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.
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Find a Mobile County Metro Jail Inmate and Check the Booking
For a Mobile AL Metro Jail inmate search, start with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office rather than a commercial inmate directory. The Sheriff’s Office provides two useful public tools: Who’s in Jail for current custody and 24-Hour Booking for people booked recently.
If the online information is unclear, the Metro Jail also publishes an automated inmate-information number at 251-574-6412. Use the jail record for custody and booking questions, then use Mobile County court records when you need the filed criminal case, hearing information or final disposition.
How to Search the Mobile Metro Jail Roster
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office labels its current inmate page Who’s in Jail. It is the best first stop when you need to know whether someone is presently listed in Metro Jail custody.
Go to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Who’s in Jail page.
Check the full first and last name. If the roster opens as a long list, use your browser’s Find on Page feature and search the surname.
Compare every identifying or booking detail the live record provides. Do not assume the first person with a matching or similar name is correct.
Look at the available booking date, listed charges, bond information and other custody details shown by the live system.
Keep the inmate’s exact booking name and any booking, PIN or identifying number displayed or provided by jail staff. These details may be needed for deposits, mail, visitation or telephone questions.
Custody, bond and release status can change after a court appearance, payment, transfer or jail processing.
A jail booking or listed charge records an arrest or custody event. It does not establish guilt or a criminal conviction.
Checking a Recent Mobile County Booking
If someone was arrested during the last day, the Sheriff’s 24-Hour Booking page can be more useful than repeatedly searching unrelated websites.
| You need to know | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Is the person currently in Metro Jail? | Who’s in Jail | Designed for current custody. |
| Was the person booked very recently? | 24-Hour Booking | Useful for recent intake activity. |
| The arrest is too recent to find online | 251-574-6412 | Metro Jail’s automated inmate-information system. |
| You need the criminal case | Mobile County court system | Court records are better for filed cases, hearings and disposition. |
| The person was transferred to state prison | Alabama DOC Inmate Search | ADOC custody is separate from the county jail roster. |
Do not confuse a recent-booking entry with proof that the person remains in jail. Someone may appear in recent booking activity and then be released, bonded out or transferred.
If You Cannot Find the Inmate
A missing name does not necessarily mean the arrest never occurred. Work through these possibilities in order:
- Booking is still processing: fingerprints, medical screening, warrants and intake can delay public listing.
- The name is entered differently: retry the legal surname, suffix, hyphenated name, former surname or another spelling.
- The person was released: a current-custody list may stop showing someone after release.
- The person was transferred: sentenced inmates may later move to Alabama Department of Corrections custody.
- Another agency has custody: federal, immigration or another county system may be responsible.
- The case is restricted: juvenile and other protected records may not be publicly displayed.
Mobile County Metro Jail Contacts
The Sheriff’s Office states that Metro Jail serves both Mobile County and the City of Mobile and averages about 1,500 inmates per day. The complex includes the main jail and a minimum-security barracks.
| Office or service | Phone / address | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Jail | 450 St. Emanuel Street, Mobile, AL 36603 | Jail location and public access point |
| Automated inmate information | 251-574-6412 | Current inmate questions |
| Metro Jail administration | 251-574-4702 | General facility questions |
| Central Control / Metro Jail | 251-574-2355 | Facility control questions |
| Metro Barracks Central Control | 251-574-2321 | Barracks-related questions |
| Classification / Records | 251-574-2329 | Classification or jail-record questions |
| Sheriff’s Office | 510 South Royal Street, Mobile, AL 36603 · 251-574-2423 | General Sheriff’s Office assistance |
| Sheriff records | 251-574-8660 | Records questions |
| Metro Jail medical information | 251-574-3368 | Leave the inmate’s name and your contact information for a medical-information callback |
Charges, Bond, Court Dates and Release Decisions
The jail roster and court record answer different questions. Use the Metro Jail record to identify current custody and available booking or bond information. Use the Alabama court system for the filed case, hearing activity and eventual disposition.
| Question | Best record |
|---|---|
| Is the person currently in jail? | Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Who’s in Jail |
| Was the person recently booked? | 24-Hour Booking |
| What bond is currently listed? | Jail record, then confirm before payment |
| What criminal case was filed? | Alabama court record / Mobile County Circuit Clerk |
| What is the hearing or case status? | Alabama Judicial System |
| Was the charge dismissed or resulted in conviction? | Final court record, not the jail roster |
The Mobile County Metro Jail inmate handbook states that a $35 bond filing fee per charge is assessed in addition to applicable bond amounts. Because a judge can change bond conditions and fees or procedures can be updated, confirm the exact current requirement before giving money to anyone.
