Bail Bond Records: The Complete California Guide (2026)

Updated September 2026. Written for California families trying to find a bail bond, a bond amount, or the person or company behind a bond, with a lookup guide for all 58 counties. Checked against the Penal Code, the Government Code, the California Rules of Court, the Department of Insurance’s bail regulations, and each county court’s and sheriff’s own website. If the case is in federal court, Texas, or Idaho, jump to the out-of-state section.

Quick answer: A California bail bond leaves three different sets of records, and each one lives in a different place. The jail’s booking record, kept by the sheriff, shows who was booked, the charges, the bail amount, and how the person was released. State law requires police and sheriffs to give out the bail amount and “the time and manner of release” to anyone who asks. The court file holds the bond itself, and the court clerk must enter the bond’s date, amount, and insurance company on the case docket. The bail company’s own file holds the application, the cosigner’s agreement, receipts, and collateral records. That file is not a court record, and it is not posted anywhere. So you can usually find out whether a bond was posted, for how much, and which bail company and insurer stand behind it. You usually cannot find out which friend or relative cosigned. Online, most California courts show only indexes, calendars, and dockets for criminal cases; the documents themselves can be viewed only at the courthouse under state court rules. Some courts charge for a name search (Los Angeles charges $4.75), and some have no online criminal search at all. After a case ends without a conviction, many arrest records can be sealed, and the state has already cleared millions of old records automatically.

Bail Bond Records at a Glance

Short on time? This table is the whole article in miniature. Every row is explained and sourced below.

In this guide: What counts as a bail bond record | What the court file shows | Are bail bonds public? | Look up a bond by name | Who posted bail | Bond amount and conditions | Bond status terms | Your own paperwork | What stays private | People-search sites | Real cases | The data | In their words | Outside California | All 58 counties | What to do | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

What Counts as a “Bail Bond Record” in California

People search for “bail bond records” as if there were one file somewhere with everything in it. There is not. When someone is arrested and bailed out in California, three separate systems each write down part of the story.

1. The jail’s booking record. The sheriff (or the police department that made the arrest) records the booking: name, booking number, charges, bail amount, where the person is housed, and eventually how and when they left. This is the record behind every county’s inmate locator. California’s Public Records Act makes a specific list of these facts public. Police and sheriffs “shall make public” the arrested person’s name, the time and place of arrest and booking, the charges, “The amount of bail set,” and “The time and manner of release or the location where the individual is currently being held” (Gov. Code 7923.610). The one exception is when releasing a particular item would endanger someone’s safety or an investigation.

2. The court’s case file. Bail posted at the jail still ends up at the court. Money and bonds taken at the jail “shall be transmitted immediately to the judge or clerk of the court” handling the case (PC 1269b). From then on, the bond is part of the criminal case file at the superior court, along with the charges, the minute orders from each hearing, and any later forfeiture or exoneration. For a detailed look at jail-side records, see our guide to California jail records.

3. The bail company’s file. When a family buys a bail bond, the paperwork they sign stays with the bail agency: the application, the guarantor (cosigner) agreement, the premium receipt, any collateral receipt, and the statement of charges. California’s bail regulations require the agency to keep “complete records of all business done” and to open them to the Insurance Commissioner (10 CCR 2100). Nothing in the law makes this file public.

Most confusion online comes from mixing these three up. A family member who asks “who posted bail?” is usually asking about the third file, which is the one they cannot see. A reporter or employer looking for “bail records” is usually looking at the first two, which are largely public.

What the Court File Shows About a Bail Bond

A California bail bond is a written promise, called an “undertaking of bail.” With a commercial bond, the promise is made by an insurance company (the surety) through a licensed bail agent. The law spells out what must be on it and what the court must record.

• The docket entry. “Upon filing, the clerk shall enter in the register of actions the date and amounts of such bond and the name or names of the surety or sureties thereon” (PC 1269). The register of actions is the court’s running list of everything that happens in a case.
• The bail agency’s identity. Every bond “shall contain the bail agent license number of the owner of the bail agency issuing the undertaking along with the name, address, and phone number of the agency” (PC 1278(b)). You can check that license, and any discipline, for free on the Department of Insurance’s license lookup.
• The agent’s authority. A bail agent signs the bond for the insurance company under a power of attorney that must be “on file in the office of the clerk of the county” (PC 1276).
• The paper can go, the entry stays. Once it is shown to the court, by sworn statement or testimony, that more than three years have passed since the bail was exonerated or released, the court must order the paper bond destroyed (PC 1269). The docket entry remains.

Here is how the pieces divide between the court and the bail company:

What about the “bond number”? Bail bonds carry an identifying number. San Francisco’s monthly court report on bail bonds, for example, lists each one with a “Bond #.” In the bail industry, that number is usually the insurance company’s power of attorney number for the bond. It is how the court, the jail, the insurer, and the bail agent keep track of a bond. There is no public database where you type in a bond number and get an answer. With the bond number and the case number, the court clerk or the bail agency named on the bond can tell you where it stands.

Why the online docket may not show bail. State court rules require courts to leave “Any financial information” out of the calendars, indexes, and registers they put online (Rule 2.507(c)). The rule does not say whether a bail amount counts as financial information, and courts handle it differently. The Los Angeles court says it has “no plans to provide bail/bond status online.” The docket kept at the courthouse is the reliable place to look.

Are Bail Bonds Public Records in California?

Partly. The official parts of a bail bond, meaning the fact that it was posted, the amount, the insurance company, the bail agency, and any forfeiture or exoneration, are public court and law enforcement records. The private contract between a family and a bail company is not. Our companion article, Are Bail Bonds Public Records?, covers the access rules in depth. Here is the short version.

• California starts from openness. The state Constitution says “the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny” and tells courts to read any law limiting access narrowly (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3(b)). Court rules add: “Unless confidentiality is required by law, court records are presumed to be open” (Rule 2.550(c)).
• Police and sheriff records follow the Public Records Act. The booking facts listed in Gov. Code 7923.610, including the bail amount, must be released. The investigation files behind an arrest generally do not have to be (Gov. Code 7923.600).
• Court files follow court rules, not the Public Records Act. The Act’s definition of a state agency leaves out the courts (Gov. Code 7920.540). Criminal case files are open under the court rules and the constitutional right of access, and you request them from the court clerk.
• Public does not mean online. For criminal cases, courts that keep registers of actions, calendars, and indexes electronically must put them online where feasible, but the case documents themselves “may not” be offered remotely (Rule 2.503(c)). You see those at a courthouse terminal or order copies.
• Some things are never public. Juvenile files (Welf. & Inst. Code 827), sealed arrests, and the bail company’s private file are not open to the public. See what stays private below.

Four claims you will read online that are wrong for California

Almost every page that ranks for these searches is a bail company blog with no sources, and the same few mistakes travel from page to page. Here is what California law actually says.

1. “If someone cosigned the bond, their name becomes part of the public record.” Not in California. Nothing in the Penal Code’s bail chapter requires a cosigner’s name on the court’s copy of a commercial bond. The cosigner’s agreement stays in the bail company’s file (10 CCR 2084, 2098). Federal court is different; see the out-of-state section.
2. “Look it up on PACER.” PACER covers federal courts only. A California state case is looked up on the county superior court’s own system. The PACER language on many bail sites was copied from the federal court’s bond postings page for the Central District of California, which applies only to federal cases.
3. “Bondsmen follow a Code of Ethics that keeps your information confidential.” There is no attorney-style ethics code or privilege for bail agents. Their duties come from the Insurance Code and the Department of Insurance’s regulations, which require them to keep records, give you copies, and open their files to state regulators.
4. “The money you pay a bail company is collateral.” The premium is a fee for the bond. Collateral is separate property pledged to secure it, and it must be returned when the bond ends (10 CCR 2088.2). See our guide on getting money back from a bail bond.

How to Look Up a Bail Bond by Name

There is no single statewide bail bond database in California. You look in two places, the jail and the court, in that order.

Step 1: Start with the jail

The sheriff’s booking system knows first. Most counties post an online inmate locator, and every county’s jail will answer basic questions by phone. What you can expect to learn, because the law makes it public, is whether the person is in custody, the charges, the bail amount, any holds from other agencies, and whether and how they were released (Gov. Code 7923.610). If the person was released on a bail bond, the jail’s record will usually say so.

A few practical points:

• Give it a few hours. Los Angeles County says records “will not be available for bookings that occurred within the last 2 hours.”
• Expect a robot check or an account. Many locators, including those in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento counties, make you pass a human check (a reCAPTCHA or similar) before you can search. Orange County’s system requires an account and “does not provide the ability to view inmate charges.”
• The bail amount is usually one click in, if it is there at all. In Los Angeles and Ventura, open the person’s record by clicking the booking number and the bail is on it. In San Diego, click the person’s last name. Stanislaus goes further and lists the bail and court date for each separate charge. Sacramento shows bail information while the person is still in custody, and stops showing it once they are released. San Bernardino’s record carries a bail field along with the arrest details and the current housing. Riverside’s lookup confirms custody without an amount, and many other county lists show only a name, a booking date, and a housing location. When the amount is not there, use the phone number in the county guide.
• A few counties put bail right on the list. Napa County’s public In Custody Report has a “Charges & Bail” column, and Marin County’s booking log shows bail with a warning that it “may be an approximation.” Most others show only a name, a booking date, and a housing location. The county guide below says what each county’s tool is confirmed to show.
• Phone lines often tell you more. Sacramento County’s Main Jail line will “provide bail amount,” and San Joaquin and Yolo counties list the charges, bail, and court date among what their jail staff will tell callers.

Not sure which county? Our guides on how to find out if someone is in jail and the California inmate locator guide walk through statewide options.

Step 2: Search the court’s case index

Once you know the county, the superior court’s online system can confirm the case, the case number, and the next court date. The rules that shape what you will find:

• Name search is allowed, but not by birth date. In 2021 a California appeals court held that letting the public search Riverside’s criminal index by date of birth or driver’s license number conflicted with the court rules (All of Us or None v. Hamrick (2021) 64 Cal.App.5th 751). Courts changed their systems. Ventura County’s court, for example, says that “Effective June 21, 2021,” you “may no longer search with a Date of Birth or Driver’s License Number.” Expect several people with the same name.
• Some courts charge. Los Angeles charges $4.75 per name search for guest users, even when nothing is found. Riverside sells name searches starting at $1 per name, with case-number searches free. Many smaller courts, such as Butte, Glenn, Lake, Sutter, and Yuba, let anyone search without paying or registering.
• Some courts have no online criminal index at all. Santa Barbara and Del Norte both say “An online Criminal index is not available at this time.” Merced’s criminal case lookup “Can only be accessed from the public computer” at the courthouse. Several small counties have no online case search.
• Accounts and limits are common. Kern, Humboldt, Madera, San Joaquin, and several other courts require a free account, and many limit public searches, often to 45 a day.

Step 3: Go to the courthouse, or ask the clerk

For the bond itself, the minute orders, and the release conditions, go to the courthouse’s records or criminal window, or send a written request. The fees are set by state law: $0.50 a page for copies, $40 to certify a document, and $15 for any clerk search that takes more than 10 minutes (Gov. Code 70627, 70626). Viewing a file at the courthouse does not carry a listed fee. Bring the case number if you have it; many courts will not look up criminal records by phone.

One change worth knowing: San Luis Obispo County’s court announced that “Effective July 1st, 2026 the Court will no longer provide case summaries in response to third-party case information requests.” Other courts may follow.

Step 4: If it is a federal case, use PACER

Federal cases, such as immigration-related crimes or federal drug and fraud charges, are on PACER. See the out-of-state section.

How to Find Out Who Posted Bail for Someone

This is one of the most searched questions about bail records, and the honest answer has three parts.

What the court file will show. For a commercial bail bond, the court file shows the insurance company and the bail agency, because both must appear on the bond (PC 1278(b)). For cash bail, the court’s receipt is issued “in the name of the depositor,” and if someone other than the defendant put up the cash, the refund goes back to that person after the case (PC 1297). So the court knows which company wrote a bond, and it knows who deposited cash.

What the jail will tell you. The jail must disclose “the time and manner of release” (Gov. Code 7923.610). In practice that tells you whether the person left on a bail bond, on cash bail, on their own recognizance, or on a citation. It does not tell you who paid.

What neither will show: the cosigner. The family member or friend who signed with the bail company, and anyone who pledged collateral, appears in the bail company’s file, not on the court’s bond. The exception is a “source of funds” hold. If a police officer or prosecutor files a sworn declaration showing probable cause, or the judge has probable cause, a judge may put a hold on the person’s release until the defendant proves that no part of the money or collateral was obtained through a felony (PC 1275.1). At that hearing, the judge “may close it to the general public” at the request of the person who provided the money, “to protect the person’s right to privacy in his or her financial affairs.”

