Travis County Mugshots Search | Recent Booking Photos

Travis County, Texas · Current bookings, booking photos, Jail IDs and court verification

Find the Booking First—Then Request the Travis County Photo

Looking for a recent Travis County mugshot works differently from counties that publish a scrolling booking-photo gallery. The Sheriff provides a public search for people currently in TCSO custody, but non-media users are directed to request the actual booking photo through TCSO Open Records.

The quickest route is to find the current booking first, save the person’s exact booked name, date of birth and Jail ID or booking number, and then request the photo. If you also need to know what happened to the charge, verify the separate felony or misdemeanor court record rather than treating the mugshot as the final case result.

Full booked name Date of birth Booking date Jail ID / booking number Arresting agency if known
AUSTIN BOOKING PHOTO ROUTER VERIFY FIRST
OPEN RECORDS REQUEST
BOOKING PHOTO IDENTIFIED
BOOKING → PHOTO REQUEST → COURT CHECK
A mugshot is not proof of guilt. A booking photo records a person’s appearance during jail processing. Charges can be rejected, reduced, dismissed or resolved differently in court. Match the correct person and check the final court disposition before drawing conclusions.
Current inmates

Search the official TCSO custody database first.

Actual mugshot

General public requests go through TCSO Open Records.

Central booking

500 W. 10th Street in downtown Austin.

Jail information

512-854-9889; booking help also available at 512-854-4180.

Source review

Official procedures checked August 8, 2026.

Answer first

Is there an official Travis County recent mugshot gallery?

For the general public, the official workflow is a two-step process: use the TCSO inmate search to identify a current booking, then submit a written Open Records Request when you need the booking photograph itself.

TCSO’s Public Information Office specifically instructs non-media requesters to obtain booking photos through Open Records. That is different from websites that display a chronological wall of arrest photographs.

I only need to know if the person is in jail

Use the free TCSO inmate search. You do not need to request a mugshot first.

Open inmate search
I need the booking photograph

Identify the booking, then submit a written Open Records Request describing the photo precisely.

Open photo-request instructions
I need to know whether the charge stuck

Search the felony or misdemeanor court record. The mugshot cannot answer that question.

Check the court case
Choose your situation

Use the shortest route for what you actually need

ARRESTED RECENTLY Search current custody

Find the booked name, DOB, Jail ID or booking number, charges and bond information.

Follow the inmate-search path
NEED THE PHOTO Submit an Open Records request

Give TCSO enough identifiers to locate one booking photograph rather than requesting a broad collection.

Request the mugshot
PERSON RELEASED Search the court and request records

A released person may no longer be found through a current-custody search.

Use the released-person path
NEED THE CHARGE RESULT Separate felony from misdemeanor

District Clerk handles felony records; County Clerk handles misdemeanor records.

Verify the disposition
FAMILY MEMBER IN JAIL Check bond, visit and contact rules

Confirm the current facility before travelling, mailing or depositing money.

Help someone in custody
PHOTO ONLINE AFTER DISMISSAL Get the disposition first

Correction, expunction and private-site removal are different processes.

Understand the next step

Jump directly to the Travis County task

Step 1 · Identify the booking

Search current Travis County jail custody before requesting a photo

Open the official Find an Inmate page Use the Travis County Sheriff’s website rather than starting with a third-party mugshot site.
Open TCSO inmate search
Search using the booked legal name Start with the surname. Add the first or middle name when multiple people appear.
Verify the date of birth A matching name is not enough, especially for common names.
Save the Jail ID or booking number You will need the identifier for mail, deposits, attorney calls and a more precise photo request.
Read every charge separately TCSO displays bond information under individual charges. One charge may have a different release condition from another.
Confirm the current housing facility Do this again immediately before mailing, visiting or delivering funds.
Write down the arresting agency if available Austin Police, TCSO or another agency may have created the underlying offense report.
Then request the photograph A narrow request tied to one person and one booking is easier to identify than “all recent mugshots.”
Do not rely on the face alone. Match the full name, DOB and Jail ID or booking number before assuming a photograph or arrest entry belongs to the person you are researching.
Step 2 · Obtain the booking photograph

