CA official databases
California Public Records Search
DirtSearch tracks 47 free, official California public-records databases — covering 11 court tools, 9 criminal and public-safety registries, 18 property and business resources, and 1 vital-records portals. Every link below points directly to an official CA state, county, or municipal source.
What you can search in California
Civil, criminal, probate, family, and traffic case dockets across California courts.
Sex-offender registries, inmate locators, most-wanted lists, warrants, and missing persons.
Assessor records, deeds, tax rolls, parcel maps, business filings, UCC, and unclaimed property.
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records sourced from California agencies.
Courts & Legal (11)
- California Courts of Appeal Case Search
- Los Angeles Superior Court Case Search
- Fresno Superior Court Case Search
- San Diego Superior Court
- Orange County Superior Court Case Search
- Sacramento Superior Court Case Search
- San Bernardino Superior Court Case Search
- Riverside Superior Court Case Search
- Alameda Superior Court Case Search
- Santa Clara Superior Court Case Search
- Ventura Superior Court Case Search
Criminal & Public Safety (9)
- California Megan's Law Sex Offender Search
- CDCR Inmate Locator
- Los Angeles County Sheriff Inmate Search
- Sacramento County Jail Inmate Search
- San Diego County Sheriff Warrant Search
- San Diego County Sheriff Jail Inmates
- Kern County Sheriff Inmate Search
- Nevada County Jail Inmate Search
- Nevada County Active Warrants
Property & Business (18)
- California Real Estate License Lookup
- California Secretary of State Business Search
- Marin County Recorder Records Search
- Los Angeles County Assessor Property Search
- San Diego County Assessor Property Search
- Orange County Assessor Property Search
- Sacramento County Assessor Property Search
- San Bernardino County Assessor Property Search
- Riverside County Assessor Property Search
- Santa Clara County Assessor Property Search
- Alameda County Assessor Property Search
- Fresno County Assessor Property Search
- Kern County Assessor Property Search
- San Mateo County Assessor Property Search
- Contra Costa County Assessor Property Search
- Sonoma County Recorded Documents
- Nevada County Recorded Documents
- California Unclaimed Property Search
Vital Records (1)
Licenses & General (5)
Other Resources (3)
How to search California public records
- Pick the record category that matches what you need (court, criminal, property, vital, or licensing).
- Click through to the official CA portal listed above — DirtSearch never inserts a paywall.
- Search by name, case number, parcel number, or business name on the government site itself.
- Cross-check the result against a second source (a federal database, a different county portal, or a court docket) before acting on it.
Frequently asked questions about California public records
Are California public records really free?
Yes. California state and county agencies publish most public records online at no charge. Some certified copies (for example, certified marriage or death certificates) carry a fee charged by the issuing agency, but searching the index is free.
Can I run a background check using these CA resources?
You can pull most of the underlying records yourself for free, but if you intend to use the result for an employment, housing, or credit decision the FCRA generally requires a licensed Consumer Reporting Agency. Use the official sources above for personal research and verification.
How current is the data?
Each portal sets its own update cadence. Court dockets are typically updated daily; assessor and deed indexes weekly to monthly; vital-records indexes can lag by several weeks. Check the “last updated” notice on each agency’s site before relying on a result.