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 a Charleston County Inmate and Check the Current Roster
For a Charleston County jail inmate search, start with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office inmate portal for the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston. The official search can be used for current inmates and, when the past-booking option is enabled, earlier booking records.
How to Search the Charleston County Jail Roster
- Open the official inmate portal. Go to the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office inmate search rather than an unofficial jail directory.
- Complete the reCAPTCHA. The current portal requires verification before a search can be submitted.
- Decide whether you need a current or older booking. The normal search is for current inmates. Check Show Past Bookings when looking for someone who may already have been released or for a prior booking.
- Search by name. The Sheriff’s official help guide says to enter at least three characters of the last name. A first name is optional and may be entered with at least two characters to narrow the results.
- Use “Enable Sounds Like” when needed. This option can help when you are uncertain about the exact spelling of a name.
- Use dates when you know the booking period. The portal provides Booking Date From/To and Arrest Date From/To fields. The official help guide uses the MM/DD/YYYY format for booking dates.
- Search by inmate number when known. The inmate number provides a more direct way to identify the correct record.
- Open the matching result carefully. Expand the available record details to review charges, holds and other displayed information. A mugshot may appear when available.
- Verify time-sensitive information. Bond, release status and custody can change. Use the current record and the appropriate jail or court contact before traveling or making a payment.
Charleston County Inmate Search Fields Explained
| Search option | How to use it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Last Name | Enter at least 3 characters. Using more of the correct surname usually narrows the results. | Most name searches |
| First Name | Optional; the official guide allows a partial first name of at least 2 characters. | Separating people with similar surnames |
| Enable Sounds Like | Turn this on when the spelling may be uncertain. | Name variations or spelling uncertainty |
| Booking Date | Use the From and To fields to limit the booking period. | Searching bookings from a known day or date range |
| Arrest Date | The current portal also provides arrest-date From/To fields. | Narrowing a search when the arrest date is known |
| Inmate Number | Enter the known inmate number instead of a name/date search. | Direct identification |
| Show Past Bookings | Check this option when the person is no longer appearing as a current inmate. | Former inmates and prior Charleston County bookings |
The search page also displays the facility’s current inmate-population totals. Because people are booked, released and transferred throughout the day, it is better to view the live figure on the official portal than rely on a population number copied into an older webpage.
What a Charleston County Inmate Record Can Show
The exact fields vary by record and booking status. Charleston County’s inmate-search documentation shows that results can include identifying and booking information and can provide expandable details for charges and holds. A mugshot may be displayed when available.
The Sheriff’s help guide also describes a printer option for opening an individual booking record in a printable format.
What to Do if the Person Does Not Appear
Do not immediately conclude that a person was released or was never booked. Work through these possibilities:
| Possible reason | What to do next |
|---|---|
| Very recent arrest | Charleston County intentionally delays online/app booking postings for a short period. Search again later or use the in-person option below. |
| Name spelling | Check the legal name, try a shorter valid surname entry and use Enable Sounds Like. |
| Already released | Turn on Show Past Bookings and search again. |
| Transferred | The person may have moved to another county, state or federal facility. |
| Sentenced to state prison | Use the South Carolina Department of Corrections search rather than the county-jail portal. |
| Juvenile custody | The adult inmate search is not the Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center search. Special confidentiality rules apply. |
| Wrong jurisdiction | Confirm which agency made the arrest and where the person was taken. |
For a brand-new booking, there is an official in-person option
Under the Sheriff’s February 2026 policy, booking information remains available in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center lobby on Leeds Avenue. The Sheriff’s Office says a booking list is printed daily at 9:00 a.m. and placed next to the visitor’s log for public viewing. The notice says copies are not made.
Read the official 2026 inmate-search delay notice.
If the person may now be in South Carolina state prison
The South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate search is for people currently sentenced to and incarcerated in SCDC custody. SCDC states that its online information reflects custody as of midnight the previous day. It does not replace county-jail searches and does not show people who have been released from SCDC or who are serving a county detention sentence.
How to Check Bond, Court Dates and the Criminal Case
Start with the inmate record for any bond or court information displayed with the booking, but use the court system for the legal case itself.
