How to Search California Public Records

California's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 58 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The California Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court (one in each of 58 counties). Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the California Department of Public Health (Vital Records) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
39,431,263
Households
13,628,600
Median Income
$96,334
Median Home Value
$715,900

Vital Records Databases

67 official California vital records sources.

Vital Records

RECORD OF DEATHS IN ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, 1895-1901
Official Free
In 2007 I finished transcribing the data in Volume C, 1889-1894 from the film. (Volume C actually extends to March 1895.) That transcription contains data on 5217 deaths . It was published in print as Record of Deaths in Alameda County, California, from 1889-1894, A Transcription of Volume C, ...
🌐 www.l-ags.org
Divorce or Separation | Superior Court of California | County of Alameda
Official Free
County of Alameda · In California, you get a divorce by starting a court case . No one has to prove someone did something wrong to cause the divorce (this is called no fault divorce). You can get a divorce even if the other person doesn't want one. You can divorce to end a marriage or domestic ...
🌐 www.alameda.courts.ca.gov
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF AMADOR FCS-300-INFO
Official Free
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF AMADOR · FCS-300-INFO · WWW.AMADORCOURT.ORG · REV-05/10/2017 · How to ask for a Court Order · For custody and parenting time · 1. Fill out your court forms · Fill out the Request for Order (Form FL-300). You can use the Information Sheet for Request ...
🌐 www.amadorcourt.org
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF AMADOR RULES OF COURT
Official Free
Court’s website, www.amadorcourt.org. Notice of any Ex Parte Application to · Set Matter on Calendar must be provided to the opposing party no less than
🌐 www.amadorcourt.org
Contra Costa County Birth Records - How to Get a Birth Certificate | CaliforniaBirthIndex.org
Official Free
How to get a birth certificate from Contra Costa County , California. Office locations, fees ($38), hours, mail and online ordering. Plus free search of Contra Costa County births 1905-1995.
🌐 californiabirthindex.org
Family Law | Superior Court of California | County of Butte
Official Free
Division The Division located at the North Butte County Courthouse facility (1775 Concord Avenue, Chico) handles all matters (including Dissolution of Marriage, Legal Separation, Nullity, Paternity and Summary Dissolution) and related issues of Child Custody and Visitation, Child and Spousal
🌐 www.butte.courts.ca.gov
Clerk Recorder - Calaveras County
Official Free
Preserves the official archive of legally recordable documents. Maintains records of all marriages, births, and deaths occurring within Calaveras County.
🌐 clerkrecorder.calaverasgov.us
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Calaveras
Official Free
Public Notice: Calaveras County Superior Court to Offer Online Ability To Pay Tool For Infractions. For eligibility information, click here. Request a fine reduction for your eligible infraction offense using the new MyCitations tool. ... Tentative Rulings are posted for the Case Management, and Civil Law & Motion Calendars. Request copies to inspect a judicial administrative record pursuant to Rule 10.500 of the California ...
🌐 www.calaveras.courts.ca.gov
Tentative Rulings – Case Management | Superior Court of California | County of Calaveras
Official Free
County of Calaveras · (Civil And Family) 03/11/2026 CMC Tentative Rulings · 03/04/2026 CMC Tentative Rulings · 02/25/2026 CMC Tentative Rulings · 02/18/2026 CMC Tentative Rulings · Amended 02/11/2026 CMC Tentative Rulings · 02/11/2026 CMC Tentative Rulings ·
🌐 www.calaveras.courts.ca.gov
Self-Help | Superior Court of California | County of Colusa
Official Free
The Colusa County Superior Court Self-Help Center provides several services in the family law area that are not offered by the Family Law Facilitator's Office. These services include the following: Providing assistance to the parties in finalizing their divorce (obtaining a final judgment);
🌐 www.colusa.courts.ca.gov
Divorce / Legal Separation / Annulment | Superior Court of California | County of Contra Costa
Official Free
View resources and step-by-step guides to help you navigate the divorce process. A dissolution action may be started in Contra Costa County if one or both spouses/partners have resided in this county for at least the last 3 months and in the state of California for at least 6 months .
🌐 contracosta.courts.ca.gov
Family Law | Superior Court of California | County of Fresno
Official Free
