How to Search Contra Costa County Public Records
Contra Costa County is the East Bay's 2nd largest (1.17M residents), encompassing 19 cities including Concord and Richmond across 720 sq mi.
- Court cases: Court Public Portal — contracosta.courts.ca.gov — civil, family, probate, criminal.
- Criminal records: Martinez Criminal Clerk — cc-courts.org/criminal/records.aspx — felony and misdemeanor case files.
- Jail / inmate: Sheriff's Office — cocosheriff.org — current jail population (West, Marsh Creek, Martinez).
- Vital records: Contra Costa Health — cchealth.org/services-and-programs/vital-records — birth and death certificates.
- Property: Clerk-Recorder — contracostavote.gov/countyclerk — deeds; Assessor (cccounty.us/assessor) for parcels.
Population
1.17M
Cities
19
Square Miles
720
Founded
1850
Departments
40+
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Contra Costa County record-source URLs verified against the official local and California state publishers on the review date. 5 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Contra Costa County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Contra Costa County, California — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
1,172,607
Population
Census estimate
408,537
Households
Census estimate
$120,020
Median income
Annual household
$787,300
Median home value
Census ACS
Martinez
County seat
In California
Criminal records
see state portal
Court records
4 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
4 sources
Vital records
1 source
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
1 source
Recorded documents
see state portal
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Contra Costa County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Contra Costa County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | Traffic | Superior Court of California | County of Contra Co… Find my court | Judicial Branch of California |
| Criminal records | No verified source — see Contra Costa County state portal below |
| Wants & warrants | No verified source — see Contra Costa County state portal below |
| Property records | Property Tax Information | Contra Costa County, CA Official … Unsecured Property Taxes INFORMATION | Contra Costa County, … |
| Vital records | Birth Online Request – Contra Costa County |
| Voter records | No verified source — see Contra Costa County state portal below |
| Professional licenses | Home Page - Online U.S. Applications |
| Recorded documents | No verified source — see Contra Costa County state portal below |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Contra Costa County. Data verified June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Contra Costa County Records
2026
Contra Costa County official government portal active
The official Contra Costa County government website at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Contra Costa County court records portal verified
State court system links for Contra Costa County verified against the California judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Contra Costa County property records online
Contra Costa County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside California, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.
The 4-Step Contra Costa County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Contra Costa County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Contra Costa County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the California statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the California state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Contra Costa County Records
❌ Myth: "Contra Costa County maintains all criminal records."
✓ Truth: False. Criminal records for Contra Costa County are held by the California state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
❌ Myth: "Records sealed in Contra Costa County are gone everywhere."
✓ Truth: False. Sealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
❌ Myth: "Free 'instant background' sites have Contra Costa County data."
✓ Truth: False. Only the official California state repository has verified, current Contra Costa County data. Free sites often have stale data.
❌ Myth: "The Contra Costa County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
✓ Truth: False. The Contra Costa County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
❌ Myth: "All county records older than 50 years are public."
✓ Truth: Partially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources (All Verified)
- www.co.contra-costa.ca.us — Official Contra Costa County government website
- contracosta.courts.ca.gov — Court records — official source
- www.contracosta.ca.gov — Property records — official source
- www.contracostavote.gov — Vital records — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Contra Costa County & California Records
For records not specific to Contra Costa County, use California's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 California statewide record systems:
- California Court Records →
- California Criminal Records →
- California Property Records →
- California Vital Records →
- California Voter Records →
- California Wants & Warrants →
- California Licenses →
- California Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
California statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
About Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is located in the Bay Area of northern California. The county seat is Martinez (official site: http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/).
- Households: 408,537
- Median household income: $120,020
- Median home value: $787,300
- Below poverty line: 8.3%
- Population density: 1,635.7 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 30
- NCES schools indexed: 264
Divorce / Legal Separation / Annulment | Superior Court of California | County of Contra Costa
Official Free
View resources and step-by-step guides to help you navigate the divorce process. A dissolution action may be started in Contra Costa County if one or both spouses/partners have resided in this county for at least the last 3 months and in the state of California for at least 6 months .
Welcome to the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder – Contra Costa County
Official Free
To help reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission, customers are urged to use online services for transactions or mail documents and forms to: Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder 555 Escobar St., Martinez, CA 94553. Requests may also be deposited in the mail drop box outside the Clerk-Recorder’s office. For more information on in-person visits and restrictions, please call 925-335-7900 On November 3, 2020, California voters approved Proposition 19: The Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act.
Tax Lookup | Contra Costa County Treasurer and Tax Collector
Official Free
©2025 Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office 625 Court Street, Room 100, P. O. Box 631, Martinez, California 94553-0063 Office Hours 8AM - 5PM, Except Holidays Call Center Hours 8AM - 4PM Except Holidays PHONE: (925) 608-9500 FAX:(925) 608-9598 WEB: www.cctax.us
Traffic | Superior Court of California | County of Contra Costa
Official Free
If you do not take care of your traffic ticket by the date shown on the reminder notice:
Find my court | Judicial Branch of California
Official Free
Skip to main content · Judicial Branch of California · California Courts · Toggle search form and secondary navigation · Find Your Court · Please enter a 5-digit California zip code (e.g. 92110) or a city name (e.g. Oakland)
Most Wanted | Contra Costa Sheriff, CA
Official Free
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff has identified 30-year-old Angelo Ramirez of San Pablo as the suspect in a fatal shooting in Rodeo, California. There is an active warrant for the arrest of Ramirez for murder. His last known residence is Bay Point, CA and is known to frequent Rodeo, ...
