About the Santa Barbara County Clerk's Office
California does not use a Texas-style district clerk. The trial court keeps its own court files through the Court Records Division of the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. That office is the Clerk of the Superior Court for case files, certified court copies, divorce judgments, and traffic case copies. A second office, the Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder, sits in the same downtown civic area but runs a different set of records.
Joseph E. Holland heads the County Clerk-Recorder office. The Clerk-Recorder issues marriage licenses, records real estate documents, files fictitious business names, and provides certified birth and death copies. The Clerk-Recorder is clear on its public page that the office does not provide passports, divorce filings, court records, or traffic tickets. Court records and traffic citations live with the Superior Court.
The court also has a new Court Executive Officer. Angela Braun became CEO on March 2, 2026, and local forms were updated to reflect the change. The court's home page lists current notices, fraud and scam warnings, and a notice of reduced clerk office hours that affects walk-in service.
Superior Court Records - South County
Office: Figueroa Division Records Lobby
118 E. Figueroa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 882-4778
southcountyrecords@sbcourts.org
Clerk hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (reduced hours notice in effect)
Superior Court Records - North County
Office: Cook Division Records Lobby
312-E East Cook Street, Building E
Santa Maria, CA 93454-5165
(805) 614-6414
northcountyrecords@sbcourts.org
Clerk hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
County Clerk-Recorder (Joseph E. Holland)
Hall of Records: 1100 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
North County: 511 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 115
Santa Maria, CA 93455-1310
(805) 568-2250
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (arrive by 4:00 p.m.)
What the Santa Barbara County Clerks Do
Two offices share the word "clerk" in Santa Barbara County, and most public confusion comes from mixing them up. The Clerk of the Superior Court is part of the court itself. Its job is to keep every court file, accept new filings, issue certified copies of court records, log fee payments, and run the records counter where the public can read paper files or print from a public terminal. The Clerk-Recorder is part of the county government, not the court. It runs the public records of the county, including deeds, marriage licenses, and vital records.
The Clerk of the Superior Court covers civil case files, criminal case files, family law judgments, probate filings, juvenile records (restricted), small claims files, traffic citations, and unlawful detainer files. Certified divorce judgments come from this office. The Clerk-Recorder covers a different set of records that often confuse first-time visitors. Knowing which office to call saves a trip.
- Court file copies and certified court copies
- Certified divorce judgments under Government Code section 70674
- Public access terminals at Figueroa, Miller, and Lompoc
- Court-issued forms and Judicial Council form packets
- Marriage licenses, civil ceremonies, and confidential licenses (Clerk-Recorder)
- Real estate records and fictitious business names (Clerk-Recorder)
- Certified birth and death copies (Clerk-Recorder)
Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder Home Page
The Clerk-Recorder posts office news, recording fees, marriage information, and access to the official records index on its public site. See the Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder home page for current notices, including the 2025 record number of marriage licenses (over 6,000 issued, up from about 4,000 per year before COVID) and the office's real estate fraud alert.
The same page sends divorce questions to the Superior Court because the Clerk-Recorder does not file divorce cases. Marriage record copies, by contrast, are sold from the Clerk-Recorder window after the ceremony certificate is recorded.
What the Clerk-Recorder Does NOT Handle
The Clerk-Recorder's own page is direct on this point. Some services people expect there are not offered. Trips for these items should go to the Superior Court records window, not the Hall of Records.
The Clerk-Recorder does not provide:
- Passports of any kind
- Divorce filings or divorce decree copies
- Court records, including criminal, civil, family, or probate files
- Traffic tickets, citations, and payment
Divorce judgments are court records. Use the Superior Court records window or the Odyssey portal to find a divorce case and request a certified copy. Court records cannot be requested at 1100 Anacapa Hall of Records. For traffic, see the Santa Barbara County traffic court records page.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy is a court copy with a clerk's seal that confirms the document is true and correct. Banks, government agencies, immigration offices, and other courts often require a certified copy. A plain copy is not enough for those uses. Certified copies cannot be emailed.
