San Diego Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records
San Diego Criminal Records Search: Court Cases, Arrests & Public Records
To search San Diego criminal records, start with the official San Diego Superior Court Case Index. You can locate a criminal case by a person’s name, the court case number or the District Attorney case number.
The court index identifies the case number, filing court, case type and associated parties. It does not establish the criminal charges or final judgment. For that information, use the appropriate court record or request official case documents.
Official San Diego County and California government sources reviewed October 17, 2026.
Where Can You Search San Diego Criminal Records?
San Diego criminal records are maintained by different agencies. Court cases, arrest reports, booking details and statewide criminal-history summaries are not held in one public database.
San Diego Superior Court
Search the Court Index for criminal case numbers and filing locations, then use the court’s record-access procedures for case details and documents.
Open Court Index ↗San Diego County Sheriff
Find people currently in Sheriff’s custody, including publicly available booking information, charges, court dates and housing locations.
Open Who’s in Jail ↗Sheriff Records & ID
Request your local criminal-history report from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office through its formal records procedure.
Published fee: $14.
Local History Instructions ↗California Department of Justice
Request your own California criminal-history summary using fingerprints. Public requests for another person’s complete DOJ criminal history are not authorized.
DOJ processing fee: $25.
Request Your Own DOJ Record ↗How to Search San Diego Criminal Court Records by Name
The San Diego Superior Court Case Index is the county’s primary public online tool for locating a criminal court case. It covers publicly indexed Superior Court matters from 1974 onward, subject to court-specific availability and legal restrictions.
Its main job is to identify a case and tell you which courthouse holds it. It should not be used to decide whether someone was convicted.
Step-by-step search instructions
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Open the Superior Court Case Index.
Visit the official courtindex.sdcourt.ca.gov website and read its disclaimer before proceeding.
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Choose the appropriate search.
The court provides three options: Party Name Search, Case Number Search and DA Number Search.
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Search by name if you do not have a number.
Enter the person’s identifying name information using the search fields. Check variations when the spelling may be different.
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Use a case number when available.
A complete court case number is generally more precise than a common name. A District Attorney case number can also help locate the filing.
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Review the result carefully.
Compare the case title, number, court location, case type, filing date and parties shown in the result.
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Write down the filing location.
The location tells you which San Diego Superior Court facility holds the case file.
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Find the actual charges and disposition.
Use available Register of Actions information and the official court file. If needed, contact the courthouse and request the judgment or other disposition record.
What does the Case Index show?
| Information | Shown in Court Index? | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Yes | Identifies the court file for further research. |
| Case title and parties | Yes | Helps identify possible matching cases. |
| Court filing location | Yes | Identifies the facility responsible for the record. |
| Date filed and case type | Yes | Provides basic information about the filing. |
| All criminal charges | No, not in the index itself | Review the actual court record. |
| Conviction, acquittal or dismissal | No, not established by the index | Request the official final disposition. |
San Diego Register of Actions and Criminal Case Documents
San Diego Superior Court’s Register of Actions is a separate system from the Court Index. It is used for qualifying case activity and document-request functions.
The court’s updated records guidance makes an important distinction: criminal documents cannot be viewed or downloaded directly from the Register of Actions, but some may be ordered online and mailed.
New for criminal cases filed on or after February 17, 2026
San Diego Superior Court states that certain criminal documents in cases filed on or after this date can be purchased through the online Register of Actions and mailed to the requester.
This does not mean every criminal filing is available for online ordering. Some documents may be unavailable because of confidentiality, sealing, document type or system coverage.
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Locate the case number.
Use the Court Index and confirm that you have the correct criminal case.
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Open the Register of Actions.
Use the official court website linked below.
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Search for the case.
Enter the supported case identifier and check whether the case is available through the current system.
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Review the document-order option.
If available, select the needed criminal record and follow the court’s purchase and mailing process.
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Request unavailable records from the courthouse.
For older cases or documents not offered online, contact the court facility that holds the file.
San Diego County Criminal Courthouses and Records Offices
San Diego Superior Court operates several geographic divisions. A case filed in Chula Vista, Vista or El Cajon is not automatically housed at the downtown San Diego Central Courthouse.
Check the Court Index for the exact filing location before visiting or mailing a records request.
