Sonoma County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Sonoma County are held by the Superior Court in Santa Rosa and the county sheriff. Sonoma County is in northern California's wine country, with a population around 490,000. The court handles all felony and misdemeanor cases. It has a dedicated criminal records page where you can learn how to request case documents. The sheriff runs the Main Adult Detention Facility and provides an online inmate search. Criminal case data in Sonoma County is accessible through both online tools and in-person visits to the clerk's office. Copy fees and search costs follow state guidelines that apply across all California courts.

Sonoma Court Criminal Records

The Sonoma County Superior Court provides information about criminal record requests on its website. Visit sonoma.courts.ca.gov for instructions on how to get case documents. The court is in Santa Rosa. You can look up case numbers and request copies of criminal filings from the clerk's office. The court does not have a full self-service online search portal like some larger counties. Instead, you work with the clerk to pull records.

The court's criminal record request page explains fees and procedures for Sonoma County.

Copies cost 50 cents a page. Certified copies run $40. If the clerk spends more than 10 minutes looking for your records, there is a $15 search fee. To speed things up, have the case number ready. If you only have a name, the clerk can still search, but it takes longer. The main courthouse is at 600 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Call 707-521-6670 for the criminal records division.

Note: Sonoma County's court does not offer the same kind of online case search portal that many Bay Area counties have. Plan to call or visit the clerk for most requests.

Sonoma Sheriff Inmate Records

The Sonoma County Sheriff runs the Main Adult Detention Facility in Santa Rosa and the North County Detention Facility in the same city. The sheriff has an online inmate search at inmatesearch.sonomasheriff.org. Search by name or booking number. The results show the person's charges, bail amount, booking date, and where they are housed. This covers only people in Sonoma County jail right now.

The California DOJ is the main source for background check information that goes beyond what the sheriff or court can provide.

People who leave county jail for state prison show up in the CDCR system instead. Use CIRIS to look them up. The sheriff's inmate search does not keep records of people after they leave custody. If someone bonded out or finished their sentence, they will not appear. For recent arrests that have not been processed yet, there may be a delay of a few hours before the booking shows up online.

California Records in Sonoma County

State-level criminal records are maintained by the California DOJ. Sonoma County residents who want their own RAP sheet can get it through Live Scan. Go to any Live Scan location, fill out form BCIA 8016RR, get fingerprinted, and pay the $25 fee. The DOJ Live Scan locator lists all certified locations. Results come back in about two to three days when the system finds no match. When a record exists, a DOJ technician reviews it manually, which slows things down.

Employers and licensing agencies in Sonoma County can also run criminal background checks through the DOJ. They need authorization from the state. After getting fingerprinted, applicants can check their status at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. You need the ATI number from your receipt. The DOJ handles about 2 million background checks per year across all of California.

The Megan's Law registry at meganslaw.ca.gov shows sex offenders registered in Sonoma County. You can search by offender name or by a specific address. The site falls under Penal Code Section 290.46. Not all offenders appear. The DOJ decides what level of detail to show based on the offense.

Clearing Records in Sonoma County

Sonoma County residents can petition to clear their records under several California statutes. Penal Code Section 1203.4 covers people who completed probation. File the petition at the Sonoma County Superior Court. The judge can dismiss the conviction. The record stays on your RAP sheet but now says "dismissed per PC 1203.4." This matters when you apply for jobs or housing because many employers look at whether a case ended in a dismissal or a standing conviction.

If you were arrested but never convicted, Penal Code Section 851.87 lets you seal that arrest record. There is no need to prove you were innocent. The sealed record will not appear on standard background checks. For older felony convictions involving low-level drug or theft crimes, Proposition 47 allows resentencing as a misdemeanor. Proposition 64 handles marijuana convictions. Legal aid groups in Sonoma County sometimes run clinics to help people with these petitions at no charge.

Note: Getting a record dismissed or sealed does not restore gun rights. That is a separate legal process with its own rules.

How to Get Records in Sonoma County

The main way to get criminal court records in Sonoma County is through the clerk's office at the courthouse in Santa Rosa. Call 707-521-6670 to reach the criminal records division. Tell them the case number or defendant name. They will let you know what is available and what it will cost. You can pick up copies in person or ask about mail requests.

• Criminal records division at 707-521-6670
• Courthouse at 600 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
• Copies at 50 cents per page
• Certified copies at $40
• Search fee of $15 for searches over 10 minutes

Police reports are handled by the agency that responded to the call or made the arrest. Santa Rosa PD, Petaluma PD, Rohnert Park DPS, and other city departments each keep their own records. The sheriff handles reports for unincorporated areas. Each agency has its own fees and processes for record requests. Court records do not include police reports, and police records do not include court filings. They are separate systems.

Nearby Counties

If a case or arrest happened in a county next to Sonoma, you will need to search that county's records. Use the links below.