Two counties publish bond lists. San Francisco’s Superior Court posts a monthly Bail Bonds Report, described as “a monthly summary of bail bonds filed in the Criminal Division.” The reports list each bond by filing date and docket number, with the bond amount, the bail bond company, the insurance company, and whether the bond was later exonerated or forfeited. Kern County’s court posts a bi-weekly “Exonerated Bond Report” intended for bail agencies. Most counties publish nothing like this.

Will the bail company tell you? Usually not, if you are not a party to the bond. Their file includes the cosigner’s personal and financial information, and privacy laws may limit what an insurance licensee can share. If you are the cosigner, you already have a right to copies of what you signed (10 CCR 2099).

The simplest route is often to ask the person who was released. If you are worried a bond was paid for with stolen money, that is what the Penal Code 1275.1 hold exists for, and prosecutors use it (People v. Pollard, below).

How to Find Someone’s Bond Amount and Bond Conditions

The bail amount

The bail amount is one of the facts police and sheriffs must release: “The amount of bail set” (Gov. Code 7923.610). The fastest way to get it is the county’s inmate locator or the jail’s phone line. In 1993, a California appeals court called this list “patently the type of information which would be relevant to current and contemporaneous police activity.” It held that the duty to release it covers current information, including bail, and does not require an agency to dig up and compile years of old arrest records for someone who asks (County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 588).

Three things can make the number confusing:

• The booking amount usually comes from the county bail schedule. The judges in every county must adopt, and revise every year, a countywide schedule for bailable felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions other than Vehicle Code infractions (PC 1269b), and the jail uses it until a judge weighs in. Our guide to bail amounts by crime explains how schedules work.
• A judge can change it. Under In re Humphrey (2021) and the California Supreme Court’s April 30, 2026 decision in In re Kowalczyk, a judge must consider what the person can afford, so the bail set in court may be lower (or different) than the schedule. When a judge grants or denies bail or own-recognizance release, the state Constitution requires that “the reasons for that decision shall be stated in the record and included in the court’s minutes” (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 28(f)(3)).
• A hold can make bail meaningless. The jail must also disclose “All charges the individual is being held upon, including any outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions, parole holds, and probation holds” (Gov. Code 7923.610). If there is a hold, posting bail on the local charge may not get the person out.

Bond conditions

Release conditions, such as a protective order, no-contact terms, drug testing, GPS monitoring, or a travel limit, are set by the judge and written into the court’s orders and minute orders. They are court records, so they are public unless sealed or confidential. But for criminal cases, those documents can be viewed only at the courthouse, not online (Rule 2.503(c)). To see them:

1. Ask for the minute order from the hearing where release was granted, at the courthouse records window or by written request ($0.50 a page).
2. Ask the defense lawyer. The defendant’s lawyer has every order in the case.
3. If you are a protected person, the prosecutor’s victim services office can tell you the terms of a protective order. Several sheriffs also offer free custody-status alerts through VINE, which San Diego’s Sheriff describes as “an anonymous service provided at no cost to the public.”

What is not public: pretrial services and own-recognizance reports prepared for the judge. Santa Clara County’s court, for example, lists “O.R. reports” among the records it does not release.

How to Check Bail Bond Status (and What the Words Mean)

“Bond status” means where the bond stands right now: active, finished, or in trouble. The court docket is the official record. The jail’s record will show only the release. The bail agency on the bond can also tell a party to the bond where things stand.

What about codes like “COMB”? People search for this one a lot, and we could not find any official definition from a California court, a jail, or the federal courts. Bond status codes are abbreviations built into each jail’s or court’s software, and there is no national code list. If you see a code you do not understand, call the jail’s records desk or the court clerk and ask what it means for that case. Be wary of any website that gives you a confident definition without naming the agency that uses it.

Proof a bond is finished. Some courts issue a certificate showing a bond was discharged. Solano County’s court lists a “Certificate of Discharge of Bail Bond” at $40 per document. Proof of exoneration matters because it is what triggers the return of any collateral (10 CCR 2088.2).

Your Own Bail Paperwork: What the Bail Company Must Give You

If you signed for a bail bond, you do not have to go looking for your own records. California’s bail regulations require the bail company to put them in your hands. These rules come from Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, which the Department of Insurance enforces.

• A numbered statement at release. Right when the person is released, or immediately after, the licensee must give the arrestee (or, if someone else arranged the bail, the main person who arranged it) “a numbered document” that includes the name of the insurance company, the amount of bail, the premium, “The total amount of all charges,” and “A description of and receipt for any collateral received” (10 CCR 2083).
• A copy of everything you sign. The licensee “shall tender a copy of any document which is executed by any person with whom bail is negotiated to such person at the time of the execution thereof” (10 CCR 2099).
• Your cosigner agreement in writing. “All guarantor agreements shall be in writing,” and a copy must be delivered to the guarantor promptly after signing (10 CCR 2084). Our guide to your role as a bail bond cosigner explains what that agreement means.
• No waiving your rights. A bail licensee cannot require a cosigner or collateral depositor to waive any right they have in the transaction (10 CCR 2087).
• Collateral comes back when the bond ends. Collateral “shall be returned to the person who deposited it,” and for a bond, “immediately upon the entry of any order by an authorized official by virtue of which liability under the bond is terminated” (10 CCR 2088.2). If a lien was placed on property, see how to remove a bail bond lien.
• How long the company keeps records. “Five years after the final completion of all parts of a bail transaction, a bail licensee may destroy the bail licensee’s records pertaining to such transactions” (10 CCR 2104). Keep your own copies longer than that.
• Check the license. The bail agency’s license number is printed on the bond. The Department of Insurance’s license lookup shows “the license status and discipline history” of any bail agent. The Department says there are “approximately 2,300 bail agents and organizations in California licensed by CDI” (CDI bail page).

Want off a bond as a cosigner? That is a separate process; see how to remove a cosigner’s name from a bail bond.

What Stays Private, and How Records Get Cleared

A bail bond is evidence of an arrest. That is why the question of what stays private matters long after the case is over.

Records that are not public

• Juvenile cases. A juvenile case file “may be inspected only by” the people and agencies the law lists (Welf. & Inst. Code 827).
• Arrestee home addresses. Police release a current address only to someone who declares under penalty of perjury that the request is for a scholarly, journalistic, political, governmental, or licensed private investigation purpose, and the address may not be used to sell anything (Gov. Code 7923.620).
• Compiled criminal histories. Your statewide “rap sheet” is not public. You can get your own from the Department of Justice for a fee “not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25)” (PC 11123), plus the Live Scan operator’s fee, and the law gives you the right “to refute any erroneous or inaccurate information” (PC 11121).
• The bail company’s file, as covered above.

Sealing an arrest that did not lead to a conviction

• By petition. A person whose arrest did not end in a conviction can petition to seal the arrest (PC 851.91). Sealed records are stamped “ARREST SEALED: DO NOT RELEASE OUTSIDE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR,” and that stamp “shall be included on all master court dockets, digital or otherwise” (PC 851.92). Anyone who knowingly spreads a sealed record without authorization faces a civil penalty of $500 to $2,500.
• Factual innocence. A stronger remedy (PC 851.8) lets the arrest be “deemed not to have occurred,” but the bar is high. An acquittal alone is not enough (People v. Adair, below).
• Automatically. Since July 2022, the Department of Justice has been granting relief on qualifying arrests and convictions without a petition (PC 851.93, 1203.425), under laws often called Clean Slate. California Policy Lab reports that “In the first two years, the CA DOJ automatically relieved nearly 12 million records, of which 2.84 million were convictions” (CPL, October 2024). DOJ explains the process on its automatic record relief page.

Who is allowed to use an arrest record

• Employers may not ask about “an arrest or detention that did not result in conviction” (Labor Code 432.7). One exception matters while a case is open: the same law does not stop an employer from asking about an arrest for which the applicant is out on bail or on their own recognizance pending trial. Under the Fair Chance Act, employers with five or more employees may not consider an arrest not followed by conviction, participation in a diversion program, or convictions that have been sealed, dismissed, or expunged, in a background check (Gov. Code 12952).
• Background check companies in California generally may not report an arrest or conviction when more than seven years have passed since the case was resolved or the person was released or paroled, and must stop reporting an arrest once they learn it did not result in a conviction (Civil Code 1786.18).

Mugshots

• No pay-to-remove. California bars websites from charging to take down a booking photo (Civil Code 1798.91.1).
• Police social media. A police department or sheriff “shall not share, on social media, booking photos of an individual arrested on suspicion of committing a nonviolent crime” except in narrow circumstances, and must take any booking photo down from its social media “within 14 days” unless an exception applies (PC 13665). That rule does not cover a sheriff’s own inmate locator.

People-Search Sites, Lookalike Locators, and Background Checks

Search for a jail or a bail record and you will see ads and websites offering an instant “bail bond lookup” or “arrest record search.” Most are not official, and the courts have explained why that matters.

Compiled data is different from a court file. In 1994, a reseller called Crimeline tried to buy monthly computer-tape copies of the Los Angeles County municipal courts’ criminal case database, which held each defendant’s charges and case details along with information drawn from booking slips and arrest reports. The Court of Appeal said no, even though each case file was public: “It is the aggregate nature of the information which makes it valuable to respondent; it is that same quality which makes its dissemination constitutionally dangerous” (Westbrook v. County of Los Angeles (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 157).

The data is often wrong or incomplete.

• In a 2024 peer-reviewed study of 101 people in New Jersey, “60% and 50% of participants had at least one false positive error on their regulated and unregulated background checks, and nearly all (90% and 92% of participants, respectively) had at least one false negative error” (Lageson and Stewart, Criminology, 2024). The researchers traced errors to matching records by names, aliases, and birth dates rather than fingerprints.
• The Federal Trade Commission’s 2023 case against two large people-search sites said they labeled people as having a criminal or arrest record “when the record was merely a traffic ticket.” The companies agreed to pay $5.8 million (FTC, September 11, 2023).
• Many California arrests in the state’s own database have no outcome attached. A federal survey of state record systems found that as of December 31, 2022, 63 percent of arrests in California’s database had a final disposition recorded, and 53 percent of arrests from the previous five years did (BJS/SEARCH survey, September 2024). A private check built on that data can show an arrest with no dismissal next to it.

Watch for lookalikes. Some websites use names that look like official tools. We found people-search pages built on the VINE name, and third-party “jail roster” sites for counties that do not publish a roster at all. The real VINE is at vinelink.com, and the real county tools are linked from the court’s or sheriff’s own website. Every county section below links only official sources.

If a report is used against you for a job or an apartment, federal and California consumer reporting laws give you the right to see it and dispute errors. In January 2024 the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said reporting sealed records is inaccurate, but it withdrew that guidance on May 12, 2025 (Federal Register). California’s own seven-year and no-conviction rules in Civil Code 1786.18 still apply.

How This Plays Out: Real California Cases

These published court decisions show what bail and booking records mean in practice.

People v. Bankers Ins. Co. (2021): the dates on the docket decided everything. On August 9, 2018, “the Surety, through its bail agent Bail Hotline Bail Bonds, posted a bond of $100,000” to release a man from the San Mateo County Jail. He missed a preliminary hearing, the court forfeited the bail, and the clerk mailed the forfeiture notice. After the court denied the insurance company’s motion to vacate the forfeiture, it had 90 days to enter judgment on the bond, and it never did. The Court of Appeal ruled that the court’s own missed deadline exonerated the bond, and directed the trial court “to enter an order exonerating the bond” (65 Cal.App.5th 350). The lesson for families: bail cases turn on dates. Keep every notice, and write down the date you received it.

People v. Pollard (2001): where the bail money came from. A woman charged with embezzling more than $786,000 had a $150,000 bail, and prosecutors placed a Penal Code 1275.1 hold because a house she wanted to use as collateral had been bought with the stolen money. The hold was lifted only after the bail agent assured the prosecutor her stepfather was paying for the bond. The agent later took a deed to the house anyway, and the courts voided it (90 Cal.App.4th 483). As the court put it, section 1275.1 “allows a hold to be placed on a charged person’s release if a bail bond’s purchase involves feloniously obtained proceeds.” For families, it is a reminder that the source of bail money and collateral can be questioned, and that collateral has to be clean.

County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993): current facts, not old dossiers. A legal secretary used the Public Records Act to demand ten years of Sheriff’s arrest records, including bail amounts, for everyone two deputies had arrested for certain offenses. The court held that the duty to release booking information, including “the amount of bail set,” is limited to current information about contemporaneous police activity and does not reach years of historical records (18 Cal.App.4th 588).

