Search Georgia Arrest Records
Georgia arrest records are public documents held by law enforcement across all 159 counties. These records show arrest details, criminal charges, booking data, and court outcomes for people taken into custody in the state. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the central criminal history system that ties local agencies together statewide. You can search Georgia arrest records through online state databases or visit a county sheriff's office in person. Each county keeps its own set of arrest records at the local jail or sheriff's office. This page covers where to find and how to access arrest records from every public source in Georgia.
Georgia Arrest Records Quick Facts
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Records
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is the main state agency for arrest records and criminal history data. Based at 3121 Panthersville Road in Decatur, the GBI supports law enforcement with criminal investigations, forensic lab work, and computerized criminal justice information. Their Criminal History Records unit handles requests from the public. Call (404) 244-2639 for arrest record questions. You can also email gacriminalhistory@gbi.state.ga.us for help with Georgia criminal history issues. The GBI website has full details on all services tied to arrest records in Georgia.
The GBI main site is the starting point for anyone looking into Georgia arrest records at the state level.
From this portal you can reach criminal history services, the sex offender registry, and crime data reports. The Georgia Crime Information Center sits under the GBI and runs the statewide criminal history database. GCIC built a network of computer terminals in police departments, sheriff offices, courts, and jails across Georgia. This network is called the Criminal Justice Information System. It lets agencies share arrest data in real time. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, any person can request to see their own Georgia criminal history record. The fee for a record inspection is up to $15. If you think anything in the record is wrong, you have 60 days to ask for a correction. GCIC also added a Rapid ID system in 2010 that lets officers run fingerprint checks using handheld devices right in the field.
More than 600 law enforcement agencies in Georgia report arrest data to GCIC each month through the Uniform Crime Reporting program.
How to Get Georgia Arrest Records
Most people get arrest records through a local sheriff's office or police department. The GBI FAQ page explains the steps for getting your own Georgia criminal history record. Contact your local law enforcement agency first. They can tell you what forms and ID you need. The GCIC lobby office at the GBI headquarters in Decatur handles in-person requests, but only by appointment. Same-day walk-ins are not accepted. You must call (404) 244-2639 and press option 1 to set up a time. The GBI criminal history FAQ page covers common questions about this process.
The FAQ page answers questions about record restriction, attorney requests, and identity theft in Georgia. A Georgia arrest record contains several types of data. It includes the person's name, date of birth, social security number, sex, race, height, and weight. It also shows each arrest with the agency name, date, and charges filed. Court dispositions appear when a judge makes a final ruling. Custodial data shows up if the person was held in a Georgia correctional facility. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, an attorney can get a client's criminal history by sending a written request with the case style, case number, and the person's identifying information to the GCIC.
For direct contact about Georgia arrest records and criminal history issues, the GBI criminal history contact page lists all phone numbers and email addresses.
The primary number is (404) 244-2639. TTY users can call (800) 255-0056. Spanish speakers can reach (888) 202-3972. When you call, you will need to know the full name, date of birth, and other identifying details for the person whose Georgia arrest record you want to check.
Note: Private investigators cannot request Georgia criminal history records on their own and must have a letter from an attorney.
Georgia Corrections Offender Search
The Georgia Department of Corrections runs an offender search tool that lets you find people held in state prisons and facilities. GDC operates secure correctional institutions across Georgia and provides programs for offender rehabilitation. Their main phone number is (404) 656-4661. For inmate records, write to PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. The GDC website is the starting point for searches tied to Georgia arrest records that led to incarceration.
From the GDC site, you can access the offender search tool and find family services information. The GDC Find Offender page lets you look up inmates currently in a Georgia facility. You can search by name, physical description, GDC ID number, or case number. Photos are displayed when available. Before you use the search, you must agree to the GDC disclaimer. The disclaimer makes clear that GDC does not guarantee the accuracy of the data. You should verify any information by writing to Inmate Records at PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029 before making assumptions about someone's Georgia arrest record or current status.
The search returns basic identifying information and facility location for Georgia inmates. For a more direct database query, the GDC Offender Query form gives you a streamlined search interface.
This is the actual database search form used to look up Georgia offenders by name or ID number.
Georgia Felon Search Database
The state runs a separate felon search tool through the Georgia Technology Authority. This search costs $15 per query. You pay even if no record is found. If a match comes back, you pay another $15 to see the details. To run a search you need the person's first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. The results show a list of possible matches based on what you entered. This is a name-based search only. An exact match can only be confirmed through a fingerprint check. The Georgia Felon Search page at georgia.gov has all the details for running a query.