Crime Data | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General
Official Free
The California Attorney General has the duty to collect, analyze, and report statistical data, which provide valid measures of crime and the criminal justice process to government and the citizens of California. This site contains crime data submitted by county and local law enforcement agencies, ...
VINE is not working right now - VINELink
Official Free
We are experiencing a connection issue. Our team will fix this as soon as possible · Contact us at 1-866-277-7477 if you need immediate help locating an offender, registering for notifications, or accessing victim services in your area. We are available 24/7/365 with live operator support ...
Property Tax Information | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website
Official Free
The Tax Collector’s Office collects four types of property taxes: Secured, Unsecured, Redemption and Supplemental. Property owners pay their property taxes to the County's Tax Collector’s Office. In addition, the office collects Business License Tax, Cannabis and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT).
Unsecured Property Taxes INFORMATION | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website
Official Free
Delinquent unsecured taxes may also be collected by seizure and sale of any of the following property belonging or assessed to the assessee (Sec. 2951 R&T Code): In addition to penalties imposed, the Tax Collector may collect actual costs of collection incurred by the county up to the time
Maps & Property Information | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website
Official Free
The County’s portal for on-line property information is CCMAP. Browse to the CCMap Website for information on individual parcels: - Property data such as building square footage and lot size · - Assessor Parcel Maps viewable on-line and downloadable in PDF format - Radius search capabilities for selecting parcels within a certain distance of a parcel - Aerial Images and Contour Lines
FAQs • Annual Public Auction Tax Sale
Official Free
Auction list sales are final. Updated information on properties that remain in the sale is available online or at the Tax Collector’s office. 2. How do I find or see a property I'd like to bid on at the tax sale? Vacant ("unimproved") land (which accounts for most property offered at our tax sales) usually has no address and therefore its approximate geographic location can be determined through the use of County Assessor plat maps.
Birth Online Request – Contra Costa County
Official Free
DISCLAIMER: The Clerk-Recorder’s office will not be liable for undelivered regular mail orders once it has shipped from our office. To acknowledge that you have read and understood the above statements, click the OK button below to proceed. You will be redirected to the VitalChek website to order (who is our 3rd party vendor).
CDPH Vital Document List - CA.gov
Official Free
Addendum 2 - CDPH/CHVP State General Fund Innovation 2.0 Request for Supplemental Information (RSI) for State Fiscal Year 2023 – 2028, 2023 · California Personal Responsibility Education Program
Home Page - Online U.S. Applications
Official Free
A Fictitious Business Name (FBN) Statement is a public record intended to make available to the public the identities of persons doing business under the FBN. Banks often insist on a copy of the FBN Statement before opening a commercial account to satisfy them that Joyce Smith has a right to deposit checks written to "Smith and Company Catering." California law requires that FBN’s are filed at the County ...
DCA License Search - CA.gov
Official Free
Your web browser is out of date. Update your browser for more security, speed and the best experience on this site · Use this online search tool to verify a license issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) for the professions listed under license type.
California's Most Wanted Fugitives | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General
Official Free
This Google™ translation feature is provided for informational purposes only · The Office of the Attorney General is unable to guarantee the accuracy of this translation and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information resulting from the translation application tool
My Voter Status - California Secretary of State
Official Free
All California voters should check the address where they are registered. Check if you are registered to vote. Check where you are registered to vote. Check your political party preference. Check your language preference for election materials. Check the status of your vote-by-mail or provisional ballot. Find your polling place. Find information for upcoming local and state elections. Find contact information for your county elections office.
Government Phone Listings
Official Free
Field notes are the narrative record of the cadastral survey . They are written in tabular format and contain the detailed descriptions of entire survey process including the instrumentation and procedures utilized, calling all physical evidence evaluated in the survey process, and listing all ...
Contra Costa County, CA Official Website | Official Website
Official Free
On Tuesday, May 19, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors adopted the $7.248 billion Fiscal Y...
Vote Centers and Ballot Drop-off Locations - California Secretary of State
Official Free
If you wish to continue in a language other than English, please select your language below · You can map all the Vote Centers and Ballot Drop-off locations near you by visiting the Secretary of State's look up tool
California Secretary of State Electronic Filing
Business, Voter & Other
.gov
California SOS business entity search.
bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up court cases in Contra Costa County?
Contra Costa County court cases are filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court. Search the Traffic | Superior Court of California | County of Contra Costa portal: https://contracosta.courts.ca.gov/divisions/traffic. For federal matters, see PACER.
Does an active warrant show up on a background check in California?
Yes. Active warrants in California appear on name-based criminal background checks through the California Department of Justice system the moment they are entered. Some employers also run a separate NCIC warrant query, which catches federal warrants as well.
How long does an arrest stay on my record in California if I wasn't convicted?
In California, an arrest stays on your record indefinitely unless you petition the court to seal or expunge it, even if charges were dropped or you were found not guilty. California's rules for clearing non-conviction records are stricter than for convictions — start with the California Department of Justice.
What is an ICE detainer (Form I-247)?
An ICE detainer (Form I-247) is a written request from ICE asking a local jail to hold someone for up to 48 additional hours after they would normally be released so ICE can take custody. Federal courts have held that detainers are requests, not orders — whether a jail honors a detainer depends on the local sheriff's policy.