McLennan County Recent Arrests | Booking Reports

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McLennan County, Texas · Hourly inmate list, booking photos, bond and court follow-up

Check a Recent McLennan County Booking Before the Trail Goes Cold

If the arrest happened today or last night, start with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Current Inmate Listing. The county says that file is refreshed once every hour, making it the best first stop when you are trying to find out whether someone is still being held.

A current jail listing is not a permanent arrest history. Someone who bonded out, was released or transferred may disappear from the current roster. This guide shows what to check next—official mugshots, booking information, bond, court records, arrest reports, visitation, inmate mail, deposits and legal help.

Open current inmate listing Open official mugshots Arrest not showing?
Full booked name Date of birth Approximate arrest time SO number if known Arresting agency
McLENNAN BOOKING DESK HOURLY REFRESH
RECENT BOOKING
SO# + CHARGE + BOND
COURT RECORD ROUTER
CLASS A/B MISDEMEANOR
→ COUNTY CLERK
FELONY CASE
→ DISTRICT CLERK
CASE
BOOKING ROUTED TO CORRECT COURT
Recent arrest does not mean conviction. A booking entry records an arrest or detention event. Charges may be declined, changed or dismissed later. Check the actual court case before describing the person as convicted.
Roster refresh

The Sheriff says the current inmate file updates once every hour.

Booking photos

The Sheriff links to a separate official Online Mugshots service.

Jail intake

Call 254-757-5120 for booking and intake questions.

Court split

County Clerk handles Class A/B misdemeanors; District Clerk handles felonies.

Source review

Local procedures checked August 19, 2026.

Start with the situation

Use the shortest route for the answer you need

ARRESTED VERY RECENTLY Check the hourly inmate list

Use this first when the person may still be going through booking or remains in county custody.

Follow the recent-booking workflow
ALREADY RELEASED? Do not rely only on the current roster

Use official mugshots, court indexes and the arresting agency’s records process when the person no longer appears.

Find a released booking
NEED THE POLICE NARRATIVE Find the arresting agency

The Sheriff may house a person arrested by Waco Police or another agency without owning that agency’s offense report.

Request the correct report
MISDEMEANOR CASE Use the County Clerk

Class A and Class B misdemeanor criminal cases are maintained by the McLennan County Clerk.

Open the court-record guide
FELONY CASE Use the District Clerk

The District Clerk maintains felony criminal records and provides a separate Criminal Case Index.

Search felony records
FAMILY MEMBER IN JAIL Confirm housing before doing anything else

Recheck custody before visiting, mailing or depositing because location and status can change.

Open family-help steps

Go directly to the McLennan County task

You do not need to read every section. Start with the problem you are trying to solve.

Current inmate listing

How to check McLennan County recent arrests

What makes this local search useful: McLennan County specifically states that its Current Inmate Listing is updated once every hour. That makes it useful for fresh bookings, but it should not be treated as a permanent arrest archive.
Open the Sheriff’s Current Inmate Listing The county links directly to the current roster from the Sheriff’s official website. Open the current inmate file
Search the document for the surname On a computer use the browser or PDF search command. On a phone use the document viewer’s search tool if available.
Check every similar name Do not assume the first matching surname is the right person. Compare all identifying information provided.
Save the SO number or inmate identifier when shown McLennan County uses the SO number in its inmate-mail instructions, making it an important identifier to keep.
Save the booking details that appear Record the booked name, booking date or time, charge, bond and case information that is actually shown in the current result.
Check every charge separately One charge may be bondable while another charge, warrant or hold keeps the person in custody.
Recheck before driving to the jail Because the roster updates hourly, housing or release status may change after your first search.
Move to the correct court system Use the County Clerk for Class A/B misdemeanors and the District Clerk for felony cases.
Do not confuse “current inmate” with “recent arrest history.” A person who has already been released may no longer be on a current-custody list even though an arrest, mugshot, police report or court case still exists.
Current inmate listing Sheriff’s official page
Official booking photographs

Use the Sheriff’s mugshot tool as a second clue—not proof by itself

McLennan County links an Online Mugshots service directly from the Sheriff’s website. It can be useful when a person is no longer in the current inmate file or when you need to compare a possible booking with someone you know.

