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.
Find SC Mugshots Through Official South Carolina Records
If you are searching for SC mugshots, the fastest reliable route usually starts with the South Carolina county where the person was booked. County detention centers handle most fresh arrest and booking records, while SCDC, the South Carolina Judicial Branch, SLED CATCH and SC VINE answer different questions about state custody, court cases, criminal history and custody changes.
Start With the Record That Matches Your Question
South Carolina does not use one public database for every mugshot, arrest, jail booking and criminal case. A person arrested by a city police department may be booked into a county detention center, later appear in a county court record and, if sentenced to state prison, eventually appear in SCDC. Searching the wrong system is one of the main reasons people think a record has disappeared.
Start with the sheriff, jail or detention center for the county where the arrest occurred. Look for an inmate search, booking search, recent bookings or detainee inquiry.
Use the county’s current-inmate search first. A historical booking entry can remain visible even after release, so check the current custody field separately.
Use the South Carolina Judicial Branch case-record system after identifying the correct county and person.
Use SLED CATCH. It is a name-based criminal-record service, not a mugshot gallery or nationwide background search.
Use SCDC only when the person is currently sentenced to and incarcerated with the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Use SC VINE when your real concern is a custody-status change rather than finding a photograph.
How to Search SC Mugshots Without Getting the Wrong Person
A name-only result is not enough for a dependable match. South Carolina counties use different jail software and search fields, but the verification process should stay the same.
Official South Carolina County Booking Searches
South Carolina has 46 counties, and their online detention systems are not standardized. Some show photographs and extensive booking details. Others show only current inmates, use an externally hosted jail portal, publish a limited recent-booking period or require direct contact with the records custodian.
The examples below show how different official county systems work. They are starting points, not a claim that every South Carolina county publishes the same information.
| County | Official route | Useful for | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken | Detainee Public Search | Searching people currently detained by last name and other available fields. | The county states that the public search is for people currently being detained and that information can change quickly. |
| Beaufort | Inmate Inquiry System | Current population, recent bookings, releases, charges and photographs where available. | The system offers several time-based views, so choose the list that matches how recent the event was. |
| Charleston | Charleston County Inmate Search | Current inmates and prior-booking searches using name, booking dates, arrest dates or inmate number. | The search uses verification controls and the jail expressly states that inmates are innocent until proven guilty. |
| Greenville | Greenville County Inmate Search | Current detention information, including charges and bond information where published. | Greenville County warns that inmate information can change quickly and should not be treated as a court judgment. |
| Horry | J. Reuben Long Bookings & Releases | Recent booking and release information from the county detention center. | Use the court system afterward for the criminal case and disposition. |
| Spartanburg | Bookings Search | Recent county detention bookings and related booking details. | The Sheriff’s Office explains that posted jail information is for public awareness and is not a complete criminal history. |
| York | York County Inmate Information | Current inmate search plus links to court, property, visitation, mail and commissary information. | Use the separate court resource when the issue is a hearing, prosecution or disposition rather than custody. |
When to Use the South Carolina Department of Corrections Inmate Search
SCDC is useful for a different stage of the process. Its public search covers people currently sentenced to and incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. SCDC says the search displays photographs and public inmate information as of midnight the previous day.
SCDC also makes clear what the search does not cover: people released from SCDC, people sentenced to county detention facilities, people under parole or probation or other community supervision, juvenile offenders housed with the agency and current SCDC fugitives.
If available, use the SCDC number or State Identification number. These are stronger identifiers than a name alone.
The current SCDC portal accepts first and last names and includes a phonetic-match option for similar-sounding names.
After selecting a result, the SCDC system can open a detailed inmate report containing additional custody and sentence information.
Use South Carolina Court Records to See What Happened After the Booking
A jail record captures the booking stage. Court records are usually more useful when you need to know what happened to the criminal case afterward.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch provides a Case Records Search that directs users to county Public Index records. Available court information can include filed cases, hearings, status information and dispositions. Coverage differs by court type, and not every municipal court record is available through the same statewide public index.
SLED CATCH Is for South Carolina Criminal History, Not Mugshot Browsing
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division operates CATCH, short for Citizens Access to Criminal Histories. It provides name-based South Carolina criminal-record checks and should be treated as a separate tool from a county jail roster.
SLED currently lists a $25 non-refundable base fee for a standard South Carolina criminal-record check. Its online CATCH page also lists online transaction charges, including a $1 convenience fee and, effective July 1, 2026, a $1.43 service fee for a $25 CATCH report. Verify the amount shown at checkout before submitting payment because payment processing terms can change.
- CATCH searches South Carolina criminal-history information, not a nationwide database.
- The search is name-based; SLED states that fingerprint searches are more reliable for identity matching.
- CATCH does not include wanted-person information.
- Name and date-of-birth differences, aliases or similar names can create false positives or false negatives.
- A criminal-history report serves a different purpose from a current county jail roster or booking photo.
