Glenn County Public Records

How to Find Public Records in Glenn County in 2026

GlennRecords.us provides publicly available information and data related to public records in Glenn County, California. Members of the public seeking court documents, property filings, vital records, or other government-held information may access a range of records through official county and state channels. The availability and completeness of any given record depends on the record type, the maintaining agency, and applicable state law.

Records that may be accessible through official sources include:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, family law)
Property records (deeds, liens, assessments, mortgages)
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates)
Business licenses and fictitious business name filings
Property tax and assessment records
Voting and election records
County board meeting minutes and agendas
Budget and financial documents
Law enforcement incident reports (where permitted)
Land use, zoning, and planning records

Records may be searched through official court resources, the County Clerk-Recorder's office, public access terminals at government facilities, and online tools maintained by state and county agencies.

Online Access:

The Superior Court of California, County of Glenn provides online access to case information through its public portal. Members of the public may use the online case index to search for case records by party name or case number. No registration is required to perform a basic case search.
Property records and recorded documents are maintained by the Glenn County Clerk-Recorder and may be searched through the county's official website at www.glenncounty.ca.gov.

In-Person Requests: Members of the public may visit the Glenn County Clerk-Recorder's Office at 526 W. Sycamore Street, Willows, CA 95988. Public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding county holidays. Requestors should bring a valid government-issued photo identification and be prepared to complete a records request form.

Written/Mail Requests: Written requests may be submitted to the Glenn County Clerk-Recorder, P.O. Box 391, Willows, CA 95988. Requests must include the requestor's name, contact information, a description of the records sought, and the preferred format for delivery. Under California Government Code § 6253, agencies are required to respond to public records requests within ten days, with a possible fourteen-day extension under specified circumstances.

Phone/Email: The Glenn County Clerk-Recorder's Office may be reached by telephone at (530) 934-6412. Email inquiries may be directed through the county's official contact portal at www.glenncounty.ca.gov.

What Are Public Records in Glenn County?

Public records in Glenn County are defined under California law as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, or retained by a state or local agency. The primary governing statute is the California Public Records Act (CPRA), codified at Government Code § 7920.000 et seq., which establishes the public's right to inspect and obtain copies of government records.

The following record types are maintained by specific Glenn County offices:

Record Type	Maintaining Office
Civil, criminal, probate, family court records	Glenn County Superior Court
Property deeds, liens, mortgages	Glenn County Clerk-Recorder
Birth, death, marriage certificates	Glenn County Clerk-Recorder
Fictitious business names, business licenses	Glenn County Clerk-Recorder / Planning
Property tax and assessment records	Glenn County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder
Voter registration and election records	Glenn County Elections Office
Board of Supervisors minutes and agendas	Glenn County Clerk of the Board
Budget and financial documents	Glenn County Auditor-Controller
Incident reports (where permitted)	Glenn County Sheriff's Office
Zoning and land use records	Glenn County Planning Department

Members of the public seeking court-related documents may conduct a case information search through the Superior Court's self-help portal, which allows searches by case number or party name.

Is Glenn County an Open Records County?

Glenn County operates in full compliance with California's statewide open records framework. Under the California Public Records Act, all state and local agencies, including county departments, are required to make public records available for inspection and copying upon request, subject to enumerated exemptions.

As stated in the Act, "access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state." This principle reflects California's strong presumption in favor of disclosure, placing the burden on the agency to justify any withholding of records.

Glenn County does not maintain a separate county-level open records ordinance that supersedes state law. All public records requests submitted to county departments are processed in accordance with the CPRA. The California Attorney General's office provides guidance on compliance, and agencies are expected to adhere to the ten-day response requirement established under state statute.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Glenn County?

The cost to obtain public records in Glenn County varies by record type and the office maintaining the records. Under California Government Code § 6253(b), agencies may charge a fee that reflects the direct cost of duplication, which is the standard applied across county departments.

Standard Copy Fees (Glenn County Clerk-Recorder):

Record Type	Fee
Recorded document copies (per page)	$1.00
Certified copy of birth certificate	$32.00
Certified copy of death certificate	$24.00
Certified copy of marriage certificate	$17.00
Fictitious business name filing search	Varies

Inspection fees: No fee is charged for inspecting public records in person at the maintaining office.
Electronic format fees: Agencies may charge for the direct cost of producing records in electronic format, including the cost of any required programming or extraction.
Certification fees: Fees for certified copies are set by state statute and vary by document type.
Search fees: California law does not permit agencies to charge a separate search fee for locating records.

