Good Conduct Letters take 3 business days to process.

If you need to expedite your request, please let staff know immediately and we'll do our best to have it ready sooner.  Due to the number of requests, sometimes it's not possible, especially if you need your GCL notorized.

Apply in person at San Diego Sheriff's Department, Licensing Division, 9621 Ridgehaven Ct, San Diego, CA 92123 weekdays.  We are closed on weekends and holidays.

Complete the application, show us your government-issued ID carda and pay the fee.

IMPORTANT!  If you want to designate someone else to pick up the completed letter, you must indicate this while you are still here in the office.  Let staff know who you want to pick up the letter and they will show you where to put this information on the application.

If you are not currently in San Diego, you have two options:

OPTION 1:  Power of Attorney

Get a power of attorney (POA) which assigns someone to legally act on your behalf. 

The POA needs to specifically state that the assigned person can "obtain criminal histories or background checks from the San Diego Sheriff's Department".  It cannot be a general power of attorney; it needs to be specific to us. 

The POA must be dated within the last 30 days, and notarized on the same page it was written; not a separate sheet.

You can mail the original POA to your assignee, but that person must personally present the original POA to our office. It may not be faxed, emailed, or mailed to us.

When presenting the POA to our office, your assignee will complete the application and pay for a good conduct letter for you. We will keep the POA for our records. 

He or she will be instructed when to return after a few days to pick up the finished good conduct letter and that person will then be responsible for mailing it to you. 

In order to apply for the good conduct letter, your assignee must have (in addition to the POA), a copy of your government issued ID (passport or driver license), your social security number, driver license number, correct spelling of your full name, their own valid photo identification, and pay the fee.

 

OPTION 2:  Local Law Enforcement IDs you

Please make arrangements with a local law enforcement agency, embassy, or consulate official who is willing to receive your letter from the San Diego Sheriff's Department and verify your identity when you pick it up from them.

Please explain to the officer that the San Diego Sheriff's Department is processing a Good Conduct Letter for you, but since you cannot present yourself to our office we cannot verify your identification and therefore, need them to receive the letter from us and issue it to you.

Complete the application and send it back to us along with a copy of your government-issued ID (passport or driver license), the name and address of the agency you choose, the name and e-mail address of the person who has agreed to receive your letter, and a check or cashier's check for the current fee.

We can also make arrangements for an over-the-phone payment if you choose.

Once the agency you choose receives the ID verification form and letter from us, you will go and pick it up from them.  At that time, the officer will verify your identity, sign the "Verification of ID" form in your presence, and then hand you your good conduct letter. 

The "Verification of ID" form should be mailed back to us in the envelope provided.

 

Good Conduct Letters cannot be emailed.

Please contact our office to make sure a notary is available.  Typically, we have a notary public on staff and available to notarize your GCL for a fee of $15 per signature.  

But, on occasion, notary services are not available.  If this is the case, you can make arrangements to bring your own notary to our office at the time you are picking up the GCL.  This must be arranged by appointment in advance.  If you bring your own notary, our $15 notary fee does not apply.

The fee for a Good Conduct Letter is $59 per original letter.  You will receive one original letter and one copy for your records.

Notary Services (if available) are $15 per signature.  Please let us know if you need the GCL notorized when you submit your request.

 

Good Conduct Letters are not used for immigration to the United States.  If you need a background check for immigration purposes, please contact the Sheriff's Records Division at 858-974-2110 for more information.