The existence of irreconcilable differences provides the court with the grounds to make a divorce or separation Judgment. A marriage may be dissolved on the grounds of incurable insanity " . . . only upon proof, including competent medical or psychiatric testimony, that the insane person was insane at the time the petition was filed, and remains incurably insane" (Family Code Section 2312). To file for dissolution, either you or your spouse must meet California's residency requirements.
🌐 www.fresno.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Glenn
Official Free
Meet with a mediator to develop a parenting plan in the event of a separation or divorce. Settle a dispute fairly, quickly and inexpensively. Prepare for traffic court. ... The Glenn County Superior Court values and strives to provide fair interpretation and enforcement of the rule of law in ...
🌐 www.glenn.courts.ca.gov
Divorce & Separation | Superior Court of California | County of Kern
Official Free
County of Kern · Scam texts claiming to be from the Court have been reported. These messages include links to fake payment websites and are fraudulent. The Court does not send texts requesting payment. You can report scams and suspicious communications to the Federal Trade Commission. the Taft Courthouse located at 311 N Lincoln is closed until further notice. In California, you get a divorce by starting a court case.
🌐 www.kern.courts.ca.gov
Forms & Filings | Superior Court of California | County of Kings
Official Free
Effective September 1, 2024, the Kings County Superior Court will no longer guarantee the services of a Court Reporter for Unlimited Civil, Limited Civil, Family Law, and Probate case types . The Court will continue utilizing Electronic Recording for Limited Civil, Misdemeanor and Infraction ...
🌐 www.kings.courts.ca.gov
Vital Records - CDPH - CA.gov
Official Free
CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat ... The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) maintains birth, death, fetal death/still birth, marriage, and divorce records for California ....
🌐 www.cdph.ca.gov
Family | Superior Court of California | County of Marin
Official Free
Unified Court Law Information Court Services Court Community Resources Domestic Violence & Restraining Orders Divorce & Legal Separation Tentative Rulings Overview Court is comprised of three distinct areas: Law Division of the Civil Clerk's Office, which processes filings and schedules court
🌐 www.marin.courts.ca.gov
Marin County Genealogy - 1999 Marin Marriage Announcements - Q2
Official Free
1999 Marin Marriage Announcements - Q2 · Marin Independent Journal - Saturday, June 12, 1999 · Marin Independent Journal - Monday, June 21, 1999 · Marin Independent Journal - Monday, June 28, 1999 · Return to 20th Century Marin County Marriages · Return to Marin County Genealogy ·
🌐 www.sfgenealogy.org
tentative rulings
Official Free
TENTATIVE RULINGS · Tentative Rulings are available by selecting your hearing date below · No Tentative Rulings found for {{ vm.dt | date : "fullDate"}}
🌐 portal.monterey.courts.ca.gov
Family Law Division | Superior Court of California | County of Nevada
Official Free
The Family Law division handles all cases involving dissolution of marriage, legal separation, nullity, paternity, domestic violence, child custody, visitation and support at the Nevada City and Truckee courthouses. Other support services include mediation, family law facilitators and a panel of
🌐 www.nevada.courts.ca.gov
Superior Court of California - County of Orange
Official Free
If you know the date or date range of when your case is on calendar, you may narrow your search by selecting those dates in the From and To calendar fields.
🌐 courtcalendar.occourts.org
Family Law Case Access - Orange County Superior Court
Official Free
The Case Access systems are intended to assist the public in accessing available case data without having to visit the courthouse. The information provided on and obtained from this site does not constitute the official record of the Superior Court of Orange County.
🌐 fampub.occourts.org
FAQs • Coroner's Office
Official Free
Decedent's name, date of death and Coroner's file number (if known). Include the address where the reports are to be mailed. Include a cashier's check (no personal checks) or money order in the amount of $23 payable to Riverside County Coroner
🌐 www.riversidesheriff.org
Public Access | Riverside Superior Court
Official Free
Non-confidential, non-sealed documents are available for download if permitted under the California Rules of Court. A case number is needed in order to download documents. The fee for document download is $1 per page for the first 5 pages and, $.50 per page for each additional page (per document) with a cap of $50 per document.
🌐 epublic-access.riverside.courts.ca.gov
Sacramento Superior Court's Public Case Access System
Official Free
