Fontana Residents Search

The Fontana residents directory pulls from public records held by both city and county offices in California. Fontana is a city of more than 218,000 people in San Bernardino County. Finding someone here means checking voter rolls, court files, property data, and records from the Fontana City Clerk. San Bernardino County handles most of the official records that cover Fontana residents. Some databases are free to search online. Others need a written request or a trip to a county office. This page covers where to look and how to use each source to find people in Fontana.

Fontana County Records Access

Public records for Fontana residents are managed at the county level by San Bernardino County agencies. The Assessor-Recorder-Clerk (ARC) office handles recorded documents, voter data, and vital records for the whole county. That includes Fontana. The ARC official records portal lets you search an index of documents going back to 1958. You can look up names and see what files exist. Keep in mind you are searching an index, not the full documents. If you find something you need, you have to request a copy from the office.

Copy fees at the ARC office are $3 for the first page. Each extra page is $1. A seal adds $1 per page on top of that. You can call Recorder-Clerk Services at 909.387.8306 with questions about records tied to Fontana residents. The Assessor Services line is 909.387.8307 for property-related lookups.

The county also runs a Self-Service Portal for basic requests. This lets Fontana residents handle record orders from home at any hour. It covers document orders and simple searches without a phone call or office visit.

Fontana City Clerk Records

The Fontana City Clerk keeps public records at the city level. These include council meeting minutes, resolutions, ordinances, business license files, and other city documents. The City Clerk's office is inside Fontana City Hall at 8353 Sierra Avenue. You can reach them by phone at 909-350-7600. The office handles public records requests under the California Public Records Act. Fontana must respond within 10 calendar days of getting your request.

Electronic records from the city are often free. Paper copies have a per-page fee. The exact cost depends on what you are asking for. Business license records can help you find Fontana residents who own or run local shops and companies. Campaign finance filings and city contracts are also available through this office. These records are useful for people searches because they tie names to addresses and business locations in Fontana.

Note: The Fontana City Clerk handles city-level records only, so county and court records need to go through San Bernardino County offices instead.

Search Fontana Court Records

Court cases for Fontana residents go through the San Bernardino Superior Court. This court handles all trial-level matters in the county. Civil suits, criminal charges, family law, probate, and traffic cases all fall under its authority. Fontana sits in the West End District of the court system. The Rancho Cucamonga courthouse at 8303 Haven Avenue is the closest facility for many Fontana cases. Some matters go to the main courthouse in San Bernardino at 247 West Third Street.

You can search for civil case records through the court's public access tools online. Criminal and family law files need an in-person visit. Case records show names, filing dates, case types, and outcomes. Some include addresses. This makes court records a good source for finding Fontana residents through the directory.

The California Courts public records page explains how to request records from any court in the state, including those that cover Fontana cases.

This statewide page covers the process for getting copies from any California court. Court copy fees are 10 cents per page. Most requests take about 10 days to process.

Fontana Property Records

Property records are a strong way to find Fontana residents who own homes or land. Deeds, liens, and real property documents are filed with the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk. The ARC index covers filings from 1958 to the present. You can search by name to see what property documents are tied to a person in Fontana. The full document must be ordered as a copy if you need the details.

The Assessor side of the office keeps assessed value data for every parcel in the county. This includes all properties in Fontana. You can look up an address or owner name to find the current owner, assessed value, and tax information. Property records are open to the public under California Government Code Sections 27201 and 27361. Recording fees for new property documents in San Bernardino County are $15 for the first page and $4 for each page after that.

Find Fontana People in Custody

The San Bernardino County Sheriff runs a free Inmate Locator online. Anyone can use it. This tool searches for people held in county jail facilities. It covers Fontana residents who have been booked into the San Bernardino County jail system. Results show charges, bail amounts, booking dates, and court dates. No account is needed.

For Fontana residents in state prison, the California Department of Corrections runs the CIRIS search tool. It covers all state correctional facilities. Names, CDCR numbers, and facility locations are included in the results. Both the county and state tools are free and available at any time of day.

Note: The county inmate search only covers people currently in San Bernardino County jail, not those who have been released or transferred to state prison.

Fontana Public Records Laws

Public records in Fontana are governed by the California Public Records Act. This state law applies to both city and county agencies that hold records about Fontana residents. Agencies must respond to requests within 10 calendar days. An extension of up to 14 more days is allowed if the agency gives you written notice. You do not need to explain why you want the records. Agencies cannot ask your reason for requesting them.

Some records are exempt. Personnel files, medical records, and home addresses of certain officials are protected. Court records for juvenile and mental health cases are restricted to in-person viewing at the courthouse. Voter data has its own rules under the Elections Code. Commercial use of voter info is a misdemeanor in California.

Both Fontana city offices and San Bernardino County agencies accept requests by mail, email, and in person. Electronic copies are often free from city agencies. Paper copies from the county Recorder-Clerk cost $3 for the first page and $1 for each page after that. Court copies follow a separate fee schedule set by state law.

Note: If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal or seek a court order to compel disclosure under the CPRA.

Nearby Fontana Cities

These cities sit near Fontana and have their own residents directory pages. Most are in San Bernardino County or nearby Riverside County.