Westbrook v. County of Los Angeles (1994): one case versus everyone’s. As covered above, the court refused to hand a reseller bulk copies of the county’s criminal case database. “There is a qualitative difference between obtaining information from a specific docket or on a specified individual, and obtaining docket information on every person against whom criminal charges are pending” (27 Cal.App.4th 157).

All of Us or None v. Hamrick (2021): why you cannot search by birth date. The Court of Appeal held that letting the public search a court’s electronic criminal index by date of birth or driver’s license number, as the lawsuit said Riverside’s court did, violates the court rule that keeps those identifiers out of online indexes (64 Cal.App.5th 751). A 2022 bill to change that, SB 1262, was vetoed.

People v. Adair (2003): an acquittal does not erase an arrest. A woman acquitted of her husband’s murder asked to be declared factually innocent so her arrest records would be sealed and destroyed. The California Supreme Court held that “‘[F]actually innocent’ as used in [section 851.8(b)] does not mean a lack of proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or even by ‘a preponderance of evidence'” (29 Cal.4th 895). Most people use the other sealing routes described above.

What the Data Says

• How many Californians have a record. California Policy Lab estimates that “An estimated eight million Californians have a criminal record” (October 2024). The state itself does not publish an official count.
• How many records have been cleared. The same report found the Department of Justice “automatically relieved nearly 12 million records” in the first two years of automatic relief, starting July 2022. Among people convicted from 2010 to 2021, it estimated that about 400,000 could get a clean slate only by petition, if a judge agrees.
• How much bail California writes. The most recent government count we found is from January 2017, when the Department of Insurance said “There are approximately 175,000 bail bonds written per year in California” (CDI overview). No newer statewide count is published, and California does not publish how often money bail is set or posted.
• Who is in jail. As of June 2025, California’s jails held “roughly 60,300” people, and “More than 79% of people in jail are awaiting either arraignment, trial, or sentencing” (PPIC, January 2026). In other words, most people in California jails have not been sentenced.
• What an arrest alone costs. In a field experiment, employers called back applicants who reported an arrest with no conviction at rates “about 4 percentage points lower” than identical applicants without one (Uggen and colleagues, Criminology, 2014, summarized by the University of Wisconsin).
• How common background checks are. Nationally, “About 94% of employers conduct some form of criminal history check, and about 90% of landlords run background checks on prospective tenants” (National Consumer Law Center, December 2019).

What we could not find: any statewide figure on how often online court records contain errors in California, or any peer-reviewed study that measures what an online mugshot, specifically, does to a person’s job or housing chances.

In Their Words

A record cleared. “When I got the letter, I cried.” Alexis Pacheco of San Francisco, on getting a felony expunged under SB 731, a 2022 law that widened record relief starting in mid-2023. She added: “If people don’t know your story you’re just this person on paper.” (CalMatters, republished by The San Francisco Standard, March 21, 2024)

A mugshot that would not go away. A Sonoma County man arrested in 2013 and never charged was asked to pay $399 to have his photo removed from Mugshots.com. When he pushed back, according to an affidavit filed in court, a man who answered the phone number listed on the site told him: “We’ll never answer your calls again, you’ve been permanently published.” (KTVU, May 16, 2018)

The state’s top prosecutor. “This pay-for-removal scheme attempts to profit off of someone else’s humiliation.” Then-Attorney General Xavier Becerra, announcing criminal charges against the site’s operators. (California DOJ, May 16, 2018)

A public defender. “Booking photos on the internet are forever. It can be a career-ruining, life altering thing.” The late San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. (KTVU, May 11, 2018)

A sheriff. Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano, explaining why his office stopped posting booking photos automatically, wrote that third-party companies were “profiting off our photo collection and essentially holding people ransom.” (Same KTVU report)

A police chief. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said releasing mugshots “creates an illusory correlation for viewers that fosters racial bias and vastly overstates the propensity of black and brown men to engage in criminal behavior.” (San Francisco Chronicle, July 1, 2020)

The case for openness. “I think the public has a right to see those photos and who police arrested.” David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, responding to Sonoma County’s change. “Posting the photos shows the public who is being arrested and that way we can monitor what police are doing and to whom.” (Same KTVU report.) In 2026 he wrote: “Transparency is the lifeblood of accountability in government.” (CalMatters commentary, April 6, 2026)

A court on its own limits. “The kiosks will provide enhanced access to documents on case types such as criminal, family law, and domestic violence, which are limited to courthouse electronic access.” The Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County, announcing its public records system. (Court press release, January 9, 2024)

A man still paying after the charges went away. “And now that I am out of jail, I have to pay $200 a month to the bail bond agent. I don’t understand why I have to pay something when the charge was dropped.” Frank Robinson, an Alameda County transit worker, quoted in a 2017 report critical of the bail system. (Human Rights Watch, April 11, 2017) The premium pays for the bond and the release; it is not refunded when charges are dropped. See what happens to bail money if charges are dropped.

Outside California: Federal Court, Texas, and Idaho

Federal court. Federal bail works differently. The court’s own Appearance Bond form (AO 98) covers personal recognizance, unsecured, and secured bonds, and sureties sign the court’s form directly, so a surety’s name can appear in the federal court file (AO 98). Release conditions are set on an Order Setting Conditions of Release (AO 199A). The Central District of California, which covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, says “A copy of the bond (listing the bail conditions) will be attached to the Court Minutes,” available through PACER or its Criminal Intake Section (bond postings page). PACER costs “$0.10 per page,” capped at $3 per document, and fees are waived for anyone who spends $30 or less in a quarter (PACER pricing). Pretrial services information is confidential by statute and “shall be used only for the purposes of a bail determination” (18 U.S.C. 3153(c)).

Texas. Texas keeps bail records through county clerks and sheriffs, which is why so many online answers mention the “district clerk.” In Harris County (Houston), “Bonds are posted at 700 N. San Jacinto with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office,” while the District Clerk handles forfeitures and cash bond refunds (Harris County District Clerk). The clerk’s records search requires a free login. California has no district clerks; the superior court clerk and the sheriff hold these records here.

Idaho. Bail Hotline serves Idaho from Boise and Twin Falls. Idaho court records are public by default under Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32, which exempts “Pre-trial risk assessments and pre-sentence investigation reports” (ICAR 32). Case information is on the statewide iCourt portal. Ada County’s jail roster notes that “Some charges are not eligible for bail” and that “Inmate status can only be confirmed in person or by phone” (Ada County roster). Twin Falls County’s Sheriff does not post an online roster and points the public to VINE (Twin Falls inmate information); the “Twin Falls jail roster” sites that appear in search results are third-party sites. For bailing someone out across state lines, see how to bail someone out of jail in another state.

County-by-County Guide: Where to Look Up Bail and Court Records

California has one set of bail laws but 58 superior courts and 58 sheriffs, each with its own website, search tools, fees, and phone lines. This guide covers every county. Each section says where to search court cases online, how to get copies of the court file, where to find jail and bail information, and how to request sheriff’s records.

Everything below comes from the court’s, sheriff’s, or county’s own website, checked in September 2026. Where an official source did not confirm something, we left it out rather than guess. When we call a search “free,” it means the court’s own pages mention no fee for it. Fees, portals, and phone numbers change, so confirm with the clerk or the jail before you rely on a detail. The court copy fees you will see repeated are set by state law: $0.50 a page, $40 to certify, and $15 for a clerk search over 10 minutes.

A few patterns hold across the state:

• Courts put indexes and dockets online, not documents. For criminal cases, the documents themselves are courthouse only (Rule 2.503(c)).
• Few jail lookups show bail online, but every jail must tell you. The bail amount is public arrest information under Gov. Code 7923.610. If the online tool does not show it, call the number in the table.
• Clearance letters are local. A sheriff’s “clearance letter” or “local records check” covers only that agency’s own arrests. For a statewide record, use the Department of Justice record review.

For county-specific jail guides, see our pages on finding and visiting an Orange County inmate and San Diego County jails.

Alameda County

Alameda lets the public look up criminal cases online by name, but the online system shows case information only, not the documents themselves.

• Court records: The court’s Criminal Case Portal searches by name or case number, and no fee is mentioned. The court says online access “does not include access to documents.” The Sheriff’s Criminal Docket Finder shows only cases with future hearing dates, searched by docket number or police report number.
• Copies of the file: Request copies through the court’s Public Records Web Portal, which requires an account, the defendant’s first and last name, and a case number or date of birth with an arrest or conviction date. You get “An itemized bill by email if the record is available.” The court’s posted charges list $0.50 per page and $15 for searches longer than 10 minutes. See the Criminal Record Requests page.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate locator searches by name, PFN, sex, or date of birth. If there is no match, it says to “contact the local jurisdiction for information.” Santa Rita Jail: (925) 551-6500.
• Sheriff records: Request police reports through the Sheriff’s report request page or by email to ACSORecords@acgov.org. Public records requests go through the Sheriff’s NextRequest portal. Warrants and Records: (510) 667-3685.

Alpine County

Alpine has no online court records and no public computer terminal at the courthouse. Everything goes through the clerk.

• Court records: The court says it “does not currently offer online access to court records via a public portal, nor is there a public access terminal located at the Markleeville courthouse” (criminal page). Call the clerk at (530) 694-2113.
• Copies of the file: Use the name search and records request form from the Records Requests page. The court charges $15 for searches longer than 10 minutes and $0.50 per page, but “Name search requests submitted at the Clerk’s Office counter are not charged a Search Fee.” The court “will NOT process name search or copy requests submitted by email.” Mail to PO Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120, or fax (530) 694-2119.
• Jail and bail information: Alpine has no jail of its own. The court points families to the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe, so check the El Dorado Sheriff’s current inmates list.

Amador County

Amador has a free online case portal with a lot of detail, but you need an account to use it.

• Court records: The court’s case search page links the Online Portal. “You must have a logon account To use the Online Portal.” You can search by party name, case number, or company name for cases from 2002 on. It shows parties and attorneys, the docket, charges and dispositions, and scanned documents if you are granted case access.
• Copies of the file: The court files page lists $0.50 per side for copies, $15 for searches longer than 10 minutes, and $40 for certification. Use the record search request form. “The Amador Superior Court does not send out court files electronically or by fax.”
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff posts inmate information through Crime Graphics and Citizen RIMS. The Amador County Jail has no dedicated inmate line; call the Sheriff’s Main Office at (209) 223-6500.
• Sheriff records: Use the records request page or email ACSORecordsRequest@amadorcounty.gov. Booking and release records use the same form, with a response “within 10 working days.” A Character Letter, a local arrest history check, costs $5.00.

Butte County

Butte has a free case search with no account, but the Sheriff has no online jail search of its own.

• Court records: The court’s case information page links a free portal, and “An account is not required to search for public cases or hearings.” Superior Court records go back to 1988. Courthouse computers “also display public documents for case types where the court is prohibited from displaying them on the Internet.”
• Copies of the file: The criminal page sends record requests to the Criminal Division at (530) 532-7011. Fees are not posted there.
• Jail and bail information: There is no in-house inmate search. The Corrections Division says the public “can register with VINE to receive custody status updates on offenders and court case changes” (VINE). Butte County Jail: (530) 552-1600.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records page handles Live Scan background clearances and permits. Call (530) 552-5200.

Calaveras County

Calaveras has a free online portal, but no online jail search.

• Court records: The court’s portal says, “An account is not required to search for hearings, court calendars or register of actions.” No fee is stated.
• Copies of the file: The court’s fees page lists $15.00 for a clerk search of 10 minutes or more, 50 cents per page for copies, and $40.00 for certification plus 50 cents per page.
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search. Call the Sheriff’s Detention Facility at (209) 754-6499, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sheriff records: The Records/Civil unit is at (209) 754-6961. Its fee schedule lists a Local Clearance Letter at $20.00 and records on photo or CD at $11.00.

Colusa County

Colusa’s online case index is down, so for now you have to call or visit the court.

• Court records: The court’s online services page says its “Online Calendar Portal is temporarily unavailable until further notice.” When working, the case index searches by party name or case number. In the meantime, call (530) 458-5149, option 4, for “limited case information, including fines owed, warrant status, and court dates.”
• Copies of the file: The criminal page lists “$.50 per page,” “$40.00 per certification (if needed),” and “$15.00 search fee per name (if case number unknown).” Request in person or by mail to 532 Oak Street, Colusa, CA 95932, with the case number, party names, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check payable to Colusa Superior Court. In person, you can view the file, except confidential papers such as police and probation reports.
• Jail and bail information: No official online inmate search was found. Call the Colusa County Sheriff at (530) 458-0200.