Open McLennan County Online Mugshots
Match the full name
Compare the arrest or booking date
Use the SO number if available
Check the related court case
Do not infer guilt from a photograph
Do not rely on appearance alone for identity
A booking photo shows custody processing, not a conviction. If you need to know whether the charge was filed, dismissed or resulted in a judgment, continue to the criminal court record.
Booking report decoder

What to save from a McLennan County booking

People often use the phrase “booking report” for the jail information they find online. That is different from the police offense report or probable-cause narrative. Save the identifiers first so you can request the correct document later.

Use each booking detail for a specific next step
Detail
Why it matters
What it does not establish
Next step
Booked name
Shows how the jail entered the person.
A common name alone is not reliable identity proof.
Compare DOB, SO number and court information.
SO number
McLennan County uses the SO number as an inmate identifier.
It does not describe one charge or final outcome.
Keep it for jail, mail and identification questions.
Booking date/time
Helps identify the particular custody event.
It may differ from the exact time of the alleged offense.
Compare with the police report and court filing.
Charge
Shows the allegation associated with booking.
It does not prove the prosecutor filed or proved that offense.
Search the appropriate Clerk’s criminal case.
Bond
Shows a release amount or condition associated with a charge when listed.
Payment may not clear another charge, warrant or hold.
Confirm every active matter with the jail.
Cause/case number
Connects the booking to a criminal court record when available.
A jail charge label is not necessarily the final court disposition.
Search the cause number through the correct clerk.
Release status
Tells you whether the jail custody event has ended when shown.
Release does not mean the case was dismissed.
Check the criminal court docket.
Identity rule: Before sending money, publishing an allegation or treating the record as belonging to a particular person, match at least two independent identifiers.
Not on the current roster?

What to do when the recent arrest is missing

The person was released A current inmate file is designed to show current custody, so look at official mugshots and criminal court records next.
The booking is still being processed A very recent arrest may not appear immediately. The county says the current list refreshes hourly.
The name is different Try a middle name, hyphenated surname, maiden name, suffix or another known legal spelling.
The arrest occurred elsewhere Someone arrested outside McLennan County may have been booked into another county even if the incident involved Waco-area authorities.
The person received a citation Not every criminal allegation results in a county-jail booking.
The person transferred State, federal or another county custody may require a different inmate locator.
Call script when the booking cannot be found
I am trying to confirm the booking or release status of [full legal name], date of birth [date]. The arrest may have happened on [date/time] through [agency]. Can you confirm whether the person is still processing, currently housed, released, transferred or listed under another name or SO number?
Jail Intake / Reception
901 Washington Avenue, Waco, TX 76701
254-757-5120

Highway 6 Jail
254-757-2555
Booking report vs. police report

Request the narrative from the agency that created it

McLennan County Sheriff record

Use the Sheriff’s Open Records Request Portal when HCSO created or maintains the record you need.

  1. Open the official Public Records Center.
  2. Select the option to submit an open-records request.
  3. Describe the exact document rather than requesting “everything.”
  4. Provide the name, arrest date, SO number, case or incident number and location when known.
  5. Keep the request number so you can track the response.
Open Sheriff Open Records Portal

Waco Police or another agency

If another police department made the arrest, request that department’s offense or arrest report instead.

  • Check the arresting-agency field first.
  • Provide the incident number if known.
  • Include the date, location and full involved name.
  • Ask for the public portion of the offense or arrest record you actually need.

Waco Police non-emergency: 254-750-7500

Open City of Waco official site
Common mistake: The Sheriff can house someone who was arrested by another agency. Housing the person does not automatically make HCSO the owner of the arrest narrative.
Copy-ready public-record request
Under the Texas Public Information Act, I request the releasable booking, arrest, offense or incident record concerning [full legal name] for the event on or about [date/time] at [location]. Known identifiers are SO number [number], cause/case number [number], and incident number [number]. Please provide the record electronically when available and notify me before processing if charges will exceed $[amount].
The part most arrest pages miss

Send misdemeanors and felonies to different McLennan County clerks

Do not search one office for every criminal case. McLennan County divides criminal records by case type.

Class A / B misdemeanor

The McLennan County Clerk maintains Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases. Class C cases appear there only when appealed from a lower court.

215 N. 5th Street, Room 201
Waco, TX 76701

Criminal Division: 254-757-5185

Questions about a court date: 254-757-5030

Open County Clerk criminal records

Felony criminal case

The McLennan County District Clerk maintains felony criminal cases and provides an online Criminal Case Index.

