To look up a California attorney’s bar number or verify a license, use the State Bar of California’s free Attorney Search at apps.calbar.ca.gov. The search takes about 30 seconds, requires no account, and returns the attorney’s bar number, current license status, date of admission, address of record, and any public disciplinary history.1State Bar of California. Attorney Search – The State Bar of California Most people run a California bar number lookup to confirm someone is actually authorized to practice before hiring them, but it works equally well for checking on an attorney you already know or tracking down current contact information.
How to Run the Search
Open apps.calbar.ca.gov. If you already have the bar number, type it in for an exact match. If you’re starting from a name, enter the last name, first name, or both. Each name field has matching options: “Is exactly,” “Begins with,” “Contains,” or “Sounds like.” Use “Sounds like” when you’re unsure of spelling.
Common names return long result lists, so narrow the search with one of the optional filters:
- Firm name, if you know where the attorney works.
- Location, by city, state, zip code, California county, or State Bar district.
- Certified legal specialty, such as family law, criminal law, estate planning, immigration, or taxation.
- Languages spoken, with dozens of options from Spanish and Mandarin to American Sign Language.
- Self-reported practice areas the attorney has listed on their profile.
The results page shows every matching attorney. Click a name to open the full public profile.
What the Profile Shows
Each profile displays the attorney’s bar number, full name, current license status, date of admission, and address of record. Where public discipline exists, the profile links to State Bar Court case documents.2State Bar of California. Step 6 – What to Know After Submitting Your Completed Form3The State Bar of California. Public Records and Information
One quirk to know about: the bar number is assigned only after the State Bar receives the attorney’s completed registration paperwork, but the official admission date is the date they took their oath. A newly sworn-in attorney may not appear in the system for a week or two.4State Bar of California. State Bar Enrollment and Receiving Your Bar Number If a recent admit doesn’t turn up, that delay is the likely reason.
Reading the License Status
The status field is the single most important line on the profile. It tells you whether the attorney can legally represent a client in California right now. You’ll see one of the following:5The State Bar of California. Licensee Status Definitions
- Active. Authorized to practice law in California. This is the only status under which an attorney may represent clients.
- Inactive. A voluntary status; the attorney cannot represent clients. They can transfer back to active by paying required fees and meeting compliance obligations, including fingerprinting where applicable.
- Not Eligible to Practice Law. The attorney cannot practice for one of several reasons, including suspension, involuntary transfer to inactive status, or failure to pay mandatory State Bar fees. Because this label covers a wide range of situations, check the profile for additional detail or disciplinary records.
- Disbarred. The California Supreme Court has ordered the attorney removed from the practice of law. This is the most severe disciplinary outcome.
- Resigned. The California Supreme Court has accepted the attorney’s resignation. A resignation may have been submitted with or without disciplinary charges pending, so this status sometimes indicates formal discipline was avoided through resignation rather than contested.
Two additional statuses signal limited practice authority for out-of-state attorneys:5The State Bar of California. Licensee Status Definitions
- RIHC (Registered In-House Counsel). An out-of-state attorney registered to practice in California on a limited basis, typically as in-house counsel for a single employer.
- RLAA (Registered Legal Aid Attorney). An out-of-state attorney registered to practice in California through a legal aid organization on a limited basis.
If you’re hiring someone for private representation, you want to see “Active.” An RIHC or RLAA attorney is authorized only for specific, limited work.
One useful distinction when evaluating “Not Eligible to Practice Law”: that status can arise administratively, with no misconduct involved. An attorney who missed a continuing education deadline or an annual fee payment can land there without any disciplinary proceeding. So the label alone doesn’t tell you whether the attorney did something wrong. The profile and any linked records will.
Checking Discipline
When an attorney has faced public discipline in California, the profile links to the relevant records. For cases filed since 2000, many documents are available directly through the profile or the State Bar Court’s public docket.3The State Bar of California. Public Records and Information
Discipline comes in several forms. A public reproval is the least severe form of public discipline, essentially a formal censure that remains on the record. Suspension removes the attorney’s ability to practice for a defined period. Disbarment is the permanent revocation of the license by the California Supreme Court. The profile notes which was imposed and typically links the underlying decision.
If you find no disciplinary records, that means no public action has been taken against the attorney in California. It does not mean no complaints were ever filed. Complaints investigated and closed without charges remain confidential.
Discipline in Other States Won’t Show Up Here
The California Attorney Search only shows discipline imposed by California. If the attorney is licensed in multiple states, misconduct in another jurisdiction will not necessarily appear. The ABA National Lawyer Regulatory Data Bank is the only national repository of public regulatory actions against lawyers across all U.S. jurisdictions.6American Bar Association. National Lawyer Regulatory Data Bank The Data Bank conducts name searches for the public upon written request. Reach them at 312-988-5290 or write to the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610. Start with the state where the attorney is known to be licensed.
If an Attorney Has Harmed You
A bar lookup confirms a license; it doesn’t resolve a dispute. If you believe an attorney acted unethically or violated the rules of professional conduct, you can file a complaint with the State Bar at no cost. The complaint form is on the State Bar’s website, and you can also call 800-843-9053.7The State Bar of California. File Complaints and Claims The Office of Chief Trial Counsel then investigates to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe the attorney violated the State Bar Act or the Rules of Professional Conduct.8The State Bar of California. Title 5 Discipline – Rules of the State Bar Worth knowing: even if you later withdraw the complaint or settle with the attorney, the State Bar can continue the investigation at its discretion.
Discipline punishes the attorney but does not return money. For that, California’s Client Security Fund may help. The fund reimburses clients who suffered financial losses due to an attorney’s dishonest conduct, such as theft of settlement funds, failure to refund unearned fees, or borrowing money from a client without the ability to repay. Reimbursement can reach up to $100,000 per claim.9The State Bar of California. Apply for Reimbursement Through Client Security Fund The application is free, you don’t need a lawyer to file, and you can request a paper copy by calling 213-765-1140 or emailing clientsecurityfund@calbar.ca.gov. Losses from negligence, malpractice, or incompetence are not covered, and neither are consequential damages such as the cost of hiring a new attorney.