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa has a free case portal with no registration, but case documents are not online, and the portal was showing an error in September 2026.

• Court records: The Court Public Portal says, “No registration is required to use the Portal.” The court’s records page says, “Minutes, Case Documents and Orders are not available online.” On September 10, 2026, the portal warned of an error “PREVENTING CASE DATA FROM LOADING.”
• Copies of the file: Use form CR-147 for name searches and CR-114 for copies. Copies are 50 cents per page, certification is $40.00 per document, and a check should not exceed $45.00 per case. Phone and fax requests are not accepted, and misdemeanors are available for only 10 years. Court: (925) 608-1000.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s in-custody locator searches by first and last name or booking number. Martinez Detention Facility: (925) 335-4600.
• Sheriff records: The Records and ID Unit, (925) 335-1570, handles clearance letters and “out-of-custody inmate inquiries,” and has ten days to respond. A Local Record Review costs $25.00, cash or check.
• Local note: The Sheriff’s fee schedule, revised July 21, 2026, charges 10 cents per page plus postage for crime reports.

Del Norte County

Del Norte has no online criminal case search. Records come from the clerk’s office in Crescent City.

• Court records: The court’s records page says, “An online Criminal index is not available at this time.” The court does post a criminal calendar. Records office: (707) 464-8115.
• Copies of the file: Use the records request form, revised May 2024. Submit it in person at 450 H Street, Room 209, by mail, or by email to records@delnorte.courts.ca.gov, but “Do NOT include credit card or payment information.” The form lists $0.50 per page, $40.00 per certified document, and $15.00 for searches over 10 minutes. Allow up to 14 business days.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff links Citizen RIMS, which offers “a list of currently incarcerated persons and any wanted person.” VINE: 1-877-411-5588. Sheriff: (707) 464-4191.
• Sheriff records: Request reports through the Sheriff’s Report Request form, linked from the Sheriff’s page.

El Dorado County

El Dorado’s court search is free but needs an account. The Sheriff sells a local criminal history that lists jail booking and release dates.

• Court records: The court’s case index page links the public portal. “The ability to search case data requires users to create/register for an account.” The court describes searching “for a particular case / citation number.”
• Copies of the file: Use Local Form M-55 from the Record Search Requests page. Fees: $15.00 for searches over 10 minutes, $0.50 per page, and $40.00 per certified document plus the copy fee. Phone: (530) 621-5047.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff links a current inmates list for the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe jails. No inmate information phone is posted.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records page lists report copies at $0.25 per page, answered within 10 working days. A local criminal history ($25.00) shows “El Dorado County Jail booking and release dates for 10 years, arresting agency and charges.” A clearance letter is $30.00. Call Placerville at (530) 621-5703 or South Lake Tahoe at (530) 573-3000; most services need an appointment.

Fresno County

Fresno has a public case portal and an online inmate search, but certified copies still mean a visit or a written request.

• Court records: The court’s case information page links the public portal, which “only shows information that can be viewed by the public.” No public search fee is stated. For bulk data, the court sells a monthly Criminal Case Index Report at “$70.00 per report.”
• Copies of the file: Request certified records in person or in writing. The Archives Department, 1963 “E” Street, (559) 457-4903, gives copies of non-confidential files to visitors with picture ID. Criminal Division: 1100 Van Ness Ave., Room 401, (559) 457-1801.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate search needs a last name, or a booking number. Records: (559) 600-8400. Warrant inquiries: (559) 600-8402.
• Sheriff records: The Records Unit, 2200 Fresno Street, offers clearance letters for immigration or visa purposes and “Arrest tag copies with release dates.” Public records requests go through NextRequest.
• Local note: A court fee notice effective January 1, 2020, addressed to out-of-state and federal agencies, lists “$.50 per page copy fee” and “$40.00 certified copy fee.”

Glenn County

Glenn has a free online case index you can search by name, but no online jail search.

• Court records: The court’s case index page links a free portal. “An account is not required to search for public cases or hearings,” and you can search a partial name, such as “Smith, J*.”
• Copies of the file: The court records page says you can view records through the online index or in person at the courthouse. Fees are not posted there. Criminal clerk: (530) 934-6446, option 2.
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search was found on the jail page. Call the jail at (530) 934-6428, or the Sheriff’s Office at (530) 934-6441.

Humboldt County

Humboldt lets the public search cases online with a free account, but custody questions go by phone.

• Court records: Online Case Access requires an account and searches by a party’s first and last name or the case number. It shows “future and past events, a list of filed documents, party names, and disposition status,” but “does not provide access to case documents.”
• Copies of the file: Send the Criminal Division a letter with the defendant’s name, date of birth, case number if known, and the documents you want. “The clerk will calculate costs and contact you.” Visit 421 I Street, Eureka, email criminaldept@humboldtcourt.ca.gov, or call (707) 445-7256, option 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (criminal page).
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search. Call the Humboldt County Correctional Facility at (707) 441-5159. The Sheriff’s booking page says “Bail and booking information may not be available until a person is completely entered into our computer system.”
• Sheriff records: The Records Unit handles criminal records and reports at (707) 445-7251, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Imperial County

Imperial lets anyone look up a case by number for free, but a name search takes an account and a fee.

• Court records: The ROA/Case Lookup page links a public case search by case number. A name search “returns a list of case numbers and filing dates,” needs a portal account, and “Fees are charged for each name search regardless of the results.” Document access needs an account and, for non-attorney parties, a video identity appointment.
• Copies of the file: The Criminal Division page lists $0.50 per page, $40.00 for certification, $1.00 per page for comparison, and $15.00 for searches over 10 minutes. Email crimrecords@imperial.courts.ca.gov or call (760) 482-2245.
• Jail and bail information: No Sheriff inmate search. The Sheriff’s home page links VINE and lists Jail and Inmate Information at (442) 265-2266.
• Sheriff records: The Records unit, (442) 265-2125, offers local clearance letters and warrant checks. Its fee schedule lists a “Local Criminal History Record Check $65.00,” a booking photo at $40.00, and a crime report copy at $22.00.
• Local note: The Sheriff’s records fee schedule, effective August 26, 2025, prices a “Booking Summary Sheet Report” at $25.00.

Inyo County

Inyo has no online court search and no online jail search. Records requests are in person or by mail.

• Court records: No online case search. The court’s online services cover payments, jury service, and eFiling only. Criminal Division: (760) 872-3038.
• Copies of the file: “Criminal Records Search Requests may be made in-person or by mail only. We are unable to conduct records requests by phone” (Records Search Requests). Copies are $0.50 per page and certification is $40.00 per document. Mail the request form to PO Box 1508, Bishop, CA 93515.
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search. The jail page lists (760) 878-0370, but “THE JAIL DOES NOT RECEIVE INCOMING CALLS FOR INMATES.”
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records page releases reports only to authorized parties, such as victims and named parties, not suspects, at $10.00 per copy. Email Records@inyocounty.us or call (760) 878-0336. Other records requests go through the county’s NextRequest portal.

Kern County

Kern’s court portal requires an account, and the court posts a bond report aimed at bail agents. The Sheriff says its main line gives bail information.

• Court records: The case information search page links the portal. “The ability to search case data requires users to create/register for an account.” Public searches are limited to 50 cases per hour, and no fee is stated. The same page posts an “Exonerated Bond Report,” “intended for Bond Agencies to receive bi-weekly Bond Reports.”
• Copies of the file: Use the Judicial Records Request form. Copies are 50 cents per page, a search starts at $15.00, and you send a blank check marked “Not to exceed $50.00.” The fee sheet adds $40.00 per certified document and $20.00 per file for off-site retrieval.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate search is on a site “currently under development.” The Justice IRC page says to call the main number, (661) 391-7500, or use Inmate Search “for bail information, court dates.”
• Sheriff records: The Arrest Records Unit, (661) 391-7624, charges “$5 per letter” for clearance letters and $5 for booking photos, in person with ID. Records requests go through the Sheriff’s JustFOIA portal.
• Local note: The court’s copy fees took effect September 1, 2019, and were revised February 17, 2022.

Kings County

Kings has a free case portal that requires an account, and an inmate locator the county updates every hour.

• Court records: The public portal “requires users to create/register for an account” and describes searching “for a particular case / citation number.” “General public searches are limited to 45 cases per day.” No fee is stated.
• Copies of the file: Request in person or by mail with the Request for Record Search and Copies (records page). Fees: $0.50 per page, $40.00 for certification, $1.00 per page for comparison, and $15.00 for searches over 10 minutes. Pay in advance and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Criminal Division: (559) 582-1010.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate locator “will be updated hourly,” per the booking and inmate information page.
• Sheriff records: The Records Division, 1550 Kings County Drive, Hanford, (559) 852-2809, takes report requests in person, by email, or by phone. Police clearance and immigration letters cost $6.00 with photo ID.

Lake County

Lake has a free online case search by name, and the Sheriff posts its records fees.

• Court records: The court’s public portal searches by case number or by “‘Last Name’, ‘First Name’ or ‘Company Name’,” with results capped at 200. No fee or registration is stated. The portal’s information “does not constitute the official record.”
• Copies of the file: Use the research and copy request form. Visit the clerk at 255 N. Forbes Street, 4th Floor, Lakeport, mail it, or fax (707) 262-1327. Copies are $0.50 per page, most certifications are $40.00 plus copy fees, and research over 10 minutes is $15.00. Closed files stored off-site take about five days.
• Jail and bail information: The county’s In-Custody page links Citizen RIMS. Jail: (707) 262-4240. Sheriff: (707) 262-4200.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records page charges “$0.10 per page (free if emailed)” for reports and $10 for a local background check, exact cash or check only, in 7 to 10 business days. Email records@lakecountyca.gov.

Lassen County

Lassen has a free online case index you can search by name, but court staff will not look up criminal records by phone.

• Court records: The Case Index and Calendar Portal searches by name, case number, or citation number for cases “filed after about 1994.” It shows the register of actions, “a record of documents filed, hearings held and scheduled,” plus financial information, parties, and calendars. Courthouse: (530) 251-8205.
• Copies of the file: Order copies with the online request e-form or mail form LSC-MIS-100, at 50 cents per page. A research fee applies over 10 minutes, and in person you can ask for up to 10 cases per request. “Court staff cannot look up any criminal records over the telephone.”
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search was found. The court says to call the Lassen County Adult Detention Facility at (530) 251-5245.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles has the most detailed online tools in the state, but finding a case by name costs money, and the court does not put bail or bond status online.

• Court records: The court’s Search for Case Number by Defendant Name costs $4.75 per search for guest users, and the fee applies “regardless of whether the desired information is found,” according to the court’s FAQ. Results list the case number, name, filing date, and courthouse, for felonies since 1980 and misdemeanors since 1988. Once you have a case number, the Criminal Case Summary and criminal calendar show the case and the next court date. The same FAQ says the court has “no plans to provide bail/bond status online.”
• Copies of the file: Criminal document images are not online. Ask the clerk’s office at the courthouse handling the case, or mail a prepaid request to the Certification Unit, 111 N. Hill Street, Room 112C, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s Inmate Information Center searches by name and date of birth after a human check, and records are not available for bookings from the last two hours. Click the booking number in the results to open the record, where the bail amount appears. The Sheriff’s own policy manual lists bail amount, court dates, and release date among the information it gives the public. For custody questions, call (213) 473-6100.
• Sheriff records: The Records and Identification Bureau’s fee schedule, dated June 30, 2022, charges $35 for a police clearance letter and $25 for a booking information search with a booking number ($45 without one). Jail records requests under the Public Records Act go to custody.pra@lasd.org (records requests page).
• Local note: The name index leaves out traffic and other infractions, so a ticket will not appear in a name search.

Madera County

Madera’s court portal takes a free account, and the county’s online inmate search lists a bond amount for each charge.

• Court records: The court’s online case information page links its public portal, which covers criminal and traffic matters “for a particular case / citation number.” You must register for an account, no fee is stated, and “General public case access is limited to 45 searches per day.”
• Copies of the file: Ask in person at the court’s Criminal Division, open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The court charges $15.00 per name, per index, for a record search and $.50 per page for copies. Mail requests need a money order or cashier’s check payable to “Madera Superior Court.”
• Jail and bail information: The county’s Madera County Inmate Inquiry searches by booking number or name. A person’s detail page lists each charge with its bond type, bond amount, and case number, plus an estimated release date. The jail is at 195 Tozer St., Madera, (559) 675-7951, doc@co.madera.ca.gov (corrections page).
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s page lists no records unit. Public records requests go through the county’s Report an Issue/Public Records Request page. Sheriff headquarters: 2725 Falcon Drive, (559) 675-7770.