San Diego Central Courthouse
1100 Union Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Felony records: 1st floor
Misdemeanor records: 2nd floor
Older records: 14th floor
Phone: (619) 844-2400
East County Regional Center
250 East Main Street
El Cajon, CA 92020
Criminal and traffic records are handled through the 1st-floor business office.
Phone: (619) 456-4100
North County Regional Center
325 South Melrose Drive
Vista, CA 92081
Criminal records: North Building, 1st floor. Traffic records are handled separately.
Phone: (760) 201-8600
South County Regional Center
500 Third Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Criminal and traffic records: 2nd-floor business office.
Phone: (619) 746-6200
The criminal business offices generally operate Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding court holidays. The court notes that many business-office telephone lines are answered between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
How to Obtain Certified San Diego Criminal Court Records
If you need a certified conviction record, dismissal, judgment, sentencing order or court disposition, obtain the document from the San Diego Superior Court facility holding the case.
The California Department of Justice does not supply certified Superior Court documents through its personal criminal-history review service.
Request documents in person
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Find the case number and location.
Use the Court Index and confirm the court facility.
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Visit the appropriate business office.
Bring photo identification and the complete case number.
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Identify the specific documents.
Ask for the judgment, disposition, sentencing minutes, dismissal order or another clearly identified filing.
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Confirm copy and certification charges.
Ordinary copies are listed at 50 cents per page. Certification, staff search and off-site retrieval may carry additional fees.
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Allow for processing.
Some copy requests require at least two court days; older files can take longer if they are stored off-site.
The court requires a picture identification card to view court files in person and limits file retrieval to a maximum of ten cases per customer, request and transaction.
Request criminal court documents by mail
If visiting is inconvenient, the court allows written requests sent to the court facility where the criminal matter was heard.
Include:
- Complete court case number
- Names of the parties
- Names of the documents requested
- Your telephone number, mailing address and email address
- A self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage
- Payment or the authorized credit-card payment form
The court explains that if the exact page count is unknown, a requester paying by check may write “Not to exceed $___” on the memo line and set an authorized maximum. The check should be payable to Superior Court.
The court also provides Credit Card Payment Form ADM-253 for qualifying mailed requests.
How to Request Your Own California Criminal Background Record
California’s Department of Justice maintains statewide summary criminal-history records. Access is restricted by law: the public cannot simply enter another person’s name and obtain their confidential DOJ criminal history.
Individuals may request their own criminal-history summary for record review and accuracy purposes.
DOJ processing fee
The California DOJ’s personal record-review processing fee. Live Scan providers may charge separate fingerprint rolling fees.
California residents
Use Live Scan Form BCIA 8016RR, choose Record Review and submit fingerprints through an approved provider.
Out-of-state residents
Use the DOJ’s manual fingerprint-card process, including Form BCIA 8705 and FD-258 fingerprints, following its mailing instructions.
Fee waiver possibility
Qualifying California residents with limited income or certain public benefits may request a waiver of the DOJ’s $25 processing charge. Fingerprinting provider fees may remain.
California Live Scan record-review process
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Open the California DOJ record-review page.
Read the eligibility, privacy and fingerprint-submission requirements.
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Complete BCIA 8016RR.
Use Record Review as the application type and reason for the fingerprint submission.
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Find an authorized Live Scan provider.
Check the provider’s current fees, appointment requirements and accepted identification.
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Submit fingerprints and payment.
Pay the applicable DOJ processing fee and any separate fingerprint rolling fee.
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Review the DOJ response.
If the state summary contains an error, follow the DOJ’s correction procedure using the accompanying challenge instructions.
San Diego Arrest Records and Local Criminal-History Reports
Court records, Sheriff’s local criminal-history reports and City of San Diego Police incident reports serve different purposes.
San Diego County Sheriff local criminal-history request
The Sheriff’s Records & ID Division provides a local criminal-history report through its Service Request Form. The current published fee is $14, with a stated processing goal of 3–10 business days.
This is a local history service, not a complete California DOJ criminal-history summary.
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Open the Sheriff’s local criminal-history page.
Download the Service Request Form in English or Spanish.
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Complete the request.
Provide the identifying details requested by the Sheriff.
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Prepare identification.
Bring valid government-issued photo identification for an in-person request or include a copy for a mailed request.
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Submit the form.
