Search Georgia 72 Hour Booking Records
Georgia 72 hour booking records list people who have been arrested and booked into county jails within the past three days. All 159 county sheriff offices across the state run their own jail and keep these booking records at the local detention center. You can search Georgia 72 hour booking data online through county sheriff websites. Some Georgia counties let you look up inmates by name or booking date. Others post a full jail roster that updates every few hours. The Georgia Department of Corrections runs a separate search for state prison inmates. This guide covers where to find and how to search 72 hour booking records from any part of Georgia.
Georgia 72 Hour Booking Quick Facts
Georgia 72 Hour Booking Records
A 72 hour booking record shows who was brought into a Georgia county jail in the past three days. It lists the person's name, age, race, sex, arrest date, charges, and bond amount. Some Georgia booking records also show the arresting agency and a booking photograph. Georgia law sets the rules for how long a person can be held after an arrest. Under O.C.G.A. § 17-4-26, someone arrested with a warrant in Georgia must appear before a judge within 72 hours. That is where the term "72 hour booking" comes from. The clock starts at the time of booking into the Georgia county jail. If the jail does not bring the person to court within that window, they must be released.
The rule changes for warrantless arrests in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 17-4-62, those arrests require a court hearing within 48 hours instead. Weekends and holidays when Georgia courts are closed do not count toward either time limit. Most Georgia counties track both types of bookings in the same jail roster. That roster changes as new arrests come in and as people bond out or get released from the Georgia county jail.
The Georgia Department of Corrections handles state prison inmates only. It does not hold county jail inmates. For Georgia county jail 72 hour bookings, you must search each county on its own.
The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you look up inmates held in state prison facilities across Georgia.
This tool covers Georgia state inmates only and does not include county jail 72 hour booking records.
Search Georgia 72 Hour Booking Records Online
The main state tool for searching Georgia inmates is the GDC Offender Query system. You can search by first name, last name, gender, race, age range, offender ID, or case number on that site. Keep in mind this only shows people in Georgia state prison. It does not show Georgia county jail bookings. For 72 hour booking records at the county level in Georgia, visit each county sheriff website directly. Many larger Georgia counties run their own online inmate search tools. Chatham County has a dedicated Georgia 72 hour booking page that shows all bookings from the past three days. Fulton County, DeKalb County, and Cobb County all have online inmate search portals. Smaller Georgia counties may not have web access, but you can call the sheriff office to ask about recent 72 hour bookings in that area.
The GDC Offender Search Database lets you search Georgia state prison inmates by name and other details.
Search fields include name, gender, race, and age range for inmates in Georgia state facilities.
Georgia also runs a general offender search through its main portal. The Georgia.gov Find an Offender page connects you to the Department of Corrections search tool. You can look up adult offenders by name, ID, or case number through that Georgia portal. For county jail inmates, the site tells you to visit the county website instead. Georgia does not have one single database that covers all county jail 72 hour bookings. Each Georgia county runs its own system, so knowing which county to search matters.
The Georgia.gov Find Offender portal points users to the state corrections search for Georgia inmates.
For Georgia county jail 72 hour bookings, you still need to search each county on its own.
A Georgia 72 hour booking record typically shows these details:
- Full name of the arrested person
- Date and time of the arrest in Georgia
- Criminal charges filed
- Bond amount set by the Georgia court
- Arresting agency in that Georgia county
- Booking photograph when one is available
Georgia County Sheriff Booking Records
Georgia has 159 counties. Each one has an elected sheriff who runs the county jail. The Georgia sheriff office handles all bookings at the local detention center. When someone gets arrested in a Georgia county, they go to that county jail for processing. The booking creates a record with the name, charges, mugshot, and bond info for that person. Most Georgia booking records are public under state law. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association keeps a directory of all 159 county sheriffs with their contact details. You can use the sheriffs by county directory to find the right Georgia office for any county in the state.
The Georgia Sheriffs' Association supports all 159 elected sheriffs who manage 72 hour booking records across Georgia counties.
The association provides training and resources for Georgia sheriff offices that handle jail booking records.