Centralized Bond Hearing Court
Centralized Bond Hearing Court3831 Leeds Ave., Suite 200
North Charleston, SC 29405
Phone: (843) 746-9822
Charleston County currently lists the court’s office hours as Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Exact hearing times and operational schedules can change. Charleston County pages have also published differing hearing-time details, so call (843) 746-9822 before traveling specifically to attend a bond hearing.
Check the current Charleston County Magistrates/Summary Courts information.
How to follow the court case after the booking
- Note the person’s full name, inmate number, charges and any case/court information shown in the jail record.
- Open the Charleston County Clerk of Court.
- Use the county’s public case-record/Public Index option for the appropriate criminal case.
- Search with the defendant’s accurate name or available case/warrant information.
- Compare the case with the charge information from the jail booking so you do not mix records belonging to people with similar names.
- Use the court record for hearings, filings and case disposition rather than treating the jail booking as a complete criminal-history record.
The Charleston County Clerk of Court’s Common Pleas and General Sessions office is at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401 and lists (843) 958-5000 as its main phone number.
After You Find the Inmate: Visitation, Money, Mail and Calls
| Need | Current Charleston County information |
|---|---|
| Personal visitation | An inmate must be incarcerated at least 72 hours before receiving a visit. Personal visitation is currently online only except for attorneys. The facility allows up to three 30-minute personal visits per seven calendar days, subject to operational status. |
| Visitation times | Sunday–Saturday: 8:00–10:50 a.m. (last scheduled 10:20), 1:00–4:25 p.m. (last scheduled 3:55), and 7:00–10:00 p.m. (last scheduled 9:30). |
| Visit provider | Create and manage the visit through Securus. Schedules remain subject to jail operations. |
| Commissary money | The jail is cashless. Deposits may be made at the detention-center lobby kiosk, by approved money order through U.S. Mail, or online through TouchPay, using Site #229405. The jail currently states an inmate may spend up to $100 per week on commissary. |
| Canteen cutoff | The current detention page says money must be deposited before 8:00 a.m. Monday for it to be available for that canteen cycle. |
| Care packages | The detention center currently directs approved online care packages through iCare. |
| Phone/tablet account | Securus handles inmate phone and tablet accounts. After processing, inmate calls are generally collect calls. Securus support is (800) 844-6591. |
How to send a money order
Do not send cash or personal checks. The current jail instructions say money orders should be payable to Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, with the inmate’s name and number placed only on the memo line.
Money-order mailing addressInmate Name and ID#
Charleston County Detention Center
3841 Leeds Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29405
Include the sender’s full name and return address. Do not place a personal letter or book in the same mailing as the money order.
How to send personal mail
Since May 1, 2023, ordinary personal mail is not accepted directly at the detention center. Charleston County uses the Securus Digital Mail Center:
Personal-mail addressIncarcerated Individual and ID#
Charleston, SC County Jail
C/O Securus Digital Mail Center
PO Box 20207
Tampa, FL 33622
Securus scans qualifying mail so it can be viewed on inmate tablets. Charleston County says incorrectly addressed mail may be delayed or returned; packages and certified mail are returned. Items that cannot be scanned are also returned. The facility prohibits cash, personal checks, prepaid phone cards, food, clothing, books, toiletries and other restricted or contraband items in ordinary personal mail.
Check the current official detention-center rules before mailing or paying, because provider details, limits and operating procedures can change.
Which Charleston County Search Should You Use?
| What you need | Best official starting point |
|---|---|
| Person currently held in the adult county jail | Charleston County Inmate Search |
| Older/past Charleston County booking | Official inmate portal with Show Past Bookings enabled |
| Newest arrest not yet appearing online | Search again later or review the daily 9 a.m. public booking list at the detention-center lobby |
| Criminal court case or final outcome | Charleston County Clerk of Court / Public Index |
| Person transferred to South Carolina state prison | South Carolina Department of Corrections |
| Active-warrant information | Charleston County Sheriff’s Warrants Search |
| Juvenile detention | Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center information |
Juveniles are handled differently
The adult inmate-search portal should not be used as though it were a juvenile roster. Charleston County states that, under South Carolina law, juvenile information will not be discussed over the phone. Parents or legal guardians must go directly to the Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center to obtain information about their child.
