’s in Jail website supports name searches for people in its custody. The public tool warns that information should not be relied on for legal action.
Official Who’s in Jail Search ↗The Sheriff’s inmate information system supports searches by name or X-Reference number. It also offers a recent-bookings view.
Official Inmate Information ↗The Sheriff’s Inmate Information System supports custody lookups and provides a separate booking-date search.
Official Inmate Information System ↗The Sheriff’s Inmate Locator supports searching by booking number or available name and identity information, including an approximate age option.
Official Inmate Locator ↗How do you find another California county?
If your county is not listed above, begin with the official county government or sheriff’s website. Look for a section labeled Jail, Custody, Inmate Locator, Booking Log or Records.
For court information in any of the 58 counties, the California Judicial Branch’s Find Your Court directory provides official county court access.
Make sure the jail or court serves the county involved. For example, a person arrested by a city police department may be booked into a county jail, but the original police report can remain with the city department.
Is a third-party California arrests website official?
No, not merely because its name includes California, arrests, police or records. Third-party sites may reproduce public booking details, aggregate listings from multiple sources or show older information.
Before relying on a result, identify the original arresting agency, jail and court. A private website should not be treated as the official keeper of the record simply because it appears in search results.
How to Search a California Arrests Website by Name
Most searches work better when you already know the county where the person was arrested or detained. The most reliable approach is to begin locally and verify the result through the responsible agency.
- Identify the county or arresting agency.
Start with the city, county, approximate date or department involved. A reported arrest location is usually more useful than searching every California county at random.
- Open the county’s official custody website.
Choose the correct sheriff or jail locator from the county’s published resources. Check that you are using the official organization rather than a similarly named private website.
- Enter the required search details.
Some portals accept first and last names, while others support a booking number, reference number, birth date, gender or booking date. Use only fields actually required by that website.
- Examine the matching records.
Compare available identifiers. A name match alone is not enough to establish that the result belongs to a particular individual.
- Review the record type and date.
Determine whether the result concerns a current inmate, recent booking, previous release or another kind of record. Check the portal’s reporting period.
- Verify custody and court status separately.
Contact the jail for confirmation when current custody matters. Use the relevant superior court to examine publicly available case information.
- Request additional records when necessary.
If the online record is incomplete or historical, identify the police, sheriff or court that holds the required document and follow its request procedure.
What details can a booking search show?
Depending on the county portal and the record’s public status, an entry might contain a recorded name, booking number, admission date, arresting agency, charges, detention facility, custody status, bail information and a court date.
The availability of photographs, release information and past bookings varies considerably. Not every county permits the same search options.
Are arrest searches free?
Many county inmate search portals are publicly accessible without a search fee. However, obtaining a certified copy, historical report or specially prepared record may involve charges.
Do not assume an online public search provides a complete criminal history or certified documentation.
What Is the Difference Between Arrest, Booking and Court Records?
These records are closely related but serve separate purposes. Understanding the distinction helps prevent incorrect conclusions about someone’s legal status.
| Record Type | What It Shows | Where to Search |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest information | A recorded arrest event, alleged offense and publicly disclosable circumstances. | Arresting police or sheriff agency. |
| Jail booking | Administrative information created when someone is processed into a detention facility. | County jail or Sheriff’s Office. |
| Current custody | A person’s inclusion in a facility’s reported inmate population. | County inmate locator or CDCR search, depending on custody. |
| Court case | Filed charges, hearings, recorded court proceedings and available dispositions. | County superior court. |
| State criminal history | Qualifying arrest and disposition information maintained in the state’s fingerprint-based repository. | California DOJ, subject to legal access restrictions. |
| Arrest statistics | Aggregate arrest totals and trends rather than individual custody records. | California DOJ OpenJustice. |
Does an arrest lead automatically to a conviction?
No. An arrest can occur without criminal charges being filed. Charges can also be amended or dismissed, and a person may be acquitted.
The appropriate superior court record is generally the starting point for determining the reported outcome after a criminal case is filed.
Is a booking photograph proof of a crime?
No. A booking photograph is associated with an identification and detention process. Its existence does not establish that the person committed an offense.
Photographs may not be publicly released even when other arrest-related information is disclosed. Availability is subject to applicable law and the agency’s release practices.