Marin County

Marin’s court portal needs a free account that staff approve by hand. The Sheriff’s public Booking Log shows bail amounts, but the Sheriff warns they may not be exact.

• Court records: Register for the court’s ePortal on its registration page. Public access allows “case and calendar searches,” and a case search “displays Party Information, Future Events, and more.” Staff approve accounts “within 1 to 2 court days.” No fee is mentioned. Criminal clerk: (415) 444-7070.
• Copies of the file: Use the Court Records Request Form: $15.00 search fee per case, $.50 per page, and $40.00 per document for certification. Send it by mail (PO Box 4988, San Rafael, CA 94913) or email (CourtRecords@marin.courts.ca.gov). The form says: “Please allow up to 6 months for the processing of your request.”
• Jail and bail information: The public Booking Log lists people booked in the last 48 hours who are still in custody, plus everyone in custody when you search. It shows bail, but “The bail amount indicated on the following page may be an approximation.” For exact bail, call the Sheriff’s Office at (415) 473-6653.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records page provides booking records and crime report copies ($2 for the first page, $1 for each page after, picked up in person with ID). Good Conduct letters cost $2 each. Records Division: 1600 Los Gamos Dr. #200, San Rafael, (415) 473-7284.
• Local note: Parties and attorneys can view documents and minutes online only for records “created after 06/20/2023” (ePortal page).

Mariposa County

Mariposa has a free case portal with no login, but no online jail search, and jail staff will not give out court dates.

• Court records: The court’s case information page links its public portal, which “only shows information that can be viewed by the public.” You do not need an account: the portal says “Please do not attempt to use the Login and Register links.” No fee is stated.
• Copies of the file: Request copies in person or by mail through the Criminal Division, 5088 Bullion Street, (209) 966-2005. The clerk quotes the cost and mails the copies once you send payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Fees are not posted online.
• Jail and bail information: There is no confirmed online inmate search. The Adult Detention Facility page points to a Daily Booking Report of people booked in the last 24 hours. Staff policy: “No information regarding incarcerated person movement, including court dates, medical, and dental appointments will be released by facility staff.” Call the jail at 209-966-3616 or the Sheriff at 209-966-3615.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records Unit sends report and public records requests to the county’s NextRequest portal.
• Local note: The court announced its public access portal in a news post dated March 22, 2023.

Mendocino County

Mendocino puts cases online through a free statewide service, but criminal cases are closed to the public online. You have to use a courthouse kiosk.

• Court records: The court uses re:SearchCA, which has a free “Basic Free” package (court page). But the court says “Criminal records cannot be viewed online by the public.” Use the public kiosks at the Ukiah and Fort Bragg courthouses. Criminal clerk: 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, (707) 463-4661.
• Copies of the file: Use Form MMC-900 (records requests page), by mail to 100 North State Street, Room 108, Ukiah, or in person. “We cannot take requests over the phone.” Fees: $15.00 per name search, $0.50 per page, and $40.00 per document for certification, plus copy fees. “Allow 30 days for processing of your request.”
• Jail and bail information: The county’s inmate locator page links the Sheriff’s booking log. Search by name or booking number. Results show whether the person is in custody and a scheduled release date. “Booking information is only available for 30 days prior to the current date.”
• Sheriff records: Public records requests go through the county’s NextRequest system (Sheriff PRA page). Clearance letters are requested in person at 951 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, with photo ID. The Sheriff says “fees will apply” but does not post the amount.

Merced County

Merced does not put criminal cases online at all. You have to search on a public computer at the courthouse or ask the clerk.

• Court records: The court’s case records search page says criminal cases are “NOT available online.” The Criminal Division has a case lookup that “Can only be accessed from the public computer” in its office. Criminal Division: (209) 725-4113, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Copies of the file: The records search page takes requests by mail, at self-serve terminals, or with a clerk. A name search or file search that takes more than 10 minutes costs $15. Copies are $0.50 per page, and certified copies are $40. Use the Record/Search/Copy Request form.
• Jail and bail information: An online inmate search could not be confirmed. Call the Main Jail at (209) 385-7410 (jail page).
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records Bureau, 777 W. 22nd Street, Merced, (209) 385-7614, handles report copies and criminal records checks, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Use the Records Request form. Per the fee page, a report costs $20.00 for up to 10 pages, then $0.10 per page, and a victim’s first report is free.

Modoc County

Modoc has a small case portal that needs an account, and the court will not look up criminal records by phone.

• Court records: The Public Case Portal “has basic information about your case: recent filings, schedule of hearings, and parties to the case” (court page). You must register for an account, and “General public searches are limited to 45 cases per day.” No fee is stated. For documents, call the court at 530-233-6516.
• Copies of the file: The criminal page says “Court staff cannot look up any criminal records over the telephone.” Write or visit with a check payable to “Modoc Superior Court,” a self-addressed stamped envelope, the defendant’s full name, and the documents you want. A certified copy costs “an extra $40.00 fee plus $0.50 per copy per page.”
• Jail and bail information: There is no online inmate search. The court says to contact the Modoc County Sheriff’s Department at (530) 233-4416, or stop in at 102 S. Court Street, Alturas.

Mono County

Mono has no online court search. Name searches are done by court staff for a fee, and the jail answers custody questions by phone.

• Court records: The court says it “does not have an online search engine” for name searches and records (name search page). A name search costs $15. Searches take about 1 to 2 weeks for records from 2002 on. For case information, contact the Criminal Division at (760) 924-5444 or criminal@mono.courts.ca.gov.
• Copies of the file: Copies are $.50 per page. Ask in person in Mammoth Lakes or Bridgeport, or email searches@mono.courts.ca.gov. To pay by card, fax the Search Request Form.
• Jail and bail information: The jail page links the Sheriff’s online incarcerated people list. The court says: “You can find out whether someone who has been arrested is in custody by calling the Mono County Jail at (760) 932-7549.” The jail also answers questions about a future court date and time.
• Sheriff records: Sheriff Records: records@monosheriff.org, 760-932-7549 option 3, Monday to Thursday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reports go only to authorized parties, at $10 per copy.
• Local note: The Sheriff started using its Citizen RIMS system to “make selected crime data available to the public,” according to a county post dated July 28, 2015.

Monterey County

Monterey’s court portal is free with no registration. The Sheriff posts an in-custody log with charges, but no bail column.

• Court records: The court’s criminal records page says “Remote electronic access is available for criminal court indexes, court calendars and registers of action” through its public portal. The case search page says “No registration is required,” and no fee is stated.
• Copies of the file: Search up to 3 names in person at 240 Church Street, Salinas, or mail Form CR-109. Fees: $15.00 per name searched, $0.50 per page, and $40.00 per certified document. “Please allow 10 days to process your request.”
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s In Custody Log lists booking number, name, housing, arresting agency, and charges. It has no bail column, and on September 10, 2026 it read “No in-custody logs available.” Call the jail at 831-755-3782. The jail information page says bail can be paid online through GovPayNow with location code #6519.
• Sheriff records: Use the Release of Information Request for arrest records, incident reports, and local criminal history, “only for unincorporated areas.” Questions: 831-755-3722. The Criminal History Request Form says “A $92.00 non-refundable fee is required,” plus $15.00 for notary or certification, paid by money order.

Napa County

Napa posts a public jail list with charges and bail for everyone in custody. The jail is run by the county’s Department of Corrections, not the Sheriff.

• Court records: The court’s criminal page links Case Lookup, which uses the court’s Case Information Access Portal after you accept the terms of use.
• Copies of the file: The Research and Records page takes the Criminal Records Request Form by mail or in person at 1111 Third Street, 1st Floor, (707) 299-1180. Fees: $15 per search that takes over 10 minutes, $.50 per page, and $40.00 for certification. “A Visa or Mastercard and expiration date is required on each form.”
• Jail and bail information: The public In Custody Report lists booking date and time, arrest information, booking type, and “Charges & Bail” for each person. The same system has a public Warrant Search. The jail is the Napa County Corrections and Rehabilitation Center.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records Bureau handles Public Records Act requests and Live Scan at 1535 Airport Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Napa, 707-253-4440, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The county also takes requests through NextRequest.
• Local note: On September 10, 2026, the In Custody Report showed “234 record(s) found, based on report data as of 09/10/2026 09:53 PM.”

Nevada County

Nevada County’s court portal needs a free account. The jail list shows only names, and the Sheriff will not give out booking numbers or release dates.

• Court records: The court’s web portal page says an account is required to search public case information in the portal, which includes criminal cases. “General information about most non-confidential cases is provided free of charge,” but the portal does not show case documents such as pleadings and orders (public records page).
• Copies of the file: The case records requests page offers an online request form and a mail form (payment in advance). “The court will provide copies of documents requested electronically unless certified copies are requested and paid for.”
• Jail and bail information: The Incarcerated Person Visitation List shows name, booking date, and visiting hours, with a VINE release notification link. It does not show bail, charges, or court dates. The Corrections Division “will not provide release dates to the public.” Corrections: 530-265-1291.
• Sheriff records: Request report copies and public records through GovQA (request page). Records Division: (530) 265-1471. The Sheriff’s fee schedule, effective January 1, 2024, charges $1.25 per single-sided photocopy page.
• Local note: The court announced “Webportal now live!” on June 17, 2022.

Orange County

Orange County’s court lets you search cases by name online for free, but the Sheriff’s inmate system needs an account and does not show charges.

• Court records: The criminal and traffic case access page links the court’s case access site, where you accept terms first. No fee was shown. The index gives “limited case filing information,” while case access shows “specific hearing date information and dispositions.” The court’s copy page says you can search “on a person or by case number.” The court warns: “Search criteria results may not always reflect accurate name/case association.” Results are not the official court record.
• Copies of the file: Ask at the clerk’s office where the case was filed, or mail Form L-3009 with a check payable to “Clerk of the Court” and a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you do not know the cost, write “not to exceed $25.00.” “Copy requests are generally filled within 7-10 working days.” The court’s fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026, charges $0.50 per page, $40 for certification, and $15 for a search over 10 minutes.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s Inmate Information System, on the Public Services Portal, requires an account with an email address and password. It “does not provide the ability to view inmate charges.” The Sheriff’s bail page says to verify the full name, booking number, and full bail amount with Inmate Records. The Intake Release Center cashier in Santa Ana takes calls 24 hours a day at (714) 647-6085; Theo Lacy Facility is (714) 935-6905.
• Sheriff records: The Information Management Bureau public counter handles local arrest records, clearance letters, and report copies, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (714) 834-6454. Public Records Act unit: (714) 834-3999. Report copies cost “$0.15 per page”; email reportrequest@ocsheriff.gov.

Placer County

Placer’s court portal is free, needs no account, and searches criminal cases by name. The Sheriff has no online name search, only PDF lists.

• Court records: The court’s online portal page says: “To search for public case information there is no account required.” Criminal cases are included. “Portal searches require a filing date/date range and either a case number or party/company name.” No fee is stated.
• Copies of the file: The Case Records and Copy Request page charges $15.00 per name for a search that takes the clerk more than ten minutes. Copy fees follow the court’s fee schedule. “Phone, email, or fax copy requests will not be accepted.”
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s Corrections page posts the Daily Booking and Releasing Report and In-Custody Roster as PDFs. Call the Auburn Jail at 530-745-8500. The Posting Bail page lists what you need to post bail: “Bail Amount, Charges, Court Case Number, Court Date/Department, Jail identification number.”
• Sheriff records: The Records Unit, 2929 Richardson Drive, Auburn, 530-889-7812, provides report copies to victims and involved parties. Public records requests go through its online portal.

Plumas County

Plumas has no online court search and no online jail search. Everything is by phone, mail, or in person.

• Court records: No online case index. The record searches page only explains how to request a search. For court dates and release information, the Sheriff refers families to the court clerk at (530) 283-6232.
• Copies of the file: Use the court’s online request form, or ask in person or by mail at Room 104, 520 Main Street, Quincy. There is a “$15.00 research fee” for requests over 10 minutes, and copies are 50 cents per page, with a “maximum of 10 cases per request.” “Please allow 5 to 7 court business days for processing.”
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search. The jail page for the Plumas County Correctional Facility says: “Officers can, and will, only release an inmate’s charges and bail amounts.” Call (530) 283-6267.

Riverside County

Riverside’s court portal is free by case number but charges for name searches. The Sheriff has an online inmate locator.

