Find a Travis County Booking, Then Follow the Case to the Right Court
If someone was arrested in Austin or elsewhere in Travis County a few hours ago, start with the Sheriff’s current-inmate search. It is the quickest official way to confirm whether the person made it through Central Booking and remains in county custody.
If the person has already been released, the jail search becomes less useful. That is when the county criminal docket, misdemeanor or felony court records, APD booking database and formal TCSO incarceration records become important. This guide shows which one to use instead of sending you through the same search repeatedly.
Start with the TCSO current-inmate search.
500 W. 10th Street in downtown Austin.
Move to docket and clerk court records.
APD posts eligible photos 13 days after arrest.
Local procedures checked August 8, 2026.
Which Travis County search should you use?
Use the legal name first. If the arrest is still processing, the record may not appear immediately.
Follow the current-inmate stepsA person who left the jail may disappear from the current inmate search while the criminal case remains searchable.
Find the released bookingThe official photo database has a built-in delay, so it is not a same-day arrest tool.
Check booking-photo rulesClass A/B misdemeanors go to the County Clerk. Adult felonies go to the District Clerk.
Search the court outcomeTCSO and Austin Police maintain their own reports. Central Booking is not automatically the report owner.
Request the right reportMail, money, visitation, property pickup and release all depend on the person’s current location and booking number.
Help someone in custodyHow to search someone who may still be in Travis County Jail
There is not one Travis County page for every recent arrest situation
“Recent bookings” can mean three different things: someone who is still in jail, someone who was booked and quickly released, or someone whose booking photograph is now public. Travis County uses different official systems for those situations.
Arrest happened today
Use TCSO Find an Inmate first.
If no record appears, allow for booking processing and then call jail information with the full name and date of birth.
Person was released quickly
Search the Travis County criminal docket by name and check the appropriate clerk.
The court record may remain after the person no longer appears in current custody.
You want the booking photograph
Use the APD booking-photo database after its publication delay.
It is not designed to confirm an arrest that happened minutes or hours ago.
You need proof of an older jail stay
Use TCSO’s formal incarceration-record process.
That process has identification and authorization requirements and is not a public historical name roster.
How the Austin Police booking-photo database actually works
What to save from a Travis County booking result
Item |
Why it matters |
What it does not prove |
Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
Booked legal name |
Helps locate the same person in jail and court systems. |
Identity by name alone. |
Compare DOB and booking number. |
Date of birth |
Separates people with similar names. |
The record belongs to the person without another matching identifier. |
Match Jail ID, booking number or cause number. |
Jail ID / booking number |
Needed for jail communications and many inmate services. |
The criminal charge ended in conviction. |
Save it for mail, deposits and calls. |
Current facility |
Controls where mail goes and where some services are handled. |
The person will remain there. |
Recheck before visiting or mailing. |
Charge |
Shows the allegation connected to custody. |
That prosecutors filed or proved that exact offense. |
Search the misdemeanor or felony court record. |
Bond |
Shows the release condition attached to that charge. |
That posting one bond clears all charges or holds. |
Check every charge before paying. |
Court setting |
Helps determine where and when the case is scheduled. |
The date has not changed. |
Confirm through the current docket. |
Someone was arrested, but the Travis County search is blank
Need an older Travis County jail record instead of current custody?
- Bring a current driver’s license, state ID, military ID or passport.
- Other identifying information may be requested.
- The current TCSO fee is $15.
- Payment may be exact cash or check/money order payable to Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
- TCSO requires a notarized authorization letter signed by that person or power of attorney.
- A copy of the individual’s identification is also required.
- The authorization must specifically allow the release.
- This is not a public historical name roster.
5555 Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., excluding county holidays
Central Records: 512-854-9749
Request the police narrative from the agency that created it
TCSO incident or offense report
TCSO’s basic public incident report contains limited information such as the type of offense, date/time, responding officer and reported stolen or damaged property.
