How Background Checks Work in California

California is a consent state: California Department of Justice (DOJ) releases records to the person named on them and to authorized requesters, not to the general public. Public research runs through court dockets instead.

  • Your own record: every state, California included, lets you obtain your own criminal history from California Department of Justice (DOJ) — usually by fingerprints — to review or correct it before an employer sees it.
  • Checking someone else: the court system is the public route: dockets and dispositions are public record even where rap sheets are not — start at our California court records page.
  • Employment screening: a hiring background check is a consumer report under the federal FCRA — it requires the applicant's written consent, uses a consumer reporting agency (not this state lookup), and gives the applicant dispute rights. Official state checks and FCRA reports are different tools.
  • Federal layer: the FBI's Identity History Summary covers records reported nationwide — fingerprint-based, for your own record only. Federal court cases live separately on PACER.

California is one of the strictest states: no public name-search exists, and record copies go only to the person of record and authorized agencies. Employers use FCRA consumer reporting agencies instead. Content reviewed July 29, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.

Official Channels

California Department of Justice (DOJ) — Criminal History Checks
Official
The official California repository — releases records to the person named and authorized requesters, and explains current fees and forms.
🌐 oag.ca.gov
FBI — Identity History Summary Check
Official
Your own nationwide record, fingerprint-based, direct from the FBI or an approved channeler. The only check that crosses every state line.
🌐 fbi.gov
PACER — Federal Court Records
Official
Federal criminal cases never appear in state checks. PACER covers every US District Court; small per-page fees, waived under $30 a quarter.
🌐 pacer.uscourts.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run a background check on someone else in California?
Not through the state repository — it's restricted. Court records are the lawful public route, and they're free to search. Employment screening must go through an FCRA consumer report with written consent.
What shows up — arrests or convictions?
Depends on the channel. Public-facing checks lean toward convictions and pending cases; non-conviction arrests are increasingly restricted, and the FCRA bars them from employment reports after seven years.
How far back do checks go?
Convictions generally stay on the record unless sealed or expunged. What a given California check *shows* can be narrower than what exists — sealed and expunged records are removed from public results.
Are the free 'instant background check' websites accurate?
They're data brokers reselling scraped records — often stale, often mismatched on common names, and unlawful to use for hiring. Official sources on this page are the record.

Related California Records

The California criminal records page lists every official database behind these checks, the California inmate search covers who's in custody now, and California court records hold the case files themselves.