Augusta 72 Hour Booking Records

Augusta 72 hour booking records are managed by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. Augusta and Richmond County consolidated their governments, so the sheriff's office handles all arrests and bookings for the entire area.

Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff's Office

Augusta is different from many Georgia cities. The police department and sheriff's office are consolidated. That means law enforcement, patrol, arrests, and jail operations all fall under the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. The main office is at 400 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901. Call 706-821-1080 for general questions.

There is no separate city police force. The sheriff handles everything from traffic stops to investigations to running the jail. When someone is arrested in Augusta, the same agency that made the arrest also handles the booking. This can simplify things if you are trying to get records, since you only need to deal with one office instead of two.

The jail is at 401 Walton Way, right next to the main sheriff's office. Call 706-821-1068 for booking and inmate questions. Staff at this number can tell you if someone is in custody and give you basic booking details. The jail processes all arrests for the entire Augusta-Richmond County area.

The Records Bureau handles formal records requests. You can reach them at 706-821-1010, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. There is a $20 fee for records requests. This covers the cost of searching and copying the records. If you just need to check whether someone is currently in jail, the online tool is free.

Richmond County Inmate Search

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office has an online inmate inquiry tool. The Augusta-Richmond County Inmate Inquiry page lets you search for anyone currently booked in the jail. You can look up people by name. Each result shows charges, bond amount, booking date, and housing assignment.

The tool is free to use. No login or account is needed. It shows all current inmates, including those booked in the last 72 hours. If someone was just arrested in Augusta, their record should appear here within a few hours of being processed at the jail. Busy times can cause delays, so check back if you do not see the person right away.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office inmate inquiry portal is another way to access the same information.

For records beyond what the online tool shows, contact the Records Bureau at 706-821-1010. You can request booking records, arrest reports, and other documents. The $20 fee applies to formal requests. The online search itself is always free. If someone has already been released from the jail, their record may not show up on the inmate inquiry anymore, and you would need to go through the formal request process.

How 72 Hour Booking Works in Augusta

Under O.C.G.A. § 17-4-26, a person arrested with a warrant must go before a judge within 72 hours. This is the law behind the "72 hour booking" term. The clock starts at the time of arrest, not when the person reaches the Richmond County jail. Weekend arrests count toward the 72 hours, though most first appearances happen on Monday if the arrest was on a Friday or Saturday.

Warrantless arrests have a shorter window. O.C.G.A. § 17-4-62 requires a hearing within 48 hours. Augusta-Richmond County officers make warrantless arrests for situations like DUI stops, fights, drug incidents, and domestic calls. The 48 hour rule is firm. If the hearing does not happen on time, the arrested person can ask for release.

Since Augusta consolidated its city and county government, there is one court system handling all first appearances. That means the process is fairly direct. The sheriff's office books the person, and the Richmond County courts schedule the hearing. There is no back-and-forth between city and county agencies. This can help keep things on schedule.

Public Access to Augusta 72 Hour Booking Records

Booking records are public under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, Georgia's Open Records Act. Anyone can request them. You do not need a reason. The agency has three business days to respond. For Augusta, all requests go to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office Records Bureau at 706-821-1010.

O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 puts limits on booking photos. Law enforcement cannot give a photo to someone who will post it on a site that charges to take it down. But you can still get booking photos through a regular open records request. The Richmond County Sheriff's Office will check the request before releasing a photo.

The $20 fee applies to formal records requests. The online inmate inquiry is free. If you just need to see who is in jail right now, use the online tool. If you need a certified copy of a booking record or a police report, contact the Records Bureau during their hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM).

Georgia 72 Hour Booking Search Tools

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers anyone sent to state prison. If an Augusta arrest leads to a conviction and state prison time, you can track the person through this free tool. It shows current facility, sentence dates, and release information.

The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) runs the state criminal history database. Call 404-244-2639 for background check questions. A formal check may require fingerprints and a fee. The GCIC has records from all 159 Georgia counties.

The VINE notification system lets you track an inmate after an Augusta booking. Sign up for calls, texts, or emails when someone's status changes. VINE covers Richmond County. The phone line is 833-216-6670. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has a directory of every sheriff in the state if you need to check beyond Augusta.

Record Restriction and Expungement

O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows a person to seek restriction of their arrest record if charges were dropped, they were acquitted, or the case was not prosecuted. Once restricted, the record will not show on most background checks. Law enforcement still has access to it.

O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 covers first offender treatment. If someone completed all the terms of a first offender sentence in Augusta, they can petition the Richmond County court to restrict the record. There is a filing fee. A judge must sign off. Not all charges are eligible, and violent felonies are generally not allowed under this law.

Restricted records will not appear on the online inmate inquiry. For older or restricted records, you would need to go through the Records Bureau and pay the $20 fee. The office can tell you what records are available for your request.

Richmond County Booking Records

For the full breakdown of the Richmond County jail, inmate inquiry, and all contact details, visit our county page.