• Court records: The Public Access portal requires an online account. Case number searches are free. Name searches cost $1 for one name, $3.50 for up to five, or $250 for 30 days of unlimited searches; the court will run a name search for you for $15 (public access page). The portal has case indexes, registers of actions, calendars up to 7 days out, and documents at $1 per page for the first 5 pages, then $.50 per page, capped at $50. Riverside criminal records go back to January 1990 for felonies and January 1994 for misdemeanors.
• Copies of the file: The court’s Request Records Search returns case numbers only, not copies. For certified copies, use form RI-MC011: $15.00 per name searched, $0.50 per page, $40.00 per certified document, and $50.00 per exemplification.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s Corrections page says “Use this online database to find general inmate information” and links the inmate locator. The locator will confirm that someone is in custody, but it does not show the bail amount, so ask the jail holding them. The county’s jails include Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside and Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. Sheriff general line: 951-955-2400.
• Sheriff records: Send Public Records Act requests to the CPRA Unit, 4095 Lemon Street, 5th Floor, Riverside, to cpra@riversidesheriff.org, or through the Transparency page (CPRA FAQ). Arrest log information is released “for scholarly, journalistic, political, governmental, or investigatory purposes only,” with a signed declaration. The Information Services Bureau handles clearance letters and local criminal record reviews.
• Local note: The court’s certified copy form, RI-MC011, was revised 09/10/25 and sets the search fee at “$15.00 per name searched.”

Sacramento County

Sacramento moved all criminal cases to a new online portal in August 2026. You can search by name, and the jail will tell you the bail amount by phone.

• Court records: The court’s criminal case portal lets you “Search for case information by party names, case numbers,” and shows “limited case information.” No fee is mentioned. The court’s users guide says the criminal hearing calendar “does not require the user to be logged in.” Public kiosks are at the courthouse.
• Copies of the file: The Criminal Records page charges $0.50 per page, $40 per certification plus $1 per certified page, $15 for a search over 10 minutes, and $50 per exemplification. “You must already have your case number to order a file(s) over the phone.” To search by name by mail, use form CR-278A. The court searches only cases from 1989 to the present. In person: Criminal Records Unit, 2nd floor, Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate information lookup searches by name or X-ref number and shows charges, which “may change” as a case moves through court. While the person is still in custody, the record also shows the bail information. After a release, it does not. The Sheriff’s FAQ says to call the Main Jail at 916-874-6752, where staff can tell you the charges, whether the person will be released, and “they will also provide bail amount.” Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center: 916-874-1927.
• Sheriff records: Public records requests go through the Sheriff’s NextRequest portal. Per the Records and Warrants FAQ, the first copy of a report is free and more copies are $15.00 each. Criminal history or clearance letters are $25.00, plus $10.00 for notarization. Go to 4510 Orange Grove Avenue, email GetMyReport@sacsheriff.com, or call 916-874-5383.
• Local note: The new criminal case system started August 10, 2026, and the portal warns that “cases prior to August 10, 2026, may not contain digitized documents.”

San Benito County

San Benito’s court portal needs a free account, and there is no online jail search.

• Court records: The court’s public portal page says “To be able to search for public case information you must make an account.” The portal covers criminal and traffic matters “for a particular case / citation number,” and “General public searches are limited to 45 cases per day.”
• Copies of the file: Ask in person at 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, or mail the Research and Copy Request Form. Fees: $15 per name for a search over 10 minutes, $0.50 per page, and $40 per certified document. “Payment must be submitted at time of request.” Criminal Division: (831) 636-4057.
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search. Call Corrections at (831) 636-4060 (corrections page). The Bail and Deposits page lists accepted payments: cashier’s check, certified check, money order, or bail bond.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Office page links the county’s NextRequest portal for public records requests.

San Bernardino County

San Bernardino’s court portal charges for name searches. The Sheriff runs an online inmate locator and a phone line for bail questions.

• Court records: The court’s criminal page points to its Court Access Portal. The court’s case search guide says a Party Search needs a login and search credits, so name searches are not free.
• Copies of the file: The court’s copy request information (revised November 2024) charges $0.50 per page, with two-sided documents counted as two pages. Certification is $40.00 per document plus $0.50 per page, and searches over 10 minutes cost $15.00. By mail, send the Copy Request Form with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
• Jail and bail information: Open a record in the Sheriff’s Inmate Locator and it shows the booking number, the arrest date and location, a bail field, and current housing, which reads “NO LONGER IN CUSTODY” with a release date once the person is out (inmate information page). The page warns that it “may not reflect the current court date of an inmate.” For bail and public information, call (909) 350-2476. The corrections page says “Bail bond or cash bail are accepted 24 hours a day, at any jail facility.”
• Sheriff records: The Records Division, 655 East Third Street, San Bernardino, (909) 888-5916, issues clearance letters and in-custody letters listing arrests. “The fee for either letter is $38.00 payable by cash or money order.” Request records online through NextRequest.
• Local note: As of September 2026, the Sheriff’s records page says it “is unable to process requests for reports taken between April 23, 2019, and April 7, 2023,” because of a network service interruption.

San Diego County

San Diego lets you search cases by name online for free, but the index does not show charges, and criminal documents are not online.

• Court records: The Court Index searches by party name, case number, or District Attorney case number. Results show case title, number, location, type, filing date, and parties. It does “not provide information on the charges and disposition of cases,” and some misdemeanor records go back only 10 years. No fee is stated. “Criminal case documents are only available to be viewed in-person at the courthouse” or by mailed copies (online case search page).
• Copies of the file: Order copies through Obtain a Copy of a File. In person, the clerk pulls up to 10 cases per request. The court’s fee schedule, effective September 1, 2026, charges $0.50 per side, $40 for certification, $15 for a search over 10 minutes, and $41 for off-site retrieval. The court “does not send out court files electronically or by fax.”
• Jail and bail information: Search the Sheriff’s Who’s In Jail by last and first name, then click the person’s last name to open the record, where the bail amount appears. The Sheriff warns that “Release dates currently reflected on the website may not be accurate.” Men are booked at San Diego Central Jail and women at Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. Sheriff main office: 858-974-2222.
• Sheriff records: Public records requests go through the Sheriff’s portal (request page). Arrest and crime reports cost $20.00 each and take 3 to 10 business days. A Local Criminal History letter costs $14.00 ($3 more by card), can be requested only by the person it covers, and lists Sheriff arrests only. Email Booking.Records@sdsheriff.org.
• Local note: The court says “For Criminal cases filed on or after February 17, 2026, some documents can be purchased online and mailed to you” (copies page, viewed September 10, 2026).

San Francisco County

San Francisco’s court posts a monthly public list of bail bonds filed in its Criminal Division, a record most courts do not put online.

• Court records: The court’s Criminal Case Query searches by case number and attorney name after a check that you are a person, not a computer program. The Case Calendar Search shows hearings, and “Information is available up to 120 calendar days from today.”
• Copies of the file: Submit requests through the court’s GovQA Records Request Portal (Obtain Criminal Records). Criminal records must be picked up at the Hall of Justice or mailed. The request form lists $0.50 per page, $40 for certification, $6 for warehouse retrieval, and $15 for a records search. If you do not have a case number, the court says to get a RAP sheet from SFPD first. Criminal Records: Room 101, 850 Bryant Street, (415) 551-0651.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s online jail search needs “the first three letters of the first and last name” of the person. For custody questions, call the Sheriff’s public information line at (415) 553-1430. People are booked at the Intake and Release Center, 425 7th Street.
• Sheriff records: San Francisco arrest history is kept by the police. The SFPD Identification Unit, 1-415-553-1415, provides RAP sheets and booking photo copies. Its clearance letters are available in person at 850 Bryant St., Room 475, and “The SFPD offers these letters free of charge.” Records requests also go through the SFPD portal.
• Local note: The court’s Bail Bonds Report page is “a monthly summary of bail bonds filed in the Criminal Division.” As of September 10, 2026, it lists monthly PDFs from January 2024 through July 2026. The July 2026 report covers filings dated 7/1/2026 through 8/13/2026, with file date, docket, bond amount, bond number, bail bond company, surety company, and whether the bond was exonerated or forfeited. The April 2026 report also lists the defendant’s name.

San Joaquin County

San Joaquin’s court moved to a new portal in August 2026 that needs a free account. The Sheriff’s jail line will tell you charges, bail, and the next court date.

• Court records: The court’s case search page links its eCourt portal. “To search case information, you must create an account,” and “Public users are limited to 45 searches per day” (About page). No fee is stated. Name searches use first, middle, and last names only, with no date of birth, and “Public searches are also available by case number.”
• Copies of the file: Use the court’s online Records Request form. Costs follow the court’s fee schedule.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s custody page says: “Call 468-4562 and ask if someone is in custody.” Staff can tell you the charges, bail, court date, housing, tentative release date, and any holds. Jail information: (209) 468-4562. The county also posts an online booking log, which “should not be relied upon for any type of legal action.” The jail is the John Zunino Jail Complex in French Camp.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Records page handles report copies, booking and arrest records, and warrant checks. “The fee for the average report is $47.00.” Records: (209) 468-4408, “open 24-hours a day for custody related questions.” Use the public records request form.
• Local note: In a notice dated August 17, 2026, the court said all case types would be unavailable from August 21 at 5 p.m. to August 24, 2026 at 8 a.m. while it moved to eCourt (notice).

San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo was the first California county on the re:SearchCA platform, but remote users must register before they can search.

• Court records: The court’s online case lookup sends the public to re:SearchCA. The court says the site “requires registration if accessing remotely,” while “Kiosks are available in the courthouse that do not require registration.” Use re:Search for criminal cases filed after 2014.
• Copies of the file: Use the Criminal Case Information Requests page and its request form. Send it by mail, email, or in person, not by fax. Copies are $0.50 per page, certification is $40 per case, and research over 10 minutes is $15 per 10-minute block. Allow “up to 30 days to process.”
• Jail and bail information: Search Who’s in Custody by first and last name. The Sheriff says not to rely on it for legal action and to call the Jail at (805) 781-4600. For warrants, the Sheriff’s Records and Warrants FAQ says “charges, bail amount, issuing agency, etc.” are generally available at (805) 781-4588.
• Sheriff records: For local arrest information, call the Records Unit at (805) 781-4140. The Sheriff says “There is no fee,” and requests are generally done within 10 business days. The 2026-27 fee schedule charges $41 per crime report copy.
• Local note: “Effective July 1st, 2026 the Court will no longer provide case summaries in response to third-party case information requests.” Defendants, their attorneys, and victims still get free summaries with ID.

San Mateo County

San Mateo’s court portal is open to anyone without registration, but it shows the case history only. Criminal documents are not online.

• Court records: The Odyssey Public Portal needs no registration. The court’s portal page says it “Displays a register of actions” for non-confidential criminal cases. Documents are available online only for civil, family, probate, small claims, and traffic cases.
• Copies of the file: Request copies by mail from Records Management, 400 County Center, 1st Floor, Room A, Redwood City. The court will “reply within 30 days.” Copies are $0.50 per side, certification is $40, a search over 10 minutes is $15, and off-site file retrieval is $10. You can also view files in person weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., up to 5 files at a time.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate locator needs both first and last name. The Sheriff lists (650) 363-4911 on the locator.
• Sheriff records: The Criminal Records Bureau, 400 County Center, 3rd Floor, (650) 363-4525, issues police clearance letters and a “booking chronology” of time spent in the county jail. Public Records Act requests go to sheriffs_recsup@smcgov.org (records request page). Requests for your own record go to sheriffs_recordsrequest@smcgov.org.

Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara has no online criminal case search. To see a criminal file, you have to go to the Records window.

• Court records: The court’s Court Records page says, “An online Criminal index is not available at this time. If you are interested in viewing a file please visit the Records window during normal business hours.”
• Copies of the file: Fill out the Copy Request Form and send it to the Records Division in person, by mail, or by email. Copies are $0.50 per page, certification is $40 plus $0.50 per page, a search over 10 minutes is $15, and there is a $1 invoice fee. Cards add 2.9% plus $0.60. South County: southcountyrecords@sbcourts.org, (805) 882-4778. North County: northcountyrecords@sbcourts.org, (805) 614-6414.
• Jail and bail information: Search Who Is In Custody by first name, last name, or inmate number (CID). The Sheriff says the data “should not be relied upon for any type of legal action.” Call the Main Jail at (805) 681-4260 or the Northern Branch Jail at (805) 554-3100.
• Sheriff records: The Records Bureau, 4434 Calle Real, (805) 681-4180, charges $25 for a local criminal history or $37 for a clearance letter (request form). Standard reports are $15. Public Records Act requests use the Sheriff’s online portal or CPRARequests@sbsheriff.org.

Santa Clara County

Santa Clara lets you search criminal cases filed in 2004 or later online, but you need more than a name.

