California Public Records

California provides strong public access to records, meaning there are just few restrictions in place. Although certified copies of vital records are restricted, anyone may request an informational copy. The California Department of Public Health maintains all birth, death, marriage and divorce records, although birth, death and marriage records may be requested from the local County Recorder and divorce records from the local Superior Court. California public records also include access to California court records, both civil and criminal. Each Superior Court offers access to court and divorce records specific to its county and many offer online access. California criminal records, maintained by the Department of Justice, are restricted and can only be requested by the person of record for review purposes. To access historic California public records, like California cemetery records, military and vital records, and obituaries, visit the California GenWeb Project Archives website.

About California Public Records

Although California does restrict access its vital records, there is an important exception to this rule. The restriction applies to requesting certified copies, which can be used for identification purposes. An informational copy, however, of California birth records, death, marriage and divorce records can be requested and obtained by any individual. Those authorized to request certified copies are the person of record, an immediate family member or a legal representative.

Although these California public records are available from the Department of Public Health, the wait time can be quite long since California is such a large state. Instead, consider requesting birth, death and marriage records directly from the County Recorder where the event took place. These can often be requested in person, by mail or online through VitalChek with a reduced waiting time.

Obtaining California Public Records Online

Although California has a central Administrative Office of the Courts in place, there is no central repository for court records online due to California’s immense size. Instead, individual Superior Courts hold the county’s civil, criminal and divorce records. Many of these local Superior Courts offer these California public records online. Some charge a fee to access the public web portal, while others do not. Most online access provides an overview of the case and details on where to find the physical records. Most Superior Courts allow you to request copies of California court records in person, by mail or over the phone.

In general, most California public records are not available online. Since criminal records are protected in California, anyone who wishes to review his own criminal record must mail the request to the Department of Justice along with a set of fingerprints to establish your identity. Although a name-based search is easier, it can turn up false positives or false negative results. If you want to learn whether someone else has a criminal history, it’s best to perform an online public records search for California criminal court records, which aren’t protected from public inspection.

Performing a California Public Records Search

For those interested in genealogy or conducting family history research, a good place to begin is with the California GenWeb Project Archives. This site has compiled an impressive amount of historic California military records, cemetery records, some vital records and obituaries, many of which are broken down by county. These historic records have been digitized, meaning you never have to leave your home office or favorite coffee shop while performing family research.

A California public records search can begin and flourish online. It’s likely that a California genealogy search could lead far from home, making an online source of California public records invaluable. There is no fee to access the California GenWeb Project Archives, and there are additional resources listed, many of which are online, to further your search without leaving ever home.