Sacramento Superior Court has discontinued all fees associated with online searches and document downloads. The purpose of the Public Case Access System is to provide the ability to research and locate Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento cases on a particular individual or a ...
🌐 services.saccourt.ca.gov
Dissolution of Marriage / Domestic Partnership | Superior Court of California | County of San Bernardino
Official Free
Dissolution of Marriage/Domestic Partnership What is it? This petition (also known as Divorce) ends your marriage or domestic partnership. Once your dissolution of marriage is finalized, you go back to single status and you are able to remarry. California is a "no fault" divorce state, which means
🌐 sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov
Court Index - California
Official Free
The Court Index is a list of cases that have been filed with the court. The index does not provide information on the charges and disposition of cases filed with the court · The index is retained pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 10.851. Cases will remain permanently in the index, ...
🌐 courtindex.sdcourt.ca.gov
San Diego Superior Court - Department Assignments
Official Free
| Hall of Justice | Central Courthouse | Juvenile | Kearny Mesa Facility | North County | East County | South County | Extracted from San Diego Superior Court case management data on 01:00AM 20 May 2026
🌐 www.sandiego.courts.ca.gov
san_francisco_county:databases:san_francisco_birth_notices [SFgenealogy]
Official Free
TITLE: San Francisco Birth Notices. SOURCES: various. TRANSCRIBERS: various. NOTES: Most of these notices were transcribed from historic newspapers before July 1905, when California began requiring state-wide registration of births . A few more recent records are included as well, though for ...
🌐 www.sfgenealogy.org
Divorce, Separation, & Annulment | Superior Court of California | County of San Francisco
Official Free
You can file in San Francisco if you or your spouse live in San Francisco for at least the last three months, and in California for at least the last six months at the time of filing your case , regardless of where you were married. For same-sex couples who were married in San Francisco, you ...
🌐 sf.courts.ca.gov
Family Law Common Form Packets | Superior Court of California | County of San Mateo
Official Free
County of San Mateo · Below are some of the more common form packets that are requested from the clerk's office. Please use the links provided to get electronic access to these forms. All other Judicial Council forms and local forms are also available electronically. FL-107-Info: Legal Steps for a Divorce of Legal Separation ·
🌐 sanmateo.courts.ca.gov
Divorce & Legal Separation | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Barbara
Official Free
For an overview of the basic legal concepts and process of filing a divorce, review the California's Self-Help Divorce Index and Divorce Overview. Divorce: How to Start Divorce: How to Respond Divorce: Required Financial Disclosures Divorce: Making Decisions About Your Issues Divorce: Finalize by
🌐 www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov
Smart Search - Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara
Official Free
Your browser is currently set to block cookies. Your browser must allow cookies before you can use this application · Cookies are small text files stored on your computer that tell this application when you're signed in. To learn how to allow cookies, see online help in your web browser
🌐 portal.sbcourts.org
Family Division | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Clara
Official Free
Notice: For custody proceedings set in Department 72 on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m., please read the Standing Order of the Court Regarding Certain Remote Proceedings dated May 28, 2025. E-NOTICE: New rules went into effect on 7/1/25 requiring courts to serve court notices by email in all civil
🌐 santaclara.courts.ca.gov
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Official Free
Community Information Database · HSA Public Health Department Birth and Death Certificates
🌐 www.santacruzpl.org
Smart Search - Santa Cruz Superior Court
Official Free
Your browser is currently set to block cookies. Your browser must allow cookies before you can use this application · Cookies are small text files stored on your computer that tell this application when you're signed in. To learn how to allow cookies, see online help in your web browser
🌐 portal.santacruzcourt.org
Family Law Division | Superior Court of California | County of Shasta
Official Free
Family Law Family Law cases involve parties who are ending a marriage or domestic partnership by filing dissolution, legal separation or nullity of marriage; as well as family issues such as establishment of parental relationship, petitions for custody and support, request for orders regarding,
🌐 www.shasta.courts.ca.gov
Divorce, Legal Separation & Nullity | Superior Court of California | County of Siskiyou