- Current price: $0.10 per page.
- Requests can be made in person, by mail, fax or email.
- For the officer narrative, submit a written Open Records Request for the full report or the releasable portion.
- TCSO asks requesters to allow approximately 10 business days for processing.
Austin Police incident report
APD’s public Incident Reports Database is useful when Austin Police handled the call.
- Database updates occur daily.
- Online report data is available from the current date back 18 months.
- Search by police area, district, ZIP code, census tract or known case number.
- The database is a point-in-time public report and may change after investigation or reclassification.
5555 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX 78751
Phone: 512-854-9749
Incident report fax: 512-854-9189
Travis County splits misdemeanor and felony records between two clerks
Misdemeanor: County Clerk
The Travis County Clerk maintains County Courts at Law Class A and B misdemeanor records.
- Misdemeanor case data is available online from January 1981 to the present.
- Some redacted documents are available online.
- Court case data is updated about every 24 hours.
- Newly filed document images may take about 72 hours to appear online.
- 1981-present electronic name searches are free, plus any copy charges.
Felony: District Clerk
The Travis County District Clerk maintains adult felony criminal cases, felony search warrants, felony nondisclosures and all expunction filings.
- The public Odyssey portal provides a Register of Actions.
- Online District Clerk criminal cases generally cover 2008 to the present.
- Public online case viewing is free.
- Felony criminal record-copy questions: 512-854-9420, option 3.
- Certified or physical records can be ordered separately.
Do not know whether the charge is a misdemeanor or felony?
Service |
Published cost |
What it means |
|---|---|---|
Online document printed yourself |
Free |
Carries an unofficial-copy watermark. |
Clerk-sent electronic copy |
$1 per page |
Uncertified copy sent by the clerk. |
Self-service photocopy |
$0.20 per page |
Made by the requester at the clerk’s office. |
Clerk-made copy |
$1 per page |
Requested by phone, email or in person. |
Certification |
$5 per document + copy cost |
Use when official proof is required. |
1981-present misdemeanor name search |
Free |
One name can include up to three aliases. |
Pre-1981 misdemeanor search |
$10 |
One name with up to three aliases; additional aliases may cost more. |
Criminal Courts Administration: 512-854-9244
District Clerk Criminal Records: 512-854-9420
Check a Travis County warrant without trusting a payment call
Read every Travis County bond line before paying anything
What the record says |
What it means |
|---|---|
Any type of bond |
Cash, surety or personal bond may be permitted. |
Cash or surety |
A personal bond is not permitted for that charge. |
No bond information available |
A bond has not yet been set for that charge and may be set later. |
Cash-bond locations
Austin, TX 78701
Del Valle, TX 78617
Travis County uses two primary jail locations
Austin, TX 78701
New Travis County arrests are brought to the Central Booking Facility here.
Del Valle, TX 78617
Main correctional complex and current public visitation location.
Downtown court parking tip
Map: Travis County Central Booking
Map: Travis County Correctional Complex
Travis County visitation takes place at the Del Valle complex
Rule |
Current guidance |
|---|---|
Days |
Wednesday–Sunday, excluding county holidays. |
Hours |
8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. |
Visit allowance |
Two visits per week, face-to-face or onsite video. |
Face-to-face scheduling |
Minimum 24 hours in advance. |
Arrival |
Arrive 30 minutes early; check-in ends 15 minutes before the appointment. |
Visitors |
Two visitors; up to three when children under age 12 are included. |
Adult identification |
Government-issued photo ID required for visitors age 17 and older. |
What families should do after confirming the booking number
Ordinary correspondence must be sent directly to the facility where the inmate is currently housed.
- Include the inmate’s full name.
- Include date of birth.
- Include Jail ID or booking number.
- Include the sender’s return address.
- Recheck the facility before mailing.
Paperback books, magazines and newspapers are accepted only when mailed directly by the publisher or distributing warehouse and subject to TCSO quantity limits.
