San Diego County, CA

Birth records for National City, California (San Diego County) come from the **San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARCC)** or CDPH. **Note**: California birth records are restricted-access — only authorized persons under Cal. H&S Code § 103526 can obtain a certified copy. **Two ways**: (1) **San Diego County ARCC** at https://www.sdarcc.gov/content/arcc/home/divisions/recorder-clerk/birth-death-marriage-certificate.html — issues birth certificates for births registered in San Diego County. **Fee** (effective Jan 1, 2026 under AB 64, see https://www.sdarcc.gov/content/dam/arcc/recorder-county-clerk/forms/2026-Fee-Changes.pdf): **$34 per certified copy** (was $32). ARCC main office at 1600 Pacific Hwy, Suite 260, San Diego CA 92101, phone (619) 237-0502. **Branch offices**: **El Cajon** at 200 S Magnolia Ave; **San Marcos**; **Chula Vista** (closest to National City); **Kearny Mesa**. (2) **CDPH Vital Records** at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx — slower (4–6 weeks) but covers any California birth. (3) **Online ordering** via VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com (express shipping, ~$15 service fee). **Authorized requesters (Cal. H&S Code § 103526)**: registrant (subject), parent/legal guardian, child/grandparent/sibling/spouse/domestic partner, attorney representing the registrant, person entitled by court order, law-enforcement/government agency. Anyone else gets an **'Informational' copy** stamped 'INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY' — same $34 fee, no restrictions. **Free certified copy** for homeless minors and DV victims under H&S § 103526(c). **Apostille** for international use: certified copy from ARCC first, then California Secretary of State, 1500 11th St, Sacramento. Sources: San Diego County ARCC, AB 64 (2025), Cal. H&S Code § 103526.

Two paths in San Diego, California depending on what kind of check you need. **Path one — official state criminal history** (the DOJ 'rap sheet'). Runs through the **California Department of Justice (DOJ)** at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints. Fingerprint-based; submit BCIA 8016RR form at any Live Scan vendor — IdentoGO, Certifix Live Scan, A1 Live Scan, SDPD Records Counter at 1401 Broadway (619-531-2000), or SDSO at 9621 Ridgehaven Ct (858-974-2222). Find a vendor at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. **Fees**: $25 DOJ state fee + $20–$50 rolling fee = $45–$90 total; FBI national add-on ~$17. Turnaround 5–10 business days; results mailed only. **Important**: under **Penal Code § 11105**, you generally can only pull your OWN DOJ record — third parties need permissible-use authorization. For most employer checks of someone else, the workflow is the subject signs an authorization, then a Live-Scan-authorized agency or FCRA-compliant vendor (Checkr, Sterling, GoodHire) submits prints under the right ORI code. **Path two — court records** (case-level, public visibility). San Diego Superior Court at https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/generalinformation/courtrecords2/onlinecasesearch — free name search; covers civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims. **Path three — sex-offender registry**: Megan's Law at https://meganslaw.ca.gov. **Path four — federal cases**: PACER at https://pacer.uscourts.gov, $0.10/page (capped $3/document). U.S. District Court Southern District of California is at 333 W Broadway, San Diego CA 92101. **California Fair Chance Act** (Gov. Code § 12952): employers with 5+ employees cannot ask about convictions until after a conditional offer; must do an individualized assessment before adverse action. **Accuracy disputes**: form BCIA 8706. Sources: California DOJ, San Diego Superior Court, SDPD, SDSO, Penal Code § 11105, Cal. Gov. Code § 12952.

Divorce records for San Diego County, California are held by the **San Diego Superior Court**. (1) **San Diego Superior Court Case Search** at https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/generalinformation/courtrecords2/onlinecasesearch — free public name search; covers all SD courthouses. **Family Law main hub** at 1555 6th Ave, San Diego CA 92101, phone (619) 844-2900. Other family-law branches: **East County Regional Center** at 250 E Main St, El Cajon CA 92020; **North County Regional Center** at 325 S Melrose Dr, Vista CA 92081; **South County Regional Center** at 500 3rd Ave, Chula Vista CA 91910. Search by name; results show case number, parties, file date, and disposition (Judgment of Dissolution = divorce granted; Petition Pending = still active). (2) **Certified copy of divorce decree**: Clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was filed — **$40 first 5 pages + $0.50 each additional** (Cal. Gov. Code § 70626); non-certified $0.50 per page; **search-record fee $50** for archived files. (3) **CDPH Vital Records** at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx — issues divorce certificates ONLY for divorces filed **1962–1984**. From **1985 onward**, copies come ONLY from the Superior Court Clerk. **Search tip**: use full legal name (no nicknames). If you don't find the case in San Diego, the divorce may have been filed in another county — Cal. Family Code § 2320 requires 6 months' state residency + 3 months' county residency before filing. **Sealed cases** (DV-related, financial-disclosure orders, family files involving minors) are not visible. **Apostille** for international use: certified copy from Clerk first, then California Secretary of State. Sources: San Diego Superior Court, CDPH Vital Records, Cal. Gov. Code § 70626, Cal. Family Code § 2320.