Official Free
Petitioner Starting a Case Confidential Forms: FW 001 Request To Waive Court Fees FW 003 Order On Court Fee Waiver Confidential Case Info. Sheet Initial Forms To File: FL 110 Summons Family Law FL-110 Instructions FL 100 Petition Family Law FL-100 Instructions FL 311 Custody & Visitation Attachment
🌐 www.siskiyou.courts.ca.gov
Solano County Genealogical Society - Database Indexes
Official Free
We're a community-based volunteer genealogical society helping you discover family history with dual goals of education in genealogical research and preservation of Solano County history since 1981.
🌐 www.scgsca.org
Solano Superior Court | Portal
Official Free
This portal site allows you to search case data and provides parties in a case with an enhanced view of their case information from the Court's case management system · Please utilize the link below for the applicable instructions: Account Creation and Search Instructions
🌐 portal.solano.courts.ca.gov
Family Law FAQs | Superior Court of California | County of Sonoma
Official Free
• Requests for change of venue; ... 9.19A. ... • Go to the tentative rulings web page, scroll down to the “Family Law” section and click the link for “Law & Motion Calendar” below the name of the judge and courtroom to which your hearing is assigned ....
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Family Law | Superior Court of California | County of Sonoma
Official Free
Division The types of matters processed in the Division include Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce), Legal Separation, Nullity, Establishment and Termination of Parental Rights, Child Support, Child Custody and Visitation, Family Support, Adoptions, and Domestic Violence Restraining Order matters. Ex
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Dissolution, Legal Separation and Nullity
Official Free
The Superior Court of Stanislaus County is dedicated to providing equal access to justice, serving the needs of our community in a timely manner, acting with integrity, and upholding the law.
🌐 www.stanislaus.courts.ca.gov
Ventura County, CA – County Clerk and Recorder / Registrar of Voters
Official Free
The Recorder’s Office maintains vital records for births, deaths, and marriages in Ventura County from 1873 to present · VITAL RECORD DEFINED Records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates .
🌐 clerkrecorder.venturacounty.gov
Ventura County, CA – County Clerk and Recorder / Registrar of Voters Archive
Official Free
Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremony Ventura County Government Center – Hall of Administration 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura Park in Lot F or Lot G Ceremony Check-In between 9:00 – 9:30 AM Wedding Ceremony 10:00 *COUPLES MUST REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE AND HAVE PRE-PURCHASED THEIR VENTURA COUNTY MARRIAGE LICENSE Go to clerkrecorder.venturacounty.gov for more information
🌐 recorder.countyofventura.org
Ventura County, CA – County Clerk and Recorder / Registrar of Voters
Official Free
Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates . In some jurisdictions, vital records may also include records of civil unions or domestic partnerships · The Ventura County Clerk-Recorder ...
🌐 clerkrecorder.venturacounty.gov
Records | Superior Court of California | County of Ventura
Official Free
The Records Department in the Hall of Justice in Ventura maintains Civil, Family Law (divorce, legal separation, and child custody matters), Small Claims, Criminal (felony and misdemeanor), and Traffic cases. The Records Department in the Juvenile Courthouse in Oxnard maintains Juvenile (delinquency and dependency), Probate, Guardianship, and Adoption cases. Note: For marriage and business licenses, birth and death certificates, and mechanics liens, visit the Ventura County Clerk and Recorder’s website at recorder.countyofventura.org.
🌐 ventura.courts.ca.gov
Marriage License Application Information | Yolo County ACE Department, CA
Official Free
Click to see the information on allowable new names. Name Equality Act of 2007 (PDF) You may choose to complete the marriage license application online prior to coming into our office. To change your name through marriage, you must include your new name on your Marriage License at the time the license is issued by the County Clerk and prior to your ceremony.
🌐 www.yolorecorder.org
Genealogy, Newspapers, Obituaries, and Records | Butte County, CA
Official Free
The Butte County Library maintains a vital records index to local newspapers from 1854 through approximately 1897 at the Oroville Branch . Library volunteers can copy newspaper articles once the date of an event is known. Fill out our online Obituary/Newspaper Article Request Form.
🌐 www.buttecounty.net
Search Cemeteries - Find a Grave
Official Free
