Court-Ordered Community Service and Community Labor

If you need to complete court-ordered community service or community labor (hard labor) for a court, probation, diversion, or another justice-involved program, you may be able to complete your service with the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation.

Service opportunities are unpaid and take place in a structured outdoor setting. Most tasks support park cleanup, beautification, and maintenance.

Use this page to: learn how to apply, choose a park or event, track your hours, and request your final verification letter.

• Before you apply
• Eligibility and placement
• Choose where to serve
• Locations
• How it works
• Track hours
• Verification letter
• Get help

Before you apply

You must be:

• 18 years or older
• Able to upload the required documents listed below

You will need to upload:

• A government-issued ID
• Your court or agency paperwork showing:
  • how many hours (or days) you must complete
  • your due date (when service must be completed)
  • your case number (if included on your paperwork)

If you are being referred by a court or agency outside San Diego County, you may also be asked to upload referral or transfer paperwork.

Important: You may be required to complete either community service or community labor (hard labor). Assignments are outdoor projects that may meet either requirement. Your court paperwork controls your required hours/days and due date.

Eligibility and placement

San Diego County Parks offers service opportunities in parks. Each park decides whether it can accommodate a placement based on site needs and supervision capacity.

DPR may not be able to place people with charges or convictions related to:

• violence or threats
• sexual offenses
• crimes involving children
• arson
• theft or burglary

If a park cannot accommodate you, you may need to select a different park or sign up for a public volunteer event.

Choose where to serve

You can enroll at one or more of the locations listed below, and you may also volunteer at public events.

Volunteer opportunities and events search

To view upcoming volunteer events and opportunities (by location, activity, or date), use the Volunteer Opportunities Page.

Locations

Individuals who need to complete court-ordered service can enroll at one or more of the parks below:

• Bonita - Sweetwater Summit Regional Park
• Chula Vista - Otay Lakes County Park
• Del Mar - San Dieguito County Park
• El Cajon - Flinn Springs County Park and surrounding El Cajon local parks
• Fallbrook - Live Oak County Park
• Fallbrook - Rainbow County Park
• Fallbrook - Santa Margarita County Preserve
• Julian - William Heise County Park
• Lakeside - El Monte County Park
• Lakeside - Lindo Lake County Park
• Lakeside - Louis A. Stelzer County Park
• Lakeside - Oakoasis County Preserve
• Oceanside - Guajome Regional Park
• Pala - Wilderness Gardens County Preserve
• Potrero - Potrero County Park
• Poway - Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch County Preserve
• Ramona - Collier County Park
• Ramona - Dos Picos County Park
• San Diego (South) - Tijuana River Valley Regional Park
• Santa Ysabel - Santa Ysabel County Preserves and Nature Center
• Spring Valley - Spring Valley local parks
• Valley Center - Valley Center Community Parks
• Vista - Rancho Guajome Adobe

How it works

1. Apply online and upload your required documents.
2. Choose a park (or events) where you would like to serve.
3. Wait for a site to contact you to schedule your start date and service hours.
4. Complete your service and make sure your hours are recorded accurately.
5. When you are finished, request your final verification letter.

Hours do not count until you are scheduled and you follow the site’s check-in/check-out process.

Track your hours in MyImpactPage.com

San Diego County Parks uses MyImpactPage.com for scheduling and volunteer hour tracking. You can:

• view your hours anytime
• download your hours for your records

You will receive instructions during enrollment on how to log in to MyImpactPage.com.

Final verification letter policy

San Diego County Parks provides a final verification letter after you complete your service (or after you decide you are finished volunteering with San Diego County Parks).

Please note:

• You may request a verification letter only after all service hours are completed and recorded accurately.
• Request your final verification letter using the Verification Letter Request in MyImpactPage.
• We do not provide letters after each shift, each event, or as progress updates.
• Allow up to 10 business days after your request for Volunteer Services to prepare your letter (after hours are confirmed).
• After the letter is issued, we will upload a copy to your profile so you can download it later.

Get help

Contact Volunteer Services

• Email: parksvolunteer@sdcounty.ca.gov
• Phone: (858) 966-1335

In-person help at DPR Headquarters (appointment required)

If you need to meet in person at San Diego County Parks Headquarters, you must schedule an appointment first. Court-ordered service staff are not always on-site, and walk-ins may not be available.

• Schedule an appointment

Court deadlines and case questions

San Diego County Parks cannot give legal advice or change court requirements. If you need an extension or have questions about your case, contact your court or probation officer.