How the general public requests a Travis County mugshot

TCSO’s Public Information Office says that non-media requesters must obtain booking photos through an Open Records Request.
Identify one booking first Save the person’s booked name, DOB, Jail ID or booking number and approximate arrest or booking date.
Make the request in writing TCSO instructs requesters to include their name, address and a detailed description of the records requested.
Ask specifically for the booking photo State that you are requesting the booking photograph associated with the identified person and booking event.
Include useful identifiers Name, DOB, Jail ID, booking number, approximate booking date and arresting agency can reduce ambiguity.
Keep a copy of what you submitted Save the date, method of submission and exact wording.
Understand the 10-business-day rule correctly TCSO states that the Texas Public Information Act allows 10 business days from receipt to respond. That is not a guarantee the image will be delivered within 10 business days.
Watch for clarification, cost or legal-review messages Some requests can require clarification, redaction or additional review before records are released.
Copy-ready Travis County booking-photo request
Under the Texas Public Information Act, I request a copy of the booking photograph associated with the following Travis County booking:

Full booked name: [NAME]
Date of birth: [DOB]
Jail ID / booking number: [NUMBER]
Approximate arrest or booking date: [DATE]
Arresting agency, if known: [AGENCY]

I am requesting the booking photograph for this identified booking only. Please let me know if additional information is required to locate the record or if charges will apply before processing.
TCSO Open Records
Travis County Sheriff’s Office
5555 Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751
Phone: 512-854-9718
Fax: 512-854-7270
In-person hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., excluding county holidays
No fixed mugshot fee is quoted here. TCSO’s general booking-photo instructions do not publish one universal photo price. If charges apply to a specific request, follow the official cost notice rather than relying on an old third-party fee.

Different rule for news media

TCSO has a separate media procedure. When TCSO is the arresting agency, media representatives are instructed to provide the booking-photo request along with the affidavit or warrant. If another agency made the arrest, TCSO says that arresting agency must authorize release of the image. General public users should use the Open Records route above.
Avoid requesting the wrong document

Mugshot, inmate search, incarceration record and incident report are different

Choose the record that answers your actual question
Record
What it answers
Official route
Important limitation
Current inmate lookup
Is the person currently in TCSO custody? What are the current charges and bond entries?
TCSO Find an Inmate
Not a general historic mugshot gallery.
Booking photograph
What booking image was created for the identified custody event?
TCSO Open Records for non-media users
Release is subject to applicable public-record rules.
Incarceration record
Provides a formal record of TCSO incarceration.
TCSO Incarceration Records Request
Different identification and authorization requirements apply.
Incident report
Basic information about an incident handled by TCSO.
TCSO Central Records
The ordinary public report does not include the officer narrative.
Full report / narrative
Requests more detailed law-enforcement information.
Written Open Records Request
Some information may be withheld or redacted under law.
Court disposition
What ultimately happened to the filed criminal charge?
District Clerk for felony; County Clerk for misdemeanor
Separate from the mugshot and jail record.

Formal incarceration records have extra requirements

Records available

TCSO states that incarceration records are available from May 1988 to the present.

Current published fee

The Sheriff currently lists a $15 fee for an incarceration record.

Your own record

A current driver license, state ID, military ID or passport is required, and additional identifying information may be requested.

Another person’s incarceration record

TCSO requires a notarized authorization signed by the person or power of attorney plus a copy of the person’s ID.

Those authorization requirements apply to the Sheriff’s formal incarceration-record service. Do not assume they are the same requirements for every Open Records request.
No current result

What to do when the recent booking does not appear

The person may still be processing Everyone arrested in Travis County is initially brought through the Central Booking Facility. Intake can occur before the public search reflects a stable custody record.
The person may already have been released A current-custody search is not the same as a complete historical arrest database. Search the criminal court case or submit a records request.
The name may be entered differently Try the legal surname, full first name, middle name, suffix or alternate spelling.
The person may have been booked elsewhere Travis County court involvement does not necessarily mean the person is currently housed by TCSO.
The event may not have produced a jail stay Some citations and lower-level matters can produce a court case without a lasting county-jail entry.
The record may be legally restricted Juvenile, sealed, expunged or otherwise confidential information may not be available through ordinary public searches.
Recent-booking call script
I am trying to confirm whether [FULL NAME], date of birth [DOB], was recently booked into Travis County custody. The arrest may have occurred on [DATE] through [AGENCY]. Can you tell me whether the person is still processing, currently in custody, released or housed at another TCSO facility?
General Jail Information: 512-854-9889
Arrest / booking and facility information: 512-854-4180
What happens after arrest

Travis County booking starts downtown even when housing later changes

TCSO states that people arrested in Travis County are brought to its Central Booking Facility inside Travis County Jail at 500 W. 10th Street in Austin.
1 · Arrest

A law-enforcement agency takes the person into custody.

2 · Central Booking

Booking begins at 500 W. 10th Street.

3 · Identification

Booking data, identifiers and other intake information are created.