Read current inmate-contact rulesPhone calls
TCSO uses ViaPath Technologies for inmate telephone accounts.
- AdvancePay: 800-483-8314
- PIN Debit: 855-706-2445
- ViaPath customer support: 877-650-4249
- Accounts can also be managed through ConnectNetwork.
Inmate Trust Fund
Before sending money, obtain the full name, DOB and Jail ID or booking number.
- In-person deposits are handled at TCCC Finance Building #230.
- Current in-person hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.
- Money orders or cashier’s checks must be payable to “Inmate Trust Fund.”
- TCSO does not accept money orders over $100 for an inmate trust deposit.
Western Union deposit
TCSO publishes a county-specific Western Union format.
- Use the seven-digit booking number followed by the inmate’s last name.
- No hyphens or spaces.
- TCSO code city: TCSOITF TX.
- Western Union deposits are posted the following business day.
Mailing money instead
Inmate’s Full Name and Jail ID/Booking Number
P.O. Box 1368
Del Valle, TX 78617
Commissary packages
Medical, mental-health, safety and property concerns
TCSO’s jail medical team provides onsite medical, psychiatric, pharmacy, dental and other services.
Families cannot automatically receive private medical information. The inmate generally must sign the appropriate consent before staff can discuss health details.
Medical team: 512-854-4182
If a person in TCSO custody says they may hurt themselves, TCSO instructs families to contact the jail immediately, 24/7.
Urgent mental-health notice: 512-854-9889
Mental Health Team: 512-854-5356
Open TCSO mental-health informationTCSO maintains a zero-tolerance PREA policy.
Family or friends can report on behalf of an inmate using the PREA reporting process.
PREA Coordinator: 512-854-8168
Open TCSO PREA reportingThe inmate must sign a property-release form before stored property or money can be released to a designee.
The person collecting it must show valid photo ID.
Check property-release hoursFind counsel without falling for a jail-release scam
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-854-5100
The Public Defender is one of the organizations providing court-appointed representation to qualifying adults who cannot afford counsel.
Open Travis County Public DefenderSome court-appointed defendants are represented by private lawyers assigned through CAPDS rather than the county Public Defender.
CAPDS: 512-774-4208
If a lawyer’s name appears on the criminal docket, contact that lawyer directly instead of guessing which appointed-defense organization is involved.
Use a verified Texas lawyer directory or referral service and confirm the attorney’s licence before paying.
- Ask about Travis County criminal-court experience.
- Request the fee terms in writing.
- Do not confuse a bail company with legal representation.
TCSO Victim Services provides crisis support, safety information, Crime Victim Compensation assistance and criminal-justice referrals.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
512-854-9709
After hours, call 512-974-0845, option 3, and request the on-call Victim Services representative.
Use Texas DPS when one Travis County case is not enough
Do not file for expunction before confirming the actual disposition
Expunction
Travis County’s 2026 Expunction Expo guidance identifies examples that may qualify, including some arrests where no charge was filed, a grand jury no-billed the case, the charge was dismissed, diversion was completed, the person was acquitted or a conviction was later pardoned.
Those examples are not a guarantee of eligibility.
Nondisclosure
Nondisclosure restricts public disclosure of eligible criminal-history information but is not the same as destroying an arrest record.
The correct filing office depends on the type of case.
Travis County details that save wasted searches and trips
When someone has already been released, stop refreshing jail custody and switch to the court record.
APD’s official booking-photo page uses a 13-day publication delay, so it should not be your first tool after a fresh arrest.
Central Booking is at 500 W. 10th Street; the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center is at 509 W. 11th Street.
Travis County says unauthorized vehicles in the CJC and EOB employee garages may be towed. Use metered public street parking.
Onsite family visitation for TCSO custody is administered at the Travis County Correctional Complex rather than downtown Central Booking.
It is especially useful for TCSO services and the county-specific Western Union inmate-account format.
