Merced County Booking Report Search

Merced County booking reports are maintained by the sheriff's office at 700 W. 22nd Street in Merced. The county provides an online inmate inquiry system where you can look up current booking records at no cost. Booking reports in Merced County contain arrest details, charges, bail amounts, and personal identification data for each person processed through the jail. Whether you need to find out if someone is in custody or want a copy of a past booking report, the Merced County Sheriff's Office is the primary source. This guide walks through the search tools, fees, and legal rules that apply to accessing Merced County booking reports.

Search Merced County Booking Records Online

The Merced County Sheriff's Office runs an Inmate Inquiry System that lets you search for people booked into the county jail. Enter a name and the system returns current booking information. It shows charges, booking date, and custody status. The tool is free. There is no registration needed. It works on phones, tablets, and computers. This is the best starting point for anyone searching Merced County booking reports.

Below is the Merced County Sheriff's Inmate Inquiry portal where you can look up current booking data.

Use this search tool to find current inmates and their booking details in Merced County.

The online system covers active bookings. People who have been released will not show up in the results. If you need booking data for someone who is no longer in the Merced County jail, contact the sheriff's office at (209) 385-7614. Staff can check historical records and let you know how to get copies. The city of Merced police department also keeps arrest reports, but the actual booking records are held at the county level by the sheriff.

How Merced County Handles Bookings

Every arrest in Merced County ends at the county jail for booking. The Merced Police Department, Atwater police, Los Banos police, and sheriff's deputies all bring arrested people to the same facility. During booking, staff record the person's name, date of birth, height, weight, hair and eye color, and other identifying details. They log the charges and set bail according to the county's bail schedule. All of this goes into the Merced County booking report.

California law requires that certain booking data be made public. Under Government Code Section 7923.600, law enforcement agencies must release the full name of the arrested person, physical description, arrest date and time, booking date and time, charges, bail amount, and custody location. Merced County follows this law by publishing current inmate data through its online inquiry system. The booking report itself is a more detailed document than what you see online, but the key facts are available to anyone through the search tool.

Request Merced County Booking Report Copies

To get a full printed copy of a booking report from Merced County, contact the sheriff's office. You can visit the main office at 700 W. 22nd St., Merced, CA 95340 or call (209) 385-7614. The California Public Records Act gives you the right to request copies. The sheriff has 10 days to respond to a written records request. Fees apply for copies based on the number of pages and the type of record.

For those who need a criminal history check that goes beyond a single booking report, the California DOJ offers a Record Review process. That costs $25 and requires fingerprints through Live Scan. But if you only need a specific Merced County booking report, the local sheriff's office is the cheaper and faster path. Walk-in requests at the Merced County jail can sometimes be processed the same day.

Note: Call the Merced County Sheriff at (209) 385-7614 to confirm current fees before making a trip to the office.

Legal Access to Merced County Bookings

Penal Code Section 13300 defines local criminal history information in California. It covers items like names, arrest dates, booking numbers, charges, and case results. While full criminal histories are restricted to authorized users, booking data is public. Merced County must release basic booking information to anyone who requests it. No reason is needed. No special permission is required. The online inquiry system is one way the county meets this obligation.

People booked in Merced County who are later cleared can seek to seal their records. Penal Code Section 851.91 provides this option when arrests do not result in conviction. The petition goes to the Merced County Superior Court. If granted, the booking report gets sealed and will not appear in future public searches. Penal Code Section 851.8 covers cases of factual innocence, where records are sealed and eventually destroyed.

Track Merced County Inmate Status

The VINE notification service is available for Merced County. This free tool alerts you when someone's custody status changes. Sign up with a name or ID number and pick how you want to be reached. VINE sends alerts for releases, transfers, and escapes. It is a good companion to the sheriff's inmate inquiry system. Use the sheriff's tool to get current booking data and VINE to stay informed about changes after the fact.

Cities in Merced County

Merced is the county seat and the largest city. Other communities include Atwater, Los Banos, Livingston, and Gustine. No city in Merced County has a population over 100,000, so all booking activity runs through the county sheriff. The Merced Police Department handles city arrests, but booking happens at the county jail. All cities in the county feed into the same sheriff's booking records system.

Nearby County Booking Reports

Merced County is surrounded by other Central Valley and foothill counties. If you are not sure which county handled a booking, try these nearby areas.