California Background Check Resources
Background checks are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Most state laws concerning public records and background checks are very liberal and straightforward. In the State of California, public records are readily available to anyone wishing to obtain them through appropriate official state agency channels. Background checks are instrumental in the parties' ability to enter into various legally binding contracts, and as such, are always a good idea. Background checks generally require a written permission prior to performing the inquiry. Occasionally, it is possible to obtain such reports without permission, but the results may lack in-depth details.
If the background check adversely affects the consumer, the party accessing public records must provide a copy of the report and a summary of the consumer's rights under FCRA, and allow the consumer reasonable time to contest the report. Due to the increasing threat of identity theft, the state of California now requires the employer to provide a copy of the background check report to the consumer regardless of its content.
Call the telephone numbers listed below (or visit the listed websites) to learn how to access the specific background check information you're seeking. Public information may be accessible online or by phone, mail or in person.
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
[County Level]
Brief tutorial on accessing civil and criminal records.
Call the telephone numbers listed below (or visit the listed websites) to learn how to access the specific information you're seeking. Public information may be accessible online or by phone, mail or in person.
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
CALIFORNIA STATE INFORMATION HOT LINE:
(916)322-9900
CALIFORNIA STATE WEB SITE:
www.state.ca.us
Attorney General
Archives
Legislative Records
State Archives
Criminal Records
State Repository
Reporting Evaluation & Analysis Section
PO Box 903417
Sacramento CA 94203-4170
(916) 227-3460
(fax number not provided)
www.caag.state.ca.us
Department of Corrections
Driving Records
Department of Motor Vehicles
Public Contact Unit
PO Box 944247
Sacramento CA 94244
(916) 657-8098
(fax number not provided)
www.dmv.ca.gov
Vehicle Ownership Information
Department of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 944247
Sacramento CA 94244
(916) 657-8098
(916) 657-9041 (fax)
www.dmv.ca.gov
Vital Statistics (birth, death, divorce, marriage)
California Department of Health
Services
Office of Vital Records
PO Box 730241
Sacramento CA 94244-0241
(916) 445-1719
(800) 858-5553
www.dhs.ca.gov/chs
Marriages (Fee-Based)
Death Records (1940-1997)
Business/Corporate Records
Secretary of State
1500 11th Street
Sacramento CA 95814
(916) 657-5448
(fax number not provided)
www.ss.ca.gov
Workers Compensation Information
Division of Workers Compensation
Information & Assistance Unit
PO Box 420603
San Francisco CA 94142
(415) 703-4600
(414) 703-4717 (fax)
UCCs and Federal Tax Liens
UCC Division
Secretary of State
PO Box 942835
Sacramento CA 94235-0001
(916) 653-3516 x2
(fax number not provided)
www.ss.ca.gov/business/ucc/ucc.htm
State Fishing & Hunting Licenses
CALIFORNIA STATE FACTS, INFO & NEWS
CALIFORNIA COURTS
CALIFORNIA ONLINE DIRECTORY
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS LINKS
CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL:
CIVIL AND CRIMINAL RECORDS
Call the telephone numbers listed below (or visit the listed websites) to learn how to access the specific information you're seeking. Public information may be accessible online or by phone, mail or in person.
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
This website is being continually updated. Check back for the latest information!
City-County Cross Index
Alameda County
1225 Fallon St., Room 100
Oakland, CA 94612-4218
(510) 272-6777
ONLINE: Alameda County Courts
www.co.alameda.ca.us/courts/index.shtml
(free access to county criminal and civil court docket data)
Tax Assessor
www.co.alameda.ca.us/aswpinq
Recordings, Deeds, Mortgages, Liens, Fictitious Business Names
rechart1.co.alameda.ca.us/localization/menu.asp
Recorder
www.criis.com/amador/recorded.htm
Alpine County
P.O. Box 158
Markleeville, CA 96120-0158
(530) 694-2113
Amador County
500 Argonaut Lane
Jackson, CA 95642-2308
(209) 223-6463
Butte County
1931 Arlin Rhine Dr.
Oroville, CA 95965-3316
(530) 538-7551
ONLINE: Births, Marriages, Deaths
clerk-recorder.buttecounty.net/RiimsWeb/ASP/VTInquiry.asp
Fictitious Business Names
clerk-recorder.buttecounty.net/Riimsweb/ASP/FBNInquiry.asp
Recorder, Real Estate
clerk-recorder.buttecounty.net/Riimsweb/Asp/ORInquiry.asp
Calaveras County
Recorder's Office
891 Mountain Ranch Rd.
San Andreas, CA 95249-9713
(209) 754-6310
ONLINE: Assessor/Property
www.co.calaveras.ca.us/asp/Parcelsearch.html
Property (Parcel Info)