Travis County arrest, jail and court phone numbers
Austin, TX 78751
General: 512-854-9770
Travis County arrest records and recent booking questions
How do I search Travis County arrest records?
For a recent arrest, start with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office Find an Inmate search because it is the fastest official way to confirm current county custody. Search using the person’s booked legal name, open the matching result, and save the date of birth, Jail ID or booking number, charges, bond information and current facility. Then check the Travis County criminal docket and the appropriate clerk’s court records to see what was formally filed.
Does Travis County have an official recent bookings list?
The current Travis County Sheriff’s public page is primarily a current-inmate search rather than a separate countywide 24-hour or 72-hour bookings feed. For an arrest that just happened, search current TCSO custody first. If the person was released before you searched, check the criminal docket and court records. Austin Police also operates a booking-photo database that can be searched by booking date, but booking photographs are posted 13 days after arrest rather than immediately.
How can I find a Travis County booking after the person was released?
A released person may no longer appear in the current TCSO inmate search. Search Travis County criminal court settings by the person’s name, then search misdemeanor records through the Travis County Clerk or felony records through the District Clerk. TCSO also provides formal incarceration records from May 1988 to the present, although access to another person’s incarceration record requires the authorization documents specified by the Sheriff’s Office.
Where can I find Travis County booking photos or mugshots?
Austin Police maintains an official booking-photo database that can be searched by last name, first name, date of birth, booking number, booking date and charge. APD states that photographs are posted 13 days after the arrest, juvenile booking photographs are confidential, and some photographs may be withheld when release would interfere with law-enforcement interests. The database can also include booking photos from other police agencies that use Travis County Central Booking.
Where do I search Travis County misdemeanor and felony court records?
Use the Travis County Clerk for Class A and B misdemeanor cases and the Travis County District Clerk for adult felony cases. The county’s criminal docket search can help locate settings by the arrested person’s name, attorney, judge, court or case number. District Clerk online criminal records generally cover 2008 to the present, while County Clerk misdemeanor case data is available online from January 1981 to the present.
How do I obtain an official Travis County incarceration record?
TCSO states that incarceration records are available from May 1988 to the present. The current fee is 15 dollars. A requester must present qualifying identification, and a request for another person’s record requires a notarized authorization letter signed by that person or a power of attorney plus a copy of the person’s identification. TCSO does not provide criminal-history clearance letters.
How do I post bond for someone in Travis County Jail?
Check every charge in the TCSO inmate result because bond information is listed by charge. Cash bonds can be posted at the facility where the defendant is housed, including the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center bonding office or the Travis County Correctional Complex. TCSO requires the full bond amount using exact cash, cashier’s check or money order for a cash bond. Personal bonds must be requested through Travis County Pretrial Services or an attorney and approved by a judge.
What are the Travis County jail visitation rules?
Current TCSO onsite visitation is offered Wednesday through Sunday, excluding county holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Visitors are allowed two visits per week. Face-to-face visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, visitors should arrive 30 minutes early, and check-in ends 15 minutes before the scheduled visit. Visitors age 17 and older need government-issued photo identification.
How do I send mail or money to a Travis County inmate?
Mail must go directly to the facility where the inmate is housed and include the inmate’s full name, date of birth, Jail ID or booking number and the sender’s return address. For money, TCSO accepts approved Inmate Trust Fund deposits in person, by mail and through Western Union. The inmate’s full name, date of birth and Jail ID or booking number are required. Always confirm the current facility before mailing or depositing.
Can a Travis County arrest record be expunged or sealed?
Some Travis County arrest records may qualify for expunction, while certain cases may qualify for an order of nondisclosure. The District Clerk handles all expunction filings and felony nondisclosures, while misdemeanor nondisclosure routing may involve the County Clerk. Eligibility depends on the exact arrest, charge, disposition and prior history. Obtain the complete court disposition first and use current Travis County and Texas court guidance before filing.