How to Find California Criminal Court Records Online
California’s superior courts maintain the records of criminal proceedings filed in their respective counties. The Judicial Branch explains that there is not one central court website where you can search every county’s criminal cases.
Online access also varies. Some courts publish case indexes, calendars or registers of action, while certain documents must be inspected at a courthouse.
Step-by-step court lookup
- Find the appropriate superior court.
Use the official California court directory to identify the county and its website.
- Open the court’s public case-search area.
Look for Criminal Case Search, Online Services, Case Information or similar wording. The exact interface differs by county.
- Search with available identifiers.
A case number is often more precise than a name. Use the available party-name search when the number is unknown.
- Check the docket or case summary.
Look for filed charges, scheduled appearances, decisions and the reported disposition when available.
- Contact the clerk for unavailable records.
Some criminal records cannot be viewed remotely. The court may provide public access through a courthouse computer or clerk-assisted procedure.
Why are some criminal documents unavailable online?
California’s court rules restrict remote public access to certain categories of case documents, including some criminal court records. A person may still be able to inspect publicly accessible information at the courthouse, subject to the applicable rules.
Other proceedings, such as certain juvenile cases, may be confidential or sealed altogether.
See the Judicial Branch’s guidance on electronic court case access for the difference between courthouse access and remote access.
How to Request Your Own California DOJ Arrest Record
California DOJ maintains statewide criminal history records based on qualifying information submitted by law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. These records are commonly called RAP sheets, meaning Records of Arrest and Prosecution.
Access is restricted. The general public cannot simply request another person’s statewide DOJ criminal history record by entering a name.
Individuals may request their own criminal history for review of accuracy and completeness. Authorized agencies have separate procedures for permitted employment, licensing and other statutory checks.
California residents: Live Scan Record Review
- Open the DOJ Record Review page.
- Get the correct Live Scan form.
Download form BCIA 8016RR. Select Record Review as the application type and identify Record Review as the reason.
- Complete the form.
Supply the required personal information accurately, following the DOJ’s instructions.
- Choose a Live Scan location.
Use the official Live Scan location directory. Confirm operating hours, accepted payments and the provider’s fingerprint rolling fee.
- Submit fingerprints and payment.
Bring the required form and identification. The Live Scan operator transmits your fingerprints through the approved process.
- Review the DOJ response.
Use the returned record to evaluate accuracy and completeness. Follow the DOJ challenge process if you identify an error.
How much does DOJ Record Review cost?
The California DOJ publishes a $25 processing fee for requesting your own state criminal history record. The Live Scan provider may charge an additional rolling fee.
Eligible California residents may apply for a waiver of the DOJ’s $25 fee, including certain people receiving public assistance or meeting financial eligibility requirements. The fingerprint provider’s separate fee may still apply.
Check the official DOJ fee waiver guidance ↗
What if you live outside California?
The DOJ provides a fingerprint-card method for applicants living outside California or the United States. The published procedure uses application form BCIA 8705 and fingerprint card FD-258 rather than the standard California resident Live Scan process.
Follow the current instructions for required identifiers, payment and mailing. Do not send personal fingerprint documents through an unverified third-party website.
Can a DOJ Record Review be used for employment or immigration?
The personal Record Review process is meant for the individual to examine their own criminal history. It is not a substitute for the legally authorized procedures for employment, licensing, immigration, visas or certain other purposes.
When an organization needs a legally authorized background check, it must use the appropriate approved application process rather than obtaining someone’s personal review copy improperly.
Are California Arrest Records Public Under State Law?
The California Public Records Act allows the public to request many records maintained by government agencies. However, the right to inspect public arrest information is not the same as unrestricted access to confidential statewide criminal history files.
California Government Code section 7923.610 identifies categories of arrest information that law enforcement agencies generally must make public, subject to specified safety and investigative limitations.
These categories can include an arrested person’s name, arrest and booking dates, arrest location, publicly disclosable circumstances, bail information, charges and release or custody information.
What can still be restricted?
Full investigative reports, protected personal information, juvenile records, sealed records and other exempt materials may be withheld or redacted.
The California DOJ specifically states that confidential summary criminal history records are not open to ordinary third-party requests under the Public Records Act.
How do you request a local arrest or incident report?
- Identify the agency that created or maintains the report.
- Find its official Records, Public Records or California Public Records Act page.
