Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
Independent records-search resource. This website is not a government agency, police department, sheriff's office, jail, prison or courthouse. Search coverage varies by source and jurisdiction. Some links may lead to third-party services, and compensation may be received when a partner service is used.
Find the Correct Booking Record
The official Dallas County jail lookup lets you search by prisoner details, book-in number or case number. The key is using the right identifier and confirming the person before relying on the result.
This guide explains the roster, Lew Sterrett facilities, booking status, bonds, court cases, visitation, money, mail, phone services, property release and older booking-photo requests.
What Are You Trying to Confirm?
Jail, bond, city detention and court systems answer different questions. Start with the route that matches the visitor’s real need.
Best workflow: locate the person, save the book-in number and every case number, then use those identifiers for bonds, court records, deposits, mail and visitation.
How to Search the Dallas County Jail Roster
Dallas County does not present one simple alphabetical page showing every inmate. The official roster is a search system with three separate lookup methods.
Search by prisoner information
Use last name and first name. Add date of birth, race or sex only when needed to separate similar names.
Search by book-in number
Use this when the exact jail booking number was provided by the jail, court, police or family member.
Search by case number
Use the case route when a Dallas County court or charging case number is already known.
Six Micro-Steps for a Reliable Search
Open the county-operated lookup
Use the Dallas County website before paid people-search pages or unrelated Dallas County sites from another state.
Start with the legal last name
The official prisoner-information form requires a last name. Enter the first name next, then add other fields only when needed.
Use fewer fields after no result
Remove an uncertain date of birth, middle name, punctuation or suffix. One incorrect field can eliminate the correct result.
Open the matching detail page
Review booking date, book-in number, charges, cases, warrants, bond information and housing details that are displayed.
Record each identifier separately
A book-in number, case number and warrant number are different. Save each one with the related charge.
Verify before paying or travelling
Recheck custody, housing, bond and visitation because all can change after the original booking.
Location warning: this article covers Dallas County, Texas. Dallas County, Iowa uses a completely different sheriff and inmate-search system.
Which Search Details Should You Use?
Enter information that is known to be accurate. Too many uncertain fields can make the correct inmate appear missing.
| Field | Best use | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Last name | Required starting field for the prisoner-information search. | Using a nickname, former name or incorrect hyphenation. |
| First name | Narrows common surnames. | Using a shortened name instead of the legal booking name. |
| Date of birth | Separates people with similar names. | Entering an estimated date that does not match the booked record. |
| Race or sex | Further narrows a large result set. | Using an assumption rather than the value entered by booking staff. |
| Book-in number | Directly identifies a county jail booking. | Confusing it with a case or warrant number. |
| Case number | Searches custody records connected to a known Dallas County case. | Using a municipal, another-county or federal case number. |
Search trick: if a detailed search fails, use only the last name and first name. Add the date of birth after confirming the exact legal spelling.
Dallas County Booking Record Decoder
A result can locate the booking, but it does not replace the criminal court file.
| Result detail | What it means | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Book-in number | Identifier for the Dallas County jail booking. | Use it for calls, deposits, mail, property and record requests. |
| Booking date | When the person entered the county jail system for that booking. | Do not confuse it with the offense, filing, conviction or release date. |
| Charge | The allegation or custody reason recorded by the jail system. | Check the court portal because charges can be changed or dismissed. |
| Case number | The court case associated with a listed charge. | Use the official Dallas County court search. |
| Warrant number | A warrant identifier associated with the booking or case. | Use the number in the court or criminal background search when instructed. |
| Bond | The amount or status currently listed for a charge or case. | Verify every charge and hold before assuming release is possible. |
| Housing location | The facility or unit assignment currently shown. | Recheck before visitation or property pickup because assignments change. |
Legal context: a booking charge is not a conviction. Use the court record to verify filing, dismissal, plea, acquittal, conviction or later disposition.
Why Someone May Not Appear in the Lookup
A missing search result can have several explanations. Follow the matching next step instead of assuming the person was released.
Dallas County Inmate Information
This is listed as the 24-hour prisoner-information number for all Dallas County jails.
“I am trying to confirm whether [full legal name], date of birth [date], was booked into Dallas County custody on or around [date]. The online search is not showing a result. Can you tell me whether intake is pending, the person was released or the person was transferred?”