www.co.calaveras.ca.us/departments/gisproj.html
City of Davis Business Licenses
Colusa County
546 Jay St.
Colusa, CA 95932-2443
(530) 458-5149
Contra Costa County
730 Las Juntus
P.O. Box 350
Martinez, CA 94553-0350
(925) 646-2950
ONLINE: Contra Costa County Superior Court
www.co.contra-costa.ca.us
Contra Costa County Recorder (Tel: 925-646-2360)
www.criis.com/contracosta/srecord_current.shtml
Fictitious Business Names
www.criis.com/contracosta/sfictitious.shtml
Recorder Records, Judgments, Deeds, Liens
www.criis.com/contracosta/srecord_current.shtml
Del Norte County
450 H St.
Crescent City, CA 95531-4021
(707) 464-8115
El Dorado County
360 Fair Lane, Building B
Placerville, CA 95667
(530) 621-6426
ONLINE: Fictitious Names, Non-confidential Marriages
http://main.co.el-dorado.ca.us/CGI/WWB012/WWM500/C
Personal Property, Real Estate
http://main.co.el-dorado.ca.us/CGI/WWB012/WWM400/A
Recording
http://main.co.el-dorado.ca.us/CGI/WWB012/WWM501/R
Fresno County
Hall of Records
2281 Tulare St., Room 301
Fresno, CA 93721-2105
(559) 488-3352
Death Records
http://assessor.fresno.ca.gov/fresno/sdeath.htm
Marriage Records
http://assessor.fresno.ca.gov/fresno/smarriage.htm
Recorder
http://assessor.fresno.ca.gov/fresno/srecord.shtml
Inmates
www.fresnosheriff.org/index.html
Civil, Family, Probate, Small Claims
www.fresno.ca.gov/2810/SJVAP/CourtConnect.asp
Glenn County
526 W. Sycamore
Willows, CA 95988-0391
(530) 934-6446
Humboldt County
825 5th St., Room 110
Eureka, CA 95501-1153
(707) 445-7256
Imperial County
939 West Main St.
El Centro, CA 92243
(760) 482-4217
Inyo County
P.O. Box U
Independence, CA 93526
(760) 878-0218
ONLINE: Recorder, Fictitious Business Names
www.criis.com/inyo/official.shtml
Kern County
1415 Truxtun Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93301-5222
(661) 868-5393
ONLINE: Assessor
http://assessor.co.kern.ca.us/kips/property_search.asp
Fictitious Business Names
www.co.kern.ca.us/ctyclerk/dba/default.asp
Marriages
http://recorderonline.co.kern.ca.us/cgi-bin/msearch.mbr/input
Recordings, Deeds, Property
http://recorder.co.kern.ca.us/kips/property_search.asp
Tax Assessor, Fictitious Business Names
http://kerndata.com
Kings County
Clerk Recorder
1400 W. Lacey Blvd.
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-3211
Lake County
255 N. Forbes St.
Lakeport, CA 95453-4731
(707) 263-2374
Lassen County Recorder
220 S. Lassen St. Suite 5
Susanville, CA 96130-4324
(530) 251-8189
Los Angeles County
P.O. Box 120
Los Angeles, CA 90053-0120
(213) 974-6135 [Los Angeles]
(818) 374-2208 [Van Nuys]
(818) 557-3482 [Burbank]
(818) 500-3551 [Glendale]
(323) 586-6365 [Huntington Park]
(626) 356-5695 [Pasadena]
(310) 260-3522 [Santa Monica]
ONLINE: Los Angles County Courts
www.lasuperiorcourt.org
(free access to county criminal and civil court docket data)
Los Angeles County Probate Notes:
www.lasuperiorcourt.org/probate
Assessor
http://assessor.co.la.ca.us/DataMaps/pais.asp
Sex Offenders
http://gismap.co.la.ca.us/sols/viewer.asp
Superior Court (Civil, Small Claims, Probate, Family - case summaries)
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org
City of Los Angeles Property (Parcel Info)