4 · Magistration

A judge or magistrate addresses probable cause, bail and release conditions.

5 · Housing or release

The person may be released or moved to appropriate TCSO housing.

6 · Court case continues

The jail photo remains a booking record; the legal outcome develops separately.

Unique Travis County safeguard: Travis County’s Office of First Defense provides Counsel at First Appearance during magistration. That means the person may have access to appointed legal counsel at this early bail-and-release stage before a later court setting.
Mugshot versus legal outcome

Verify the case after you identify the booking

A booking photo answers “was this image created during jail processing?” It does not answer “was the person convicted?” Travis County divides criminal court records by case level.

Felony case

Record holder: Travis County District Clerk

Travis County District Attorney guidance states that felony cause numbers commonly begin D-1-DC.

Public criminal case summaries are available through the county’s Odyssey search. Criminal cases from 2008 forward are included in the District Clerk’s free online records system.

Misdemeanor case

Record holder: Travis County Clerk

Misdemeanor cause numbers commonly begin C-1-CR. Class A and B misdemeanor records are maintained by the County Clerk.

Misdemeanor case data from January 1981 forward is available through the Clerk’s current records system, with some redacted documents available online.

Need the next court date?

Travis County Criminal Courts provide a docket search for both felony and misdemeanor settings. You can search by the arrested person’s name, attorney, judge or court number, or case number.

Open criminal docket search
Match the defendant’s full name
Compare DOB when available
Match the arrest and filing timeline
Save the cause number
Read each charge separately
Look for dismissal, plea, judgment or acquittal
Check the latest docket entry
Do not treat “closed” alone as the disposition
Downtown court tip: Travis County Criminal Courts list metered street parking around the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center. Meters accept coins and credit/debit cards. Allow extra time for courthouse security screening.
After finding the booking

Read the bond line under every Travis County charge

What TCSO bond labels mean
Bond entry
Meaning
What family should do
ANY type of bond
Cash, surety or personal bond may be permitted.
Confirm every other charge before paying.
Cash or surety
A personal bond is not permitted for that charge.
Ask TCSO which current posting method applies.
No bond information available
No bond has yet been set for that charge.
Wait for magistration or updated judicial action.
Personal bond
A judge has approved release without paying the full cash amount upfront.
Follow the conditions and Pretrial Services instructions.
Check every charge One charge may allow release while another still prevents it.
Call before travelling TCSO instructs people posting a cash bond to call 512-854-4180 to confirm the appropriate location.
Bring the exact cash amount when paying cash TCSO states that it does not make change and does not accept an overage.
Cashier’s checks and money orders These should be made payable to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office for a qualifying cash bond.
Ask about a personal bond An individual defendant cannot simply post one personally. Pretrial Services or an attorney submits a request, and a judge decides whether to approve it.
Personal-bond fee: TCSO currently states that a person released on personal bond must pay Travis County Pretrial Services an administrative fee of $40 or 3% of the bond amount within seven days of release.
Pretrial Services: 512-854-9381
Know which location does what

Central Booking, jail housing and visitation are not the same place

Travis County Jail / Central Booking
500 W. 10th St.
Austin, TX 78701

New Travis County arrestees enter the booking process here.

Travis County Correctional Complex
3614 Bill Price Rd.
Del Valle, TX 78617

Major housing complex; all onsite social visitation is administered here.

TCSO records office
5555 Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751

Use this office for applicable in-person Open Records and records services.

Do not drive to Central Booking just because someone was arrested there. The person may later be housed at the Del Valle Correctional Complex, and onsite visitation for both facilities is handled at TCCC.
Family visit workflow

Visit a recently booked Travis County inmate without losing the appointment

Onsite visitation location:
Travis County Correctional Complex
3614 Bill Price Rd.
Del Valle, TX 78617
Verify the inmate is still in TCSO custody Confirm the full name, DOB and booking number before scheduling.
Open the current visitation page Review TCSO visitation
Choose face-to-face or onsite video TCSO permits a total of two onsite visits per week using these visit types.
Book a face-to-face visit at least 24 hours ahead Scheduling is handled through the ViaPath Travis County visitation system.
Arrive 30 minutes early Check-in closes 15 minutes before the visit. Late arrivals are not accepted.
Bring government-issued photo ID Everyone age 17 or older needs appropriate identification.
Follow the conservative dress code See-through clothing, strapless tops, muscle shirts, pajamas, offensive graphics, short skirts and other listed items can cause denial.
Current general onsite visitation rules
Item
TCSO guidance
Days
Wednesday through Sunday, excluding county holidays.
Hours
8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Weekly onsite limit
Two visits, face-to-face or onsite video.
Face-to-face scheduling
At least 24 hours in advance.
Arrival
At least 30 minutes early.
Check-in cutoff
15 minutes before the scheduled visit.
Visitors
Normally two; up to three when children under 12 are included.
Minors
Anyone under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Local Travis County detail: onsite video visits for people housed at both Travis County Jail and TCCC are administered at the Del Valle Correctional Complex, not at the downtown booking facility.
Visitation assistance: 512-854-4666
ViaPath visitation support: 855-208-7349
After you find the inmate

