Find California Booking Reports
California booking reports are public records. The 58 county sheriff offices across the state keep them. Each county jail has its own booking log with arrest dates, charges, bail amounts, and personal details for those booked into custody. Most California counties now post booking data on their sheriff websites. Search by name or booking number. Date ranges work too. Some counties show the last 24 to 72 hours of bookings, while others list all people in jail right now. This page covers how to find and access California booking reports at every level.
California Booking Reports Quick Facts
How to Search California Booking Reports
The fastest way to find booking reports in California is through county sheriff websites. Nearly every county runs its own inmate search tool online. You type a name and get results. Most systems are free to use. They show booking dates, charges, bail, and current custody status. Some even display booking photos. Under Government Code Section 7923.600, California law enforcement must release this booking data to the public. That is why most sheriff offices now offer free online search tools. At the state level, the California Department of Justice keeps criminal history records, but those are not the same as local booking reports. DOJ records need a fingerprint check and cost $25 to process. County booking logs are much simpler to access in California.
California booking reports typically show the following details:
- Full name of the arrested person
- Date of birth and physical description
- Date and time of the arrest and booking
- All charges filed against the person
- Bail amount set by the court
- Current custody location in California
The California DOJ handles personal criminal record reviews through its Record Review program.
This service is for checking your own record in California. It does not let you look up someone else's booking report.
In-person searches are another option for finding California booking reports. Visit the county jail or sheriff records office during business hours. Staff can look up booking data right there. Bring the full name of the person you want to find and any other details you have, like a date of birth or the arrest date. Some offices charge a small copy fee. Others provide booking information at no cost. Phone calls work in some California counties too. Call the jail or records division and ask about a recent booking. Response times vary based on how busy the office is at that moment. Not every county gives out details over the phone though, so check the website first for California booking report access.
California County Jail Booking Records
California has 58 counties. Each one runs its own jail system under the county sheriff. When someone gets arrested in California, law enforcement takes them to the county jail for processing. A booking report is created right then. It captures the person's name, date of birth, physical description, charges, arrest time, and bail amount. Penal Code Section 13300 defines this data as "local summary criminal history information," which includes arrest dates, booking numbers, charges, and dispositions. Most California counties now publish booking logs online. These logs show recent arrests from the past 24 to 72 hours. Some keep longer records available too. Start at the sheriff's office website for county-level booking reports in California.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs the CIRIS inmate search database for state prison inmates.
CIRIS covers state prison records, not county jail booking reports in California.
County jails and state prisons hold different types of records in California. Jail booking reports cover people who were just arrested or are waiting for trial or serving short sentences under one year. These come from the county sheriff. State prison records cover people convicted and sentenced to more than one year. Those come from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation through its CIRIS database. You can search CIRIS by name or CDCR number. Results show the person's current location, admission date, commitment counties, and parole hearing dates. But if you want a recent arrest record or a local booking report in California, you need the county system. A common mistake is searching the state prison database when the person is actually in county custody. Local jails process shorter stays, usually under one year. Always check the county sheriff inmate search first for recent California booking reports. If someone does not appear in the county system, then try the state prison search through CIRIS.
California Booking Report Laws
California law makes most booking information public. Government Code Section 7920.000 is the California Public Records Act. It gives everyone the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies across the state. This law was recodified in January 2023. It replaced the old Government Code Section 6254(f) with a cleaner numbering system. The act puts a 10-day deadline on agencies to respond to records requests. A limited 14-day extension may apply in some cases. Under Government Code Section 7923.600, law enforcement agencies must release booking data to anyone who asks. The required data includes the full name of every person arrested, their physical description, date of birth, time and date of arrest, time and date of booking, the arrest location, bail amount, release information, and all charges. California agencies cannot refuse to share this basic arrest data under normal circumstances.
The California Legislature website hosts all state statutes related to booking reports and arrest records.
You can look up any California code section on this site for free.
Penal Code Section 13665 restricts how police share booking photos on social media in California. Departments cannot post mugshots for nonviolent crimes unless the person poses a threat to public safety. They must remove posted booking photos within 14 days. This law took effect to protect people from lasting harm caused by widely shared arrest images before any conviction.
People arrested in California have the right to seal their records under certain conditions. Penal Code Section 851.8 allows someone found factually innocent to petition for sealing and destroying all arrest records, booking photos, and related evidence. The sealing lasts three years before destruction. Penal Code Section 851.91 covers arrests that did not lead to a conviction. If charges were dropped or the person was acquitted, they may petition to seal those California booking records. Once sealed, the booking report no longer shows up in public searches. These protections help people clear their names after wrongful or unfounded arrests in California.
Public Access to Booking Reports in California
The California Public Records Act gives everyone the right to access booking reports. You do not need to be a family member. You do not need to be an attorney. You do not even need a reason. Just ask the agency that holds the records. When you submit a public records request, the agency has 10 days to decide whether to release the information. Copying fees are usually low. The DOJ charges 10 cents per page for duplicated records. County offices set their own prices for copies of California booking reports. Some charge nothing for booking information that is already online. Others may charge between $5 and $25 for printed report copies. If an agency denies your request, you can appeal the decision. Most booking data in California falls under mandatory disclosure rules, meaning the agency has no choice but to provide it.
Visit the DOJ Public Records Act page to see what California law says about your right to access records.
Use this resource if you run into problems getting booking data from a local California agency.
Rights upon booking also matter in California. Under Penal Code Section 851.5, an arrested person can make at least three phone calls within three hours of being booked. This is a statutory right. The jail must allow these calls. One call can go to a lawyer, one to a bail bond agent, and one to a family member or friend. The booking report should reflect the time of arrest and booking. These time stamps matter because they prove whether the three-hour call window was honored. California booking reports serve as an important legal record for both the public and the person who was arrested.
California Booking Reports Through VINE
VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is a nationwide service that the California State Sheriffs' Association supports across the state. You can use VINE to track an offender's custody status in any California county. The system sends real-time alerts when someone gets released, transferred, or escapes from custody. Search by name or offender ID on the California VINE search page. Registration is free and takes just a few minutes. Pick how you want notifications sent: phone, email, or text. VINE covers both county jails and state prisons in California.
The California VINE system lets you search for any offender in custody across the state.
Sign up for alerts to stay informed about changes in custody status in California.
VINE is especially useful for crime victims who need to track someone's custody status. The system removes the need to call the jail over and over for updates on releases or transfers. It runs around the clock and sends instant notifications whenever something changes. You can register for alerts on more than one offender at a time. The service is free in California. The state adopted VINE across all 58 counties so that victims everywhere have equal access to timely custody information about California booking activity. If the offender transfers between a county jail and state prison, VINE tracks that move automatically.
Not every county updates VINE in real time. Some have a delay of a few hours between a booking and when it shows up. For the most current California booking report data, check the county sheriff website first. Use VINE for ongoing updates after you confirm someone is in custody.
Note: VINE tracks custody changes but does not replace an official booking report request from the sheriff's office.
Browse California Booking Records by County
Each of California's 58 counties has its own sheriff who keeps booking records. Pick a county below to find local booking report resources and contact info for that area.
View All 58 California Counties
Booking Reports in Major California Cities
Most California cities do not run their own jails. Arrested people get booked at the county jail. Pick a city below to learn about booking reports in that area.