Keep in mind what this search does not cover. It will not return sealed or expunged arrest records. Juvenile felony history is excluded. Misdemeanor arrests do not show up. This tool only covers felony convictions in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, anyone who requests criminal history data under false pretenses faces a fine up to $5,000 and up to two years in prison. Even careless disclosure of Georgia arrest record data can bring a fine of up to $100 and up to 10 days in jail. The law takes access to these records seriously.
Note: The Georgia Felon Search requires a service agreement with the Georgia Technology Authority before you can use it.
Georgia Arrest Record Registries
Georgia keeps several public registries tied to arrest records and criminal justice data. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is maintained by the GBI under O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12. It tracks people convicted of violent sexual offenses in Georgia. The registry is searchable online and free to use. The GBI also manages the Protective Order Registry, which was created by the Family Violence and Stalking Protective Order Registry Act of 2001.
The registry includes photos, addresses, and offense details for registered offenders in Georgia. The GBI also collects crime data from across the state through the Uniform Crime Reporting program. Over 600 agencies send monthly arrest reports and crime data to the GBI. This data helps track arrest trends in Georgia and gives the public a clear picture of criminal activity statewide.
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles also maintains a Parolee Search tool. You can look up parolees by GDC ID or ZIP code. Results may include photos and wanted status.
Georgia Fingerprint Record Checks
Fingerprint-based checks are the most accurate way to verify a Georgia arrest record. The Georgia Applicant Processing Service, known as GAPS, handles electronic fingerprint submissions. GAPS is an end-to-end system for capturing and sending civil fingerprints to the GBI. The results come back electronically to the requesting agency. Demand for fingerprint-based arrest record checks in Georgia has grown a lot over the past decade. GAPS makes the process faster and more reliable than paper-based methods.
GAPS uses certified vendors to capture fingerprints at locations across Georgia. Fees for fingerprint-based Georgia arrest record checks are paid through the GBI Payment Portal. The portal accepts online payments for criminal history services. You can also pay for record inspections and other GCIC services through this system. The GCIC lobby office handles in-person fingerprint services, but only by appointment. You must call ahead. Same-day appointments are not available at the Decatur office.
The payment portal accepts most major payment methods for Georgia arrest record services.
Note: GCIC fingerprint appointments must be scheduled in advance by calling (404) 244-2639 and selecting option 1.
Georgia Arrest Record Laws
Several Georgia statutes control how arrest records are handled, who can see them, and what happens when someone breaks the rules. The Georgia Open Records Act, found at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, gives the public a broad right to inspect government records. This includes arrest records. Initial police arrest reports and initial incident reports are specifically not exempt from disclosure under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. Records tied to pending investigations may be withheld, but the initial arrest report must be released. Violations of the Open Records Act can result in a misdemeanor charge with a fine up to $1,000 for the first offense and up to $2,500 for repeat violations within 12 months under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-74.
O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 is the main statute for criminal history record information in Georgia. It covers individual access, record challenges, and the restriction process for arrest records.
This statute also explains record restriction in Georgia. If an arrest resulted in a dismissal, no bill, nolle prosequi, or dead docket, that arrest charge may be restricted from public view. Restricted Georgia arrest records are only visible to criminal justice agencies after that point. For arrests before July 1, 2013, you can apply for restriction through the arresting agency and pay a fee of up to $50. Arrests after that date follow a different process through the prosecutor. Guilty dispositions are never eligible for restriction in Georgia.
O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38 sets the penalties for unauthorized access to Georgia criminal history records.
Knowingly requesting arrest records under false pretenses can bring a fine up to $5,000 and imprisonment up to two years. Georgia also keeps body camera and vehicle recordings under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-96. General retention is 180 days. If the video shows an arrest or use of force, retention extends to 30 months. Copies of video recordings cost an extra $10.
Georgia Sheriff Arrest Records
Every one of Georgia's 159 counties has a sheriff who maintains local arrest records and runs the county jail. The sheriff's office is the first place to check for arrest records at the county level in Georgia. Most sheriff offices keep booking logs, inmate lists, and arrest reports. Some counties offer online inmate search tools. Others require you to call or visit in person. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association represents all 159 sheriffs and provides resources for the public.
The association website has contact details and links for sheriff offices across the state. To find the sheriff in a specific county, use the Sheriffs by County directory on the association website. This page lists every Georgia sheriff with their office address and phone number. It is the fastest way to find who handles arrest records in any Georgia county.
You can call the sheriff's office in any Georgia county to ask about arrest records, jail bookings, and inmate information.
Georgia Arrest Records by County
Each of Georgia's 159 counties has a sheriff's office that keeps arrest records and runs the county jail. Pick a county below to find contact details, inmate search tools, and local arrest record resources.
Georgia City Arrest Records
Residents of major Georgia cities file arrest record requests through their county sheriff's office or local police department. Pick a city below to learn about arrest records in that area.