Search Missouri Booking Reports
Missouri booking reports are public records held by county sheriff offices and city police departments across the state. The Missouri Sunshine Law gives the public a right to view arrest records, jail rosters, and booking information from all 114 counties. You can search for these records online through sheriff office websites, statewide databases, and court record portals. Many counties post their jail rosters with mugshots, charges, bond amounts, and booking dates. This page covers how to find Missouri booking reports, which agencies hold them, and what the law says about public access.
Missouri Booking Reports Quick Facts
Where to Find Missouri Booking Reports
County sheriff offices are the main source for booking reports in Missouri. Each of the 114 counties runs its own jail and keeps its own booking records. When someone gets arrested, the sheriff's office creates a booking report that includes the person's name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, arresting agency, and mugshot. Most sheriff offices in Missouri now post this data on their websites through online jail rosters.
City police departments also handle bookings. Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Joplin, and other cities run their own jail facilities where booking reports are created during intake. In many cases, city police transfer inmates to the county jail after booking, so the county sheriff's office ends up with the records too. For cities that don't run their own jail, the county handles all booking and detention.
The Missouri Department of Corrections Offender Search is a statewide tool that lets you look up anyone under state supervision. It covers active inmates, probationers, and parolees. The search pulls up names, aliases, DOC ID numbers, facility locations, offense details, and scheduled release dates. It does not include people who have been discharged from supervision.
The screenshot below shows the Missouri Department of Corrections offender search portal, which is free to use and does not need an account to access.
Note: The DOC search only covers state-level offenders and does not include county jail inmates or city jail detainees in Missouri.
Missouri Booking Reports Online Search
Many Missouri counties use jail management systems that publish booking data to the web in real time. JailTracker is one of the most common platforms. Counties like Greene, Bates, and Adair use it to post current inmates, charges, bond info, and mugshots. Other counties use custom systems or third-party platforms to share the same kind of data.
Missouri Case.net is the statewide court records portal run by the Office of State Courts Administrator. It covers all circuit courts in the state. You can search by name, case number, or filing date. Case.net shows criminal case information including charges, docket entries, court dates, and dispositions. It does not show raw booking reports, but it ties arrest records to their court outcomes, which makes it a good tool to pair with a jail roster search. The system is free. No registration is needed for basic searches. The help desk can be reached at (888) 541-4894 or by email at osca.help.desk@courts.mo.gov.
VINELink is another useful resource. It is a national victim notification system that covers most Missouri county jails. You can search for inmates by name or offender ID. The system sends alerts by email, text, or phone when someone's custody status changes. VINELink is free. It runs 24 hours a day.
The Missouri Automated Criminal History Site is operated by the State Highway Patrol. MACHS provides name-based criminal record checks for $14 per search. It pulls from the central criminal history repository, which is more complete than any single county roster. Fingerprint-based checks are also available for a higher fee.
Missouri Sunshine Law and Booking Reports
The Missouri Sunshine Law is the legal basis for public access to booking reports. Chapter 610 of the Missouri Revised Statutes says that government records are open to the public unless a specific law closes them. Booking reports and arrest reports fall under the open category.
RSMo 610.100 spells out what counts as an arrest report. It defines an arrest as "an actual restraint of the person of the defendant, or by his or her submission to the custody of the officer, under authority of a warrant or otherwise for a criminal violation which results in the issuance of a summons or the person being booked." The law says all arrest reports and incident reports are open records. Anyone can ask for them. You don't need to give a reason. The agency has to produce the records or explain in writing why they can't.
There are some limits. Under RSMo 610.100.3, law enforcement can hold back parts of a booking report if the information would put a victim or witness in danger, compromise an active case, reveal an undercover officer, or expose investigative methods. Also, if someone is arrested but not charged within 30 days, the arrest report becomes a closed record. The disposition portion may still be available, but the rest gets locked down.
RSMo 610.026 sets the fees. Copies cost no more than ten cents per page for standard sizes. Research time gets billed at the actual cost of the employee doing the work. Agencies can ask for payment up front. They can also waive fees if the request serves the public interest.
Note: Agencies must respond to Sunshine Law requests within three business days under RSMo 610.023, though they can request more time for large or complex requests.
How to Request Booking Reports in Missouri
You can get booking reports from any Missouri sheriff's office or police department. Written requests work best. Most agencies accept requests by mail, email, fax, or in person. Some have online forms.
To make a request, include the full name of the person you are looking for, an approximate date or date range, and the county or city where the arrest took place. The more detail you give, the faster the search goes. You should also include your own name and contact information so the agency can reach you about fees or follow-up questions. Address your request to the records custodian at the sheriff's office or police department.
Some agencies have moved to online portals that let you submit and track requests. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department uses a Sunshine Law request portal where you can file requests electronically. Columbia uses a system called NextRequest for public record requests. These portals send you email updates as your request moves through processing.
Fees for booking reports in Missouri are generally low. Copy fees are capped at ten cents per page under the Sunshine Law. If the request requires research, the agency can charge for staff time at the actual hourly rate of the employee. Simple requests for a single booking report usually cost just a few dollars. Many online jail rosters are free to search with no fees at all.
- Write to the records custodian at the county sheriff's office or city police department
- Include the full name of the subject and approximate arrest date
- Specify the type of record you need (booking report, arrest report, incident report)
- Include your contact information for fee notifications
- Expect a response within three business days
What Missouri Booking Reports Include
A booking report in Missouri gets created when someone is processed into a jail or detention facility. The report captures basic information during the intake process. This is different from a court record, which tracks what happens after charges are filed.
Most Missouri booking reports contain the person's full name, date of birth, race, sex, height, weight, and other identifying details. The report lists the charges, arresting agency, booking date and time, bond amount, and the court where the case will be heard. Many facilities also take a mugshot during booking and include it in the record. Some county rosters show the scheduled release date if one has been set.
The Missouri Sex Offender Registry maintained by the State Highway Patrol is a separate database. It tracks registered sex offenders by name, date of birth, tier level, address, and county. The registry has an interactive map and a list of offenders who have absconded. This is not a booking report database, but it is often searched alongside booking records for a more complete picture.
Missouri Booking Reports State Resources
Several state agencies help with booking report searches. The Missouri Department of Corrections manages all state prisons. Missouri has 21 prison facilities. The largest men's facility is the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre with about 2,700 inmates. The Women's Eastern Reception facility in Vandalia holds around 1,652 inmates. The DOC constituent services office can be reached at (573) 526-2695.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol runs the Criminal Justice Information Services Division. This is the central repository for criminal history data in the state. They handle MACHS background checks, arrest reports, and the sex offender registry. For patrol records requests, you can contact them through their services page.
The Missouri Attorney General's office publishes the Sunshine Law manual. If an agency denies your request for booking reports, the AG's office can help. They investigate complaints about Sunshine Law violations and provide guidance on what records should be open to the public.
Missouri Courts maintains the statewide court system and Case.net portal. The Legal Services of Missouri offers free legal help to qualifying residents who need assistance with records access or other legal matters.
Note: RSMo 610.200 requires local law enforcement agencies to make daily logs available to the public, including the time, substance, and location of all complaints or requests for assistance.
Browse Missouri Booking Reports by County
Each county in Missouri has its own sheriff's office that handles booking reports and jail operations. Select a county below to find local booking report resources and contact information.
Booking Reports in Major Missouri Cities
City police departments handle arrests and create booking reports for their jurisdictions. Select a city below to find arrest records and booking report information.