Search Virginia Jail Mugshots
Virginia jail mugshots are booking photos taken at intake by the local sheriff's office or regional jail. You can look up booking photos, arrest details, and inmate status through the sheriff that made the arrest, the regional jail that holds the person, or the Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator. The Commonwealth has 95 counties and 38 independent cities, each with its own custodian of jail records. This page shows you where to start a Virginia jail mugshots search and which agency keeps the records you need.
Virginia Jail Mugshots Overview
Where to Find Virginia Jail Mugshots
Jail mugshots in Virginia are kept by the agency that booked the person. For state prison inmates, that means the Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator. For people held in a county or city jail, it means the local sheriff or the regional jail authority. The Virginia Sheriffs' Association keeps a full directory of all 123 county and city sheriffs in the Commonwealth, including names, addresses, and phone numbers.
The VADOC inmate locator only shows people in state custody. If a person is awaiting trial, serving a short jail term, or held at a regional facility, they will not appear in that search. To run a Virginia jail mugshots lookup for a recent arrest, you have to ask the sheriff or regional jail that made the booking. Many regional jails post a roster online. Some give a photo. Some only give a name.
The Virginia Department of Corrections runs the statewide inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov, the first stop for any state-level Virginia jail mugshots search.
The locator returns the current facility, projected release date, and active sentence info for any person in state custody.
Booking photos and arrest information are public under state law. Under Va. Code § 2.2-3706, every law enforcement body must release adult arrestee photographs taken at intake as part of routine booking, along with the identity and the status of the charge. The only exception is when releasing a felony booking photo would jeopardize an active investigation.
Note: Virginia jail mugshots for someone in a local or regional jail are not in the VADOC system. Contact the sheriff or regional jail that booked the person.
How to Search Virginia Jail Mugshots
You have several ways to search Virginia jail mugshots and inmate records. The fastest path depends on where the person is being held.
Start with the VADOC Inmate Locator if you think the person is in state prison. The system needs the first letter of the first name and the full last name, or the seven-digit Inmate ID. It returns the current facility, projected release date, and active sentence info. VADOC is headquartered in Richmond at P.O. Box 26963, Richmond, VA 23261-6963.
If the person is in a city or county jail, go straight to the sheriff or regional jail. Many regional jail websites have an online inmate roster. Examples include the Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail, the Meherrin River Regional Jail, and the Eastern Shore Regional Jail. Each one serves a group of counties and posts its own roster format.
To run a Virginia jail mugshots search, you typically need:
- Full name of the person
- County or city where the arrest took place
- Approximate date of arrest if you have it
- Date of birth, when the roster asks for it
You can also use the Virginia Judicial System case information portal for related court records. The General District Court Case Information system and the Circuit Court Case Information system both let you search by name or case number across most localities. These court records will not show a booking photo, but they confirm the charge and the locality, which tells you which sheriff to contact for the mugshot.
Virginia State Police Records
The Virginia State Police runs the Central Criminal Records Exchange. They handle criminal history record checks for the public through the SP-167 form. The form must be signed and notarized in Section 1 by the applicant. If a third party should receive the results, that party must also sign and notarize Section 2. Processing takes about 15 business days after mail-in. Same-day walk-in service is not offered.
State Police arrest reports themselves are not released to the public. For an arrest report, you have to ask the local agency that made the arrest. The Virginia State Police headquarters is at 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, North Chesterfield, VA 23235. Criminal history dissemination is governed by Va. Code § 19.2-389 and the related sections of Title 19.2.
The full criminal history record check process and SP-167 form are explained on the Virginia State Police criminal background page.
The page lists notarization rules, processing times, and where to mail or drop off the form.
The State Police also runs the public sex offender registry. Under Va. Code § 9.1-913, the registry is updated every business day with new registrations, reregistrations, and verification info. It includes the offender's name, aliases, conviction details, age, current address, photograph, and work address.
Virginia FOIA and Jail Mugshots
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act covers jail mugshots and arrest records. Under Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., every public body must give citizens and the press access to its records. All records are presumed open. A body can only withhold a record if a clear, written exemption applies. Requests can be made by mail, fax, email, in person, or over the phone, and you do not have to put the request in writing or even cite FOIA. The custodian must respond within five working days.