The Sheriff accepts requests by email, mail or through the Records & ID office according to its instructions.
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Pay the published fee.
Check the accepted payment method and any card transaction charges before submitting.
San Diego, CA 92123
Email: Booking.Records@sdsheriff.org
Main phone: (858) 974-2222
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. and on public holidays.
City of San Diego Police Department arrest and incident reports
If the San Diego Police Department handled the incident, use the city’s official Police Report request procedure instead of submitting a Sheriff’s report request.
The SDPD currently lists $12 for a qualifying general police report and 50 cents for the releasable first page of an arrest report.
Arrested individuals and suspects are not provided the police report through the ordinary public report-release process. The department directs these requests through legal representatives and the appropriate discovery or subpoena procedures.
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 531-2846
Records counter: Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
San Diego County Sheriff’s “Who’s in Jail” Search
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office operates a free public Who’s in Jail service for people currently in Sheriff’s custody.
This system can provide booking details, housing location, pending charges, scheduled court information, bail status and certain release information.
How to search by name
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Open the Sheriff’s Who’s in Jail page.
Use the direct official search link below.
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Enter the person’s name.
The search currently asks for at least two characters of the last name and two characters of the first name.
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Complete the human-verification check.
Follow the displayed verification instructions, then submit the search.
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Select the matching person.
Click the correct result to open the inmate’s detailed custody page.
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Review the information.
Note the booking number, facility, arresting agency, charges and court case details when available.
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Confirm the court disposition separately.
The jail record does not prove conviction or establish how every charge was resolved.
Does the Sheriff provide arrest warrant information?
Yes. The Sheriff’s Office also maintains a separate online warrant database for adult criminal defendant warrants issued by San Diego Superior Court.
The Sheriff’s published guidance states that warrant information may be up to 24 hours old. It does not cover every possible warrant or serve as an authoritative warrant-clearance certificate.
If an active warrant is shown, follow the court’s official instructions or consult a criminal defense attorney rather than relying on a website refresh to confirm that it has been resolved.
Open Official San Diego Warrant Information ↗San Diego Criminal Records Search Fees
| Search or service | Published fee | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court Case Index | Free public search | Identifies filed cases but not charges or dispositions. |
| Criminal court document copies | $0.50 per page | Additional certification, retrieval or research fees may apply. |
| Court staff record search over 10 minutes | Current schedule applies | A nonparty research fee may apply under Government Code § 70627(c). |
| Online criminal document order | Document-specific | Certain newer cases; purchased online and mailed, not downloaded. |
| Sheriff current inmate search | Free | Current custody information only. |
| Sheriff local criminal-history report | $14 | Formal Records & ID request with identification; transaction fees may apply. |
| California DOJ personal record review | $25 DOJ fee | Fingerprint rolling fees extra; eligible fee waivers possible. |
| SDPD general police report | $12 | Subject to disclosure eligibility and release restrictions. |
| SDPD releasable arrest-report first page | $0.50 | Only the releasable first page under the ordinary request process. |
| Federal PACER court records | Usage-based | Federal court fees and quarterly waiver terms apply. |
The San Diego Superior Court publishes a current fee schedule effective September 1, 2026. Check that schedule before submitting a certification, lengthy records-search or archived-file request.
Prison Records, Sex Offender Registry and Federal Criminal Cases
CDCR Incarcerated Records Search
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation operates the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS).
It can provide selected information about people in state custody, including CDCR number, location and county of commitment.
This is different from the San Diego County jail lookup.
Open California CIRIS ↗Megan’s Law Sex Offender Search
California DOJ maintains public sex-offender registry information for qualifying registrants under state law.
Registry results are not a complete list of criminal convictions, and some registration records may have restrictions on public disclosure.
Open California Megan’s Law ↗U.S. District Court — Southern District of California
Federal criminal prosecutions in the San Diego area are maintained separately from San Diego Superior Court cases.
Use PACER to search federal district court cases, dockets and documents.
Open PACER ↗San Diego Criminal Record Dismissal
San Diego Superior Court provides forms and guidance for qualifying petitions for dismissal under California Penal Code §§ 1203.4 and 1203.4a, as well as other record-relief procedures.
Eligibility and the effect of relief depend on the conviction and applicable law.