- Describe the requested event or document clearly.
- Include the approximate date, location and report number if available.
- Submit the request through the agency’s accepted procedure.
- Review any applicable fees, redactions or denial explanation.
- Follow the agency’s instructions if additional information is required.
Does the agency have ten days to provide everything?
California’s general Public Records Act procedures provide a ten-day period to determine whether a request seeks disclosable records, with a limited extension in qualifying unusual circumstances.
That determination period is not necessarily the deadline for delivering all requested documents. Production can require additional reasonable time, depending on the records and applicable law.
The California Attorney General’s Public Records page provides official guidance on requests, exceptions and disclosure.
Do not confuse two processes: A public records request to an arresting agency seeks records that agency may lawfully disclose. A DOJ Record Review is a restricted fingerprint-based procedure for obtaining your own statewide criminal history.
Why Can’t You Find a California Arrest Record?
A missing entry may reflect a database limitation rather than the absence of an arrest. Try the following checks before drawing conclusions.
The person was arrested recently
Jail processing and public record publication can take time. For example, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Inmate Information Center warns that bookings from the previous two hours may not be available.
The person has already been released
Some county inmate locators display detailed information only while the person remains in custody. Sacramento County specifically explains this limitation in its inmate information FAQ.
Check the arresting agency or court if you need historical information rather than current jail custody.
The arrest was made by another department
A county jail system may not contain the entire record maintained by a city police department. Contact the original arresting agency for eligible incident or arrest reports.
The name or identifiers differ
Spelling variations, aliases, common surnames and data-entry differences can affect the search. Compare available details and avoid assuming that a matching name is a confirmed match.
The person was transferred
County jail and state prison systems are not interchangeable. A person transferred to state custody may need to be searched through CDCR instead of the original county jail.
The record is confidential or sealed
Some records are restricted by statute, court order, juvenile confidentiality or other legal protections. A public portal may not show information that an authorized party can access through a different legal process.
The official search portal is not working
Try the Sheriff’s main website and follow its current navigation to the inmate system. Some services require human-verification checks or have scheduled maintenance periods.
For urgent questions about custody, release, or upcoming hearings, contact the agency or court directly rather than relying exclusively on the online search.
California State Prison Inmate Search vs. County Jail Search
Someone held in a county jail is not necessarily in the California state prison system. The two systems serve different roles and maintain separate records.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation provides the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS), a public service for information about people in its state correctional system.
CIRIS may display the incarcerated person’s name, age, CDCR number, current location, admission information and related public details.
Open the Official CDCR CIRIS Search ↗
What if the person does not appear in CIRIS?
They may be in county jail, another state’s system, federal custody or a facility not covered by the search. First establish the responsible correctional jurisdiction.
For help with CIRIS, use the official CDCR contact instructions.
What about California arrest statistics?
The California DOJ’s OpenJustice County Map lets readers explore aggregate arrest and criminal justice data by county and reporting period.
OpenJustice is useful for researching trends. It is not a searchable list of individual county jail inmates or a way to obtain someone’s confidential DOJ RAP sheet.
California Jail Location Example and Map
For a practical example of local custody services, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office operates its Main Jail at the following published location.
This is not a statewide California arrest records office. It serves Sacramento County jail functions. If your search concerns another county, contact the correct local agency instead.
Sacramento County Main Jail
651 I StreetSacramento, CA 95814
United States
Open Directions in Google Maps ↗
Should you visit a jail to obtain records?
Usually, the best first step is an official online search or a call to the responsible records department. A jail’s visitation procedures and its public records request procedures may be different.
Before travelling, confirm that the office can handle the document, custody question or visitor service you need.
Can California Arrest Records Be Sealed or Corrected?
California provides legal procedures that may allow qualifying arrest records to be sealed, including certain arrests that did not result in a conviction.
The California Courts Self-Help Guide explains that Penal Code section 851.91 may apply to eligible arrests where no charges were filed, charges were dismissed or other qualifying outcomes occurred.
Some arrests may also be eligible for automatic relief under California law, but eligibility and the effect of sealing vary.
How to explore a sealing request
- Review the California Courts guide for arrests without conviction.
- Identify the arrest, related case and final legal outcome.
- Check whether an automatic sealing provision may already apply.