501 Washington Avenue, Suite 300
Courthouse Annex
Waco, TX 76701

Criminal Division: 254-757-5054

Open District Clerk Case Index Search

Best way to search after a booking

Determine whether the allegation is misdemeanor or felony Do not assume this only from the wording on a jail page when you are unsure.
Use the cause number first A known cause number is more precise than searching a common name.
For felony records, use the District Clerk Criminal Case Index The county’s search page provides access to criminal index information and links to the external case-search system.
Search by party name when the cause is unknown The District Clerk search supports criminal searches using date ranges, style, cause number, last name, first name and offense.
Read the docket beyond the arrest date Look for formal filing, hearings, bond orders, plea, dismissal, judgment or sentencing.
Find the actual disposition A booking charge tells you where the case started—not necessarily how it ended.

Published criminal-record search and copy costs

Confirm current charges with the clerk before ordering
Office
Service
Published amount
Useful for
County Clerk
Criminal name search
$5 per name
Class A/B misdemeanor research.
County Clerk
Criminal search letter
$5
Written local misdemeanor search result.
County Clerk
Copies
$1 per page
Misdemeanor court documents.
County Clerk
Certified copy
Additional $5 per case
Official misdemeanor disposition proof.
District Clerk
Name + DOB criminal search by staff
$5
Felony search when a cause number is unknown.
District Clerk
Criminal research letter
$5
Written felony research result.
District Clerk
Certified criminal research letter
$10
Certified felony-record search response.
District Clerk
Copies
$1 per page
Individual felony court documents.
Published fee pages can be updated. Confirm the amount and payment method with the clerk before mailing payment or making a special trip.
Bond and release

Check every charge before assuming payment means release

Confirm the correct inmate Match the booked name and SO number or other identifying information.
List every active charge A person can have several charges with separate bonds or restrictions.
Ask about warrants or outside holds Another jurisdiction or court matter can prevent release.
Confirm the current amount with the jail Bond information can change after magistrate or court review.
If using a surety company, verify it locally The McLennan County Bail Bond Board publishes a current list of active bonding agencies.
Keep receipts and written terms Record the inmate name, SO number, charge, amount, payer and bonding company.
Read Sheriff bond information Check active bonding agencies
Bond-status call script
I am calling about [full booked name], SO number [number if known]. Please confirm every current charge, bond amount, bond restriction, warrant or outside hold, and whether there is anything else that would prevent release after an eligible bond is posted.

Personal bond is a separate process

Do not apply these rules to every inmate. McLennan County’s PR Bond Office rules apply to people who have actually been released on a personal bond.
Published personal-bond fee

McLennan County lists a one-time $20 personal bond fee.

If you do not know whether the fee is owed, call the PR/Pretrial office at 254-757-5004.

Weekly call-in requirement

People subject to the county’s personal-bond reporting requirement must continue reporting until the case is disposed.

Weekly call-in line: 254-757-5177

McLennan County PR Bond Office
501 Washington Avenue, Suite 110
Waco, TX 76701
254-757-5004
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; office lists a noon–1:00 p.m. closure.
Open PR Bond Office instructions
Current 2026 visitation

McLennan County jail visitation changed on April 5, 2026

Important location change: The Sheriff’s current notice says visitation moved to the McLennan County Jail – Bond Office Lobby on April 5, 2026.
Current visitation schedule published by the Sheriff
Visit type
Day
Hours
Important detail
In person
Sunday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Registration ends at 4:30 p.m.
In person
Monday
12:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Registration ends at 7:30 p.m.
Remote
Tuesday–Saturday
1:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Uses GettingOut and Go Visit services.
The Sheriff states that each inmate is allowed two visits of 30 minutes each. Visitors must be placed on the inmate’s visitation list and have a GettingOut account.
Confirm the person is still in custody Reopen the hourly inmate list before planning the visit.
Confirm you are on the inmate’s visitation list Being related to the inmate does not automatically satisfy this requirement.
Create the required GettingOut account Use the current provider setup before arriving for an in-person or remote visit.
Check the latest Sheriff notice Visit locations, registration rules and schedules can change.
Call before driving when the entrance is unclear The county’s current Highway 6 Jail directory publishes the facility phone but does not provide a complete street address on that directory entry.
Highway 6 Jail: 254-757-2555
Parking transparency: The current county visitation information reviewed for this article does not publish a specific visitor-parking instruction. Confirm the current entrance and parking location with the jail before making the trip rather than relying on an old third-party address.
Check latest Sheriff visitation notice Open map search for Highway 6 Jail
Digital personal mail

Do not send ordinary inmate letters to the downtown jail address

McLennan County changed ordinary personal mail to a digital-delivery system effective November 1, 2022. Personal letters and approved pictures are mailed to the processing address, scanned and delivered electronically to the inmate through the GettingOut tablet system.