Read Court Record-Clearing Guidance ↗Why Can’t You Find a San Diego Criminal Record Online?
A missing online result is not proof that a criminal record does not exist. San Diego’s court index has specific historical and case-type limitations.
| Problem | Possible reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Case occurred before 1974 | Pre-1974 cases are not included in the online Court Index. | Ask about archived indexes or microfilm at the relevant courthouse. |
| Older misdemeanor not found | Some court locations provide only about ten years of misdemeanor index coverage. | Contact the courthouse maintaining the case. |
| Traffic citation missing | Traffic and minor-offense files are excluded from the general online index. | Contact the appropriate traffic court facility. |
| Juvenile case not found | Juvenile records are confidential and generally not included in the public index. | Use the authorized juvenile court access procedure. |
| Case found but no conviction details | The Court Index does not display the charges or disposition. | Review the official court file or order a disposition record. |
| Criminal PDF cannot be downloaded | The court does not offer direct criminal document downloads through the Register of Actions. | Use the available mail-order process or courthouse copy request. |
| Person not in Sheriff’s jail search | The person may no longer be in Sheriff’s custody or is held elsewhere. | Verify through the appropriate custody authority or CDCR. |
| Record is sealed or restricted | Public disclosure may be legally limited. | Contact the official custodian about permitted access. |
| Criminal case is federal | Federal district cases are maintained separately. | Use PACER for the Southern District of California. |
Where are very old San Diego court records kept?
San Diego Superior Court explains that older indexes dating from 1880 to the mid-1970s may be available through courthouse archive procedures.
The Central Division Older Records operation is at the Central Courthouse, 1100 Union Street, on the 14th floor. Some old cases are recorded in bound indexes or microfilm, and court staff do not perform microfilm research on behalf of users.
Court records may also have been lawfully destroyed under applicable record-retention rules. If the file no longer exists, ask the court whether another surviving index, minute entry or official statement is available.
Are San Diego Criminal Records Public?
Many adult criminal court records are presumptively public under California court-access rules. However, sealing orders, confidentiality laws, juvenile protections and other legal restrictions can prevent disclosure of particular information or documents.
Access to a public court docket should not be confused with access to a California DOJ summary criminal-history report, which is restricted by state law.
Public adult court filings
Many qualifying court filings can be inspected at the courthouse or obtained through applicable copy procedures, unless sealed or confidential.
Juvenile records
Generally confidential. Authorized persons may have limited access, while other requesters may need a court order.
Sealed and restricted records
A judge may restrict public access to specified files or documents. Access may require a legally authorized request or order.
Background-screening use
Employment, housing and other eligibility screening can be regulated by federal and California law. This independent guide does not provide consumer reports.
San Diego Criminal Records Search FAQs
1. How can I search San Diego criminal records for free?
2. Can I search San Diego criminal cases using someone’s name?
3. Does the San Diego Court Index show criminal convictions?
4. Can I download San Diego criminal court documents online?
5. How do I get certified San Diego criminal court records?
6. How much does a San Diego County Sheriff local criminal-history report cost?
7. Can I obtain someone else’s complete California DOJ criminal record?
8. Where can I find current San Diego jail inmates?
9. Why are older San Diego misdemeanor or traffic records missing?
10. Where do I search federal criminal cases filed in San Diego?
San Diego Criminal Records Official Links
These are official court, county, city, California state and federal record sources. Use them for actual searches, forms, fees and record requests.
- San Diego Superior Court — Official Court Index
- San Diego Superior Court — Accessing Court Records
- San Diego Court — Register of Actions
- Superior Court — Obtain Copies of Court Files
- San Diego Criminal Court Offices and Contact Numbers
- San Diego Superior Court — Current Fee Schedule
- San Diego County Sheriff — Who’s in Jail
- Sheriff — Local Criminal-History Requests
- Sheriff — Crime, Arrest and Accident Reports
- Sheriff — Adult Criminal Warrant Information
- San Diego Police Department — Request a Police Report
- California DOJ — Request Your Own Criminal History
- California DOJ — Public Live Scan Providers
- California DOJ — Personal Record Review Fee Waiver
- CDCR — California Incarcerated Records and Information Search
- California DOJ — Megan’s Law Registry
- San Diego Superior Court — Clearing Your Criminal Record
- PACER — Federal Court Records