California Free Public Records Directory

California, the most populous state in the US, boasts a population of 39.5 million residents and an economy of $2.75 trillion dollars. Not only is the economy the largest in the nation, but in global rankings California could claim the 5th largest economy in the world if it were a country! With 163,696.32 square miles of land and water, California is the 3rd largest state in the US, nearly dwarfing its border states of Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon. ^[1]

This massive land area is diverse in terrain and climate. Often identified by the state’s northern and southern regions (represented by the 48 northernmost counties in the former and the 10 southernmost counties in the latter), the California landscape includes forests, mountain ranges, deserts, coastal lands, and river valleys. Temperatures can range from polar to sub-tropical depending on the land elevation, inland location, and proximity to mountain ranges and bodies of water. Only in California could one travel Death Valley, a desert described as the hottest location on earth, and trek to the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada to encounter an artic-alpine climate.

California is also a state of social contrast. Culturally and economically diverse, it is home to the entertainment industry, Silicon Valley, four of the 10 richest people in the world, and the highest immigrant population of any state in the US. It is commonly referred to as the “Golden State” for its discovery of gold in the 1800’s, but also for the Golden Gate Bridge, the golden sunsets, and possibly the golden tans of the Hollywood glitterati.

From the “Gold Rush” of 1848, when prospectors flocked to the state to stake their claims to gold mining wealth, to the “Summer of Love” in 1967 when 100,000 hippies descended upon the Bay area to demonstrate anti-war and counter-culture values, California draws individuals seeking personal and social change. It is still perceived as a destination for opportunity and reinvention.

Abbreviation	CA, Calif, Cal
Capital	Sacramento
Population	39,563,653 (2017 est.)
Area size	163,696 sq. mi
Demonym	Californian
Primary languages spoken	English, Official Language Native Languages Spoken as of 2007: English 57.4% Spanish 28.5% Chinese 2.8% Filipino 2.2%
Governor	Jerry Brown
Lieutenant Governor	Gavin Newsom
U.S. Senators	Dianne Feinstein, Kamala Harris
U.S. House Delegation	39 Democrats, 14 Republicans
Time Zone	Pacific Standard Time: PST UTC-8 Daylight Savings Time: PDT UTC-7

*The map and data in the table are from Wikipedia.

Browse by Public Record Category

There are two types of public records; 1) personal public records that document major life milestones such as birth certificates, death certificates, divorce records, and marriage records, etc.; and 2) government records that are made public such as property tax records, recorded land records, voter records, crime data, jail inmate records, and court records. ^[3] The Freedom of Information Act is a national law that releases government agency public records and makes it possible to view most public records. Since there are a multitude of records available, it can be difficult to know how or where to access them. When you are ready to start your search, you’ll find our Public Records Directory website easy to use since all the records can be searched by federal, state, county, city, town or type of record. The links provided will connect you to the best website for the record search, provide details about the record, or provide contact information for those records without search capabilities.

In 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan signed into law the California Public Records Act (CPRA) to grant citizens access to public information collected by state and local governmental agencies. Modeled after the federal Freedom of Information Act, the CPRA allows residents to request and receive state public records promptly without delay or alteration. To avoid disclosure of sensitive or highly personal data, an agency must assert a narrowly-drawn exemption to public release. That exemption is subject to immediate judicial review.

California citizens have fully embraced the principle that access to public records is fundamental to participation and oversight of state governance. In 2014, the California Public Records Act was incorporated into the California Constitution by popular vote. ^[4]