Not every Georgia county posts 72 hour booking records online. Larger Georgia counties tend to have search tools on their websites. Chatham County in Georgia shows bookings from the past 72 hours and 24 hours on separate pages. Fulton County runs an inmate search where you can look up people by name or booking ID. Cobb County and DeKalb County also have online Georgia jail rosters you can check. Clayton County lets you search by booking date going back 48 hours, 14 days, or 31 days. Clarke County in Georgia posts arrests from the last 7 days and updates the list every 15 minutes. For smaller Georgia counties without online tools, call the sheriff office to ask about recent 72 hour bookings directly.
The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists contact information for all 159 Georgia county sheriffs.
Use this directory to find the phone number and address for any Georgia county sheriff office that handles booking records.
Georgia Criminal History Records
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, called GCIC. This state agency keeps criminal history records for all of Georgia. A criminal history record has more detail than a Georgia 72 hour booking record. It covers a person's full arrest history, court results, and sentencing data across the state. You can get a copy of your own Georgia criminal history from most sheriff offices or police departments. The GBI criminal history FAQ page explains the process. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, Georgia criminal history records can be shared for certain purposes when written consent is provided.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the state criminal history record system.
The GBI GCIC office handles record requests by appointment only at their Decatur, Georgia location.
The Georgia GCIC office is at 3121 Panthersville Road in Decatur. Call the helpline at 404-244-2639 for questions about Georgia criminal history records. The GCIC lobby is open by appointment only for record inspections and fingerprint services in Georgia. For mail requests, write to Georgia Crime Information Center, P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, GA 30037. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some Georgia arrest records can be restricted from public view when certain conditions are met. For arrests in Georgia after July 1, 2013, contact the prosecutor directly. For older Georgia arrests, apply at the arresting agency. This is not the same as expungement. The records still exist in Georgia but are sealed from general public access.
The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) is part of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
GCIC maintains the statewide criminal history database used by law enforcement across Georgia.
Note: The Georgia GCIC helpline at 404-244-2639 has options for criminal history updates, background checks, attorney inquiries, and fingerprint services.
Public Access to Georgia Booking Records
Georgia has strong public records laws that cover 72 hour booking records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, initial police arrest reports and incident reports are open to the public in Georgia. Georgia 72 hour booking records fall under public access in most cases. You do not need a reason to search. You do not need to be related to the arrested person. The Georgia booking information is open to anyone who wants to see it. Some limits apply though. Records tied to active Georgia investigations may be exempt from disclosure. Details about minors are usually kept private. Georgia also has rules about booking photographs. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, Georgia law enforcement cannot give out booking photos if those photos might end up on websites that charge fees for removal. House Bill 845 made this rule effective in Georgia starting July 2014.
O.C.G.A. § 17-4-26 sets the 72 hour rule for bringing arrested persons before a judicial officer in Georgia.
This Georgia statute is the legal basis for the 72 hour booking window used in county jails across the state.
For people who want to track someone in a Georgia jail, the VINE system is a free tool. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Sign up at vinelink.com or call 833-216-6670 to register for Georgia inmate alerts. The system sends you a notice when a Georgia inmate is released, transferred, or escapes from custody. A mobile app called VINELink works for Georgia residents too. This service covers many Georgia county jails and is open to anyone, not just victims of crime. Georgia's First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 lets first-time offenders avoid a permanent criminal record if they complete all sentencing requirements set by the Georgia court.
The Georgia Open Records Act defines which law enforcement records are available to the public in Georgia.
Under this Georgia law, initial arrest reports and 72 hour booking records are generally open to anyone.
Note: Georgia news organizations can still get booking photos through the open records process for news coverage purposes.
Georgia 72 Hour Booking by County
Each Georgia county has its own sheriff who runs the county jail and keeps 72 hour booking records. Pick a county below to find local contact info and booking search resources for that area of Georgia.
72 Hour Booking in Major Georgia Cities
Georgia cities do not run their own jails for long term holds. Arrests go through the county sheriff in that area. Pick a city below to learn about 72 hour booking records for that Georgia location.