Under Va. Code § 2.2-3706.1, criminal incident information for felony cases must include a description of the activity, the date and time, the general location, the investigating officer or point of contact, and a description of any injuries or property loss. Routine booking photos must be released under § 2.2-3706, except where release would jeopardize a felony investigation. Investigative case files can be withheld at the custodian's discretion.
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services FOIA office handles requests for state-level criminal justice records, but it does not have arrest reports, body cam footage, or local incident records. Those must be requested from the local police or sheriff. The Attorney General's FOIA office can answer general questions about how the act works and how to phrase a request.
The DCJS FOIA contact and request instructions are posted on the DCJS FOIA requests page.
That page tells you exactly who to contact for state criminal justice records and what fees may apply.
5 Working Days: Every Virginia public body has five working days to respond to a FOIA request for jail mugshots or arrest records. The fee may not exceed the actual cost of accessing, copying, and searching for the records.
Records can be expunged under Va. Code § 19.2-392.2. If a person is acquitted, the case is dismissed, or a nolle prosequi is taken, that person can petition the circuit court of the locality where the case was disposed of for expungement of the police and court records. After an order is entered, it is a Class 1 misdemeanor under Va. Code § 19.2-392.3 for any person with access to the file to disclose its contents without a court order.
What Virginia Jail Records Show
Under Va. Code § 53.1-116, the jailer must keep a record describing each person committed to jail, the terms of confinement, the offense, and the date of intake. The record also shows good conduct credit, work assignments, and class participation. This is the file that produces the booking photo and the inmate roster entries that the public can see.
A typical Virginia jail record contains:
- Full name and aliases
- Booking date and time
- Charges and case numbers
- Bond amount and status
- Booking photo (mugshot)
- Physical description
- Holding facility and housing unit
- Court dates
Most of these fields are public. Some are not. Investigative material is withheld. Records of people held by a probation or pretrial services agency are excluded from disclosure under § 2.2-3706. Records of expunged cases are sealed and may not be released. Effective July 1, 2026, any record that has been expunged shall not be disclosed unless dissemination is specifically authorized by court order.
Virginia Arrest and Booking Process
Under Va. Code § 19.2-82, a person arrested without a warrant must be brought before a magistrate. The magistrate examines the officer under oath. If there is probable cause, a warrant or summons is issued. If not, the person is released. The process can be done in person or by two-way electronic video and audio under § 19.2-3.1.
For most class 1 and class 2 misdemeanors, the officer issues a summons instead of taking the person to jail. Under Va. Code § 19.2-74, the arresting officer must take the name and address of the person and issue a written summons to appear at a set time and place. Once the person signs the summons, the officer releases them. The officer can still take the person to a magistrate if the person is likely to ignore the summons or cause harm.
When the person is taken to jail, the booking process begins. The intake officer takes the person's full name, photo, fingerprints, and personal property. The booking photo becomes part of the record under § 53.1-116 and is releasable under § 2.2-3706. The person is then held until a magistrate sets bond or until the case is otherwise resolved.
Are Virginia Jail Mugshots Public
Yes. Virginia jail mugshots are public records. Under Va. Code § 2.2-3706, every law enforcement agency must release adult booking photos taken at intake. You do not need to be related to the person. You do not need to give a reason. The custodian has five working days to respond.
There are limits. Booking photos of juveniles are not released. Records of imprisoned people are excluded from mandatory disclosure. Photos that would identify a victim cannot be released without consent. And under § 2.2-3706.1, the custodian can withhold investigative material in an open felony case if release would jeopardize the work.
The General Assembly made the rules clear: under Chapter 37 of Title 2.2, the act must be liberally construed to favor disclosure, and any exemption must be narrowly read. The public is the beneficiary of every action taken at every level of government in the Commonwealth.
Most Virginia jail mugshots can be obtained by asking the sheriff or regional jail that holds the person. The release is mandatory for adult booking photos taken at intake.
Browse Virginia Jail Mugshots by County
Each Virginia county has its own sheriff that handles arrests, booking, and jail mugshots. Pick a county below to find the local sheriff's office, regional jail, and resources for jail records in that area.
Jail Mugshots in Major Virginia Cities
Each independent city in Virginia has its own sheriff or police department that handles bookings. Pick a city below to find the right office for jail mugshots in that area.