Dallas City Detention vs Dallas County Jail
“Arrested in Dallas” does not always mean the person is already searchable in the Dallas County jail system.
City of Dallas Detention Center
May be relevant for very recent Dallas municipal, public-intoxication or Class C matters before county processing or release.
Address: 1600 Chestnut Street, Dallas, TX 75226
Non-emergency: 214-670-3999
Dallas County Jail System
Use for county custody, felony and misdemeanor bookings, bond information, Lew Sterrett housing and county court follow-up.
Inmate information: 214-761-9025
The City of Dallas states that its Marshal’s Office and City Detention Center operate 24 hours a day. Use the city contact when the arrest is extremely recent and the county lookup has no result.
What Happens After a Dallas County Booking?
The official inmate handbook explains why a person may be processed at one location and later housed somewhere else.
Intake and property receipt
Property and money taken during intake are documented. Cash is placed into an inmate trust-fund account associated with the person’s name and book-in number.
Pretrial release screening
The handbook states that booked individuals are screened by pretrial-release personnel for possible personal-bond consideration.
Classification and housing
Classification staff assign housing using factors such as charges, age, medical condition, behavior and prior record.
Possible facility movement
People are processed through Lew Sterrett Intake/Release and may later move to North Tower, West Tower or Suzanne L. Kays.
Practical effect: do not mail, visit or attempt a property release using an old housing assignment. Check the current jail result first.
The handbook contains operational information and inmate rules. Current web pages should control whenever a schedule, vendor, fee or mailing process has changed.
Lew Sterrett Justice Center and Jail Facilities
The Lew Sterrett complex is the central intake, release and bond location for Dallas County detention.
Lew Sterrett Justice Center
111 West Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Main county intake, release and bond-desk location.
Sheriff Contact Office
Frank Crowley Courts Building
133 N. Riverfront Boulevard
Dallas, TX 75207
Dallas County explains that people in the jail system may be awaiting court, awaiting transfer to state or federal prison, or temporarily brought from another facility for court.
How to Check a Dallas County Inmate Bond
A bond amount on one case does not guarantee release. Every charge, warrant and agency hold must be reviewed.
Bond Verification Order
Find the correct booking
Save the inmate’s full name, date of birth, book-in number and every case number.
Review each charge separately
A payable bond on one charge can exist beside no bond, another warrant or another-agency hold.
Confirm the current amount
Call inmate information, Bond Administration or the relevant court before obtaining funds.
Use an accepted payment method
Dallas County accepts cash, cashier’s check or money order for cash bonds at the bond desk, subject to current rules.
Ask about holds and release timing
Confirm whether immigration, probation, parole, another county or another agency will continue custody.
Dallas County Bond Desk
Lew Sterrett Justice Center
111 West Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Bond Administration
Use the official number to confirm current county procedures.
| Payment point | Official guidance | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Cash bond | Pay in person with valid acceptable identification. | Do not send money to an unofficial person or app. |
| Cashier’s check or money order | Must be payable to Dallas County and meet the county’s DFW financial-institution rule. | Bring proof of purchase and verify the exact amount first. |
| Debit or credit card | Not accepted to post a county cash bond. | A vendor claiming otherwise may not be the county bond desk. |
| Western Union | Currently listed as unavailable. | Check the official page for future changes. |
Scam warning: Dallas County specifically warns people not to send bond payments through CashApp. Use the county bond desk or a legitimate bond company.
“I am calling about [full name], book-in number [number], case number [number]. Can you confirm the current bond, accepted payment method, bond-desk location and whether another hold would prevent release?”
Search Dallas County Court Records
The jail entry explains custody. The court file explains what was filed and what happened later.
- Felony and misdemeanor case information
- Case number and assigned court
- Pending or disposed status
- Hearing and filing information
- Publicly accessible documents
- Bond-related court activity
- Dismissal or disposition codes
- Later case events
Dallas County states that registration is not required for public access to the Courts Portal. Online information is provided as a public service and should not replace a certified record when official proof is required.
Common Dallas County Disposition Codes
Charge dismissed.
Found innocent of the charge.
No bill by the grand jury.
Agreed non-adjudication disposition.
Transferred to another county or district court.
Probation revoked.
Code warning: read the full docket and order. A short disposition code should not be interpreted without the surrounding court record.
Dallas County Jail Visitation Rules
Confirm the inmate’s current housing and the latest schedule before leaving home.