How to check the related Mobile County court case
- Find the correct inmate and booking first.
- Write down the person’s full legal name and any case or charge information available.
- Open the Mobile County Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.
- Use Alabama’s Just One Look service when you need on-demand state trial-court information.
- For District Criminal questions, Mobile County lists 251-574-8511. For Circuit Criminal matters, the published number is 251-574-8430.
The Mobile County Courthouse is at Government Plaza, 205 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36644. District criminal and felony circuit matters are handled through different divisions, so identify the case before calling.
Mobile Metro Jail Visitation
Friends and family use video visitation. The Sheriff’s current Metro Jail page directs visitors to GettingOut for registration and scheduling.
- Create your own visitor account through GettingOut, or register by phone at 866-516-0115.
- If you do not have computer access, the Sheriff’s Office says registration can be completed in the Metro Jail lobby during the published weekday registration periods.
- Make sure you are on the inmate’s approved visitation list.
- Schedule at least 1 day in advance and no more than 7 days ahead.
- Sign in at least 15 minutes before the visit begins.
- No more than four visitors are allowed per inmate under the current published rules.
| Visit type | Current Sheriff’s webpage schedule | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| On-site video | Monday-Friday, 8:00-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:30 p.m. | Metro Jail states on-site video is free. |
| Remote video | 7 days a week, 8:00-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:30 p.m. | Check the scheduler for the current price before paying. |
| Professional face-to-face | For qualifying clergy, medical and legal professionals | Public family visits are video visits. |
For visitation assistance, the Sheriff’s current Metro Jail page lists 855-208-7349.
How to Send Money or Buy Commissary
Mobile County currently directs online inmate-account and commissary activity to InmateCanteen.
Online deposit
- Confirm the inmate is still in Mobile County Metro Jail.
- Use the inmate’s exact booking name and required identifying/PIN information.
- Open InmateCanteen and select the correct facility and inmate.
- Review the recipient carefully before submitting payment.
- Check the transaction fee before completing the deposit.
Lobby kiosks
The March 2025 handbook states that kiosks are available in the Metro Jail visitation lobby and Docket lobby. It lists cash, debit cards and credit cards as accepted by the kiosk and notes that deposits are fee-based.
Commissary may include snacks, hygiene products, writing materials, clothing and other approved items. The handbook also describes CAREPACK ordering through the commissary provider.
Inmate Mail and Phone Calls
Personal mail
Mobile Metro Jail has unusually specific personal-mail rules. Ordinary incoming non-privileged mail must be sent as a metered postcard no larger than 4 x 6 inches. The Sheriff’s Office states that postage stamps are not accepted for this type of mail.
Date of birth, if known
Mobile County Metro Jail
P.O. Box 104
Mobile, AL 36601
- Include the sender’s full name and complete return address.
- Use the inmate’s full booking name, not a nickname.
- Do not use ordinary stamped envelopes for non-privileged personal correspondence.
- Padded envelopes are not accepted.
- Non-legal mail is inspected before delivery.
- Mail arriving after release may be returned to the sender.
Legal correspondence follows separate privileged-mail rules. Attorneys and legal senders should review the current Metro Jail instructions and inmate handbook before mailing anything confidential.
Phone calls
The inmate handbook states that housing-unit calls are outgoing collect calls and are generally limited to 15 minutes. Staff do not transfer incoming calls to inmates or take ordinary telephone messages.
During initial processing in the Docket Room, the handbook states that local 251-area-code calls are free and limited to five minutes, while long-distance calls are collect. Phone time can also be purchased through the commissary system. Rates can change, so check the current service before adding funds.
Release, Property and Medical Items
Do not use a projected release or bond amount as a guaranteed pickup time. Court orders, holds, paperwork, identity checks and final jail processing can affect when someone physically leaves the facility.
If the inmate disappears from the roster
- Check whether the person appears in recent booking information.
- Call 251-574-6412 to confirm current custody.
- Check the court case for a bond, release or other judicial order.
- If a state-prison transfer occurred, search ADOC.
Personal property
The March 2025 inmate handbook says personal property may be released to family or friends on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. The recipient should go to the Docket window in the Docket lobby. Because operational schedules can change, confirm before traveling.