- Review eligibility for a court petition if one is necessary.
- Use the appropriate official form, such as CR-409, when applicable.
- Follow the court’s filing and notice requirements.
Sealing does not necessarily remove a record from every government system or eliminate every disclosure obligation. Seek qualified legal assistance when the outcome affects employment, licensing or other rights.
What if your DOJ criminal history contains an error?
First request your own DOJ record through the Record Review process. If the response contains inaccurate or incomplete information, the DOJ describes a challenge procedure using the Claim of Alleged Inaccuracy or Incompleteness, form BCIA 8706.
Supporting evidence or action by the arresting agency, prosecutor or court may be necessary. Contact the responsible custodian rather than trying to change the record through an unrelated commercial arrest listing.
Identity and privacy: An arrest website should not be used to harass, threaten, publicly accuse or improperly screen an individual. Name matches, outdated charges and third-party copies can cause serious mistaken-identity problems.
California Arrests Website FAQs
Is there one official California arrests website?
No. There is no single unrestricted statewide public search showing all individuals’ arrest and booking records. County sheriffs, police agencies and superior courts maintain different records, while DOJ statewide criminal history access is legally restricted.
How can I find recent arrests in California?
Identify the county and search its official Sheriff’s jail or booking resources. If the information is not available online, contact the arresting police department or sheriff’s records unit.
Can I search California arrest records by name?
Some county inmate locators support name searches. However, they do not provide unrestricted access to another person’s statewide DOJ criminal history.
Are California jail inmate searches free?
Many official county inmate portals permit public searches without a search charge. Historical records, document copies or certified records may involve separate fees.
Why is an arrest missing from a county website?
The booking may be too recent, the person may have been released or transferred, or the record may be restricted. Search scope, identity differences and agency jurisdiction can also affect results.
Can I obtain another person’s California DOJ RAP sheet?
Not through an unrestricted public request. California DOJ limits statewide criminal history access to individuals reviewing their own records and agencies or purposes specifically authorized by law.
How much does California DOJ Record Review cost?
The DOJ publishes a $25 processing fee for obtaining your own criminal history. Live Scan fingerprint provider fees may be additional, and eligible California residents may qualify for a DOJ fee waiver.
Where can I find California criminal court records?
Use the official superior court in the county where the case was filed. The California Judicial Branch offers a Find Your Court directory, but not every criminal case document is available remotely.
Are California mugshots always public?
No. The availability of booking photographs differs by agency and applicable legal restrictions. A photograph is not evidence of a conviction.
How do I find someone in a California state prison?
Use the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s CIRIS search at https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/. County jails and state prisons have separate custody systems.
Can a California arrest record be sealed?
Certain qualifying arrests may be eligible for sealing, including some cases without a conviction. The California Courts Self-Help Guide explains eligibility and the applicable legal procedures.
Does a California arrest record mean someone was convicted?
No. An arrest is not a conviction. Review the relevant court’s official case record for filed charges and the reported outcome.
Official California Arrest and Court Records Sources
Use the following government resources to check procedures, legal restrictions and the records discussed throughout this guide.
- California DOJ: Request Your Own Criminal History — fingerprint requirements, fees and challenges.
- California DOJ: Record Review Fee Waiver — eligibility and application guidance.
- California DOJ: Public Records Act Guidance — public disclosure procedures and restrictions.
- California Courts: Find Your Superior Court — official court directory.
- California Courts: How to Look Up a Court Case — public access guidance.
- California Courts: Arrests Without Conviction — record sealing options.
- Los Angeles County Sheriff: Inmate Information Center.
- San Diego County Sheriff: Who’s in Jail.
- Sacramento County Sheriff: Inmate Information System.
- Riverside County Sheriff: Inmate Information System.
- San Bernardino County Sheriff: Inmate Locator.
- California CDCR: CIRIS State Prison Search.
- California DOJ OpenJustice: County Criminal Justice Data.
What Should You Do Next?
Start by identifying the California county and the type of record. Search the local sheriff’s website for recent bookings or current custody, then use the county superior court for filed charges and legal outcomes.
If you need your own statewide criminal history, follow the DOJ Record Review procedure. For historical police records, contact the agency that created the report and review the applicable public records rules.
The most accurate search is one that uses the correct official custodian and distinguishes an arrest allegation from a court finding.