Mail, calls, money and property for someone in TCSO custody

Mail

Send letters and cards directly to the facility where the person is currently housed.

  • Include the inmate’s full name.
  • Include DOB.
  • Include Jail ID or booking number.
  • Include your return address.
  • Recheck the facility before mailing.

Paperback books, magazines and newspapers must come directly from the publisher or distributing warehouse.

TCSO limits possession to two books and two magazines at a time.

Read current mail rules

Phone account

TCSO currently uses ViaPath / ConnectNetwork for prepaid inmate calling.

  • AdvancePay automated line: 800-483-8314
  • PIN Debit: 855-706-2445
  • Customer support: 877-650-4249

Do not discuss confidential case strategy on ordinary inmate calls.

Inmate Trust Fund

You need the inmate’s full name, DOB and Jail ID or booking number.

  • In-person deposits: TCCC Finance Building #230.
  • In-person hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
  • Money orders and cashier’s checks are accepted.
  • TCSO does not accept money orders over $100 for trust-fund deposits.
  • Western Union is also available.
Check current deposit rules

SecurePak commissary

Family and friends can purchase approved commissary packages.

  • Full name and booking ID are required.
  • Up to $100 in SecurePak product may be purchased per inmate each week.
  • TCSO says orders generally arrive 10–14 days after processing.
  • An inmate with a debt balance cannot receive SecurePak.

SecurePak: 800-546-6283

Western Union information TCSO says to prepare

Inmate Account: seven-digit booking number immediately followed by the last name, with no hyphen or space.
TCSO code city: TCSOITF TX
Use the current booking number before sending money. Do not copy an identifier from a mugshot repost or old social-media post.

Property pickup

The inmate must authorize it

An inmate must sign a property-release form before stored property or an approved amount of money can be released to someone else.

Bring photo identification

The person collecting the property must present valid photo ID.

Valuable bag is all or nothing

TCSO states that individual items are not removed from the sealed valuables bag. The entire bag is released.

Release clothing stays

The inmate’s set of clothing is retained for release or transfer rather than released with the valuables bag.

Urgent mental-health concern? If a loved one in TCSO custody has said they may hurt themselves, TCSO instructs families to contact the jail immediately at 512-854-9889. The Sheriff also provides an online mental-health information form.
Dismissed case or old mugshot

A dismissed charge does not automatically erase the booking photo

First: get the disposition

Determine exactly how every charge ended.

Second: identify the publisher

A government booking record and a copy on a private website are not the same thing.

Third: determine legal eligibility

Expunction and nondisclosure have different eligibility rules and effects.

Expunction

Travis County states that all misdemeanor and felony expunction filings are handled through the District Clerk.

The county’s 2026 Expunction Expo guidance identifies examples that may qualify, including an arrest where no charge was filed, a no-bill, some dismissals, successful diversion, acquittal or a later pardon.

Those are examples of possible eligibility—not a guarantee.

Nondisclosure

An order of nondisclosure restricts public access to certain eligible criminal-history information but is not the same as destroying the record.

Misdemeanor nondisclosure matters can involve the County Clerk, while felony nondisclosures and all expunctions are handled through the District Clerk.

Travis County District Clerk currently lists a base filing fee of $350 for an expunction petition and $350 for a nondisclosure petition. Other fees may apply.
Do not promise “mugshot removal” based only on dismissal. Obtain the signed disposition or judgment and determine whether an expunction or another remedy actually covers the record before contacting government agencies or private publishers.
Verified contacts

Travis County booking, jail, records and court contacts

Travis County Jail / Central Booking
500 W. 10th St.
Austin, TX 78701

General jail: 512-854-9889

Booking / jail information: 512-854-4180

Travis County Correctional Complex
3614 Bill Price Rd.
Del Valle, TX 78617

Onsite visitation for TCSO inmates is administered here.

TCSO Open Records
5555 Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751

512-854-9718

Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.

TCSO Public Information Office
5555 Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751

512-854-4986

Official booking-photo guidance for media and the public.