Traffic citations issued in El Cajon, California are filed at the **San Diego Superior Court, East County Regional Center** at **250 E Main St, El Cajon CA 92020**, phone (619) 456-4000. **Three ways to look up a traffic ticket**: (1) **San Diego Superior Court Online Services** at https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/onlineservices — free name or citation-number search; pay tickets, request a court date, request a continuance, request traffic school. (2) **California Courts statewide traffic-ticket portal** at https://www.courts.ca.gov/14430.htm — one-stop entry that links to the correct county portal. (3) **In person or phone** at the East County Courthouse — bring photo ID and citation number. Hours typically Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. **Fees**: traffic infraction fines vary by violation; basic moving violations (e.g., speeding) typically run $238–$490 with statutory penalty assessments. Court fees and surcharges add ~$330 to the base bail. **Failure to appear** turns the citation into a misdemeanor under Vehicle Code § 40508 — bench warrant + license suspension. (4) **Traffic school** for eligible drivers (one infraction per 18 months under VC § 41501): completes online or in person, dismisses the violation point but you still pay the bail. (5) **Trial / Trial by Written Declaration** under VC § 40902 — request via the court within 30 days of the citation; deposit bail, written submission of evidence. **For an attorney's review**: the East County Public Defender's office and many private traffic attorneys handle El Cajon traffic matters. **Important**: California uses a 39-month negligent-operator point system — 4 points in 12 months triggers a hearing. Sources: San Diego Superior Court East County, California Courts traffic portal, Vehicle Code §§ 40508, 40902, 41501.

An official San Diego, California criminal history report comes from the **California Department of Justice (DOJ)** — local SDPD and SDSO cannot issue your statewide record. **The process** (https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review): (1) Get a Live Scan fingerprint capture at any local vendor — **SDPD Records Counter** at 1401 Broadway, San Diego CA 92101, phone (619) 531-2000; **SDSO Records Counter** at 9621 Ridgehaven Ct, San Diego CA 92123, phone (858) 974-2222; plus IdentoGO (https://www.identogo.com), Certifix Live Scan (https://www.certifixlivescan.com), and A1 Live Scan (https://a1livescan.com) vendors throughout SD County. Find a vendor at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. (2) Complete the **BCIA 8016RR form** at https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/BCIA-8016RR.pdf (Personal Record Review). (3) Pay the **$25 California DOJ state fee** plus rolling fee at the vendor (typically $20–$50, total $45–$90). For an FBI national-level check, add the federal fee (~$17). **Fee waiver** at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review/fee-waiver. (4) Turnaround: 5–10 business days; **results mailed only** — no email or PDF. **Court records** (separate from criminal history): San Diego Superior Court at https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov — free public name search. **Sex-offender check**: California Megan's Law at https://meganslaw.ca.gov. **For employment use**, you cannot pull someone else's CA DOJ record without permissible-use justification under Penal Code § 11105 — vendors (Checkr, Sterling, GoodHire) wrap state, FBI, court, county, and MVR into one FCRA-compliant report. **California Fair Chance Act** (Gov. Code § 12952): employers with 5+ employees cannot ask about convictions until after a conditional offer. **Limits**: CA DOJ check covers California convictions only; federal cases need PACER ($0.10/page); juvenile and sealed cases excluded. Sources: California DOJ, SDPD, SDSO, BCIA 8016RR, Penal Code § 11105.

Arrest records for San Diego, California come from one of two main agencies. (1) **San Diego Police Department** for arrests inside SD city limits — 1401 Broadway, San Diego CA 92101, phone (619) 531-2000 (records). SDPD Records Unit at https://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/get-police-report — police-incident report copy fee **$16**; arrest report disclosures vary. CPRA requests via https://www.sandiego.gov/police. **SDPD Crime Mapping** at https://www.sandiego.gov/police/data-transparency/crime-statistics — incident lookup with date/area filters. (2) **San Diego County Sheriff's Office (SDSO)** for arrests in unincorporated areas + all 9 contract cities (El Cajon, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista). **Inmate Locator** at https://apps.sdsheriff.net — current detainees. SDSO main office: 9621 Ridgehaven Ct, San Diego CA 92123, phone (858) 974-2222. (3) **Court records** for arrests that produced a charge — San Diego Superior Court at https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/generalinformation/courtrecords2/onlinecasesearch — free public name search; covers Central Civil/Family (1100 Union St), East County (El Cajon), North County (Vista), South Bay (Chula Vista). (4) **State prison** (sentenced felons): CDCR inmate search at https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov. (5) **Personal record review**: California DOJ Live Scan at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints, $25 state fee + rolling fee. **CPRA** (Cal. Gov. Code § 7920): 10-day response window; booking photos public per Penal Code § 13300; body-cam OIS footage releasable within 45 days under SB 1421/AB 748. Sources: SDPD, San Diego County Sheriff, San Diego Superior Court, CDCR, California DOJ.