Georgia Booking Reports
Georgia booking reports are public records created each time someone is booked into a county jail. Each of Georgia's 159 counties keeps its own records through the county sheriff's office. You can search current jail rosters, find recent arrest data, and check inmate status through county sheriff websites across the state. Most large counties have online databases where you can look up booking information by name or booking date. This guide covers how to find and access Georgia booking reports at the state, county, and local level.
Georgia Jail System Quick Facts
What Georgia Booking Reports Contain
When someone is arrested and taken to a county jail in Georgia, the sheriff's office creates a booking report. This record captures who was brought in, when they arrived, and what charges they face. The information typically includes the person's full name, date of birth, physical description, booking date and time, the arresting agency, and the charges. Many county systems also show the bond amount set for release and the inmate's current status.
Georgia law requires sheriffs to maintain records of everyone committed to their jail under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7. That statute says records must include the name, age, sex, race, process of commitment, court of origin, charges filed, and both the commitment date and discharge date. These records must be open for public examination under Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, which is the Georgia Open Records Act. Anyone can request them. You do not need to explain why or show any special connection to the case.
Booking data is not the same as a conviction. A person in the jail roster has been arrested but may not have been found guilty of anything. Most disclaimer language on county inmate search sites makes this point clear. Clayton County's site states that its records "in no way implies that any particular individual has been convicted of any of the charges displayed." Keep this in mind when reading Georgia booking reports.
State Prison Inmates vs. County Jail Booking Records
Two separate systems hold incarceration records in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Corrections handles people serving sentences in state prisons. County sheriff offices handle people in local jails, which includes those awaiting trial and those serving short sentences. These systems do not overlap. If you are looking for someone in a county jail, the GDC database will not help you.
The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you find people currently in GDC facilities. The GDC warns that it makes "no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information obtained through the use of this service." If you need to verify data officially, you can write to Inmate Records and Information at PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. Photographs are displayed automatically when available. The GDC system is best for tracking people who are serving state sentences, not people held in county jails on pending charges.
The GDC offender search covers people in state facilities only. For county-level Georgia booking reports, go to the specific county sheriff's website instead.
The direct GDC query form lets you search by name and view photos of current state inmates. It is a separate tool from local county booking records in Georgia.
How to Find Georgia County Jail Booking Records
County sheriffs in Georgia are the primary source for booking records in county jails. Each of the 159 counties runs its own jail and keeps its own roster. The largest counties have online portals where you can search by name, booking date range, or inmate ID. Smaller counties may only keep a physical docket book available for inspection at the sheriff's office during regular business hours.
Update frequency varies widely across Georgia. Fulton County's database updates once per day. Hall County's inmate list refreshes every 15 minutes. Clarke County posts records with a 24-hour delay and updates every 15 minutes after that. Bibb County refreshes its data every 30 minutes. These differences matter when you need current information. Always check the site disclaimer to understand how fresh the data is before you rely on it for any purpose.
When you can't find someone through a county website, you have other options. You can call the jail directly during business hours or visit in person. The VINE notification system is a free service used by many Georgia counties. It lets you track inmate status and set up automatic alerts for status changes. VINE is especially useful when you need to know about a release date.
Some Georgia counties use third-party platforms to manage their inmate data. Fulton County uses Tyler Technologies. Henry County uses a New World Systems platform at inmatesearch.co.henry.ga.us. Gwinnett County uses SmartWebClient at gwinnettcountysheriff.com. Knowing which platform a county uses helps if you are troubleshooting access issues with their search tool.
Georgia Crime Information Center and Criminal History Records
The Georgia Crime Information Center, operated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, maintains the statewide criminal history database. The GCIC pulls from arrest data submitted by law enforcement agencies across Georgia. This is different from a live booking report at a local jail. A GCIC record covers the full history of arrests and court dispositions on file for a person, not just a current detention.
According to GBI guidance, a Georgia criminal history record includes the person's identification data such as name, date of birth, sex, race, height, and weight. It also includes arrest data covering the arresting agency, date of arrest, and charges. Final judicial disposition data from courts and prosecutors is included when submitted, along with custodial information if the person was held in a Georgia correctional facility. You can obtain a copy of your own criminal history from most sheriff's offices or police departments in Georgia.
The GBI's GCIC lobby at 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur is open by appointment only. Call 404-244-2639 to schedule. Same-day appointments are not available. For criminal history inquiries, call option 1. For attorneys or public defenders, call option 3.
