Search San Luis Obispo County Criminal Records

Criminal records in San Luis Obispo County are maintained by the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office, both based in the city of San Luis Obispo. Known locally as SLO County, this central coast region has a population around 285,000. The court offers an online case lookup for criminal and other case types. The Sheriff runs a custody search for the county jail. State resources from the California DOJ provide access to statewide criminal history information. Between these tools, you can search court cases, check on jail inmates, and request copies of criminal record documents in SLO County.

SLO County Criminal Court Records

The San Luis Obispo County Superior Court offers an online case lookup at slo.courts.ca.gov. You can search criminal cases by name or case number. The system shows case details including charges, filing dates, hearing dates, and case status. Criminal, civil, and traffic cases are all in the same search system. The court also uses the re:SearchCA platform at researchca.tylerhost.net for additional case research tools.

The main courthouse is at 1035 Palm Street in San Luis Obispo. This is where most criminal cases are processed. There is also a branch in Paso Robles at 901 Park Street for northern county matters and a branch in Grover Beach at 214 South Halcyon Road. Criminal filings go to whichever branch has jurisdiction over the area where the arrest happened. Call the court at 805-706-3600 to confirm which location has your case.

Copies of court documents cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost $40. Searches longer than 10 minutes incur a $15 fee. The clerk's office accepts walk-in requests at all three locations during business hours. Having a case number speeds up the process considerably. Without one, staff have to search by name, which takes more time and may cost more in search fees.

SLO County Sheriff Custody Search

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff runs a custody search at slosheriff.org/custody.php. This tool shows who is currently in the county jail. Search by name. Results include booking date, charges, bail amount, and the facility where the person is being held. The county jail is in San Luis Obispo and is the main holding facility for pretrial detainees and people serving county sentences.

Call the Sheriff at (805) 781-4588 for direct questions about someone in custody. Staff can confirm booking status, bail details, and release dates. The jail processes bookings around the clock, but it may take a few hours for a new arrest to show up in the online custody tool.

State prison inmates from SLO County are no longer in the Sheriff's custody once they transfer. Use the CDCR CIRIS tool to find people in the California state prison system. The CIRIS database lists all inmates, their current facility, and scheduled parole hearing dates.

Note: The Sheriff's custody tool only shows current inmates. It does not have historical booking records for people who have been released. For past booking data, contact the Sheriff's records section directly.

California Criminal Records for SLO County

The California DOJ keeps the statewide criminal history database, which includes arrest and disposition records from San Luis Obispo County. You can request your own RAP sheet through the Live Scan fingerprint process for $25. The DOJ's Live Scan locator lists providers in the SLO area. Once you submit fingerprints, the DOJ searches the state database. Results come back in 48 to 72 hours when there is no criminal record. Hits require manual review and take longer.

Background checks for employment and licensing in SLO County go through the DOJ as well. Employers must have authorization from the state. Track your pending background check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. You need your ATI number and date of birth to pull up the status.

The California sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov lets you search for registered offenders in San Luis Obispo County. Search by name, address, or ZIP code. The registry is maintained by the DOJ.

Clearing Records in San Luis Obispo County

People convicted of crimes in San Luis Obispo County can petition for record relief through several California statutes. Penal Code Section 1203.4 is the most common path. After finishing probation, you can petition the court to withdraw your plea and dismiss the case. File at the SLO courthouse where the original case was heard. The conviction shows as dismissed on your RAP sheet going forward. It does not disappear entirely, but the dismissed status helps with job and housing applications.

Arrest record sealing is available under Penal Code Section 851.87 when no conviction resulted. You do not need to prove you were innocent. Proposition 47 lets people resentence certain felonies to misdemeanors. Proposition 64 covers old marijuana cases. Each requires filing a petition with the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. Local legal aid organizations like the Legal Aid Foundation can help with the process. The Public Defender's Office sometimes assists with post-conviction relief too, depending on the case.

How to Get SLO County Criminal Records

Criminal records in San Luis Obispo County are held by different agencies. Court records come from the Superior Court. Jail and booking records come from the Sheriff. Statewide criminal history comes from the California DOJ. Police reports come from whichever agency responded to the incident, whether that is the SLO City Police, the Sheriff, or another local department.

• Search cases at slo.courts.ca.gov or researchca.tylerhost.net
• Visit the clerk at 1035 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo for copies
• Check slosheriff.org/custody.php for current inmates
• Call the court at 805-706-3600 for case questions
• Call the Sheriff at (805) 781-4588 for custody information
• Request your own RAP sheet via Live Scan ($25)

Remember that the court has three locations in SLO County. Make sure you know which branch handled the case before visiting. The Palm Street courthouse in San Luis Obispo handles the bulk of criminal matters. Paso Robles and Grover Beach branches cover their respective areas. Calling ahead saves a wasted trip if the file is at a different branch than expected.

Nearby Counties

San Luis Obispo County sits between the central coast and inland California. These neighboring counties have their own criminal record resources.