Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
Novato, California, in Marin County, has about 52,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Novato depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the California Public Records Act requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Novato public records, Marin County police reports, Novato arrest records, Novato warrants, Novato inmate search, Novato criminal records, California arrest records and California inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Novato
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Novato that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Novato Police Department); outside it, the Marin County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also places the Highway Patrol's Marin Area Office in Marin County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
The FBI's list also carries Union Pacific Railroad in Marin County (other agency) and Marin Community College (campus police), each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Novato Police
For Novato, SearchSystems opened and checked the Novato police records page at novato.gov/government/police-department/forms (page title: Records Requests | City of Novato, CA), phone 415-897-4361, Monday - Thursday, 8am - 5pm., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Novato had 110 violent and 697 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 1,018 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Marin County Sheriff's Office
The Marin County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 79 violent and 360 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 874 arrests for 2023.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at (415) 473-6653. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at marinsheriff.gov/about-us/detention-bureau (page title: Detention Bureau | Marin County Sheriff), phone (415) 473-6653, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the California Public Records Act Requires
Under the California Public Records Act the agency must answer a request within 10 days, with up to 14 more days in unusual circumstances, and it may charge the direct cost of copying only, not staff time. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
Any other county record goes through the county records request page SearchSystems verified, at marincountyca.nextrequest.com (page title: Open Public RecordsNextRequest | Modern FOIA & Public Records Request Software).
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the District Attorney, (415) 473-6450, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Novato?
From the agency that took it. The Novato police records page is at novato.gov/government/police-department/forms, phone 415-897-4361; the sheriff's reports come from the Marin County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Novato have to answer?
Under the California Public Records Act, within 10 days, with up to 14 more days in unusual circumstances. It may charge the direct cost of copying only, not staff time.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Novato?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Highway Patrol's Marin Area Office in Marin County.
How do I get a report from the Marin County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at (415) 473-6653. Under the California Public Records Act the answer is due within 10 days, with up to 14 more days in unusual circumstances.
Is this the official Novato website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.