Personal-mail format shown by McLennan County

McLennan County Jail, TX
[Inmate Full Booked Name] [SO Number]
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Use the complete facility name and state
Use the inmate’s full booked name
Include the SO number/inmate identifier
Put the sender’s full name on the envelope
Include the sender’s physical return address
Use the process for ordinary personal correspondence only
Do not use the Phoenix digital-mail address for everything. McLennan County specifically separates legal/attorney-client privileged mail, packages, parcels, checks and money orders from normal personal correspondence.
Verify current inmate-mail instructions
Calls, messaging and money

Confirm the enabled service before placing money on an account

GettingOut communication

McLennan County’s current visitation and personal-mail instructions use GettingOut services.

  • Create the provider account with accurate identifying information.
  • Use the current inmate information when linking the person.
  • Remote visitation uses GettingOut and Go Visit according to the Sheriff.
  • Do not assume every communication feature is enabled for every housing situation.

GettingOut customer service: 866-516-0115

Deposits and commissary

GettingOut provides payment and deposit services generally, but the McLennan County page reviewed for this article does not clearly publish which deposit account type is currently enabled for this specific jail.

Safer route: verify the person’s SO number and the currently approved deposit method with Highway 6 Jail before sending money.

Jail: 254-757-2555

Open GettingOut payment portal
Do not guess a deposit provider from an old jail directory. Provider contracts change. Verify the current inmate, facility, SO number and approved account type before paying.
Case discussion warning: Do not assume ordinary jail calls, electronic messages or social visits are private attorney-client communications. Avoid discussing evidence or legal strategy on a non-privileged channel.
Warrants, transfers and older history

When a recent booking search is no longer enough

Warrant verification

For McLennan County Sheriff warrant questions, contact the Warrant Division rather than relying on an old third-party list.

254-757-5107

Texas state-prison custody

If the person has moved into Texas Department of Criminal Justice custody, use the state inmate locator.

Search TDCJ
Broader Texas criminal history

For a Texas-wide public criminal-history search rather than one county booking, use the Texas DPS search.

Open Texas DPS search

Correction, expunction or nondisclosure

Get the actual disposition First determine how the McLennan County criminal case ended.
Identify the system that is wrong A jail entry, police report, court docket and DPS history are separate records.
Correct inaccurate information first Send the controlling document to the agency that owns the inaccurate field.
Then evaluate legal record clearing Texas expunction and nondisclosure eligibility depends on the exact charge, outcome, waiting period and history.
TexasLawHelp expunction guide Texas court forms
Local contacts

McLennan County arrest, jail and court phone numbers

McLennan County Sheriff’s Office
901 Washington Avenue
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5095

Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Jail Intake / Reception
901 Washington Avenue
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5120

Highway 6 Jail

254-757-2555

The current county directory entry reviewed for this page publishes the Waco location and phone but not a complete street address.

Sheriff Records
901 Washington Avenue
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5108

Sheriff Warrant Division
901 Washington Avenue
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5107

County Clerk Criminal Division
215 N. 5th Street, Room 201
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5185

District Clerk Criminal Division
501 Washington Avenue, Suite 300
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5054

Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

PR Bond / Pretrial
501 Washington Avenue, Suite 110
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5004

Indigent Defense Coordinator
501 Washington Avenue, Suite 109
Waco, TX 76701

254-759-7540

Victim Assistance
219 N. 6th Street, Suite 200
Waco, TX 76701

254-757-5084

Downtown court and records area

Map Sheriff / Jail Intake Map County Clerk Criminal Search Highway 6 Jail map
Local shortcuts

McLennan County details worth knowing before you call or drive

The inmate PDF is current custody

A released person may require mugshot, court or records research instead of repeated roster searches.

Save the SO number

McLennan County specifically uses this inmate identifier in its personal-mail instructions.