A warrant search is not the same as an inmate search
A person can have an outstanding warrant without being booked into the detention center. Charleston County operates a separate public warrants search. The Warrants Office is located in the main lobby of Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center and lists (843) 529-7391 for warrant questions. The Sheriff’s Office warns that online warrant information should not by itself be treated as confirmation that a warrant remains active or used as a basis for legal action.
Charleston County Jail Contact Information
| Facility | Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center |
|---|---|
| Address | 3841 Leeds Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405 |
| Detention Center | (843) 529-7300 |
| CCSO non-emergency | (843) 202-1700 |
| Warrants | (843) 529-7391 |
| Centralized Bond Hearing Court | (843) 746-9822 |
| Clerk of Court – General Sessions | (843) 958-5000 |
| Attorney visitation | (843) 529-7358 |
For an emergency, call or text 911. Jail custody, bond, release, visitation and service-provider information can change quickly, so verify a time-sensitive action through the live official source before traveling or sending money.
Related Jail Search Guides
If the person may have been arrested elsewhere in South Carolina, these published guides may help:
- Spartanburg County, SC Jail Inmate Search & Roster
- Cherokee County, SC Jail Inmate Search & Roster
- Accuracy & Responsible Use of Jail and Booking Information
Charleston County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. How do I search for an inmate in Charleston County?
Open the official Charleston County Sheriff’s Office inmate search, complete the reCAPTCHA and search by last name, optional first name, booking or arrest dates, or inmate number. The Sheriff’s search guide says a name search should use at least three characters of the last name and at least two characters if a partial first name is entered.
2. Is the Charleston County jail roster updated in real time?
The portal displays current custody information and a live inmate-population count, but Charleston County now intentionally delays new booking information online and in its mobile app for a short period to reduce jail-bail scams. Do not assume a very recent arrestee is not in custody simply because the person is not yet displayed online.
3. Why is a newly arrested person not showing in the Charleston County inmate search?
A new booking may not appear immediately because Charleston County Sheriff’s Office introduced a short online posting delay in 2026. Booking processing, spelling differences or a different holding jurisdiction can also affect the search. The jail lobby provides a public booking list printed daily at 9:00 a.m.
4. Can I search past Charleston County jail bookings?
Yes. The official inmate-search page includes a Show Past Bookings option. Enable it when the person no longer appears among current inmates or when you are trying to locate a previous Charleston County booking.
5. What information can a Charleston County inmate record show?
Depending on the booking and available data, a record can show identifying and booking information, charges, custody-related details, holds, bond or court information and a mugshot when available. The Sheriff’s official help guide also describes an option for opening a printable version of an individual record.
6. How do I check a Charleston County inmate’s bond or court date?
Review the current inmate record first for displayed bond or court information, then verify the legal case through Charleston County court records. The Centralized Bond Hearing Court is at 3831 Leeds Ave., Suite 200, North Charleston and can be reached at (843) 746-9822.
7. What is the Charleston County jail address and phone number?
The adult county detention facility is Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, 3841 Leeds Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405. The detention-center phone number is (843) 529-7300.
8. How do I visit an inmate at Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center?
An inmate must be incarcerated at least 72 hours before receiving a visit. Personal visitation is currently online only except for attorneys and is scheduled through Securus. Charleston County currently permits a maximum of three 30-minute personal visits per seven calendar days, subject to facility operations.
9. How do I send money or personal mail to a Charleston County inmate?
The detention center accepts approved canteen deposits through its lobby kiosk, qualifying money orders and TouchPay Site #229405. Personal correspondence is sent to the Securus Digital Mail Center in Tampa for scanning to inmate tablets; ordinary personal mail is no longer accepted directly at the Charleston County Detention Center.
10. What should I do if the person was transferred, is in state prison or is a juvenile?
If the person was sentenced and transferred to South Carolina state-prison custody, use the South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate search. If the person is a juvenile, the adult jail search does not apply; Charleston County states that juvenile information is not discussed by phone and parents or legal guardians must go directly to the Juvenile Detention Center for information about their child.