City of Los Angeles Inmate Locator
Madera County Recorder
209 W. Yosemite Ave.
Madera, CA 93637-3534
(559) 675-7944
Marin County Recorder
P.O. Box C
San Rafael, CA 94913
(415) 473-6407
Mariposa County
P.O. Box 247
Mariposa, CA 95338-0247
(209) 966-2005
Mendocino County
501 Low Gap Rd., Rm 1020
Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 463-4481
Merced County
2222 M St., Room 14
Merced, CA 95340-3729
(209) 385-6515
ONLINE: Missing Persons
www.co.merced.ca.us/sheriff
Modoc County
204 S. Court St.
Alturas, CA 96101-0131
(530) 233-6205
ONLINE: Recorder, Vital Statistics, Fictitious Names
http://criis.com/modoc/official.shtml
Mono County
P.O. Box 237
Bridgeport, CA 93517-0537
(760) 932-5239
Monterey County
P.O. Box 29
Salinas, CA 93902-0029
(831) 647-5800
ONLINE: Superior Court
www.co.monterey.ca.us/court/calendar.asp
Napa County Superior Court
825 Brown St.
Napa, CA 94559-0880
(702) 299-1180
Nevada County
P.O. Box 6126
Nevada City, CA 95959-6126
(530) 265-1311
ONLINE: Property Tax
http://treas-tax.co.nevada.ca.us/searchtax.php
Orange County
P.O. Box 238
Santa Ana, CA 92702-0238
(714) 834-2200
Placer County
2954 Richardson Dr.
Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 889-6550
ONLINE: County Recorder (Tel: 530-886-5600):
www.criis.com/placer/srecord_current.shtml
Marriage Records
www.criis.com/placer/smarriage.shtml
Plumas County
P.O. Box 10706
Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-6305
Riverside County
P.O. Box 751
Riverside, CA 92502-0751
(909) 955-1960
Sacramento County
600 8th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 874-5522
City of West Sacramento Business Licenses
San Benito County
440 5th St., Room 206
Hollister, CA 95023
(831) 636-4057
San Bernardino County
222 W. Hospitality Ln.
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0022
(760) 256-4907
ONLINE: San Bernardino County Property (Tel: 909-387-8307)
www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/tax/trsearch.asp
Fictitious Business Names:
www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/ACR/RecSearch.htm
San Diego County
P.O. Box 121750
San Diego, CA 92112-4147
(619) 531-3141
San Francisco County Superior Court
633 Folsom St., Room 210
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 553-1159
San Joaquin County
P.O. Box 1968
Stockton, CA 95201-1968
(209) 468-2355
ONLINE: Case Summaries
www.stocktoncourt.org/courts/caseinfo.htm
San Luis Obispo County
1144 Monterey St., Suite C
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408-0001
(805) 781-5677
San Mateo County
401 Marshall St., 6th Fl.
Redwood City, CA 94063-1636
(415) 363-4711
Property Tax
http://smctweb1.co.sanmateo.ca.us/index.html
Santa Barbara County
Hall of Records, P.O. Box 159
Santa Barbara, CA 93102
(805) 568-2220
Santa Clara County
170 Park Center Plaza
San Jose, CA 95110-1774
(408) 882-2100
Santa Cruz County
701 Ocean St., Room 230
Santa Cruz, CA 95060-4027
(831) 454-2020
Shasta County
1500 Court St.
Redding, CA 96001-1694
(530) 245-6789
ONLINE: Superior Court
www.shastacourts.com/indexes.php
Shasta County Recorder
www.ci.redding.ca.us
City of Redding Assessor
www.ci.redding.ca.us
Sierra County
P.O. Drawer D
Downieville, CA 95936-9999
(530) 289-3698
Siskiyou County Recorder
P.O. Box 8
Yreka, CA 96097-0008
(530) 842-8196
Solano County
600 Texas St.
Fairfield, CA 94533-6321
(707) 421-6053
ONLINE: Recording, Assessor, Property
http://recorderonline.solanocounty.com
Superior Court
www.solanocourts.com
Sonoma County
P.O. Box 6124
Santa Rosa, CA 95406-6124
(707) 565-1100
Stanislaus County
800 11th St.
Modesto, CA 95353-1008
(209) 558-6000
Sutter County
P.O. Box 1555
Yuba City, CA 95992-1555
(530) 822-7352
Tehama County
P.O. Box 250
Red Bluff, CA 96080-0250
(530) 527-6441
Trinity County
P.O. Box 1258
Weaverville, CA 96093-1258
(530) 623-1208
Tulare County
221 S. Mooney Blvd., Room 105
Visalia, CA 93291-4593
(559) 733-6454
Tuolumne County
2 S. Green St.
Sonora, CA 95370-4679
(209) 533-5555
Ventura County
800 S. Victoria Ave.
Ventura, CA 93009-0001
(805) 654-2264
Yolo County
P.O. Box 1130
Woodland, CA 95776-1130
(530) 666-8598
ONLINE: Yolo County Recorder (Tel: 530-666-8130)
www.criis.com/yolo/srecord_current.shtml
DID YOU KNOW...
The Investigative Directories page of Background Check Gateway contains one of the most comprehensive public records directories listings on the Internet.
Yolo County Fictitious Business Names
www.criis.com/yolo/sfictitious.shtml
Court Calendars, Probate Notes
www.yolocourts.com/calendar_daily.html
Yuba County
935 14th St.
Marysville, CA 95901
(530) 749-7600