Misdemeanor and felony records split

Sending a felony request to the County Clerk or a misdemeanor request to the District Clerk creates unnecessary delay.

Visitation location changed in 2026

Do not rely on older directions to the Shepherd Mullens Correctional Visitation Center.

Personal mail is digitized

Ordinary letters use the Phoenix, Maryland processing address rather than the downtown jail.

Confirm Highway 6 directions by phone

The current official county directory does not publish a complete street address for the facility entry reviewed here.

10 recent-arrest questions

McLennan County recent arrest and booking FAQs

How do I see recent arrests in McLennan County?

Start with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Current Inmate Listing when the person may still be in custody. The county says that file is updated once every hour. McLennan County also links to an official Online Mugshots tool. If the person has already been released, continue with the appropriate criminal court search or request the booking or arrest record from the agency that created it.

How often is the McLennan County inmate list updated?

The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office states that its Current Inmate Listing is updated once every hour. It is still a current-custody list, so a release, transfer or new booking can occur between updates.

Why is someone arrested yesterday missing from the McLennan County current inmate list?

The person may have been released, transferred, booked under a different name or identifier, cited rather than held, or booked in another county. Check the Sheriff’s Online Mugshots tool, verify the arresting agency, search the appropriate McLennan County criminal court index and call Jail Intake at 254-757-5120 when the status remains unclear.

Where can I find official McLennan County booking photos or mugshots?

The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office links directly to an Online Mugshots service from its official website. Use the county’s link rather than an unofficial mugshot directory, and verify the person with another identifier before relying on a photograph.

What is an SO number in McLennan County jail records?

The Sheriff’s inmate-mail instructions use an SO number as the inmate identifier. When an SO number is available in the person’s jail information, save it because it helps distinguish people with similar names and is used when addressing personal inmate mail.

How do I check bond and release status for a McLennan County inmate?

Check the current inmate information first, then confirm every charge, bond and hold with the jail before paying. Jail Intake can be reached at 254-757-5120 and the Highway 6 Jail at 254-757-2555. If the person was released on a personal bond, the McLennan County PR Bond Office can explain the separate personal-bond reporting and fee requirements.

What are McLennan County jail visitation hours?

The Sheriff’s current notice says in-person visitation moved to the McLennan County Jail Bond Office Lobby on April 5, 2026. Sunday visitation is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with registration ending at 4:30 p.m. Monday visitation is noon to 8:00 p.m. with registration ending at 7:30 p.m. Each inmate is allowed two 30-minute visits. Remote visitation is available Tuesday through Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. through the approved GettingOut and Go Visit services.

What is the mailing address for personal mail to a McLennan County inmate?

McLennan County routes ordinary personal mail through its digital-mail process. The Sheriff’s instructions show the format as: McLennan County Jail, TX; inmate’s full booked name and SO number; PO Box 247; Phoenix, MD 21131. The sender’s full name and physical return address are also required. Legal mail, checks, money orders and packages follow different rules.

How do I request a McLennan County arrest or booking report?

For a Sheriff’s Office record, use the McLennan County Sheriff Open Records Request Portal and provide the person’s name, arrest date, SO number, case or incident number and location when known. If another agency such as Waco Police made the arrest, request the offense or arrest report from that agency instead of assuming the jail owns the police narrative.

Where do I check the court case after a McLennan County arrest?

For Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases, use the McLennan County Clerk criminal court resources. For felony cases, use the McLennan County District Clerk Criminal Case Index. Search the cause number when available and read the actual disposition or judgment rather than treating the original booking charge as the final result.

Official sources reviewed

Primary McLennan County resources used for this page

Sheriff and jail
Courts and bond offices
Victim and Texas resources
Accuracy, identity and legal-use notice

Texas-arrest.org is an independent informational resource. It is not the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, McLennan County Clerk, McLennan County District Clerk, City of Waco, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice or a law firm.

Current inmate status, booking information, bond, visitation, mail procedures, provider services, fees, office hours and court records can change. Verify important information through the current official source or by calling the responsible office before paying money, travelling to a facility or making a legal decision.

An arrest or booking does not establish guilt. Use the criminal court disposition when you need to know how a case actually ended.

Last official-source review: August 19, 2026. This page intentionally avoids publishing an unverified Highway 6 street address, an assumed commissary provider or an unsupported jail-processing time.

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