Crime Numbers
Sonoma County recorded 2,025 violent crimes and 7,586 property crimes in 2017. Compared to the 2013 crime statistics for the county, these figures represent a 13.6% increase in violent crime rate and a 7.7% dip in property crime rate. A closer look at the 2017 violent crime data for the county shows that there were 12 homicides, 298 rapes, 277 robberies, and 1,438 aggravated assaults. Incidences of property crimes include 1,399 burglaries, 829 motor vehicle thefts, 5,358 larceny thefts, and 64 arsons.
The five-year crime trend for Sonoma County indicates that homicide (33.3%), rape (136.5%, due to the expansion of rape definition), robbery (14.5%), aggravated assault (2.3%), and motor vehicle theft (15%) rates went up. On the other hand, there were fewer cases of burglary (22.5%), larceny theft (5.9%), and arson (7.2%).
Sonoma County Criminal Records
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office provides public access to police reports and non-confidential criminal justice records. To request for crime and traffic collision reports, complete and submit the online Records Request Form on the Sheriff’s website. The Sheriff’s Office will respond within 10 days and reply about availability of records. Call the Records Division of the Sheriff’s Office at (707) 565-2205 or send an email to Sheriff-CIB@sonoma-county.org to ask about fees and other information.
Sonoma County Sex Offender Information
Information about sex offenders living, working, and attending school in Sonoma County are available in California’s Sex Offender Registry. State law empowers the California Department of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General to maintain a central database of registered sex offenders residing in all the counties of the state. This registry is also publicly available online and accessible on the California Megan’s Law website. Use the search functions to see all sex offenders living in Sonoma County by selecting Sonoma from the County drop-down menu. You can also find offenders by searching by name, city, zip code, and street address.
Sonoma County Inmate Records
The Sonoma County Sheriff’ Office manages the detention facilities in the county. There are two correctional facilities in Sonoma County. Here are the addresses and contact information for these jails:
Main Adult Detention Facility
2777 Ventura Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-1400
North County Detention Facility
2254 Ordinance Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-1400
The Sheriff provides a helpful inmate locator to help anyone find inmates at these detention facilities. Use the tool to locate persons incarcerated in these jails by searching by name and booking number. A Sonoma County Inmate Search may also be performed in-person at the county sheriff’s office.
Friends and family members can deposit money into inmates’ accounts using cash, government checks, cashier’s checks, certified checks, and money orders. Deposit money into inmates’ accounts via the TouchPay kiosks in the lobbies of the detention facilities. Money order, certified checks, and cashier checks issued in inmates’ names may also be sent via US mail. To deposit money over the phone, call (866) 232-1899 and then use the code 295403.
Court Records
The Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma hears civil, criminal, family law, probate, juvenile, and traffic cases in the county. The Divisions of this court are in four locations in Santa Rosa. Here are their contact information:
Hall of Justice (Courtrooms 1-15)
600 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa CA 95403
Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Empire College Court Annex (Courtrooms 16-17)
3035 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 200, Santa Rosa CA 95403
Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to Noon & 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Civil and Family Law Courthouse (Courtrooms 18-23)
3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa CA 95403
Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Juvenile Justice Center (Courtrooms 24-25)
7425 Rancho Los Guilicos Road, Santa Rosa CA 95409
Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to Noon & 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Some of the records of the Sonoma County Superior Court are available online on the Court Case Portal. This portal stores case indices for retrieval. For case information, visit the public access information terminals in Room 107J and Room 105-J of the Hall of Justice. Note that only records for civil, small claims, and criminal divisions are publicly available. Juvenile and probate case records are mostly available to individuals involved.
Members of the public can also request for copies of court records from Court Clerk’s offices. The Clerks charge 50 cents per page for copies of court documents. There is an additional $25 fee per document for certification. For exemplified copies, the Clerks charge 50 cents per page for copying, 50 cents per page for comparing copies to originals, and $50 per document for exemplification.
Requesters have to complete the Copy Order Form (Civil and Criminal) when requesting more than 10 copies. These will be available for pick-up 2 – 5 days after submitting the form. Cash, check, money order, and credit card are accepted for in-person payments. Make your check payable to Superior Court.
