Georgia 24 Hour Booking Records
Georgia 24 hour booking records show who was arrested and booked into a county jail in the past day. The state has 159 counties. Each one runs its own jail through the sheriff's office. Many Georgia counties let you search booking records online through inmate lookup tools on their websites. Some post the full jail roster on the web. Others let you search by name or booking date to find recent arrests. If your county does not have an online tool, you can call the jail or visit in person to ask about recent bookings. This guide covers how to search Georgia 24 hour booking records and what data you can find across the state.
Georgia 24 Hour Booking Quick Facts
How Georgia 24 Hour Booking Works
County sheriff offices run every jail in Georgia. When police or any law enforcement agency makes an arrest, the person goes to the county jail for processing. Booking happens at all hours. Jail staff records the person's full name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and the agency that made the arrest. All of this goes into the booking log. The sheriff's office keeps these records and updates them as new people come in or get released. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, initial arrest reports are public records in Georgia. This means booking data is generally open to anyone who asks for it.
A Georgia 24 hour booking record usually shows:
- Full legal name of the person booked
- Date of birth and physical description
- Charges at the time of arrest
- Bond amount if one has been set
- Arresting agency and booking date
- Housing location within the jail
The Georgia Department of Corrections runs the state prison system, which is separate from county jail booking operations.
The GDC tracks people serving state prison sentences. It does not cover county jail bookings. If you need to find someone just arrested in the past 24 hours, the county sheriff's website is the right place to start your search in Georgia.
Note: County jail bookings are separate from the state prison system run by the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Search Georgia 24 Hour Booking Records
Many Georgia counties now have online inmate search tools. You can look up who is in jail right now. These tools let you search by last name, first name, or booking date. Some show the full roster of everyone in the jail. Others show only bookings from the last 24 or 72 hours. The level of detail varies by county. Most Georgia booking searches show the person's name, charges, bond amount, and booking date. Some also list the arresting agency and court type.
The GDC Find Offender page lets you search for people currently in the state corrections system across Georgia.
This search covers state prison inmates only. Photographs of offenders are displayed automatically if available. The GDC warns that you should verify any information through written correspondence with Inmate Records at PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029 before assuming it is complete. For county jail bookings, use the local sheriff's search tool instead.
The GDC Offender Query database gives direct access to the state corrections search for sentenced offenders in Georgia.
You must accept a disclaimer before using this tool. Search by name, description, ID, or case number. GDC contact numbers are (404) 656-4661 and (478) 258-7454 if you need help with the search.
Georgia 24 Hour Booking Criminal History
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is an independent state agency that supports criminal justice across Georgia. The GBI maintains criminal history records through the Georgia Crime Information Center. A criminal history record is different from a 24 hour booking record. Booking shows a single arrest event. Criminal history shows the full record of all arrests, court outcomes, and custody data for one person over time in Georgia.
Criminal history records contain identification data like name, date of birth, and physical description. They also show arrest data with the arresting agency, date, and charges. Court disposition data and custodial information are included when available.
The GBI Services directory lists everything you can access through their office, including criminal history checks, the sex offender registry, and crime statistics for Georgia.
Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, private persons can get the criminal history of another person with signed consent. Felony conviction records are public without consent under subsection (d.2). You need the person's full name, race, sex, and date of birth to make the request in Georgia.
The GBI Criminal History FAQ page covers common questions about obtaining records in Georgia.
You can get your own Georgia criminal history from most sheriff offices or police departments. The GCIC Lobby Office handles record inspections by appointment only at (404) 244-2639 option 1. Same day appointments are not available. Mail record restriction applications to Georgia Crime Information Center, CCH/Identification, P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037.
Note: Georgia criminal history records released for most purposes exclude juvenile arrests, restricted records under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, and sealed first offender cases under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60.
Georgia Booking Access Rights
Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to inspect and copy booking records. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 defines public records as all documents prepared or received by a public office or agency. County jails are public agencies. Their booking records fall under this law. You do not need to give a reason to request these records. Anyone can ask to see them in Georgia.
The Governor's Office open records page explains how the request process works across state agencies.
The Governor's Office does not hold arrest records or booking data. Those come from local law enforcement. But the rules that govern access apply the same way across all public agencies in Georgia. Requests can be made orally or in writing. Agencies must produce records within three business days under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71.
The Department of Administrative Services manages records across state agencies. Their current rate is $26.93 per hour for records retrieval, with no charge for the first quarter hour.
Fees for booking record copies vary by county. Most charge around $0.10 per page. If a request will cost more than $500, the agency can require prepayment. Some booking records are exempt from full disclosure under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. Pending investigations can be withheld, but initial arrest reports stay public. Personal info like social security numbers and bank account details must be redacted before release. Penalties for violating the Open Records Act include fines up to $1,000 under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-74.
Booking Photo Rules in Georgia
Georgia has strict rules about booking photos. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18 says law enforcement cannot post booking photographs on a website. A booking photograph is any image taken by an arresting agency for identification or when a person is processed into jail. This law limits how mugshots can be shared by agencies across Georgia.
Anyone who requests a booking photo must sign a statement saying they will not put it on a site that charges for removal. Making a false statement is a violation of O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20. The law also bars agencies from giving photos to anyone who will post them to a pay-for-removal website. This protects people from exploitation of their Georgia booking records.
If your booking photo ends up on a third-party website, you may have it removed. O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 requires mugshot sites to take down photos free of charge when the arrest qualifies for record restriction. Send a written request with your name, date of birth, arrest date, and arresting agency. The site must remove the photo within 30 days. Failure to comply can result in civil and criminal penalties. File complaints with the Georgia Department of Law's Consumer Protection Division.
Note: Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 seals arrests when charges are dismissed, not presented to a grand jury, or dropped in Georgia.
Georgia Inmate Booking Services
Several companies work with Georgia jails to provide services for inmates and their families. These cover sending money, phone calls, mail, and visit scheduling. Many Georgia counties use these third-party systems to manage inmate communications and funds after booking.
The Georgia Applicant Processing Service handles fingerprint-based background checks statewide through the GBI.
GAPS results come back within 24 to 48 hours. Bring a valid photo ID to the fingerprint location. Fixed GAPS sites are located across Georgia. Call (404) 244-2639 option 2 or email GAApplicant@gbi.ga.gov for questions.
JailATM handles inmate mail and commissary services at several Georgia county jails.
Counties like Chatham and Gwinnett route inmate mail through the JailATM address at 925B Peachtree Street NE, Box 2062, Atlanta, GA 30309. Include the inmate's ID number and full name.
Video visitation is available at many Georgia jails through GTL Visit Me.
Pre-register and schedule visits at least 24 hours ahead. Visitors must present valid government-issued photo ID. Cobb County uses this system and allows scheduling 1 to 7 days in advance.
Access Corrections handles inmate fund deposits at several Georgia jail facilities.
Send money by mobile app, online, lobby kiosk, or phone at 1-866-345-1884. Henry County uses Access Corrections with a $300 weekly deposit limit. Funds stay with the inmate and are returned via debit card upon release from the Georgia facility.
Georgia 24 Hour Booking by County
Each county sheriff's office in Georgia keeps its own booking records. Pick a county below to find local 24 hour booking info and search tools.
24 Hour Booking in Georgia Cities
City police departments make arrests, but booking records are kept at the county jail. Pick a city to find where 24 hour bookings are processed.