• Court records: The court’s Criminal Case Records page says to use the criminal case index for cases “filed in 2004 or later.” You can search “using either the defendant’s name and date of birth, or the defendant’s name plus the month and year the case was filed.” Documents are “not generally available online” (online case information).
• Copies of the file: Send a letter to the Clerk’s Office with the case number, full name, and date of birth. The court charges per page and for searches over ten minutes; its local fees page points to the statewide fee schedule. O.R. reports, probation reports, and criminal history are not released.
• Jail and bail information: Use the Sheriff’s inmate search for people currently in custody. For inmate information, call (408) 808-4400 or toll free (800) 211-2220.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s records page lists a Local Criminal Record Check for $25 and clearance letters for visa or employment for $20. The Records Division is at 55 West Younger Avenue, San Jose, (408) 808-4705, by appointment. Other records go through the public records page, which says “Requests can be made anonymously.”

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz’s online jail viewer shows charges. The court’s portal is more limited for criminal cases.

• Court records: The court’s case lookup page links its online portal, which searches by full or partial party name or by case number. Documents can be viewed online only in civil and small claims cases. For criminal cases, the court points you to the Records Department or public kiosks in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.
• Copies of the file: Use the Research and Copy Request Form with a check marked “not to exceed.” Copies are $0.50 per page, research over 10 minutes is $15 per search, and certification is $40 per document plus copies. Submit at 701 Ocean Street, 1 Second Street in Watsonville, or courtrecords@santacruzcourt.org. Criminal questions: criminalinfo@santacruzcourt.org, (831) 420-2200.
• Jail and bail information: The Web Jail Viewer shows “the offenses by which the inmate has been charged,” plus a description and mugshot. The jail gives “no guarantee that the information provided herein is fully accurate.” Call the Main Jail at (831) 454-7800.
• Sheriff records: Public Records Act requests go through the Sheriff’s NextRequest portal. Crime reports are released only to certain crime victims and insurers, using the 2026 request form.
• Local note: The court’s research and copy request form (SUPAD 981) was adopted August 4, 2026.

Shasta County

Shasta has a free court portal, but document access is off for now, and the clerk will not give name search results by phone.

• Court records: The court’s case records page links a free public portal. The page says “document access is currently unavailable.” The old case index is turned off.
• Copies of the file: The Criminal Clerk’s Office will run a name search on request, for Shasta County cases only (criminal page). “Name indexing and case disposition information is not provided over the telephone.” Contact the Records Department, 1515 Court St., Redding, Criminal@shasta.courts.ca.gov, (530) 245-6789.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s in-custody lookup opens behind a disclaimer page. To reach the jail, call (530) 245-6100. To speak to a deputy, call (530) 245-6540.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s records page offers clearance letters, local criminal history research, crime report copies, and “Criminal History or Detention Letters.” Call (530) 245-6000. The lobby at 300 Park Marina Circle, Redding, is open Monday to Thursday. Public records requests go through the county’s NextRequest portal.

Sierra County

Sierra County has no online case search and no jail of its own. People arrested here are held by Nevada County.

• Court records: No online criminal case search. Call the Criminal Division at (530) 289-3698. The court says, “When you call, please have your case number available.”
• Copies of the file: Mail requests to PO Box 476, Downieville, CA 95936, using the court’s research and copy request form. The court does not take email requests. A name search is $15 per name or alias, and copies are $0.50 per page. “The court will NOT conduct a search for records until payment has been received.” Searches are usually done within 10 days (records requests page).
• Jail and bail information: The court’s criminal page says to call the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada County at (530) 265-1291. Nevada County’s incarcerated person list shows name and booking date only, with no bail, charges, or court date.

Siskiyou County

Siskiyou has an online case portal, but for documents the court says to ask in person or in writing.

• Court records: The court’s online services page links a Case Information Portal to “View information for your court case, or search the Court calendar.” Users “consent to the court’s monitoring of access.”
• Copies of the file: The portal says to “visit the court and request the specific documents in person or do so in writing.” The court is at 411 Fourth Street, Yreka, (530) 842-0411. No fee list was found online.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s custody information page points to a Citizen RIMS lookup and VINE. Call the jail at (530) 842-8157.
• Sheriff records: Records requests go through the county’s GovQA portal. The Records Division is at 305 Butte Street, Yreka, (530) 842-8301 or (530) 842-8303. The Sheriff says you “will receive a response within ten days.”
• Local note: Since July 1, 2025, the court sells electronic copies of court audio recordings (notice dated June 3, 2025).

Solano County

Solano’s court portal searches by name, but you must register and verify your identity with a photo ID first.

• Court records: The public portal says searching “requires users to create/register for an account.” Per the court’s portal instructions, you can search by case number or by last and first name (two characters minimum). The court says to use it “to locate case information and bench warrant status.” Confidential cases do not show.
• Copies of the file: Use form 4021 (records and fees page). A search over 10 minutes is $15, copies are $0.50 per page, and certified copies are $40. A Certificate of Discharge of Bail Bond is $40. In person: weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., photo ID, 5 cases per person per day. Fairfield (707) 207-7380, Vallejo (707) 561-7880.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s In Custody Web Search “does not constitute…an official record.” The Jail Booking Logs list people booked “within the last 7 days.”
• Sheriff records: The Records and Warrants Bureau, 530 Union Avenue, Suite 100, Fairfield, (707) 784-7010, SHFRecords@SolanoCounty.gov, handles criminal history, reports, and warrant checks. Public records requests use the county’s GovQA portal.
• Local note: Since February 26, 2024, the portal has given wider remote access to specified government agencies and to parties and their attorneys.

Sonoma County

Sonoma’s court pages disagree. The criminal page says case information is not online, but the court’s portal guide explains how to search criminal cases by name.

• Court records: The court’s criminal search instructions say to “enter a case number or individual name in Last, First, Middle suffix format.” Results list “Case, Party, Charge, Disposition, and Hearings Information.” The portal opens after a disclaimer page. The criminal page still says “The Court does not provide case information via the Internet.”
• Copies of the file: Copies are $0.50 per page, certification is $40 per document, and searches over 10 minutes are $15 per case. Mail form CR-01. For prior record requests, response “is generally a week to ten (10) days.” Send a check marked “Not to exceed,” and do not fax. Call (707) 521-6620.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s incarcerated person search covers people “in custody at the time of the search.” Call the jail at (707) 565-1400.
• Sheriff records: Use the Sheriff’s report and public records request form. “A response to your request should be provided within 10 days. A fee may be required prior to the release of information.” Records: (707) 565-2204, Sheriff-CIB@sonomacounty.gov, 2796 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa.

Stanislaus County

Stanislaus posts one of the more detailed jail lists in the state, and the Sheriff issues low-cost clearance letters. The court will not confirm personal information by phone or email.

• Court records: The court’s case search page links a public portal “to search public case information.” You can also use a court computer. The court’s FAQ says “Bench warrant information is not given over the telephone.”
• Copies of the file: Use the Criminal Research Request Form. Research is $15, copies are $0.50 per page, and certification is $40 per case. Results are picked up or mailed, not sent by email. Archive requests take six to eight weeks. Criminal Division, Room 140, (209) 530-3100 option 4, Criminal.Requests@stanct.org.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s Inmates List covers all facilities and searches by name, date of birth, or booking number. Each record shows the facility, booking date, release date, and every charge with its case number, bail, and court date.
• Sheriff records: The Records Division, 250 E. Hackett Road, Modesto, (209) 525-7117, issues a Records Clearance Letter for $5, “a local check only,” in person with ID. An Arrest Record Letter is $25, and the person of record must appear in person.
• Local note: The court launched its public case portal on August 2, 2021 (court notice).

Sutter County

Sutter’s court portal is open to the public with no registration and searches by name.

• Court records: The court’s online case access page links a public portal with “No registration required.” It covers current cases and completed cases back to 2008. Search by “Last name, First name” in Smart Search. You can view case information and hearings and buy copies of documents. If a case does not appear, it may be confidential or from another county.
• Copies of the file: See the court’s records request page. A search over 10 minutes is $15, copies are $0.50 per page, and certification is $40 per document. Mail requests take 7 to 10 working days.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate search is online. Call the Jail Division at (530) 822-7300 (corrections section).
• Sheriff records: The Records Unit, (530) 822-4393, charges $0.25 per page for report copies, needs photo ID, and responds within ten days. Public records requests go to the county’s NextRequest portal.

Tehama County

Tehama has no online court search, and court staff will not look up criminal records by phone.

• Court records: No online criminal case search. The court’s criminal page says “Court staff cannot look up any criminal records over the telephone.” Ask in writing or in person at 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, (530) 527-3563.
• Copies of the file: Send a written request with the defendant’s name, date of birth if known, the documents you want, payment, and a stamped self-addressed envelope. Certified copies are $40 plus $0.50 per page. Regular copies follow the statewide fee schedule.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s current inmates page links an inmate roster. The court also refers inmate questions to the Sheriff at (530) 529-7900. The Tehama County Main Jail, 502 Oak Street, Red Bluff, is at (530) 529-7910.
• Sheriff records: The Records Division, 22840 Antelope Boulevard, Red Bluff, (530) 529-7940, records@tehamaso.org, keeps booking logs and reports. Use the records application. Domestic violence victims get the first report copy free.

Trinity County

Trinity has no online court search and no online jail lookup. You have to call.

• Court records: No online criminal case search. The court’s online services include calendars only. Call the clerk at (530) 623-1208, 11 Court Street, Weaverville.
• Copies of the file: The “Criminal Records Request” link on the court’s criminal page goes to the state DOJ record review page. That is for your own state record, not court files. Ask the clerk for copies.
• Jail and bail information: No online inmate search. Call the Correctional Facility at (530) 623-8124.
• Sheriff records: The Sheriff’s Office page lists the Records Office at (530) 623-2611, 101 Memorial Drive, Weaverville.

Tulare County

Tulare has an online case index, and you can request records through an online form or a video counter.

• Court records: The court’s online services page links a Case Index Search for “case summaries, filings, party information, and more.” Criminal contacts: Visalia (559) 730-5000, South County (559) 782-3700 (criminal page).
• Copies of the file: Use the online request form. Staff will contact you within 24 to 48 hours, and processing takes 15 business days after payment (records request page). Copies are $0.50 per page per side, certified copies are $40 plus copies, and a search over 10 minutes is $15. Mail “V” cases to 221 South Mooney Blvd., Visalia, and “P” cases to 300 E. Olive Ave., Porterville. The Virtual Public Counter also takes records requests.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff’s inmate search lists name, date of birth, booking date, and arresting agency, with a “View” link for details.
• Sheriff records: The Records Department, (559) 802-9400, takes public records requests by phone or email.

Tuolumne County

Tuolumne has no online court search. Record searches go through the Criminal Division window or the mail.

• Court records: No online criminal case search. The online services page lists calendars and payments only. Call the Criminal Division at (209) 533-5563, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Copies of the file: Ask in person at the Criminal Division window or by mail (criminal page). A record search is “$15.00 per name, for searches taking longer than 10 minutes.” Certified copies are $40 plus $0.50 per page. By mail, send a letter with the name, date of birth, and case number, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check marked “not to exceed $25.00.” Most requests are filled within 10 working days.
• Jail and bail information: The Sheriff links an in-custody search. Sheriff’s office: (209) 533-5855.
• Sheriff records: The Records Division, 28 N. Lower Sunset Drive, Sonora, (209) 533-5855, uses a report request form. “Case suspects are not authorized as parties to receive criminal reports.” The fee schedule, effective July 1, 2025, lists $39 for a local records check letter and $29.25 for a review of criminal record.

Ventura County

Ventura’s online case search works by name or case number, but not by date of birth.

• Court records: The court’s case inquiry page links Online Public Access. “A criminal case search will require that you enter the First and Last Name or a Case Number.” No search fee is posted.
• Copies of the file: Visit the Hall of Justice Records Department, Room 218, with ID and the case number, or mail form VSC-REC-002 to Attn: Records, P.O. Box 6489, Ventura, CA 93006 (records page). Copies are $0.50 per page, certification is $40 plus copies, and a search is $15 per request for up to 15 names. Mail requests “may take several weeks.” Date of birth is required for a criminal file, and searches are not done by phone.
• Jail and bail information: Search the Sheriff’s inmate search by last and first name or by booking number. The results list shows the booking number and booking date; click the booking number to open the record, where the bail information appears. Bail can be posted at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility (posting bail page).
• Local note: Since June 21, 2021, the court’s online search no longer accepts a date of birth or driver’s license number, following the appeals court decision in All of Us or None v. Hamrick.

Yolo County

Yolo’s court portal is free with no account, but there is no online jail search. The Sheriff gives bail and court dates by phone.

