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 Wilmington and New Hanover County Mugshots, Bookings & Charges
For a recent Wilmington-area arrest, start with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Inquiry. It is the county’s public-facing jail search for people processed through the New Hanover County Detention Facility.
Use the booking result to confirm the person’s identity, custody status and available charge information. A booking photograph may be displayed when one is available for public release, but a photo or arrest record does not establish guilt or show the final court outcome.
Search the official New Hanover County inmate system first
The Sheriff’s Office identifies its public Corrections Operations site as providing an “Inmate Inquiry” search. This is the most direct county route for a person who may currently be in the New Hanover County jail system.
The inmate-search server may block some automated browsers or security-filtered connections. If the page does not open, use the Sheriff’s Office site or call the Detention Division at 910-798-4200.
How to Search New Hanover County Mugshots and Bookings
A name search is usually the fastest route, but matching on a name alone is not enough when several people have similar names. Use every identifier the official result provides before assuming a record belongs to the person you are researching.
What a Wilmington-Area Booking Record Can Tell You
The jail search and the court system answer different questions. The jail system is the better starting point for recent confinement; the court system is the better place to follow the underlying criminal case.
| Information | Best source | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Current or recent jail custody | NHC Sheriff’s Office Inmate Inquiry | A release can make an older booking record no longer representative of current custody. |
| Booking photograph | Official inmate/booking record when publicly displayed | Photo availability can vary. Do not assume every arrest produces a publicly visible image. |
| Initial charge wording | Booking record | Charges can later be amended, dismissed or resolved differently in court. |
| Court date and case activity | North Carolina Judicial Branch Portal / New Hanover County court tools | Use the court record for the judicial case, not a mugshot page. |
| Final disposition | Court record | An arrest or booking is not the same thing as a conviction. |
Check New Hanover County Criminal Court Records After the Booking Search
North Carolina’s Judicial Branch provides online court information, including searches for court dates and records. The New Hanover County court page links to county-specific calendars, forms, services and the statewide Portal.
North Carolina court search
The public Portal can be used to look for court information and hearings. Search using the same legal name found on the booking record and narrow the result to New Hanover County when appropriate.
New Hanover County Courthouse
316 Princess StreetWilmington, NC 28401
Main / Clerk of Superior Court: 910-772-6600
The Judicial Branch lists general courthouse hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., excluding closures and applicable holidays.
Bond, Release and Custody Status
If the inmate record shows bond information, read the exact terms rather than assuming that a dollar amount automatically means immediate release is possible. Release can depend on the applicable court order, processing requirements and other holds.
Check the Inmate Inquiry again for the most recent public status available through the Sheriff’s Office.
Use the North Carolina Judicial Branch court search to connect the jail booking with the criminal case.
Call the Detention Division at 910-798-4200 with the inmate’s full name and identifying information.
Do not assume the county jail remains the correct facility after a transfer. A person may move into another correctional system after court proceedings.
The Sheriff’s Office also points to North Carolina’s statewide automated victim-information system for sentence and projected-release information. Its published telephone number is 877-627-2826 (877-NCSAVAN).
New Hanover County Detention Facility Visitation
The county’s current Detention Division information says visitation is by appointment and must be scheduled by the inmate. It lists visiting hours between 1:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. daily and describes 45-minute visits.
The same county page also retains older visitation-update language with different limits for some housing units. Because those notices are not fully consistent with one another, confirm the current schedule and visitor limit with the Detention Division before traveling.
Inmate-arranged appointment
Do not arrive assuming a walk-in visit is available. Confirm that a visit has actually been scheduled.
Bring approved photo ID
The county requires visitors to provide approved photographic identification when arriving for visitation.
Confirm current restrictions
Call 910-798-4200 when age rules, guest limits or housing-unit restrictions could affect the visit.
How to Send Money to an Inmate
The Sheriff’s Office directs users to McDaniel Supply Company for online inmate-fund services. The county also identifies a lobby kiosk for cash deposits at the detention facility.
- Online: use the inmate-money service linked by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.
- Lobby: the facility states that cash can be deposited through an automated kiosk in the front lobby.
- Money order: make it payable to New Hanover County and put the inmate’s name in the memo section.
- Verify the inmate’s name and ID before sending funds so money is not directed to the wrong person.
Current Inmate Mail Address and Rules
New Hanover County states that a new inmate-mail process took effect December 1, 2025. Regular correspondence routed through the county’s mail-scanning service should use the inmate’s name and ID number.
[Inmate ID Number]
New Hanover County Detention Facility
P.O. Box 591
Longview, TX 75606
Mail details that can prevent a return
- Include the inmate’s name, inmate ID number and sender return address.
- Use letter-size white paper.
- The county’s posted scanning standard allows no more than five pages per mailing.
- Writing should be on the front side; material written on the reverse can be returned.
- The posted standard allows a maximum of one photograph per mailing.
- Greeting cards, colored/card-stock paper, cash, stamps, stickers, blank paper and padded envelopes are among the items the county says can be returned.
New Hanover County Jail and Court Contacts
| Office | Contact | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office / Detention Division |
3950 Juvenile Center Road Castle Hayne, NC 28429 910-798-4200 |
Current jail questions, visitation confirmation and detention-facility information. |
| New Hanover County Courthouse |
316 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401 910-772-6600 |
Court case and Clerk of Superior Court information. |
| Sheriff’s Judicial Services | 910-798-4505 | Sheriff-related judicial, civil and records services when applicable. |
| NC SAVAN | 877-627-2826 | Statewide automated custody/release-related information described by the county. |
What to Do When the Mugshot or Booking Record Is Missing
Recheck the spelling and confirm that New Hanover County is actually the arresting or holding jurisdiction. A Wilmington-area incident does not automatically mean the person is housed in the county detention facility.
The person may have been released or transferred. Use the court system to continue following the case rather than assuming the criminal matter ended.
A public booking entry does not guarantee that a photograph will be displayed. Use the available official record instead of substituting an unverified image from another website.
Compare the jail entry with the current court record. Booking-stage charge wording can differ from later prosecutorial or judicial records.
Stop using the record until you can confirm additional identifiers. A shared name is not sufficient evidence that two records belong to the same individual.
Navigate from the Sheriff’s Office website to “Sheriff 2 Citizen,” or contact the Detention Division at 910-798-4200.
Official Search Routes to Use in Order
Using official systems in a deliberate order reduces the chance of confusing a booking photo with the later status of the case.
New Hanover County Inmate Inquiry
Start here for jail bookings and current or recent detention information.
New Hanover County Detention Division
Use this page for the county’s published contact, visitation, mail and inmate-money guidance.
North Carolina Judicial Branch
Continue here for New Hanover County court dates, calendars and court services.
Call the responsible office
Use the jail or courthouse contact when a web record is unclear, unavailable or inconsistent with newer information.