Sonoma County Superior Court Clerks also accept mail requests. Send a letter or a completed Copy Order Form. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and applicable fees. Fees for mail requests are payable by check, cashier check, money order, or credit card. In addition to copy, certification, and exemplification fees, there is a minimum postage and handling fee of $2.25 for records mailed to requesters.
The Superior County, Sonoma County also releases its judicial administrate records to the public. Visit or send a mail request for these records to:
Sonoma Superior Court of California County of Sonoma
Executive Assistant Office
600 Administration Drive #106J
Santa Rosa, California 95403
The office opens to the public from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. It accepts email requests sent to info@sonomacourt.org. Call the office at (707) 521-6501 to ask about fees and availability of records.
Vital Records
The Family Law Clerk maintains divorce records for Sonoma County. Obtain copies of divorce records in person by visiting the Family Law Clerk’s office at the Civil and Family Law Courthouse located at 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa. The office opens to the public from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The Clerk accepts payments in cash, check (payable to the Superior Court), cashier’s check, money order, and credit card. Note that the Clerk’s office limits the number of copies you can obtain on the day of request to 10 pages. For more copies, the Clerk will process the request and call for pick-up on a later day.
The Clerk also accepts mail requests for divorce records. Send a letter containing all relevant details to the office of the Family Law Clerk. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check, cashier’s check, or money order for payment. The Clerk charges 50 cents per one-sided page ($1 per double-sided page) plus $15 for each certified copies of a Judgement of Dissolution of Marriage.
The Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder issues birth, death, and marriage certificates for events that occurred in the county. Its birth records date back to 14th October, 1855 while it has death records from 1873 to the present and marriage records from 23rd September, 1846 to the present. To request for certified copies of a birth, death, or marriage certificate in person, come to the office of:
Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder
585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103
Santa Rosa, California 95403
Mail requests also go to this address. When sending yours, make sure to include acompleted Application for Certified Birth, Death, or Marriage Record (also available in Spanish: Birth, Death, and Marriage). Mail applications should also include notarized sworn statements as well as payments in form of checks and money orders made payable to Sonoma County Clerk.
The fee for each certified copy of a birth certificate is $28 while the Clerk charges $21 for each death certificate and $15 for each marriage certificate.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Sonoma County?
In compliance with the California Public Records Act, all property records in Sonoma County are open to the public. Under this act, interested persons may request and obtain copies of all public property records recorded in the county.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Sonoma County?
Property records are requestable from the Sonoma County Assessor's Office. This office determines the assessed value of all land in the county, handles property filings, and administers property tax laws. Under California law, all property is accessible unless exempt by statute or the state's Constitution.
Members of the general public may request roll data or a property profile. While roll data contains basic assessment information about a property, a property profile is more detailed. Roll data and property profiles cost $5 and $7 per parcel, respectively. Information on a property profile includes the following:
- Parcel number
- Street address
- Quality or class rating
- Square footage
- Bed and bath count
- Parcel size
- Applicable agricultural preserve data
The Sonoma County Assessor's Office also provides access to Assessor Building Records. These records contain the following:
- Details on the building's physical characteristics
- An outline or sketch of the building
- Appraiser field notes
Access to Assessor Building Records is restricted to the property owner and authorized representatives. An authorized representative must submit an authorization form, which the property owner must sign. Each document costs $5 per page.
Parcel maps are also available from the Assessor's Office. Each map page costs $10 for an 11 x 17 or 8½ x 11 page. A single issue of all maps costs $60, while an annual subscription of all maps, including monthly updates, costs $720.
Interested persons may request all public Sonoma County property records using the following details:
Assessor's Office
585 Fiscal Drive
Room 104F
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-1888
Email: assessor@sonoma-county.org
How to Look Up Sonoma County Property Records
The Sonoma County Assessor's Office provides online access to property records through its Public Accessor Services page. The requestor must input an assessment number, parcel number, or street address. Available details include property information, such as an Assessor Parcel Number (APN), Assessment Number, Tax Rate Area (TRA), Current Document Number, Current Document Date, and Lot Size details in acres and square feet. Interested persons can also view specific roll value details, such as land, fixtures, improvements, exemptions, and the property’s net assessed value. Users may contact the Assessor's Office where desired information is incomplete.
Location of Sonoma County Property Assessors
Assessor's Office
585 Fiscal Drive
Room 104F
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-1888