Briceland, Humboldt County, California, United States of America · 1 request · 148 memorials · 90% photographed · 2 with GPS · Humboldt County, California, United States of America · No open requests · 18 memorials · 89% photographed · 1 with GPS · Hoopa, Humboldt County, California, United States of America – *No GPS coordinates ·
🌐 www.findagrave.com
Humboldt County, California Genealogy • FamilySearch
Official Free
Guide to Humboldt County, California ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
🌐 www.familysearch.org
Superior Court of Los Angeles
Official Free
Note: Contact Archives for availability of older cases. ... Each search incurs a public access fee to reimburse the Court for the costs of providing public access to its electronic records in accordance with California Rule of Court 2.506 and Government Code Section 68150(l). The fee you are charged will depend if you sign in as a registered user or as a guest user. Registered users are charged on a sliding scale. The system will maintain a running count ...
🌐 www.lacourt.ca.gov
Orange County Clerk-Recorder (CA) | Order Certificates - VitalChek
Official Free
Visit the Orange County Clerk-Recorder website.Opens a new tab to an external website. ... We can also help you obtain your Death, Marriage, Divorce certificates. We can also help if you need certificates from other states. Order your certificate now.. ORANGE COUNTY VITAL RECORDS The Orange County Clerk/Recorder issues Orange County vital records including Authorized and Informational copies of Orange County birth certificates, Orange County death certificates, public Orange County marriage records and confidential Orange County marriage records ...
🌐 www.vitalchek.com
Find Recent Obituaries for San Francisco, California
Official Free
San Francisco County · / Today's San Francisco, CA Obituaries · Follow · Stephanie Ahlberg · Greenbrae, CA · Jane Barranco · Montpelier, VT · Daniel Frank Church · Petaluma, CA · Pamela J. Duff · Lebanon, NH · Barbara Helen Evans · Los Angeles, CA ·
🌐 www.legacy.com
Birth Certificates & Death Registration | Shasta County CA
Official Free
For birth certificates registered over two years ago, please contact the County Recorder's Office at (530) 225-5678 . Birth certificates cost $34 each. You can buy them at our office.
🌐 www.shastacounty.gov
Early California Population Project
Official Free
The Early California Population Project (ECPP) is a database developed by the Huntington Library providing public access to all the information contained in the California mission registers from 1769 to 1850. It includes baptism, marriage, and burial records of each of the California missions, ...
🌐 www.huntington.org
Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records
Official Free
Search or browse cemeteries and grave records for every-day and famous people from around the world. ... Please select a location with GPS coordinates indicated by a map icon() to continue. Please select a cemetery indicated by a Find a Grave icon() to continue. ... When searching in a cemetery, use the ? or * wildcards in name fields. ? replaces one letter. * represents zero to many letters. E.g. Sorens?n or Wil* Search for an exact birth/death year or select a range, before or after.
🌐 www.findagrave.com
Afghanistan: The faces of California's war dead
Official Free
Be­low are the faces of the 187 Cali­for­ni­ans who lost their lives serving in Op­er­a­tion En­dur­ing Free­dom. The Times’ data­base, Cali­for­nia’s War Dead, tracks all Cali­for­nia service­members who died during the wars in Iraq or Afghan­istan.
🌐 projects.latimes.com
san_francisco_county:databases:vitals [SFgenealogy]
Official Free
Vital records from the Daily Alta California, including record from the Golden Era and the Wild West, 1854 (FamilySearch) ... San Francisco County Clerk, Affidavits for marriage licenses, 1913-1915, San Francisco County and City : and index (FamilySearch) L Divorce Notices, 1856 - 1862 , 1875 (Jan-Jun), 1882 , 1883 , 1884 , 1885 , 1889
🌐 www.sfgenealogy.org

California Counties

58 California counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Los Angeles San Diego Orange Riverside San Bernardino Santa Clara Alameda Sacramento Contra Costa Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa

Frequently Asked Questions

California's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. County-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

California's court system is headed by the California Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court (one in each of 58 counties). Many California courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The California Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

California vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the California Department of Public Health (Vital Records) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The California sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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