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.
Search the official TCSO custody database first.
General public requests go through TCSO Open Records.
500 W. 10th Street in downtown Austin.
512-854-9889; booking help also available at 512-854-4180.
Official procedures checked August 8, 2026.
Is there an official Travis County recent mugshot gallery?
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.
Use the free TCSO inmate search. You do not need to request a mugshot first.
Open inmate searchIdentify the booking, then submit a written Open Records Request describing the photo precisely.
Open photo-request instructionsSearch the felony or misdemeanor court record. The mugshot cannot answer that question.
Check the court caseUse the shortest route for what you actually need
Find the booked name, DOB, Jail ID or booking number, charges and bond information.
Follow the inmate-search pathGive TCSO enough identifiers to locate one booking photograph rather than requesting a broad collection.
Request the mugshotA released person may no longer be found through a current-custody search.
Use the released-person pathDistrict Clerk handles felony records; County Clerk handles misdemeanor records.
Verify the dispositionConfirm the current facility before travelling, mailing or depositing money.
Help someone in custodyCorrection, expunction and private-site removal are different processes.
Understand the next stepSearch current Travis County jail custody before requesting a photo
Open TCSO inmate search
How the general public requests a Travis County mugshot
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.
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
Different rule for news media
Mugshot, inmate search, incarceration record and incident report are different
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
TCSO states that incarceration records are available from May 1988 to the present.
The Sheriff currently lists a $15 fee for an incarceration record.
A current driver license, state ID, military ID or passport is required, and additional identifying information may be requested.
TCSO requires a notarized authorization signed by the person or power of attorney plus a copy of the person’s ID.
What to do when the recent booking does not appear
Travis County booking starts downtown even when housing later changes
A law-enforcement agency takes the person into custody.
Booking begins at 500 W. 10th Street.
Booking data, identifiers and other intake information are created.
A judge or magistrate addresses probable cause, bail and release conditions.
The person may be released or moved to appropriate TCSO housing.
The jail photo remains a booking record; the legal outcome develops separately.
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?
Open criminal docket search
Read the bond line under every Travis County charge
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. |
Central Booking, jail housing and visitation are not the same place
Austin, TX 78701
New Travis County arrestees enter the booking process here.
Del Valle, TX 78617
Major housing complex; all onsite social visitation is administered here.
Austin, TX 78751
Use this office for applicable in-person Open Records and records services.
Visit a recently booked Travis County inmate without losing the appointment
Travis County Correctional Complex
3614 Bill Price Rd.
Del Valle, TX 78617
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. |
Mail, calls, money and property for someone in TCSO custody
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 rulesPhone 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.
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
TCSO code city: TCSOITF TX
Property pickup
An inmate must sign a property-release form before stored property or an approved amount of money can be released to someone else.
The person collecting the property must present valid photo ID.
TCSO states that individual items are not removed from the sealed valuables bag. The entire bag is released.
The inmate’s set of clothing is retained for release or transfer rather than released with the valuables bag.
A recent mugshot often means the case is only beginning
Travis County states that some defendants may already have an attorney appointed based on indigence screening that occurred while they were incarcerated.
If no lawyer is assigned and the defendant cannot afford one, the person can request appointed counsel through the criminal court process.
Read appointed-attorney guidanceAustin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-854-5100
The current main entrance is on the south side of the building.
TCSO provides inmates a free local call to attorneys. Registered attorney calls are limited to 20 minutes and are not recorded.
Attorneys can leave a message at 512-854-4666 using the client’s booking number, full name and DOB.
For a pending felony prosecution, Travis County District Attorney Victim Services can help victims and witnesses understand case status and available support.
Phone: 512-854-9449
A dismissed charge does not automatically erase the booking photo
Determine exactly how every charge ended.
A government booking record and a copy on a private website are not the same thing.
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 booking, jail, records and court contacts
Austin, TX 78701
General jail: 512-854-9889
Booking / jail information: 512-854-4180
Del Valle, TX 78617
Onsite visitation for TCSO inmates is administered here.
Austin, TX 78751
Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.
Austin, TX 78751
Official booking-photo guidance for media and the public.
2nd Floor, Room 2.300
Austin, TX 78701
512-854-9420, option 3
Felony records and all expunction filings.
Austin, TX 78701
Class A and B misdemeanor court records.
Austin, TX 78701
Court settings and criminal-court information.
Austin, TX 78701
Questions about inmate funds and commissary.
Schedule and visitation assistance.
Central Booking map
Correctional Complex and visitation map
Seven details that prevent the most common mistakes
A booking number makes a photo request far more precise.
Onsite visitation is administered at TCCC in Del Valle.
Mail goes directly to the facility where the inmate is housed.
One bond does not automatically clear another charge.
District Clerk and County Clerk maintain different criminal case levels.
Always check what happened in court before relying on an arrest image.
TCSO repeatedly warns that its officers will not call and demand payment.
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.