Search Indiana 72 Hour Booking Records
Indiana 72 hour booking records let you look up current jail inmates, recent arrests, and booking data from county jails across the state. Each of Indiana's 92 counties runs its own jail under the county Sheriff's Office. When someone is arrested in Indiana, the booking process begins within the first 72 hours of detention. You can search these records online through statewide portals or individual county tools, by phone, or in person at a county jail. This page covers the key search tools and resources for 72 hour booking records in Indiana.
Indiana 72 Hour Booking Quick Facts
What Is 72 Hour Booking in Indiana?
When someone is arrested in Indiana, jail staff complete a formal booking process within the first 72 hours of custody. This intake procedure records the person's name, date of birth, and address. Jail staff also take fingerprints and photographs, conduct a health screening, and run warrant checks. All of this data becomes the 72 hour booking record, which is kept by the county Sheriff's Office. Under Indiana Code IC 36-2-13-5, each county sheriff must take photographs, fingerprints, and identification data for every person brought into custody. This law applies to all 92 Indiana counties.
The term "72 hour booking" comes from Indiana's rules on how long a person can be held before formal court review. Under IC 12-26-5-1, Indiana law addresses detention periods in certain contexts, and the 72-hour window is a common reference point for initial jail holds. After booking, the person may be released on bond, held for a hearing, or moved to another facility. Each step creates records that can be part of the public file under Indiana law.
It is important to know that all persons listed in jail booking records are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Booking records show an arrest occurred, not that a crime was committed. Keep that in mind when using any Indiana inmate search tool.
Indiana County Jail Public Portal
The fastest way to search 72 hour booking records from multiple Indiana counties in one place is the Indiana County Jail Public Portal. Visit public.indianajail.gov and search by last name, first name, and date of birth. A county dropdown lets you pick a specific county or search across participating counties at once. The portal is free to use and available around the clock.
Not every Indiana county participates in this statewide portal. Counties that use it include Brown, Carroll, Elkhart, Fountain, Grant, Hendricks, Howard, Jasper, Jennings, Lake, Marshall, Monroe, Noble, Shelby, Starke, Steuben, Tippecanoe, Union, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, Warrick, Wells, and others. If the county you need is not in the portal, you will need to visit that county Sheriff's Office website directly or call the jail. This page links to each county's individual tools at the bottom.
The portal shows basic 72 hour booking data such as name, booking date, and current status. For detailed charge information or bond amounts, contact the county jail or check the county's own inmate search system.
The Indiana County Jail Public Portal at public.indianajail.gov is the best starting point when you are not sure which county jail holds the person you are looking for in Indiana.
The statewide portal connects you to 72 hour booking records from dozens of Indiana county jails through one convenient search tool.
IDOC Indiana Inmate Search
The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) maintains a separate database for state prison inmates. This is different from county jail 72 hour booking records. The IDOC Offender Locator covers people who have been sentenced and transferred to state prison, not those held at the county level right after arrest.
You can search the IDOC database by last name, or by both first and last name. IDOC is headquartered at 302 W. Washington Street, Room E-334, Indianapolis, IN 46204. For written records requests, email coaoffenderrecordrequest@idoc.in.gov or use the IDOC records request page. General public records from IDOC can also be requested through the agency's website. If someone was recently arrested and is still in a county jail, they will not show up in the IDOC system. The IDOC database covers long-term incarceration after sentencing, while county 72 hour booking records cover the period right after arrest in Indiana.
Use the IDOC Offender Locator for state prison inquiries and the county jail portal for 72 hour booking records from Indiana county jails.
VINE Victim Notification and Indiana 72 Hour Booking
Indiana offers the VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) service through VINELink as a free tool to track inmate custody status across Indiana jails and prisons. VINE sends alerts by phone or email when an inmate's status changes, such as when they are released, transferred, or moved between facilities. You can also look up current status through the VINE website.
Call the VINE line at 866-959-VINE (8463) any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Registration is free. Many Indiana counties that do not have their own online 72 hour booking search tool, such as Brown County and Clark County, direct people to VINELink as the primary way to check inmate status. VINE connects to most Indiana county jails and the state prison system, giving broad coverage in one place.