Medication after release
The handbook states that medications surrendered at intake are held for three business days after release. It lists medication pickup Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m., with proper photo identification and/or the medication receipt. Confirm current instructions with the jail before going.
Family medical concern
The Sheriff’s current Metro Jail page states that inmate medical services are contracted through NaphCare. For a medical-information concern, it lists 251-574-3368 and instructs callers to leave the inmate’s name, their own contact information and a message.
Older Jail Records, Criminal History and State Transfers
Older Sheriff’s records
The current inmate list is primarily a live custody tool. For an older Sheriff’s Office record, use the MCSO Civil Division & Central Records page. MCSO directs records requesters to its official Open Records Act Request Form.
Alabama criminal-history record
A jail booking is not the same as an official statewide criminal-history review. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency provides the CHRI review process. ALEA currently lists a $25 fee for an individual’s Alabama criminal-history review, with fingerprint and identification requirements.
If the inmate was transferred to Alabama state prison
Use the ADOC Inmate Search. ADOC allows searching by AIS number or name. An AIS number is a unique six-digit Alabama Institutional Serial number and is the most precise way to locate an ADOC inmate.
Do not use ADOC as the first search for someone arrested in Mobile yesterday. County-jail custody and Alabama state-prison custody are separate systems.
Mobile Metro Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. How do I search for an inmate in Mobile Metro Jail?
Use the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Who’s in Jail page for current custody. Search or scan the official roster using the inmate’s legal booking name, verify the matching record and call 251-574-6412 if the status is unclear.
2. Where can I see recent Mobile County jail bookings?
Use the Sheriff’s official 24-Hour Booking page. It is the better starting point for very recent booking activity, while Who’s in Jail is intended for current custody.
3. What is the Mobile County Metro Jail inmate-information phone number?
The Sheriff’s Office publishes 251-574-6412 for its automated system providing information about a person in jail. Metro Jail administration is 251-574-4702.
4. Where is Mobile County Metro Jail?
Mobile County lists the Metro Jail at 450 St. Emanuel Street, Mobile, Alabama 36603. Personal inmate mail should not be sent to the street address; it uses P.O. Box 104, Mobile, AL 36601.
5. Why is someone arrested in Mobile not showing in the jail search?
The booking may still be processing, the name may be recorded differently, the person may already have been released, or another agency may have custody. Check 24-Hour Booking and call 251-574-6412 before assuming the person was not booked.
6. How do I schedule a Mobile Metro Jail visit?
Register through GettingOut or by phone at 866-516-0115, make sure you are on the inmate’s approved list, schedule at least one day and no more than seven days ahead, and sign in 15 minutes before the appointment.
7. How do I send money to a Mobile Metro Jail inmate?
Mobile County directs online deposits and commissary activity to InmateCanteen. Lobby kiosks are also described in the inmate handbook. The Sheriff’s current page states that Money Clerks no longer accept money orders for inmate trust-account deposits.
8. What can I mail to a Mobile County Metro Jail inmate?
Ordinary non-privileged correspondence must be a metered postcard no larger than 4 x 6 inches, with no postage stamp. Include the inmate’s full booking name, date of birth if known, and the sender’s full return address.
9. How do I check a Mobile County inmate’s court case or bond?
Use the jail record for current custody and available bond information, then check the Mobile County Thirteenth Judicial Circuit or Alabama Just One Look system for the related criminal case, hearings and later disposition.
10. Where do I search if a Mobile County inmate was transferred to Alabama prison?
Use the Alabama Department of Corrections Inmate Search. Search by the six-digit AIS number when known, or use the inmate’s name, and verify the current ADOC institution.
Official Resources for Final Verification
- Mobile County Sheriff’s Office — Who’s in Jail
- Mobile County Sheriff’s Office — 24-Hour Booking
- Mobile County Sheriff’s Office — Metro Jail
- Mobile County Metro Jail Inmate Handbook — revised March 19, 2025
- Mobile County Government Directory
- Mobile County Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
- Alabama Administrative Office of Courts
- Alabama Department of Corrections Inmate Search
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Criminal Records
Information reviewed against current public Mobile County, Sheriff’s Office, Alabama court and correctional resources in October 2026. CountyJailInmateSearch.org is an independent informational website and is not the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Mobile County Metro Jail, Mobile County Government or an Alabama court. Custody, bond, visitation, vendor and release information can change, so use the official live record for the final time-sensitive action.