California Record Finder
Use this guide to find California public records by starting at the correct court, county, or state office and knowing which search details and document types to request.
On This Page:
Begin with the office that actually holds the record type you need.
Find a case, docket, or court file
Trial-level records are maintained by each county’s Superior Court; case numbers and party searches work best there.
See deeds, liens, or confirm property ownership
All land records are recorded at the county level; the Recorder issues official and certified copies.
Order a birth, death, or marriage certificate
CDPH provides statewide certificates; counties may have faster access for recent events and local records.
Check prison custody or offender status
State prisons and county jails keep separate custody rosters and locator tools.
Look up a company or UCC filing
The Secretary of State maintains the statewide registry for entities and secured transaction filings.
| Source Or Office | Best For | Helpful Search Input | Access Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Superior Court (by County) – Clerk of Court | Criminal, civil, family, probate, and traffic case dockets and files | Case number, party name, filing date, attorney bar number | Online court index/portal where available; in person at courthouse; mail copy request | Each county runs its own system; older files may be archived; certified copies issued by the Clerk. |
| California Courts Online Services / Case Search | Appellate cases and links to county trial court portals | Case number, party name | Statewide court website and linked county portals | Coverage and document access vary by court; some counties provide dockets only. |
| County Recorder-Clerk (by County) | Deeds, mortgages/deeds of trust, liens, releases, maps; Fictitious Business Names in some counties | Owner/grantor/grantee name, property address, APN, document number, recording date | Online index in many counties; in person; mail copy order | Recorder is the official of record for land documents; certified copies available. |
| County Assessor (by County) | Parcel maps, assessed values, situs address, APN lookup | Address, APN, subdivision/tract | Online parcel/assessor search where available; counter inquiries | Not a recording office; owner name visibility may be limited in some jurisdictions. |
| California Department of Public Health – Vital Records | Birth, death, and marriage certificates or verifications | Full name, date and place of event, parents’ names (births), spouse names (marriages) | Mail order; authorized online vendor; some records available at county offices | Certified copies require eligibility and identity verification; informational copies are available with a legend. |
| California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) | State prison inmate lookup and status | Name, CDCR number, date of birth | Online inmate locator | County jail records are maintained by county sheriffs, not CDCR. |
Criminal, civil, small claims, family, probate, and traffic cases
Deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, maps, and recorded notices
Birth, death, and marriage certificates or verifications
State prison custody information and offender status; jail rosters at county level
Corporations, LLCs, LPs, name availability, and Uniform Commercial Code liens
Official California sources are best when you need certified copies, court filings, recorded deeds, vital certificates, or agency-maintained documents tied to a specific case, parcel, or event. Background check services can help with broad, name-based lookups across many datasets, but they may be incomplete or outdated and do not replace the Superior Court, Recorder, Secretary of State, CDPH, or CDCR for authoritative records.
Search the county Superior Court portal by party name or citation, or contact the Clerk of Court. If you know the filing county and year, staff can often locate the case number.
Order from CDPH Vital Records or the county vital records office where the event occurred. Certified copies require eligibility and ID; informational copies are available for general use.
Look up the parcel at the County Assessor (address or APN) and obtain the recorded deed from the County Recorder-Clerk. Request the document by recording number and date for best results.
Statewide criminal history from the California DOJ is generally available only to the subject or as authorized by law. For specific cases, check the county Superior Court where charges were filed.
Use the CDCR inmate locator for state prisons. For county jails, search the county sheriff’s website or contact the jail records unit in the county of arrest.