Note: VINE provides custody status and notifications. It works best alongside county inmate search tools for full 72 hour booking information.
Indiana Court Records and Booking Cases
Booking records and court records serve different purposes. A 72 hour booking record comes from the county jail and shows arrest and detention data. Court records come from the county court system and document what happened after the arrest, such as charges filed, court dates, and outcomes. Both types of records can be relevant when researching an arrest in Indiana.
Indiana Courts offers a free public case search tool called MyCase at public.courts.in.gov/mycase. You can search by name or case number to find criminal case filings, hearing schedules, and case results from Indiana courts. Charges on a 72 hour booking record may be changed or dropped once the case moves to court. Checking both the 72 hour booking record from the county jail and the MyCase system gives you a more complete picture of where a case stands.
MyCase is free to search and covers courts across all 92 Indiana counties, making it a strong companion tool to county 72 hour booking searches.
IDOC Records Request Process
To get official records from the Indiana Department of Correction, submit a request through the IDOC Records Request page. This covers state-level offender records for people who have been incarcerated in IDOC facilities. For offender-specific records, email coaoffenderrecordrequest@idoc.in.gov. General records requests go through the IDOC website.
IDOC records cover state prison history and are separate from county jail 72 hour booking records. For county-level booking data, contact the county Sheriff's Office or use the Indiana County Jail Public Portal. Each county controls its own records and handles records requests independently. IDOC cannot provide county jail 72 hour booking records, and county jails do not have IDOC state prison records.
Indiana Public Records Law and 72 Hour Booking Access
Indiana law gives the public broad access to government records, including 72 hour booking records held by county jails. The main law is Indiana Code IC 5-14-3, known as the Access to Public Records Act, or APRA. Under IC 5-14-3-3, any person has the right to inspect and copy public records from a public agency. County jails are public agencies in Indiana, so their inmate records are generally available to the public without requiring a reason for the request.
When you submit a public records request to a county jail or Sheriff's Office in Indiana, the agency must respond within 7 calendar days under IC 5-14-3-8. They may extend this by up to an additional 7 days in some situations. If a county jail denies your request or does not respond, contact the Indiana Public Access Counselor at in.gov/pac. The Counselor provides free informal advice on records disputes and can issue advisory opinions on whether an agency is complying with APRA. The office does not have enforcement power but can help you understand your rights.
Some booking information may be withheld if release would harm an ongoing investigation or if another legal exception under IC 5-14-3-4 applies. In practice, most basic 72 hour booking data, such as name, booking date, and charges, is publicly available in Indiana.
The Public Access Counselor is a free resource for anyone who has trouble getting 72 hour booking records from an Indiana county jail or other public agency.
Indiana Sheriff's Offices and Jail Booking
Every Indiana county has a Sheriff's Office that runs the county jail and maintains 72 hour booking records. Under Indiana Code IC 11-8-2-5, the sheriff must maintain the county jail and keep records of all prisoners. Sheriffs also report statistics to the Indiana Department of Correction. The Indiana Sheriff's Association at in.gov/sheriffs lists all 92 county sheriff offices with contact information and links to their websites.
Each Indiana sheriff sets their own online access methods for 72 hour booking records. Some counties have full online inmate search tools with mugshots and charges. Others offer limited search options or phone-only access. When you cannot find an online search tool for a specific county, call the Sheriff's Office directly. Most county jails provide inmate information by phone 24 hours a day. The statewide portal at public.indianajail.gov fills in the gap for many counties that do not run their own online search.
If you cannot find 72 hour booking records online for a specific Indiana county, call that county Sheriff's Office or check the Indiana Sheriff's Association website for direct contact information.
Browse Indiana 72 Hour Booking by County
Each Indiana county has its own Sheriff's Office and jail with its own 72 hour booking records system. Select a county below to find local inmate search links, Sheriff's Office contact information, and booking record access details.
72 Hour Booking Records by City
Indiana cities do not run their own jails. All arrests go to the county Sheriff's Office jail. Select a city below to find the right county jail and 72 hour booking search tools for that area.