Beaufort County Recent Bookings
Beaufort County recent bookings are searchable online through the Beaufort County Detention Center Inmate Inquiry System. The system is free to use, requires no registration, and lets you search for current inmates, view people booked within the last 72 hours, and check who was released in the past 15 days. The Beaufort County Detention Center is at 100 Ribaut Road in Beaufort, South Carolina. This page explains how to search Beaufort County booking records, what the records include, and how to request additional arrest information through the county's official channels.
Beaufort County Quick Facts
Beaufort County Detention Center
The Beaufort County Detention Center is located at 100 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902. Mail to inmates should go to 106 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902. Phone numbers for the detention center are 843-255-5200 and 843-255-5179. For records division inquiries, call 843-255-5010. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office is at 2001 Duke Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, with a records division line at 843-255-3200. Non-emergency dispatch is 843-524-2777. The Records Division is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office maintains a range of public information services including the inmate inquiry system, mugshot request handling, sex offender registry access, an annual crime overview, and calls-for-service data. The Crime to Courtroom section of the Sheriff's website guides people through using the inmate inquiry system and the state SCDC database together to track the status of someone from booking through final conviction or release.
Beaufort County Inmate Inquiry System
The Beaufort County Detention Center Inmate Inquiry System at beaufortcountysc.gov is the primary tool for searching recent bookings. Access is free and no account is required. After accepting the terms, you can search by last name, first name, or date of birth. The system offers five specific search views: current population sorted by last name, current population sorted by booking date, inmates booked within the last 72 hours, inmates released within the last 15 days, and inmates booked within the last 90 days.
The Beaufort County Detention Center Inmate Inquiry System provides free searches of current inmates, recent bookings, and recent releases at the county jail.
The 72-hour booking view is particularly useful for finding the most recent Beaufort County bookings, showing everyone arrested in the past three days with their charges and bond information.
Search results from the Inmate Inquiry System include the person's full name, booking photograph, booking date and time, current charges, bond and bail information, housing status, and the arresting agency. The database updates regularly throughout the day, and release data updates as releases occur. Historical data in the system is limited to approximately 90 days, so for older records you will need to submit a FOIA request.
If online access is not available or you need real-time confirmation, call the detention center at 843-255-5200. For general non-emergency law enforcement questions, call the Beaufort County Sheriff's dispatch at 843-524-2777.
Additional Beaufort County Booking Searches
Beyond the county's own system, alternative search tools exist for Beaufort County records. Third-party resources can supplement the county portal when you need to cross-check information.
JailExchange provides an additional inmate search and mugshot lookup for the Beaufort County Detention Center.
Third-party inmate search tools like JailExchange can help when county portals are temporarily unavailable or when looking for supplemental booking record information.
The VINE system covers Beaufort County and provides free inmate tracking and victim notification services. Register at VINELink to receive automatic alerts when a specific person's custody status changes. Notifications go out by phone, text, or email and arrive quickly after a status change occurs. The toll-free VINE line is 1-800-846-3546.
Note: Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(D), the identities of all people held at the Beaufort County Detention Center for the past three months, and all arrest reports from the past 14 days, must be available to the public without a formal written FOIA request during normal business hours.
Beaufort County Court Records
The Beaufort County Clerk of Court is at 102 Ribaut Road (Beaufort County Courthouse), Beaufort, SC 29902. The phone number is 843-255-5050. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The Clerk handles Circuit Court and Family Court records, including General Sessions criminal cases tied to recent Beaufort County bookings.
Court records for Beaufort County are accessible online through the South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index. Select Beaufort from the county dropdown and search by party name or case number. Basic case information is free to view. Court rosters, case dispositions, and marriage licenses are also maintained by the Beaufort County Clerk. For in-person record access or certified copies, visit the Clerk's office during business hours. Online access is also described at beaufortcountysc.gov/clerk-of-court.
If someone was convicted and is serving a state prison sentence, use the South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate search at doc.sc.gov. The SCDC system updates daily and is free to search by name or SCDC number.
Requesting Beaufort County Arrest Records
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, you have the right to request arrest reports and booking records from Beaufort County. Submit FOIA requests to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Records Division at 2001 Duke Street, Beaufort, SC 29902. Written requests by mail are accepted. In-person visits during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM) are also an option for straightforward requests.
When submitting a request for Beaufort County arrest records, include your full name and contact information, the subject's full name and date of birth if known, the specific records being requested, the purpose of your request, your preferred delivery method, and your signature and date. This information helps the Records Division process your request efficiently. The agency must acknowledge your request within 10 business days and produce records within 30 calendar days for records under 24 months old, or 35 calendar days for older records.
For more complete criminal history going back beyond recent Beaufort County bookings, the SLED CATCH system runs statewide name-based checks for $25 per search. Results include convictions and pending charges from all South Carolina counties. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40, Beaufort County arrest records for cases that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal must be destroyed, so not all historical booking records will be available.
What Beaufort County Booking Records Include
When someone is processed into the Beaufort County Detention Center, the booking record captures the person's full legal name and any aliases, date of birth, age, gender, race and ethnicity, height, and weight. A booking photograph is taken at intake. Fingerprints are recorded. The booking date and time, booking number, and the name of the arresting agency are all part of the record.
On the legal side, each Beaufort County booking record lists every charge with its statute citation and severity level (misdemeanor or felony), the bond or bail amounts set, the court jurisdiction, and any scheduled court appearances. The housing assignment within the detention center is tracked throughout the stay. Arrest reports tied to the booking include the arrest date and location, the arresting officer's information, and any incident report details. This full data set is what the Inmate Inquiry System displays and what a FOIA request to the Sheriff's Records Division will produce.
South Carolina law at S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-60 prohibits commercial operators from using Beaufort County booking photographs to demand payment for removal. This anti-mugshot extortion law applies statewide and carries criminal penalties. Body-worn camera footage from Beaufort County law enforcement is not considered a public record under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-1-240, and specific procedures govern its release.
Cities in Beaufort County
Beaufort County includes several communities along the South Carolina coast. Bookings from municipal police departments within Beaufort County are processed through the Beaufort County Detention Center.
Nearby Counties
Beaufort County borders several other South Carolina counties along the coast and inland. Use the links below to find recent bookings in neighboring areas.