California arrest records by county: bookings, charges and warrants
9 counties of California have an arrest records page. Each covers the booking at the county jail, the charges recorded, California's statewide warrant system and, where a court publishes it, how the case ended.
What a California arrest records background check costs
The count near any address is free. No card, and no one is told you looked.
Everyone near one address, or a Background Check on one person.
- Photos, offence and distance, with a PDF
- Pay once. Nothing renews
- $19.99 for 3, and checks never expire
Three addresses watched all year, with one check included every month.
- Email when someone registers, moves in or out
- Home, school and grandparents, unlocked while it runs
- Or $6.99 a month. Cancel in one click
Every record type for the state on one page: California criminal records.
California arrest records by county: bookings, charges and warrants. 9 pages, largest county first.
| County | Booked at | Warrants | Arrest records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno County · 1,017,162 | Fresno County Main Jail | Statewide | Fresno County arrest records |
| Kern County · 913,820 | Kern County Jails | Statewide | Kern County arrest records |
| San Joaquin County · 800,965 | San Joaquin County Jail | Statewide | San Joaquin County arrest records |
| Stanislaus County · 551,430 | Stanislaus County Public Safety Center | Statewide | Stanislaus County arrest records |
| Tulare County · 479,468 | Tulare County Jails | Statewide | Tulare County arrest records |
| Santa Cruz County · 261,547 | Santa Cruz County Main Jail | Statewide | Santa Cruz County arrest records |
| Butte County · 207,172 | Butte County Jail | Statewide | Butte County arrest records |
| Shasta County · 180,366 | Shasta County Main Jail | Statewide | Shasta County arrest records |
| Madera County · 162,858 | Madera County Jail | Statewide | Madera County arrest records |
Populations: US Census Bureau, 2023 estimates. A county gets a page only when its jail roster is live in the search and it has at least three facts of its own to state.
· shares below are over the California arrest records we index; approximate, not an official figure
California arrests by charge type: the statewide booking picture. About 520,000 records across California, read as a whole; approximate, not an official figure.
Among the California arrest records we index that state a charge, the most common category of categorised charges is drug possession (18%), followed by public order, trespass and property damage (17%) and probation/parole violations and failure to appear (11%). A record can carry charges in several categories, so the shares of categorised charges can add to more than 100%.
How recent. About 15% of the records show activity in the last 12 months, among the 30% that carry a date.
Every figure is a share of the records we index for California, rounded; approximate, not an official figure. Cells with too few records behind them are left out rather than shown as zero. The county pages carry the same picture for each county where enough records exist; criminal charge types explains the categories.
California warrant search and arrest record outcomes.
California publishes a statewide warrant system, and a name search here includes it alongside the county bookings. California's statewide court source is in the search too, so an arrest result can be read next to how the case ended.
An arrest is not a conviction. The guide to arrest records explains the three records a case leaves behind, and the warrant search what a published warrant does and does not say.
Beyond California arrest records: jail rosters and court records by county. The same counties, the other two questions.
California background check: search arrest records by name.
- Type a first and last name, and add an age or date of birth so the right person rises to the top.
- The check searches every California record type in the search, with the sex offender registries, in one step.
- One paid check, with a personal account. Nothing renews, and the person is never told.
Not a consumer report. Hiring or renting? Use an FCRA-regulated check; see what an employer’s check shows.
California arrest records FAQ
How do I look up California arrest records by county?
Pick the county below and search the name. Each county page reaches that county's jail bookings, California's statewide warrant system and California's statewide court source, and labels each result by record type. 9 counties have a page.
Does California publish a statewide warrant list?
Yes. California publishes a statewide warrant system and a name search here includes it. Not every local warrant reaches it, so to be certain, ask the county sheriff's office or the Superior Court clerk’s office.
Is an arrest in California a conviction?
No. An arrest record says a person was booked on a date on the charges recorded at booking. Whether a charge was filed, reduced, dismissed or ended in a conviction is decided in the Superior Court, and only the court record shows that.
Does OffenderSearch show California mugshots?
No. The county pages show no booking photos and OffenderSearch never charges to remove one. Where a county publishes a photo it is on the sheriff's official roster.
Can California arrest records be used for hiring or renting?
Not from here. A search on this site is not a consumer report; employers and landlords need an FCRA-regulated report with the person's written consent, and many states limit how an arrest without a conviction may be used.