Records Services and Procedures 

Vehicle Repossessions:

If your vehicle is repossessed, your bank requires you to first come to the agency whose jurisdiction it is where the vehicle was repossessed in order to pay an administrative fee. For SRPD, this is a $15 fee. After you pay the fee, you then take the original receipt to the repossessor and show them in order to get your vehicle back and in good standing with the lien holder. (See Government Code Sections 26751 and 41612.)

VISA Clearance Letter / Letter of Good Conduct:

If you are required to obtain a letter of good conduct from the agency whose jurisdiction you live in, this can be obtained through our Records Bureau by providing photo identification in person. If you are submitting the request via the mail, a notarized letter stating your name and purpose for the letter is required before we can process the request. We are only able to provide an account of contacts with our agency during the time frame you lived within our jurisdiction.

Vehicle Impound Releases:

If your vehicle was towed for not having a valid California Driver's License (California Vehicle Code Sections 12500 VC or 14601.1 VC), your vehicle is placed on a mandatory 30-day hold. You have the right to a Post Storage Hearing with a Hearing Officer to explain the events surrounding the tow and see if it is eligible for release prior to 30 days. Post Storage Hearings can be scheduled by calling (707) 543-3600. If your vehicle is eligible for release, the following is REQUIRED:

• Presence of the Legal and/or Registered Owner of the vehicle OR a notorized letter from the Legal and/or Registered Owner giving authorization to obtain a release on their behalf.
• A valid California licensed driver
• $200 cash

Releases are only done during Records Bureau hours, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and every other Friday.

Private Property Tows:

Private Property Tows are not initiated by the Santa Rosa Police Department. A private property owner is able to call any tow company and have a vehicle towed off of their premises if the vehicle is violating private property laws. If your vehicle is towed for being illegally parked on private property, the tow company is required to call Santa Rosa Police Department in order for us to input the vehicle's license and/or VIN number into our computer database. Only the Legal or Registered Owner of the vehicle is able to obtain the information on where the vehicle is being stored. We are only able to pull up information on where your vehicle was towed to and/or the tow company if you provide a license plate number or VIN number.

No release is required from the Santa Rosa Police Department for Private Property Tows. All fees will need to be paid directly to the tow company.

Vehicle Release for Recovered Stolen Vehicles:

If your vehicle has been recovered by the Santa Rosa Police Department, you are able to obtain a release from our agency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The vehicle's legal and/or registered owner must provide photo identification and a valid driver's license at the time of release.

In cases where a suspect has been arrested and the vehicle needs to be processed for evidence, a release may not be immediately available. If you are unaware of the circumstances regarding the recovery, call (707) 543-3600 to see if the vehicle is on an evidence hold and available for release by our agency.

Drug/Arson Registration:

Drug and Arson Registrations are done by appointment only Tuesday through Thursday between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. You can schedule an appointment either in person or by calling (707) 543-3600. Each registration lasts approximately 30 minutes, so please allow enough time for us to fill out the necessary paperwork and for fingerprints to be taken.