- Find the case number. The court says case number is the easiest way to find a record. If the number is not known, use party names and a filing year.
- Pick the right records office. South County cases go to 118 E. Figueroa Street; North County cases go to 312-E East Cook Street.
- Fill in a copy request with the document or filing wanted, the certified copy box, and the delivery method (hold for pickup or mail).
- Pay the fee. Plain copies are $0.50 per page; certified copies add $40 per document; a certified divorce judgment is $15 plus $0.50 per page.
- If mailing, include a self-addressed stamped envelope. If omitting it, the court adds postage to the bill.
- Wait for pickup or mail. Same-day service is not guaranteed; complex searches over 10 minutes add a $15 search fee.
Do not send credit card numbers in an email or read them over the phone for these requests. The court takes payment in person, by check, or by invoice. The clerk does not confirm dates of birth, driver's license numbers, or the last four of a Social Security number by phone or email.
Court Copy Request Form Fields
The court records division gives the same field list at both records windows. Listing each item ahead of time keeps the trip short.
| Field / item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Requester name and contact | Yes | Needed for invoice and delivery confirmation. |
| Case number | Strongly recommended | Court says case number is the easiest way to find a record. |
| Party names | If case number unknown | Court does not confirm personal identifying info by phone or email. |
| Documents requested | Yes | Certified copy cannot be emailed. |
| Delivery method | Yes | Hold for pickup, mail, or email for non-certified copies. |
| Payment | Conditional | Check, cash, card, or invoice; do not send card data by email or phone. |
| Self-addressed stamped envelope | If mailed copies | If omitted, postage fees are added to the invoice. |
Santa Barbara County Clerk Fees
Copy fees are set by state law and are the same at both records windows. Bring exact change when paying cash, or expect a small surcharge on card.
| Fee item | Amount / rule |
|---|---|
| Copy rate per page | $0.50 (Gov. Code 70627(a)) |
| Certified divorce judgment | $15 plus $0.50 per page (Gov. Code 70674) |
| Certification of court document | $40 plus $0.50 per page (Gov. Code 70626(a)(4)) |
| Search over 10 minutes | $15 (Gov. Code 70627(c)) |
| North County fax copies | $1 per page |
| Invoice cost recovery | $1 (Gov. Code 68150(l), CRC 2.506) |
| Credit-card surcharge | 2.9% plus $0.60 for Visa, Mastercard, Discover |
Filing fees for new cases are set by the Superior Court's filing fee schedule. Fee waivers are open to people who meet income or means-tested benefits rules. Note: Marriage license fees and recorder fees at the Clerk-Recorder are set on a separate schedule.
Ways to Request Court Records
The Clerk of the Superior Court takes record requests three ways. Each has its own quirks. Email is the fastest for plain copies, but a certified copy cannot leave the office by email. Mail works for both plain and certified copies if a check and an envelope go in the same packet.
In person is the only way to view a sealed terminal record at Figueroa, Miller, or Lompoc. The court says an online criminal index is not available to the public, so most criminal file review still happens at the records window using the public access terminals. Civil filings under California Rules of Court rule 2.503(b) may be viewable remotely in the Odyssey Civil Portal, with limits.
Email requests for plain copies go to southcountyrecords@sbcourts.org or northcountyrecords@sbcourts.org. Phone is fine for general questions, but the clerk's office will not confirm a person's date of birth, driver's license number, address, or Social Security digits over the phone. That rule exists to stop pretexting scams.
Fraud and Scam Warnings
The Superior Court home page and the Clerk-Recorder home page both post fraud alerts. The court warns about people calling and posing as a court clerk, demanding payment of fake fines by gift card or wire. Real court records staff do not call to demand payment, and a real bench warrant is not resolved with prepaid cards.
The Clerk-Recorder runs a real estate fraud notice and tells property owners to check the official records index periodically. The Clerk-Recorder also says it cannot give legal advice on preparing documents for recording. Note: When in doubt about a call, hang up and dial the court back at (805) 882-4520 or the Clerk-Recorder at (805) 568-2250.