District Clerk Criminal Division
501 W. 11th St.
2nd Floor, Room 2.300
Austin, TX 78701

512-854-9420, option 3

Felony records and all expunction filings.

Travis County Clerk Misdemeanor Division
1000 Guadalupe St., #222
Austin, TX 78701

512-854-9188

Class A and B misdemeanor court records.

Criminal Courts Administration
509 W. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78701

512-854-9244

Court settings and criminal-court information.

Travis County Public Defender
1010 Lavaca St.
Austin, TX 78701

512-854-5100

Inmate Trust Fund

512-854-5319

Questions about inmate funds and commissary.

Visitation

512-854-4666

Schedule and visitation assistance.

Central Booking map

Correctional Complex and visitation map

Before driving anywhere: recheck the current inmate status, facility, office hours, visit confirmation and required identification. A booking location is not automatically the current housing or visitation location.
Travis County shortcuts

Seven details that prevent the most common mistakes

1. Search before requesting

A booking number makes a photo request far more precise.

2. Central Booking is not the visit center

Onsite visitation is administered at TCCC in Del Valle.

3. Recheck custody before mailing

Mail goes directly to the facility where the inmate is housed.

4. Read every bond line

One bond does not automatically clear another charge.

5. Separate felony and misdemeanor records

District Clerk and County Clerk maintain different criminal case levels.

6. A booking photo is not a disposition

Always check what happened in court before relying on an arrest image.

7. Never pay a phone scammer

TCSO repeatedly warns that its officers will not call and demand payment.

10 practical questions

Travis County mugshots and recent booking photos FAQs

Can I search Travis County mugshots online?

Travis County Sheriff’s Office provides an online search for people currently in TCSO custody, but its official guidance does not provide a general public gallery of recent booking photos. Non-media users who need a booking photo are directed to submit a written Open Records Request to TCSO.

How do I request a Travis County booking photo?

First use the TCSO inmate search to identify the correct person and save the full booked name, date of birth, Jail ID or booking number and approximate booking date. Then submit a written Open Records Request describing the booking photo you want. TCSO accepts open-records requests through the methods listed on its official Open Records Request page.

How do I find someone recently booked into Travis County Jail?

Use the official Travis County Sheriff’s Office Find an Inmate tool for people currently in TCSO custody. Verify the person’s full name and date of birth and save the Jail ID or booking number. If the person does not appear, they may still be processing, may already have been released, or may have been booked in another county.

Where are people booked after an arrest in Travis County?

TCSO states that people arrested in Travis County are brought to the Central Booking Facility at Travis County Jail, 500 West 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. After processing, a person may remain there or be housed at the Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle.

Does a Travis County mugshot prove someone was convicted?

No. A booking photo documents a person’s appearance during jail processing. It does not establish guilt, conviction or the final charge. Verify the court disposition separately through the Travis County District Clerk for felony cases or the Travis County Clerk for misdemeanor cases.

How do I find the court case connected to a Travis County mugshot?

Felony case information is maintained by the Travis County District Clerk and misdemeanor case information by the Travis County Clerk. Travis County also offers a criminal docket search that can be searched by the arrested person’s name or case number. Felony cause numbers commonly begin D-1-DC, while misdemeanor cause numbers commonly begin C-1-CR.

How do I check bond for a Travis County inmate?

Search the person through the TCSO inmate search because bond information appears under each charge. A bond line showing ANY type of bond means cash, surety or personal bond may be permitted. Cash or surety means a personal bond is not permitted for that charge. No bond information available means a bond has not yet been set for that charge.

How do I visit someone recently booked in Travis County?

Onsite visitation for TCSO inmates is handled at the Travis County Correctional Complex, 3614 Bill Price Road in Del Valle. Current general visitation is Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., excluding county holidays. Face-to-face visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours ahead, and visitors should arrive at least 30 minutes early.

How do I send money to a Travis County inmate?

You need the inmate’s full name, date of birth and Jail ID or booking number. TCSO accepts qualifying trust-fund deposits in person at the Travis County Correctional Complex Finance Building, by mail or through Western Union. Verify the current booking number before sending funds.

Can a Travis County mugshot be removed after a case is dismissed?

A dismissal does not automatically mean every arrest or booking record disappears. Some cases may qualify for expunction or an order of nondisclosure under Texas law. All Travis County expunction petitions are filed through the District Clerk. Eligibility depends on the arrest, charge, disposition and other facts, so obtain the final disposition before seeking record-clearing relief.

Official sources reviewed

Where the Travis County details on this page come from

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