The GCIC FAQ page answers common questions about criminal history records, record restriction, and how to request corrections to your file. Complete Record Restriction Applications can be mailed to Georgia Crime Information Center, CCH/Identification, P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037.
Georgia Jail Population and Booking Statistics
The Georgia Sheriffs' Association collects and publishes jail population reports from sheriff's offices across the state. As of January 2026, Georgia reported 25,487 jail inmates across 117 reporting jails in 99 counties. Of those inmates, 67.9% were awaiting trial. The statewide jail capacity utilization stood at 71.9%. These numbers give useful context when reading local Georgia booking reports.
The Georgia Sheriffs' Association compiles inmate count data reported by each sheriff's office for their inmate population. Nearly 68 out of every 100 people in a Georgia county jail at any given time are pretrial detainees who have not been convicted. This is important to understand when looking at booking records in Georgia.
Booking Photo Rules and Open Records Law in Georgia
Georgia has specific rules about booking photographs. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 defines a booking photograph as "a photograph or image of an individual taken by an arresting law enforcement agency for the purpose of identification or taken when such individual was processed into a jail." The law restricts how agencies may share these images. A law enforcement agency cannot post booking photographs to a website. They also cannot provide copies if those photos might be posted on a commercial site that charges a fee to remove them.
When you request a booking photo in Georgia, you must submit a statement affirming that your use complies with the statute. Henry County's sheriff's office requires a signed compliance affidavit with every photo request, whether from media or the general public. Anyone who knowingly makes a false statement on that form commits a criminal violation under Georgia law. This rule applies statewide, not just in Henry County.
The broader O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists exemptions to public disclosure under the Open Records Act. Pending criminal investigation records are generally exempt beyond initial arrest reports. Personal identifying information such as social security numbers and financial account data is also protected. But initial booking reports, including charges and basic identifying information, are public records open to anyone in Georgia. Agencies have three business days to respond to a public records request and must provide at least 15 minutes of free search time before charging fees.
Georgia's First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 allows certain first-time offenders to have records sealed after completing probation. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows for restriction of arrest charges from public view when specific conditions are met. A dismissed charge or a charge that was never presented to a grand jury can qualify for restriction. These statutes affect what shows up in public Georgia booking records over time.
Services That Support Georgia Jail Record Access
Several third-party services work alongside county sheriff offices to provide inmate-related services in Georgia. These tools do not replace official records, but they make it easier to find people or stay informed about inmate status across the state.
VINE at vinelink.com is free and used by many Georgia counties. It lets you register to get notified by phone, email, or text when an inmate's status changes. This is useful when you need to know about a release. Securus Technologies handles video visitation and phone services for multiple Georgia counties including Gwinnett, DeKalb, Hall, and Chatham. Remote video visits through Securus cost $5 per 30-minute session in some counties. JailATM at jailatm.com processes mail and money deposits for inmates in Gwinnett and Chatham counties. For general mail in those systems, correspondence goes through a processing facility rather than directly to the jail.
Houston County uses PayTel for video visitation at a cost of $0.30 per minute for remote sessions. That cost adds up fast during a 20-minute call. Many counties that use video-only visitation explain the policy on their booking or jail information pages. All visitation sessions in these counties are monitored by detention center staff.
Georgia Court System and Additional Records
The Georgia court system maintains records beyond what county jails track. Court records show what happened after an arrest, including arraignment, bond hearings, plea entries, and case dispositions. These are separate from booking reports but are related. If you need to know whether charges were dropped, reduced, or resulted in a conviction, the court record is where you look. The Georgia Courts website provides links to court resources across all 159 counties.
For those who need to look up the official Georgia statutes that govern booking records and open records access, the Georgia Code on Justia covers all relevant sections including § 42-4-7 on sheriff's duty to maintain jail records, § 50-18-70 on public records access, § 35-1-19 on booking photograph rules, and § 35-3-37 on record restriction. Twiggs County provides a good example of standard open records procedures. That office requires all requests in writing, responds within three business days, and charges $5.00 for vehicle crash reports while providing free initial incident reports to people named in them.
Browse Georgia Booking Reports by County
Every county in Georgia maintains booking records through its county sheriff's office. Pick a county below for local jail roster links, contact information, and booking record access details.
Georgia Booking Reports by City
Arrests in Georgia cities are processed through county jails. Pick a city below for local booking record information and sheriff's office contacts.