How do I check if a California attorney is licensed and in good standing?

Use the State Bar of California's official attorney search at apps.calbar.ca.gov, which shows each attorney's bar number, license status, and public discipline history. Business and Professions Code section 6125 requires active State Bar membership to practice law, so confirm the status is active, discipline is clear, and the name and bar number belong to the person you are hiring.

Use the State Bar of California's official records. Every person licensed to practice law in California appears in the State Bar's attorney search at apps.calbar.ca.gov, which shows the attorney's bar number, admission date, current license status (active, inactive, or not eligible to practice), and public discipline history. California law requires active membership in the State Bar to practice, so an attorney who is not listed as active cannot lawfully represent you. Check three things before hiring: that the license status is active, that there is no recent public discipline, and that the name and bar number match the person you are dealing with. Directories, rating services, and marketplaces draw on this data but can lag or omit discipline, so the State Bar record is the authority. California Attorney Registry indexes attorneys directly from these State Bar records and links the bar number, but for time-sensitive decisions verify the current status at the State Bar itself.

Authority: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6125; State Bar of California