Use SC VINE When Custody Status Matters More Than the Mugshot
SC VINE, Victim Information and Notification Everyday, is designed for custody information and notifications. It can be more useful than repeatedly checking a mugshot or jail page when your real question is whether an offender remains in custody, has been transferred or has a status change.
South Carolina describes VINE as a free service available to crime victims, concerned citizens and other users. Search options can include an offender’s name or identifying number. Notification options vary by custody setting and registration type.
What the Fields on an SC Booking Record Usually Mean
County jail screens use different labels, but many South Carolina booking systems display some combination of the following fields. Read them as administrative jail information, not as a final court judgment.
| Field | What it usually tells you | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Booking photo | A photograph associated with the jail-intake or custody record. | Guilt, conviction or the final court outcome. |
| Booking date | When the person was processed into the detention system. | The exact time of the alleged offense. |
| Charge | The allegation or legal charge recorded at that stage. | That prosecutors kept the charge unchanged or obtained a conviction. |
| Bond | A bond amount or status where one has been entered. | That release has already occurred. |
| Hold | Another agency, warrant or legal reason may affect release. | That a listed bond alone will result in immediate release. |
| Release date/status | The jail’s current or historical release information where published. | That there are no later court obligations or other supervision conditions. |
| Booking/inmate number | A local identifier that can help distinguish people with similar names. | That the same number will be used by courts, SLED or SCDC. |
What to Do When the Mugshot or Booking Record Is Not Online
An absent online photograph does not automatically mean there was no arrest. Counties can use different publication windows, records can move out of a current-inmate list, and some information may be restricted, sealed, expunged or otherwise unavailable for public release.
South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act provides access to public records subject to exemptions and other state or federal laws. The statute specifically requires public bodies to make documents identifying people confined in a jail, detention center or prison during the preceding three months available for public inspection and copying during operating hours unless an exemption applies.
That rule does not mean every specific booking photograph must be permanently posted online. If the image or booking document you need is not available, contact the agency that actually created or maintains the record and ask for its public-records procedure and fee schedule.
How to Verify SC Arrest Photos Before You Rely on Them
Mugshot pages are especially vulnerable to stale information because the photograph is tied to a single point in the criminal process. The arrest can be real while the surrounding charge, bond, custody or case status later changes.
Match multiple fields: full name, age or date of birth where available, booking date, facility, arresting agency and booking number.
A historical booking is not evidence that someone remains incarcerated. Use the current county inmate search, SCDC or VINE depending on custody type.
Use the South Carolina Judicial Branch rather than repeating the original booking charge as though it were the final disposition.
Why an Older South Carolina Mugshot May Disappear or Need Correction
South Carolina law contains special rules involving arrest and booking records. Under state expungement law, qualifying records can be destroyed or placed under seal depending on the legal circumstances. That means a record that once appeared publicly may later become unavailable.
South Carolina Code Section 17-1-60 also regulates nongovernmental publication of arrest and booking records. Among other provisions, it prohibits charging a fee or other consideration for certain removal or revision activity and establishes a process for qualifying removal requests when the original charges were discharged, dismissed, expunged or resulted in a not-guilty finding.
If you are trying to correct your own record, start with the court, solicitor or agency responsible for the case rather than assuming an old mugshot page reflects the current legal status.
Official Resources for SC Mugshots, Arrests and Criminal Cases
Use these resources according to the question you are trying to answer. None of them alone replaces all of the others.
Use it to identify the appropriate county sheriff when you do not already know the local booking or detention website.
Use it for people currently sentenced to and incarcerated in SCDC state custody.
Use it to move from the booking stage to available trial-court case information by county.
Use it when you actually need a South Carolina name-based criminal-history record rather than a county mugshot.
Use it for custody-status information and available victim or public notification options.
Use it to understand public-record access rules, exemptions, fees and response procedures when an online record is unavailable.
Official resources and procedures reviewed for this guide in October 2026. Online portals, fees, publication windows and county interfaces can change, so verify the current page before relying on a time-sensitive detail.
SC Mugshots FAQ
1. Where can I browse SC mugshots online?
2. Is there one official statewide South Carolina mugshot database?
3. Does SCDC show people arrested in county jails?
4. How do I find an SC mugshot from a recent arrest?
5. How do I check what happened to the charges after the booking?
6. What is SLED CATCH and how much does it cost?
7. How can I tell whether someone is still in custody in South Carolina?
8. Why can an SC mugshot or booking record disappear?
9. Can I request a South Carolina booking photo if it is not online?
10. Does an SC mugshot mean the person was convicted?
Best Way to Search SC Mugshots
For a fresh South Carolina arrest, begin with the county jail or detention center rather than a statewide mugshot directory. Verify the identity and booking details, then move to the South Carolina Judicial Branch when you need the court case. Use SCDC only for qualifying state-prison custody, SLED CATCH for South Carolina criminal history and SC VINE when custody changes or notifications are the real concern.
That sequence gives you more context than a photograph alone and reduces the chance of relying on an old, incomplete or misidentified booking record.