SearchSystems Editorial

Reviewed and updated October 4, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link on this page was opened and checked against the office's own website at review time.

About this guide

Redwood City is a city in San Mateo County, California, with about 83,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are split between the city and the county. The city keeps police reports, council records and its own licenses and permits; court cases, jail bookings, deeds and vital records are county or state records. This guide names the Redwood City offices SearchSystems verified, links to each one's own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 3 city office pages for Redwood City, every one opened and checked.

In this guide: City or county, City Clerk, Police records, City Hall, Records requests, Other cities and Questions.

City or county record: where Redwood City records are kept

Redwood City City Clerk: council records and ordinances

The City Clerk keeps the official records of the city government: council and board agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions, and the city's contracts and other official documents. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for Redwood City.

  • Website: redwoodcity.org/departments/city-clerk (page title: City Clerk | City of Redwood City)
  • Phone: 650-780-7220
  • Address: 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA 94063
  • Checked: September 25, 2026, the page answered.

Redwood City police reports and records

Incident reports, crash reports and the other records of the Redwood City police are requested from the department's records unit, usually in writing or through an online form. Reports on open investigations and the names of victims and juveniles are usually withheld or redacted, and some states limit crash reports to the people involved and their insurers. The page below is the one SearchSystems verified for Redwood City police records.

Jail bookings and inmate lookups are usually handled by the county, not the city police. They are in the San Mateo County public records guide under jail and inmate lookups.

Redwood City City Hall: departments, licenses and permits

Business licenses, building permits, code enforcement cases and the city's other records are kept by the department that issued them. The city's own website below lists its departments and how to reach them.

  • Website: redwoodcity.org/city-hall (page title: Welcome to City Hall | City of Redwood City)
  • Phone: (650) 780-7300
  • Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Checked: September 25, 2026, the page answered.

Public records requests to Redwood City

California public records law applies to the city government of Redwood City. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it: the City Clerk for council and city records, the police records unit for police reports and the department that issued a permit or license for its records. A request that names a date, an address, or a report or case number is the easiest to answer.

Other cities and towns in San Mateo County

SearchSystems has a guide like this one for these other cities and towns in San Mateo County. The San Mateo County public records guide covers the records the county keeps for all of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official Redwood City website?

No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official Redwood City offices listed above, and the city's own website is redwoodcity.org; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.

How do I get a police report in Redwood City?

Request it from the Redwood City police records unit at redwoodcity.org, phone (650) 780-7100. Reports on open investigations and the names of victims and juveniles are usually withheld or redacted.

Where do I find Redwood City city council minutes and ordinances?

From the City Clerk at redwoodcity.org/departments/city-clerk, phone 650-780-7220. The office keeps the official agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions.

Where do I find court records or jail bookings for Redwood City?

Redwood City cases are heard by the courts that serve San Mateo County, and people arrested in Redwood City are usually booked into the county jail. Both are covered in the San Mateo County public records guide on SearchSystems.

How do I request a public record from Redwood City?

From the office that holds it: the City Clerk for council and city records, the police records unit for police reports and the department that issued a permit or license for its records. California public records law applies to city governments.