Ventura County Criminal History

Criminal history records in Ventura County come from the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Department. Ventura County has a population of about 840,000 and sits along the coast northwest of Los Angeles. The county seat is the city of Ventura. You can search court records online through the court's eCourt portal. The Sheriff provides inmate information through a separate online tool. This page explains how to find criminal records, search for jail inmates, and request official background checks in Ventura County.

Ventura County Court Criminal Records

The Ventura County Superior Court handles all criminal cases filed in the county. The court operates from several locations including the main courthouse in Ventura and branch courts in other cities. Criminal cases get assigned based on where the arrest took place. The court uses an eCourt public portal where you can search for cases online at no charge. You can look up criminal, traffic, and civil cases by name or case number. The portal shows charges, hearing dates, and case status.

The Ventura County eCourt portal provides free online access to criminal case records across all court locations in the county.

This portal covers all criminal and traffic cases filed at Ventura County Superior Court locations.

To search for a criminal record, enter a last name on the eCourt portal. Adding a first name narrows the results. The system shows all matching cases with the case number, charges, and next hearing date. Click a case to see more details. The portal is useful for checking current case status and upcoming court dates. Some older records may not be in the online system. For those, visit the clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was filed. Copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $40 per document. Clerk-assisted name searches that take more than 10 minutes cost $15 in Ventura County.

Note: The eCourt portal does not show sealed or expunged criminal records for Ventura County cases.

Ventura County Inmate Search

The Ventura County Sheriff runs the county jail system. The main jail is the Todd Road facility near the city of Ventura. The Sheriff provides an online tool for checking inmate information. You can search by name to find out if someone is currently in custody. Results show the person's name, booking date, charges, bail amount, and facility location. The search is free and updates as bookings and releases happen.

The Ventura County Sheriff inmate information page lets you search for anyone currently booked in the county jail system. This is a public tool that does not require a login. If someone has been released, they may not appear in the current inmate search. For past booking records, contact the Sheriff's records division.

If the person is not in Ventura County jail, check the state prison system. The CIRIS inmate search from the California Department of Corrections covers anyone in state prison. This includes people sentenced from Ventura County who have been sent to a state facility. CIRIS is free and shows the person's current prison, CDCR number, and commitment county.

How to Get Records in Ventura County

There are several ways to get criminal history records in Ventura County. The right approach depends on what type of record you need. Court records, jail bookings, police reports, and state background checks all come from different places.

For your own criminal history from the state, visit a Live Scan site in Ventura County. The California DOJ maintains the statewide criminal record database. You submit fingerprints at a Live Scan location and pay the $25 DOJ fee plus the vendor's rolling fee. Results come back in two to three business days. Under Penal Code 11105, the DOJ holds the official criminal record repository for all California counties, including Ventura County. Live Scan sites are available throughout the county at police stations, UPS stores, and private fingerprinting businesses in Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, and Simi Valley.

Police reports require contacting the agency that handled the case. Each city in Ventura County has its own police department with a records unit. The Ventura Police Department handles reports for cases within city limits. The Oxnard Police Department covers Oxnard. The Sheriff handles cases in unincorporated areas. Each agency has its own process and fees for report requests.

Criminal Record Fees in Ventura County

Fees for criminal records in Ventura County follow statewide rates set by California law. The Superior Court charges the same fees as every other court in the state. The Sheriff and city police departments may have their own fee schedules for reports.

Common criminal record fees in Ventura County:

• Court name search (over 10 minutes): $15
• Copies per page: $0.50
• Certified copy per document: $40
• Exemplification: $50
• DOJ background check: $25 plus Live Scan rolling fee
• Police report copies: varies by agency

If you can not afford the fees, you can ask the Ventura County Superior Court for a fee waiver. File the request with the clerk. You must show proof of low income or that you get public benefits. The judge reviews your request. Fee waivers cover court fees and some copy costs but do not cover DOJ fees, police report costs, or Sheriff record charges.

Criminal Record Clearing in Ventura County

California law allows certain criminal records to be cleared or sealed. If you have a conviction in Ventura County, you may qualify for relief. Under Penal Code 1203.4, you can petition the court to dismiss a conviction after completing probation. The record is then changed to show a dismissal. It does not erase the case from existence, but most employers cannot hold a dismissed conviction against you. AB 1076 now makes some dismissals automatic. The DOJ reviews eligible records and grants relief without the person having to file a petition.

Arrest records in Ventura County can be sealed as well. Penal Code 851.87 lets you petition the court to seal an arrest if charges were never filed or the case ended in a dismissal. Once sealed, the arrest record does not show on standard background checks. File the petition at the Ventura County Superior Court. You can do it yourself or hire a lawyer to assist.

The Megan's Law website tracks registered sex offenders in Ventura County and across California. This is a separate public database. You can search by name or address for free.

Cities in Ventura County

Ventura County has ten cities. All criminal cases from these cities go through the Ventura County Superior Court. Below is the city with its own criminal history resource page.

Other cities in Ventura County include Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Ojai, and Port Hueneme. All criminal cases from these cities are processed through the Ventura County Superior Court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ventura County. Criminal cases are filed in the county where the crime occurred. Check the arrest location to find the right county for your record search.