California 72 Hour Booking Records
California law makes every booking record public. Government Code §7923.610 requires all sheriff and police agencies in California to release arrest and booking data. This covers the full name of each person booked, the charges filed, bail amount, and where they are held. You can search these 72 hour booking records at county sheriff websites across California. Most counties post free jail rosters and inmate search tools online. The California Department of Justice also holds statewide arrest data. This page shows how to find 72 hour booking records in California, which agencies keep them, and what the law says about public access to booking information.
California 72 Hour Booking Quick Facts
California 72 Hour Booking Law
California Government Code §7923.610 is the key statute behind 72 hour booking records. The law says all law enforcement agencies must release booking data to the public. No agency can refuse. The booking information they must share includes the full name of the person, date of birth, physical description, time and date of arrest, time and date of booking, arrest location, bail amount, all charges filed, and which jail holds them. California passed this as part of the Public Records Act. While some police investigative files can stay sealed under Government Code §7923.600, booking records are the clear exception. Agencies must share them.
The full text of the California booking disclosure statute is available at the California Legislature website. It spells out each data point that must be made public when someone is booked into a California jail.
California counties post this booking data in different ways. Some run a 72 hour booking log on the sheriff website. Fresno County has a 72 hour booking blotter that shows everyone booked in the past three days. Solano County posts 7-day booking logs and cites Government Code §7923.610 right on the page. Other counties show a current inmate roster instead. A few smaller California counties still need you to call or visit in person for booking records. But the law is the same everywhere. All 58 California counties must make this booking data available to the public.
Search Booking Records in California
Most California counties have free online tools for searching booking records. The county sheriff runs the jail and manages booking data. You visit the sheriff's website, find the inmate search or jail roster page, and type a name. Results show current inmates and recent bookings for that California county. Many California counties use third-party systems to run their booking search tools. Citizen RIMS handles inmate data for Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Del Norte, El Dorado, Humboldt, and several more. JIMS runs booking searches in Riverside and San Bernardino. ATIMS serves Placer and San Joaquin. VINELink is a statewide service that tracks jail custody status across nearly all California counties.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs CIRIS, a statewide tool to find people held in state prison. CIRIS stands for California Incarcerated Records and Information Search.
CIRIS covers state prison inmates, not county jail bookings. For 72 hour booking records from a California county jail, you need that county's sheriff website. Not all booking search tools look the same. Some show only who is in custody now. Others display all bookings from the past 72 hours, which is more helpful for tracking recent arrests. A few California counties have limited online booking access. Colusa, Modoc, and Trinity counties lack strong online tools. For those, call the sheriff office to ask about recent bookings.
Note: Each California county runs its own booking search system, so the steps and format will vary from county to county.
California DOJ and Booking Records
The California Department of Justice holds statewide criminal history data. The DOJ does not post a public 72 hour booking log. It keeps summary criminal history records under Penal Code §13300, which defines local summary criminal history information. For day-to-day 72 hour booking records, the local sheriff or city police department is the main source in California. But the DOJ handles broader records requests. The Public Inquiry Unit takes calls at (916) 210-6276. The toll-free number is (800) 952-5225. You can also file requests through the DOJ Public Records page. The DOJ has 10 days to respond. Copies cost 10 cents per page.
The DOJ website explains the full California Public Records Act process. It covers who can ask for records, what types are public, and what is exempt from disclosure.
All Californians have the right to request public records. The state constitution backs this right, and the California Public Records Act (Government Code §7920.000 through §7931.000) spells out the rules. You can submit a formal request through the DOJ online request form if you need records from the state.
The DOJ also maintains a helpful FAQ page about public records requests in California. It answers common questions about timelines, fees, and what happens if an agency denies your request. You can read it at oag.ca.gov.
Keep in mind that the DOJ handles state-level records. For 72 hour booking records from a specific California county jail, go directly to that county sheriff website. Most booking data is posted online for free. The DOJ is more useful when you need criminal history information spanning multiple California counties or formal records for legal proceedings.
Jail Booking Data in California
The Board of State and Community Corrections tracks jail booking data for every California county. The BSCC Jail Profile Survey collects monthly and quarterly numbers on jail populations, bookings, and capacity statewide.
This BSCC data helps show how busy each California county jail is. It does not let you search for a specific person by name. For that, you still need the county sheriff's inmate lookup tool. But the BSCC data gives a broad picture of booking trends across California. Several third-party systems handle jail technology in the state. Securus Technologies provides phone and video visit services for jails in Kern, Kings, Sacramento, San Diego, and other California counties. GTL and GettingOut serve Los Angeles County and other large facilities. Smart Communications handles mail processing in Monterey, Napa, and Tuolumne. These systems sometimes offer their own inmate search features as well.
Note: BSCC data covers jail statistics and trends, not individual California booking records or inmate names.
Rights After Booking in California
California Penal Code §851.5 gives every arrested person the right to make phone calls after booking. The law guarantees at least three completed calls within three hours of being booked. These calls can go to a lawyer, a bail agent, or a family member. The jail cannot charge for them. This right applies at every jail in California. It does not matter what the charges are. The three-hour clock starts when booking begins. If a California jail fails to provide these calls, that can be raised as an issue in court.
The full text of this law is on the California Legislature website under Penal Code §851.5.
Booking records in California capture a set of data points that the Public Records Act protects as public information. The information shared in a 72 hour booking log comes straight from the data gathered during the booking process at each California jail. This is why the booking record is so useful for finding out if someone was recently arrested. It contains the arrest details, charges, bail, and custody location all in one place. The data is public by law, and most California counties post it online within hours of booking.
California Booking Records by County
Each of California's 58 counties has a sheriff's office that manages the county jail and all booking records. Pick a county below to find local booking search tools, contact information, and jail roster access.
California 72 Hour Booking by City
Major California cities often have their own police departments and jail facilities. Some post booking logs directly. Select a city below to find booking records and arrest data for that area.