Los Angeles Phone Directory
Los Angeles phone directory searches start with the city's own public records system and branch out into the massive Los Angeles County database network. The city runs more than 40 departments, each with its own records and staff contacts. You can look up people, businesses, and government offices through several free tools that the city keeps online. Los Angeles also falls under the LA County court system, the county assessor, and the registrar-recorder, all of which add more phone directory data. With close to four million people in the city, the volume of records is large and spread across many offices. This page covers every key source for finding phone numbers and contact details in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Phone Directory Quick Facts
Los Angeles County Phone Directory Resources
Los Angeles sits in Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the entire country. The county handles court records, property data, vital records, and inmate searches for the city. All of these sources can help with a Los Angeles phone directory lookup since they list names, addresses, and sometimes phone numbers for people involved in court cases, property sales, or other public matters.
The LA County Registrar-Recorder at lavote.gov processes birth, death, and marriage records for Los Angeles residents. As of January 1, 2026, fees for certified copies went up by $2 under AB 64. Birth certificates now cost $34. Death certificates are $26. Marriage certificates run $19. Call (800) 201-8999 for questions. The main office is at 12400 East Imperial Highway in Norwalk. These records often help confirm identities during a Los Angeles phone directory search. The registrar also handles property recording at (562) 462-2137.
The LA County Assessor runs a property search portal at portal.assessor.lacounty.gov. The office assessed more than 2.5 million properties valued at over $1.7 trillion. Property records show ownership names and parcel details. Call (213) 974-3211 for help with a search. The main office sits at 500 West Temple Street, Room 320, in downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles City Clerk Phone Directory
The Los Angeles City Clerk is the main office for city-level public records. You can reach them at (213) 978-0444 or toll-free at (888) 873-1000. The office is at 555 Ramirez Street, Third Floor, Space 320, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The clerk handles business filings, public meeting records, campaign disclosures, and general records requests for the city of Los Angeles. If you want to find contact details for a city employee or a business filing, the clerk's office is a good place to start your Los Angeles phone directory search.
For police-related records in Los Angeles, call (562) 345-4441. The police department keeps arrest reports, incident reports, and crime data that may include names and contact information. These records fall under the California Public Records Act, so most are available upon request. Processing times vary based on how complex the request is.
Los Angeles Phone Directory Online Databases
Los Angeles runs two main online portals for public records requests. The first is the city's records request system at recordsrequest.lacity.org. This tool lets you submit and track requests for any city department. You fill out a form with what you need and which department holds the data. The system sends updates by email as your request moves along. For a Los Angeles phone directory search tied to a specific city office, this is often the fastest route.
The portal covers records from all 40-plus city departments in Los Angeles.
The second portal runs through NextRequest at lacity.nextrequest.com. This system also handles records requests but gives you a way to browse past requests that other people have made. You can see what was asked for and what was released. This is useful for Los Angeles phone directory research because someone may have already requested the records you need. Both portals are free to use, though the city may charge for copies of certain documents.
Past requests are searchable by keyword, department, and date range.
Los Angeles Court Records and Phone Directory
The LA Superior Court is the largest trial court in the nation. It serves all of Los Angeles, including the city. You can search civil case records through the Civil Index online. This covers general civil, limited civil, probate, family law, and small claims cases going back to 1983. Each name search costs $4.75. Documents cost $1.00 per page for the first five pages and $0.40 for each page after that, with a cap of $40 per document. Court records are a strong source for any Los Angeles phone directory lookup because they list the names and sometimes addresses of all parties in a case.
Criminal case records are available through the Criminal Case Search. Felony records go back to 1980. Misdemeanor records start from 1988. The search works by name or case number. For people doing Los Angeles phone directory research on someone with a court history, these tools give access to a lot of data without having to visit the courthouse in person.
The LA County Sheriff runs an Inmate Information Center that updates several times a day. You need the person's first, last, and middle name along with their date of birth to search. Booking data may take two to six hours to show up. Call (213) 473-6100 for inmate information around the clock.
Note: Court name searches require a credit card, and the $4.75 fee applies to each separate name you look up.
Phone Directory Laws in Los Angeles
All public records in Los Angeles fall under the California Public Records Act. The law gives anyone the right to access records held by government agencies, including the city of Los Angeles. This covers most documents, emails, and data that city departments create or keep. There are exceptions for things like ongoing investigations, personnel files, and certain law enforcement records. But the default rule is that records are open.
Phone number privacy gets special treatment under state law. Public Utilities Code Section 2891.1 says that phone companies in California cannot publish unlisted numbers. If a company does publish an unlisted number, the subscriber can sue. This means you will not find unlisted Los Angeles phone numbers through the directory assistance system. But if someone's number appears in a public record like a court filing or business license, that data is generally available through a records request.
Voter registration data for Los Angeles residents can only be used for election, scholarly, journalistic, or governmental purposes under Elections Code Section 2194. It cannot be used for harassment or for commercial use. People who are victims of domestic violence or stalking can have their voter data kept confidential under Elections Code Section 2269.
Los Angeles Phone Directory Nearby Cities
These cities are also in Los Angeles County. Each has its own page with local phone directory resources and contact details.