Welfare and Institutions Code section 826
(a)
After five years from the date on which the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over a minor is terminated, the probation officer may destroy all records and papers in the proceedings concerning the minor.(b)
If an individual whose juvenile court record has been destroyed or released under subdivision (a) discovers that any other agency still retains a record, the individual may file a petition with the court requesting that the records be destroyed. The petition will include the name of the agency and the type of record to be destroyed. The court shall order that such records also be destroyed unless for good cause the court determines to the contrary. The court shall send a copy of the order to each agency and each agency shall destroy records in its custody as directed by the order, and shall advise the court of its compliance. The court shall then destroy the copy of the petition, the order, and the notice of compliance from each agency. Thereafter, the proceedings in such case shall be deemed never to have occurred.(c)
Juvenile court records in juvenile traffic matters, which include all records and papers, any minute book entries, dockets and judgment dockets, may be destroyed after five years from the date on which the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over a minor is terminated, or when the minor reaches the age of 21 years, if the person was alleged or adjudged to be a person described by Section 601. Prior to such destruction the original record may be microfilmed or photocopied. Every such reproduction shall be deemed and considered an original; and a transcript, exemplification or certified copy of any such reproduction shall be deemed and considered a transcript, exemplification or certified copy, as the case may be, of the original.
Source:
Section 826, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=WIC§ionNum=826.
(accessed Apr. 24, 2025).