Current In-Person Schedule
| Last name | Days | Hours | Processing cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A through L | Monday and Thursday | 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| M through Z | Tuesday and Friday | 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| All inmates | Saturday and Sunday | 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. |
- Confirm housing before travelling
- Arrive before the processing cutoff
- Bring valid identification
- Do not bring a cellphone into visitation
- One 20-minute visit per day
- Maximum two visits per week
- Maximum two adults and two minors
- Minors visit on weekends with an approved adult
Local EV parking tip: the sheriff specifically warns that cellphones are prohibited in visitation, which may affect drivers who rely on a phone to operate or charge an electric vehicle. Plan before entering.
Prior-custody restriction: a person incarcerated in a Dallas County detention facility during the preceding six months is not authorized for regular visitation under the posted rules.
Video Visitation
Dallas County uses Smart Communications for on-site and off-site video visits. The official page requires advance scheduling and states that visits are recorded and monitored.
Money, Mail and Phone Services
Confirm the inmate’s exact name and book-in number before paying, mailing or opening a communications account.
How to Deposit Money
| Option | Officially listed route | Fee or warning |
|---|---|---|
| Jail kiosk | Cash at a kiosk located at each jail. | Confirm current custody and book-in number first. |
| Walk-in | CashPayToday participating location. | County page lists a $5 flat fee; verify current pricing. |
| Online | Access Corrections. | County page lists fees starting at $2.95. |
| Telephone | 1-866-345-1884. | County page lists fees starting at $3.95. |
Payment warning: personal checks, payroll checks, money orders and several government or benefit checks are not accepted through the inmate trust-fund process.
Regular Mail Address
Mail Processing Center
Inmate’s full name and book-in number
c/o Mail Processing Center
PO Box 9226
Seminole, FL 33775-9226
- Include the inmate’s full legal name
- Include the correct book-in number
- Write only on one side of a letter
- Include the sender’s full name and return address
- Do not use staples, tape, paperclips or stickers
- Do not send Polaroid photographs
- Keep photographs at or below 8 by 10 inches
- Do not send clothing, cash or prohibited items
Released-inmate mail: mail is not forwarded after release. It may be returned to the sender or sent to the postal dead-letter process.
Attorney Correspondence
Mail sent to the Seminole processing address is not treated as confidential attorney correspondence. Dallas County lists separate legal-mail instructions and a Dallas mailing address for attorney correspondence.
Attorney Correspondence Address
Inmate’s full name and book-in number
PO Box 660334
Dallas, TX 75266
Phone and Electronic Communication
Dallas County currently directs family and friends to SmartInmate by Smart Communications for telephone and electronic communication services.
How to Release an Inmate’s Property
Property pickup requires the inmate’s authorization and is processed through the Lew Sterrett front-lobby control center.
Confirm the current housing location
If the inmate has a housing assignment, the requester takes the release form to that facility for the inmate’s signature.
Use separate forms when needed
Clothing and other property cannot be released on the same form.
Understand the all-property rule
After vault processing, the release must cover all property in the category. Individual selected items cannot be released.
Bring accepted photo identification
Use a valid driver’s license, state ID, passport, alien registration card or another accepted government photo ID.
Use the posted pickup hours
Property releases are listed from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.
How to Request a Dallas County Booking Photo
Use the jail lookup first for someone who is currently in custody. Older records need a more specific request.
Person is still in custody
Use the official jail lookup and record the book-in number, date of birth, charges and case information.
Person is no longer in custody
Follow the Sheriff’s Public Information Officer instructions and provide enough identifying information to locate the historical booking.
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Approximate booking date
- Known charge or charges
- Book-in number when available
- Case number when available
- Specific record requested
- Preferred electronic response method
“I am requesting the publicly releasable Dallas County booking photograph for [full legal name], date of birth [date], believed to have been booked on or around [date]. The known charge, book-in number or case number is [details]. Please advise whether the record is available and whether fees or redactions apply.”
The Sheriff’s Public Information Officer lists regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and asks requesters seeking older booking photos to provide the name, date of birth, charges and other identifying details.
No guaranteed release: a booking photo may be unavailable, restricted, redacted or held by a different agency.
Warrants, Transfers and State or Federal Custody
A Dallas County case can continue after the person leaves the county jail.
Warrant Information
Use for Dallas County sheriff warrant questions.
