How to get a copy of your criminal record in California

This is general information, not legal advice. Getting your own record is a smart first step. Before you file anything with immigration, have an expert read it with you.

Which records do I need?

Usually all three. Each one can miss things the others have.

Immigration cases need details a rap sheet may not show, like the exact code section and sentence. For DACA, USCIS asks for court certified copies of the complete arrest record and outcome for each case. USCIS also says getting your records is your job, even if a case was sealed or expunged.

How do I get my California record?

If you live in California, do it with Live Scan (digital fingerprints).

1. Print the form. Form BCIA 8016RR (Spanish).
2. Fill it out. Under "Type of Application", check Record Review. On "Reason for Application", write Record Review. Fill in all your personal information.
3. Go to a Live Scan site. Many police departments, sheriff's offices and public Live Scan businesses do it. Check locations and fees first, since each site sets its own fee.
4. Pay. $25 to the DOJ, plus the site's fingerprinting fee.
5. Wait for your response. The DOJ's page does not say how long it takes.

Can't afford it? If you get CalFresh, Medi-Cal or disability benefits, have low income, or have no income, you may qualify for a fee waiver. You fill it out online and sign it under penalty of perjury, then print it and bring it with a photo ID. The waiver covers the $25 DOJ fee only. You still pay the Live Scan site.

What if I don't live in California?

Use paper fingerprint cards and mail.

1. Get a fingerprint card (Form FD-258) from your local police. If you can't get one, call the DOJ Record Review Unit at (916) 227-3849.
2. Fill out Form BCIA 8705 (Spanish).
3. Pay $25 by personal check from a U.S. bank, money order or certified check, made out to "California Department of Justice".
4. Mail it all to: California Department of Justice, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis, Record Review & Challenge Section, P.O. Box 160207, Sacramento, CA 95816-0207.

How do I get my FBI record?

Two ways (checked October 18, 2026):

The FBI says a summary costs $18 per person (checked October 21, 2026).

• Online, at edo.cjis.gov. Apply and pay online first. Then get fingerprinted at a participating U.S. Post Office (extra fees may apply), or mail in a fingerprint card. The FBI says it processes Post Office requests within about 48 hours, and mailed cards in about 10 days after it receives them.
• By mail. Send the applicant information form, a fingerprint card (FD-1164) with all ten fingers, and $18 by credit card form, money order or certified check payable to the "Treasury of the United States". Mail to: FBI CJIS Division, Summary Request, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306. Allow up to 15 days plus mail time.

The FBI mails your results by regular U.S. mail. If you have no record, the letter says so.

How do I get my court papers?

Ask the superior court in the county where each case happened. You need the case number. Ask for certified copies if they are for an immigration case.

San Mateo County cases. Mail your request to San Mateo Superior Court, Records Management, 400 County Center, 1st Floor Room A, Redwood City, CA 94063. Include the case number, the names in the case, the approximate filing date or the documents you want, a self addressed stamped envelope, and a blank check to "Superior Court" with "Not to exceed $____" on the memo line. Copies are $0.50 per side and a certified copy is $40. The court says it replies within 30 days and does not research files for you.

Santa Clara County cases. For cases filed in 2004 or later, find your case number at portal.scscourt.org. Older cases: search at the clerk's office where the case was filed. Write a letter with the case number, your full name and birth date, and the exact documents you want, like the complaint, minute orders and sentencing. Ask for certified copies if needed. Include a self addressed stamped envelope and a check to "Clerk of the Superior Court" marked "not to exceed $10.00". Courthouses: Hall of Justice, 190 West Hedding Street, San Jose; Palo Alto Courthouse, 270 Grant Avenue, Palo Alto; South County Courthouse, 301 Diana Avenue, Morgan Hill.

Can someone else get my record for me?

No. The California DOJ says only you can request your own record. Requests from anyone else, including a family member, a clinic or a church, are not processed (California DOJ, checked October 21, 2026). A helper can still print the form, drive you to Live Scan and help you read the result. Court papers are different. Ask the court clerk whether someone you trust can request copies for you with your case number.

How long will it take?

• California DOJ: the DOJ's page does not give a processing time. Plan for a wait and start early.
• FBI: about 48 hours after Post Office fingerprints, about 10 days after it receives a mailed card for online requests, or up to 15 days plus mail time for a full mail request.
• San Mateo County court, by mail: the court says it replies within 30 days.

If you have a filing deadline, or an immigration court date, tell your lawyer now. Don't wait for every record before you get advice.

What does this look like in real life?

Example (fictional). Luis lives in Redwood City. He was arrested twice, in 2012 in San Mateo County and in 2015 in Fresno County. He wants to renew his DACA.

1. He fills out Form BCIA 8016RR, marks "Record Review", and goes to a Live Scan site. He pays $25 plus the site fee.
2. He also orders his FBI record online, since it shows cases reported from any state.
3. His California record shows both arrests. One says "relief granted".
4. He writes to the San Mateo County court for certified copies of the 2012 case and to the Fresno County court for the 2015 case.
5. He fills out the worksheet below and takes everything to a free clinic before he files.

Your cases and counties will differ. The order is what matters: state record, FBI record, court papers, then advice.

What if something on my record is wrong?

Fix it. Mistakes happen.

• California record. If your record has entries, the DOJ sends a "Claim of Alleged Inaccuracy or Incompleteness" form (BCIA 8706) with it. Fill it out, say exactly what is wrong, attach proof like court papers, and mail it with a copy of your record to the address on the form.
• FBI record. Federal rules give you two routes. The usual one is to ask the agency that sent the wrong entry (often the arresting police department or the court) to fix it. Or you can send your challenge to the FBI CJIS Division, which asks that agency to check it and then makes the change once the agency confirms (28 CFR 16.34). The FBI's own page sends you to edo.cjis.gov to request a correction. Because the FBI changes an entry only after the reporting agency confirms it, it helps to fix the record at the source first.
• Automatic record relief. Your California record may show "relief granted" for old arrests or convictions. That is California's automatic Clean Slate relief. It does not erase the case for immigration. See Does clearing my record help my immigration case?

Is there a worksheet to organize my record?

Yes. Use one line per case. Bring it, with your records, to your lawyer.

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA), for San Mateo and Santa Clara county residents: 650-326-6440. Record clearance and immigration help for people with low income in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
• Santa Clara County Public Defender, Reentry Expungement Program: (408) 535-4290, Reentry Resource Center, 151 W. Mission Street, San Jose.
• Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office (local criminal history, for Santa Clara County arrests): (408) 808-4705 for an appointment, 55 West Younger Avenue, San Jose. Bring ID and expect a fee.
• Anywhere in California: state funded immigration legal help on the California Department of Social Services provider map, or call (916) 651-8017.
• More help: Free or low cost immigration legal help in the Bay Area

Knowing what's on your record is power. Once you see it, you and your lawyer can plan the next step.