Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
Independent records-search resource. This website is not a government agency, police department, sheriff's office, jail, prison or courthouse. Search coverage varies by source and jurisdiction. Some links may lead to third-party services, and compensation may be received when a partner service is used.
New Hanover County mugshots: start with the current jail record
If you are looking for mugshots in New Hanover County, North Carolina, the most useful first step is the New Hanover County Sheriff’s public inmate system. Start with the current booking record, confirm that you have the right person, then use North Carolina court records for the case status and NC SAVAN if you need custody-change notifications.
Start with the official New Hanover inmate search
The Sheriff’s Office links users to Sheriff 2 Citizen for public jail information. Search the person’s name and compare the available booking details before relying on a photograph or third-party arrest page.
How to search New Hanover County jail bookings
For a person who may currently be held in the county jail, use the Sheriff-linked inmate inquiry before a general web search. The Detention Division operates the county facility and its booking/intake unit processes people who are pending confinement.
Mugshot, booking, charge and conviction are different records
A jail search answers a custody question. A court record answers a case question. These records may overlap, but they are not interchangeable.
| Record | What it can show | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Booking record | A person was processed into a detention system and may include a date, charge and custody information. | Guilt or the final disposition of the criminal case. |
| Booking photo | An image associated with an arrest-processing record where the agency makes it publicly available. | Current custody, conviction or the accuracy of an old third-party page. |
| Charge | The alleged offense recorded at a particular stage of the case. | That the charge remained unchanged or resulted in conviction. |
| Court disposition | Later case events and, where available, the outcome recorded by the court. | That an older jail or third-party page has been updated to match the court record. |
Check New Hanover County court records after the jail search
The North Carolina Judicial Branch provides a Portal for case information, court dates and related court services. New Hanover County is listed within Prosecutorial District 6, Superior Court District 6 and District Court District 6.
Online case information
Use the Judicial Branch Portal to look for the case by name or case number. A jail booking may occur before every later court event appears, so the timing of the search matters.
Clerk of Superior Court
The New Hanover County Courthouse and Clerk of Superior Court can be reached at 910-772-6600. The clerk is the appropriate local route for court-file questions and certified single-county criminal record searches.
Need an actual criminal background check?
The Judicial Branch distinguishes case lookup from a background check. A certified criminal record search for a single county can be requested from the Clerk of Superior Court using Form AOC-CR-314. The published fee is $25. The court also provides free non-certified searches on public access computers at courthouses, although printing charges can apply.
How to verify current custody, release and transfer status
A person found in an older booking result may no longer be in the New Hanover County Detention Facility. They may have been released, transferred, sent to another jurisdiction or moved into the state correctional system.
Recheck Sheriff 2 Citizen and, if the record is unclear, call the Detention Division at 910-798-4200.
Use the North Carolina Judicial Branch Portal or contact the New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court.
Use NC SAVAN/VINE for custody-status information and notifications. The statewide number is 1-877-627-2826.
If the person is no longer a county detainee and has entered state custody, use the appropriate North Carolina Department of Adult Correction offender resources.
New Hanover County inmate visitation: verify before traveling
The Detention Division states that visitation is scheduled and that the facility is located at 3950 Juvenile Center Road, Castle Hayne, NC 28429. Its page lists visitation between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m., but the same official page also contains older visitation language with different visitor and frequency limits.
Prepare before a visit
- Confirm that the person is still housed at the New Hanover County Detention Facility.
- Confirm that a visit has been scheduled under the facility’s current procedure.
- Ask which photo identification is currently accepted.
- Verify the current visitor-count and age rules.
- Ask about restrictions that apply to the inmate’s housing unit before traveling.
Important inmate mail change effective December 1, 2025
The Sheriff’s current Detention Division page says general inmate correspondence changed beginning December 1, 2025. Routine inmate mail should be sent using the inmate’s name and ID number to the scanning address below.
General inmate correspondence
Inmate’s full name
Inmate ID number
New Hanover County Detention Facility
P.O. Box 591
Longview, TX 75606
Current published mail standards
- Include the inmate’s name, inmate ID number and a return address.
- Use standard 8.5 × 11-inch paper.
- The published limit is five pages per mailing.
- Mail is scanned on the front side; writing on the reverse side can cause the item to be returned.
- The Sheriff’s page states a maximum of one photo per mailing.
- Greeting cards, card stock, colored paper, cash, stamps, stickers, blank envelopes and padded envelopes are among the listed prohibited items.
How to send money to a New Hanover County inmate
The Sheriff’s Office links to McDaniel Supply Company for inmate funds. The Detention Division also says cash can be deposited through the automated kiosk in the facility’s front lobby.
Online deposit
Use the inmate-money link provided by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and confirm the correct inmate before completing a transaction.
Lobby cash kiosk
The Sheriff’s Detention Division says cash deposits can be made through an automated kiosk in the facility’s front lobby.
Money orders
The published instruction says a mailed money order should be payable to New Hanover County with the inmate’s name entered in the memo section.
What to do when the inmate or mugshot search does not match
Check spelling and name variations. If the arrest was very recent, allow for processing time and call the Detention Division if custody is urgent to confirm.
Compare booking date, age or other identifiers shown, charge information and agency details. Never rely on name and photograph alone.
Check the current county roster and the court case separately. A third-party page can remain visible after release or after the case status changes.
Use the written custody and booking record. Public-photo availability can differ by record and system.
Contact the Clerk of Superior Court at 910-772-6600 and have the exact name, case number if known and approximate filing or arrest date ready.
Use NC SAVAN for custody information and notifications, then check the court record or state correctional system depending on the person’s status.
Which official route should you use?
| Your question | Best starting point | Useful detail to have |
|---|---|---|
| Is the person currently in the county jail? | New Hanover Sheriff 2 Citizen / Detention Division | Full name and approximate booking date |
| What charge or court date is associated with the case? | North Carolina Judicial Branch Portal | Full name or case number |
| What was the final outcome? | Court record / Clerk of Superior Court | Case number is best when available |
| Can I receive release or custody notifications? | NC SAVAN / VINE | Offender and custody information |
| Can I get a certified single-county criminal record search? | Clerk of Superior Court | Form AOC-CR-314 and applicable $25 fee |