• Court records: The public portal says “Registration is not needed for public case search and to access court minute orders.” It offers Smart Search and a hearing search. The court’s criminal division page says “Anyone can review a case that has been filed with the court,” including the charging document, minutes, and sentencing information.
• Copies of the file: In person, copies are $0.50 per page, plus $40 per certified packet. By mail, add a $15 research fee and send a check to “Yolo Superior Court,” 1000 Main Street, Attn: Research RM#1511, Woodland, CA 95695. Call (530) 406-6705. Police and probation reports are not shown to the public.
• Jail and bail information: No online name search was found. The Sheriff’s custody FAQ says to call (530) 668-5245. By phone, staff give custody status, “charges, bail, court date,” housing, tentative release date, and holds.
• Sheriff records: Send Public Records Act requests to the Records Section, Monroe Detention Center, 140A Tony Diaz Drive, Woodland, or Records@yolocounty.org (records request page). Report copies are $15 each, more for reports over 20 pages (request form). Responses “may take up to 10 calendar days.”

Yuba County

Yuba’s court portal needs no registration and covers completed cases back to 1999.

• Court records: The court’s online case access page links a public portal with a “register of actions for current cases and completed cases dating back to 1999.” It offers Smart Search and a hearing search. If a case is missing, it may be confidential or have “involved an alias.”
• Copies of the file: Send written requests to the Criminal Division, 215 Fifth Street, Suite 200, Marysville, CA 95901 (criminal page). A record search is $15 per name, copies are $0.50 per page, and certified copies are $40 per document plus copies. A public computer in the courthouse shows cases and many document images. Call (530) 740-1800, option 4.
• Jail and bail information: The county posts an inmate locator map. Call the Sheriff-Coroner at (530) 749-7740. “The Sheriff’s Department only takes bail for the entire amount” (posting bail page).
• Sheriff records: The Records Division, (530) 749-7778, charges $20 per report, needs photo ID, and releases reports within ten business days. It takes cash or check only. Public records requests go through the county’s NextRequest portal.

What Families Should Do

1. Find the county first. The arresting agency decides which jail and which court. If you do not know, start with our guide on how to find out if someone is in jail.
2. Call or search the jail for the booking facts. Ask for the booking number, charges, bail amount, any holds, and the next court date and courthouse. The bail amount and holds are public by law.
3. Write down the booking number and case number. Almost every later step, from the court portal to a copy request to a bail company, goes faster with them.
4. Check for a hold before anyone pays. A parole, probation, warrant, or immigration hold can keep someone in custody even after bail is posted on the local charge.
5. Use the court’s own portal, not a people-search site. It is the official index, and it is often free. Expect common-name confusion, since you cannot search by birth date.
6. For conditions, get the minute order. Release conditions live in court orders, which for criminal cases are viewed at the courthouse or ordered by mail.
7. If you cosign, keep a bail folder. Keep the numbered statement, the premium and collateral receipts, your guarantor agreement, every court notice, and the date you received each one. The bail company only has to keep its records for five years after every part of the bail transaction is finished.
8. When the case ends, confirm the bond was exonerated. Then make sure any collateral comes back and any lien is released.
9. If the case ends without a conviction, look into sealing. Check whether the arrest already received automatic relief, or petition to seal it under PC 851.91.

How Bail Hotline Can Help

Everything above this section is written to be useful whether or not you ever call us. This is the one place we talk about ourselves.

Bail Hotline is a family-owned California bail bond company, licensed through our parent company, DMCG, Inc., with the California Department of Insurance (license #1845394). Our agents answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at (888) 958-1228.

Can’t find them in the system? This is where we do our best work

Most families call us at the worst possible moment. Someone they love has been arrested, and they do not know which jail, what the charges are, or whether bail has even been set. The locator will not load, or wants an account, or shows nothing because the booking is only an hour old. Some counties have no online search at all. None of that slows down an agent who works these systems every day. That scramble, in the middle of the night, is exactly where a bail company should earn its keep, and it is where we work hardest.

• Give us a name and a county, and let us do the searching, at no charge. Pulling inmate information is daily work for our agents, in every county jail in California, and they are fast at it. Our offices also hold accounts with the jail systems the public cannot search without one, such as Orange County’s. We find where the person is booked, the booking number, the charges, the bail amount, and the next court date, and we will tell you what we find whether or not you end up posting a bond. You do not have to sit refreshing a website at 3 a.m.
• We look for the problem before you pay for anything. A parole hold, a probation hold, or a warrant from another county can keep someone in custody even after bail is posted. The law makes those holds part of the public booking record (Gov. Code 7923.610), and we check for them first.
• A large, complicated, or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no. Tell us where the person is held, and we will talk through the options.
• Your paperwork, in your hands. We walk every cosigner through the agreement before anyone signs, and you receive copies of what you sign and a receipt for any collateral, as state regulations require (10 CCR 2083, 2099). Nobody should find out what they promised after something goes wrong.

Every case is different. The judge sets bail and release conditions, jails update their systems on their own schedules, and some information, such as sealed records, juvenile files, or another person’s private bail paperwork, is not ours or anyone’s to share. We cannot promise what a record will show or how fast a jail will act. What we can promise is that you will not be searching alone.

While the case is open

• Court-date reminders. Clients get text reminders of their court dates, because a missed date is the fastest way for a bond to turn into a forfeiture.
• Warrant help. If a date is missed, we walk clients through clearing the warrant step by step. Our guide to what happens if your bond is revoked explains the 180-day window.
• If a client goes missing, we work with American Locator and Recovery, a trusted partner we have worked with for a long time, to help bring them back to court within the window, which protects the cosigner too.

When the case ends

When the court exonerates the bond, liability on the bond ends for the insurance company and the cosigner, and any collateral must be returned. Any premium that is still unpaid under a payment plan is a separate debt and is still owed (10 CCR 2088.2). Call us with the case number, and we will confirm the bond’s status with you.

Find the office closest to the court handling the case:

Questions about how bail works before you call? Our bail FAQ answers the common ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are bail bonds public records in California?

Partly. The fact that a bond was posted, its amount, the insurance company, the bail agency, and any forfeiture or exoneration are public court and law enforcement records (PC 1269, Gov. Code 7923.610). The contract between the family and the bail company, including the cosigner’s information, stays in the bail company’s file and is not public. Criminal court documents are public but, under state court rules, viewable only at the courthouse.

How do I look up a bail bond by name?

Start with the county jail’s online locator or phone line, which can tell you the charges, the bail amount, and how the person was released. Then search the superior court’s online case index by name to find the case number and next court date. Some courts charge for name searches, and you cannot search by date of birth. The county guide lists each county’s tools.

How can I find out who posted bail for someone?

The court file shows the insurance company and bail agency behind a commercial bond, and the court’s receipt for cash bail is issued in the depositor’s name (PC 1297). The jail can tell you the manner of release, such as a bail bond or cash. Neither will usually show which friend or family member cosigned with the bail company, because that agreement is not filed with the court.

Is a cosigner’s name part of the public record?

Not for a typical California commercial bail bond. The cosigner (guarantor) agreement is kept by the bail company, and the regulations that require it do not make it public (10 CCR 2084). The main exception is a Penal Code 1275.1 “source of funds” hearing, which the judge may close to the public at that person’s request.

How do I find out someone’s bond amount?

Ask the jail or check its online locator. The bail amount is one of the facts law enforcement must release (Gov. Code 7923.610). The amount at booking usually comes from the county bail schedule, and a judge can later change it. Some online lists show bail with a warning that it may be approximate, so confirm by phone.

How do I find out someone’s bond conditions? Are they public?

Release conditions are in the judge’s orders and minute orders, which are court records. They are public unless sealed or confidential, but for criminal cases they are generally viewed at the courthouse or ordered as copies at $0.50 a page, not searched online. The defense lawyer also has them. Pretrial and own-recognizance reports prepared for the judge are not public.

How do I check bail bond status?

The court docket is the official record of whether a bond is active, forfeited, reinstated, or exonerated. Many county court portals show the docket online; otherwise ask the clerk with the case number. The bail agency named on the bond can also tell a party to the bond where it stands.

Is there a bail bond number lookup?

Not a public one. Bail bonds carry a number, usually the insurance company’s power of attorney number, which the court, jail, insurer, and bail agent use to track the bond. With that number and the case number, the court clerk or the bail agency on the bond can tell you its status.

What does “COMB” mean on a bond status?

We could not find an official definition from any California court or jail. Bond status codes are abbreviations built into each agency’s software, and there is no national standard. Call the jail’s records desk or the court clerk and ask what the code means for that case.

Can I see California bail information on PACER?

No. PACER covers federal courts only. California state cases are searched on each county superior court’s own system or at the courthouse. Federal bonds do appear on PACER, which charges $0.10 a page.

How long do bail bond records last?

The court’s docket entry for a bond stays in the case record after the paper bond is gone. The paper bond itself can be destroyed: the court must order it destroyed once it is shown that more than three years have passed since the bail was exonerated (PC 1269). Bail companies may destroy their records five years after the transaction is fully complete (10 CCR 2104). The arrest itself stays on the state record unless it is sealed or relieved.

Can a bail or arrest record be sealed in California?

Yes, in many cases. An arrest that did not end in a conviction can be sealed by petition (PC 851.91), and the Department of Justice now grants automatic relief for many qualifying arrests and convictions (PC 851.93, 1203.425). When an arrest is sealed by petition, the sealing must be noted on “all master court dockets, digital or otherwise” (PC 851.92).

How do I get copies of my own bail paperwork?

Ask the bail company. California regulations require the licensee to give you a numbered statement of the bail, premium, charges, and collateral, and a copy of any document you sign (10 CCR 2083, 2099). For the court’s side, request copies from the clerk with the case number.

Why We Publish This

Bail Hotline has helped California families through arrests since 2004. The questions in this guide are the ones people ask us every day, often while the person they love is still in a holding cell. Most of what is online about bail records is written for other states, copied from federal court pages, or simply wrong for California. We wrote this to give families the real rules, the official tools, and the phone numbers that work.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws, fees, and county websites change. For advice about a specific case, talk to a criminal defense lawyer or the public defender’s office in the county handling the case.

Sources and Further Reading

California law

• Penal Code: 1269, 1269b, 1275.1, 1276, 1278, 1297, 1305, 851.8, 851.91, 851.92, 851.93, 1203.425, 11121, 11123, 13665
• Government Code: 7920.540, 7923.600, 7923.610, 7923.620, 12952, 70626, 70627
• Other codes: Labor Code 432.7, Civil Code 1786.18, Civil Code 1798.91.1, Welfare and Institutions Code 827
• California Constitution: art. I, sec. 3, art. I, sec. 28
• California Rules of Court: 2.503, 2.507, 2.550
• California Code of Regulations, Title 10 (bail): 2083, 2084, 2087, 2088.2, 2098, 2099, 2100, 2104
• California Department of Insurance: license status lookup, bail bonds consumer page
• California Department of Justice: record review, automatic record relief

Court decisions

• People v. Bankers Ins. Co. (2021) 65 Cal.App.5th 350
• People v. Pollard (2001) 90 Cal.App.4th 483
• County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 588
• Westbrook v. County of Los Angeles (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 157
• All of Us or None v. Hamrick (2021) 64 Cal.App.5th 751
• People v. Adair (2003) 29 Cal.4th 895
• In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135
• In re Kowalczyk (2026)

Research and data

• California Policy Lab, Who Benefits from Automatic Record Relief in California? (October 2024)
• Bureau of Justice Statistics and SEARCH, Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2022 (September 2024)
• Lageson and Stewart, The problem with criminal records, Criminology (2024)
• National Consumer Law Center, Broken Records Redux (December 2019)
• Public Policy Institute of California, California’s County Jails (January 2026)
• California Department of Insurance, An Exploration of California’s Bail System (January 2017)
• Christopher Uggen, Crime, Punishment, and American Inequality, Focus (2015 to 2016)

Reporting

• CalMatters via The San Francisco Standard, California is clearing criminal records (March 21, 2024)
• KTVU, 4 operators of mugshots.com charged with criminal extortion (May 16, 2018)
• KTVU, Posting booking photos online harms poor, mentally ill, Sonoma County sheriff says (May 11, 2018)
• California DOJ, Attorney General Becerra announces criminal charges (May 16, 2018)
• San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco police to stop releasing suspect mugshots (July 1, 2020)
• Human Rights Watch, “Not in it for Justice” (April 11, 2017)
• Federal Trade Commission, TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate settlement (September 11, 2023)

Outside California

• U.S. Courts, Appearance Bond (AO 98); PACER pricing; 18 U.S.C. 3153
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Bond Postings
• Harris County District Clerk, Bonds
• Idaho Supreme Court, Court Administrative Rule 32; iCourt