Inmate Information
Ask whether the person remains in county custody or was transferred.
| Situation | Correct next source | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Current county booking | Dallas County jail lookup | Checks current county custody information. |
| Sentenced to Texas prison | Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate search | The person may no longer be housed in Dallas County. |
| Federal custody | Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator | Federal custody is tracked separately. |
| Another county or agency hold | The holding agency or county | Release from Dallas County may not end detention. |
| Released but case continues | Dallas County Courts Portal | Court activity can continue without jail custody. |
Transfer timing: a person may temporarily disappear between local release and appearance in another custody system. Confirm with the jail instead of assuming freedom or escape.
Before You Rely on the Record
Complete this check before paying money, sharing information or travelling to the jail.
- I used the Dallas County, Texas official lookup.
- I matched the full name and date of birth.
- I recorded the book-in number.
- I recorded every case and warrant number.
- I checked every charge and agency hold.
- I verified the bond through an official source.
- I confirmed housing before visitation or property pickup.
- I used the court portal for case outcomes.
- I did not treat an arrest as proof of guilt.
- I saved the date and source of the information.
Dallas County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
How do I search for an inmate in the Dallas County Jail?
Open the official Dallas County Jail Lookup System. Search by the person’s last name and first name, or use a known book-in number or case number. Compare date of birth, booking details, charges and case information before relying on a match.
Can I search the Dallas County jail roster by book-in number or case number?
Yes. The official Dallas County lookup provides separate searches by book-in number and case number. Enter the identifier exactly as supplied by the jail, court or arresting agency.
Why is someone not appearing in the Dallas County inmate lookup?
The booking may still be processing, the name or date of birth may be entered differently, the person may be in a city detention center, or the person may have been released or transferred.
Is Lew Sterrett Justice Center the Dallas County Jail?
Lew Sterrett Justice Center is the main Dallas County intake, release and detention complex at 111 West Commerce Street. Dallas County also uses North Tower, West Tower and the Suzanne L. Kays facility.
What is a Dallas County book-in number?
A book-in number identifies a Dallas County jail booking. It is different from a court case number, warrant number or inmate name and is useful for jail calls, deposits, mail and record requests.
How do I check a Dallas County inmate’s bond?
Locate the booking and every related case, then confirm the current bond with the Dallas County jail, Bond Administration or court. A separate charge or agency hold may prevent release even when one bond is payable.
What are the Dallas County Jail visitation hours?
The official schedule lists A through L on Monday and Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., M through Z on Tuesday and Friday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and all inmates on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Verify current rules before travelling.
How can I send money or mail to a Dallas County inmate?
Confirm the inmate’s name and book-in number first. Dallas County lists jail kiosks, approved walk-in locations, Access Corrections and telephone deposits. Regular mail goes through the Seminole, Florida processing center using the inmate’s name and book-in number.
How do I request a Dallas County booking photo after release?
For a person still in custody, begin with the jail lookup. For a person no longer in custody, follow the Sheriff’s Public Information Officer guidance and provide the full name, date of birth, approximate booking date, charges and known identifying numbers.
Where can I search Dallas County criminal court cases?
Use the official Dallas County Online Record Search and Courts Portal. Public access does not require registration, but online data should not replace a certified court record when official proof is required.
Mugshot Record Excavator: Official Jail, Court & Booking Verification Tool
Use this tool to build a safer official-record search plan, generate better search queries, decode booking terms, score match confidence, prepare a records request, and avoid wrong-person mistakes. It runs in your browser and does not submit your entries.
Build a practical official-record search plan
This does not search hidden records. It creates a safer step-by-step path to find the right official jail, sheriff, court, state, or federal source.
Match confidence calculator
Use this before assuming a mugshot, arrest listing, or booking entry belongs to the right person.
Booking and jail-record field decoder
Select a term commonly found on jail rosters, inmate searches, booking pages, and court follow-up records.
Generate a records request note
Create a clean, polite request note for a sheriff’s office, jail, court clerk, police department, or public-records office.
Problem solver: missing, old, or confusing results
Choose the issue you’re facing and get a practical next-step checklist.
Generated result
Your plan, links, decoded explanation, request note, or checklist will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Add a state, county/city, name, date, and goal. The tool will create an official-source search path and copyable verification log.
Browser-only privacy note: this tool does not send your entries to this website.