Accepted payment methods at the Glenn County Clerk-Recorder's Office include cash, check, and money order. Credit card acceptance may vary by department. Fee waivers are not broadly available under the CPRA, though certain requestors, such as members of the news media, may assert a public interest basis for reduced fees in limited circumstances.

Does Glenn County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available in Glenn County. Under California law, any person has the right to inspect public records at the maintaining agency's office during regular business hours at no charge. The right to inspect is distinct from the right to obtain copies, for which fees apply as described above.

The following free access options are currently available:

In-person inspection: Members of the public may inspect records at the Glenn County Clerk-Recorder's Office, the Glenn County Superior Court clerk's window, and other county department offices without charge.
Online court records: The Superior Court's court records portal provides free online access to case index information. Members of the public may view case register entries and basic case information at no cost.
Online case index: The Glenn County Superior Court case index is accessible to the public without registration or fees.
County website: Property assessment data and certain other public records are accessible through the Glenn County Assessor's online portal at no charge.

The distinction between free inspection and paid copies is a fundamental principle of California public records law. Agencies are not required to provide free copies of records, but they may not deny a requestor the right to inspect records in person.

Who Can Request Public Records in Glenn County?

Any person may request public records in Glenn County. Under the California Public Records Act, there is no residency requirement, and requestors are not required to provide identification or state the purpose of their request for most record types. This right extends to California residents, non-residents, businesses, organizations, and members of the media equally.

Specific conditions apply in limited circumstances:

Identification: Requestors are not required to provide identification to inspect most public records. However, certain vital records, such as birth and death certificates, are restricted to authorized individuals under California Health and Safety Code provisions, and identification is required for those requests.
Purpose: Requestors are not required to state the reason for their request for general public records. Agencies may not condition access on disclosure of purpose.
Requesting your own records: Individuals seeking their own records, such as personal court filings or recorded documents, follow the same process as any other requestor. No special authorization is required beyond standard identification for restricted record types.
Non-residents: Non-residents of California retain the same rights as residents under the CPRA and may submit requests by mail, email, or in person.

Certain record types, including juvenile court records, sealed records, and records protected by specific statutory exemptions, are not available to the general public regardless of the requestor's identity or stated purpose. State agencies subject to the CPRA, including those handling civil rights matters, process requests in accordance with the Act; members of the public may submit a PRA request to the California Civil Rights Department for records held at the state level.

What Records Are Confidential in Glenn County?

Not all government records in Glenn County are subject to public disclosure. The California Public Records Act enumerates specific categories of records that are exempt from disclosure. As stated in the Act, "each agency, upon a request for a copy of records, shall determine within 10 days... whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records in the agency's possession."

Records that are currently exempt from public disclosure include:

Sealed court records: Records sealed by court order are not accessible to the public.
Juvenile records: Records pertaining to juvenile court proceedings are confidential under California Welfare and Institutions Code.
Ongoing investigation records: Law enforcement records related to active investigations are exempt to the extent that disclosure would endanger the investigation or the safety of individuals involved.
Personal identifying information: Social Security numbers, financial account information, and similar data are redacted or withheld under privacy protections.
Medical records: Records protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act are not subject to public disclosure.
Adoption records: Adoption proceedings and related records are sealed under California Family Code.
Child welfare and protective services records: Records maintained by child protective services are confidential under state law.
Personnel records: Employee personnel files are exempt from disclosure, with limited exceptions for records relating to the exercise of official duties.
Trade secrets and proprietary business information: Submitted business records containing trade secrets are protected from disclosure.
Security plans and critical infrastructure details: Records describing security vulnerabilities or infrastructure protection plans are exempt.

California Government Code § 7922.000 et seq. sets forth the full framework of exemptions applicable to state and local agencies. Agencies apply a balancing test in certain circumstances, weighing the public interest in disclosure against the privacy interests of individuals or the operational interests of government.

Glenn County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Glenn County Clerk-Recorder / Registrar of Voters
526 W. Sycamore Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-6412
Glenn County Clerk-Recorder

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed on county-observed holidays.

Glenn County Superior Court – Court Clerk's Office
526 W. Sycamore Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-6446
Superior Court of California, County of Glenn

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Closed on court holidays.

Glenn County Assessor
526 W. Sycamore Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-6414
Glenn County Assessor