Search South Carolina 72 Hour Booking Records
South Carolina 72 hour booking records track recent arrests across the state. These records cover the past three days. County detention centers keep them on file. Sheriff offices in all 46 South Carolina counties hold 72 hour booking records as well. Each record lists the name, charges, arrest date, and bond for the person in custody. You can search for 72 hour booking records online, by phone, or in person at a local South Carolina detention center. State law makes these booking records public. Use this page to find and access 72 hour booking data across South Carolina.
South Carolina 72 Hour Booking Quick Facts
South Carolina 72 Hour Booking Access
A 72 hour booking record is made each time a person is arrested and processed at a South Carolina detention center. Staff at the jail log the arrest right away. They note the full name, date of birth, charges, and bond amount. This takes place for every arrest in every county. South Carolina law grants the public the right to view these booking records. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(d)(3), documents that list persons held in any jail, detention center, or prison must be made open for public review for the past three months. Most South Carolina counties now post this data on the web. Others still handle it by phone or in person at the jail.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections runs a key inmate search tool used across the state for booking and custody records.
This SCDC portal shows booking data for inmates in the state prison system. It does not cover county jails. County detention centers run their own 72 hour booking systems. Not all use the same search tools. Some have online rosters. Others use third-party sites like VINELink for inmate tracking and booking alerts.
The SCDC Public Inmate Search Portal lets you look up inmates by name or identification number in South Carolina.
Search results from this portal show the current custody status and location of each inmate within the South Carolina corrections system. You can search by SCDC number, State Identification number, or by first and last name. The system updates as of midnight each day. It covers inmates sentenced to state prison but does not include those held at county detention centers or on parole. For recent 72 hour booking records at the county level, check the local sheriff office website or call the detention center in your area of South Carolina.
Search Booking Records in South Carolina
South Carolina gives you many ways to search for booking records. Online tools are the fastest option. Several state and county sites let you look up recent arrests and 72 hour booking data from home. Phone calls to your local detention center work well too. You can also go in person to the jail or sheriff office during business hours. Pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(d), law enforcement must provide booking records for at least the past 14 days without a written request when you show up in person. For the past three months of jail records, the same law applies. This makes South Carolina one of the more open states for 72 hour booking access.
The SLED CATCH system is the main statewide criminal records search tool in South Carolina, run by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
SLED CATCH stands for Citizens Access to Criminal Histories. It covers South Carolina records only. You need the last name, first name, and date of birth to run a search. A fee of $25 applies for each check, plus a $1 online convenience fee. Results show arrest records supported by fingerprint submissions under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-120. This is a name-based search. Fingerprint-based checks are the most reliable but require a visit to SLED in Columbia.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Records Index offers another way to look up court cases tied to booking records in the state.
This court index shows cases filed with the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. It does not display sealed or confidential records. Updates happen daily but may lag on occasion. For county-level booking and arrest records tied to bond court, you will get the best results by going to the local sheriff office in the South Carolina county where the arrest took place.
Note: SLED CATCH results can differ from fingerprint-based searches because name matching alone may miss aliases used during 72 hour booking in South Carolina.
SCDC Inmate Search South Carolina
The South Carolina Department of Corrections runs two main search tools for the public. The active inmate search covers people who are currently behind bars in state prison. The released inmate search covers those who have served their time and left custody. Both tie into the broader system of 72 hour booking records because many inmates start at a county jail and later move to state custody. The SCDC also runs a toll-free inmate line at 1-866-727-2846.
The SCDC Released Inmate Search lets you look up inmates who have left the South Carolina prison system by date range and county.
You can filter results by release date, county, and sex offender status. This is helpful when the person you are looking for has already left custody. The system covers state prison releases but not county jail releases. For county release data, contact the local detention center in your part of South Carolina.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division oversees criminal records at the state level through SLED headquarters in Columbia.
SLED keeps records based on fingerprint data sent by local law enforcement and detention centers. Under state law, every booking at a South Carolina jail should result in fingerprints being sent to SLED. These feed into the CATCH database. You can reach SLED at 803-737-9000 or visit their office at 4400 Broad River Road in Columbia. Mail-in requests go to SLED Records Department, PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221-1398. Only business checks, certified checks, or money orders are accepted by mail. Personal checks and cash are not accepted for 72 hour booking background checks through SLED.
SLED also sets the terms and conditions for how CATCH data can be used by the public in South Carolina.
Charitable groups that meet state requirements pay just $8 per check. School districts pay nothing for teacher background checks. SLED does not keep any of the $1 online convenience fee. All criminal history data from SLED should be handled with care. Subjects have the right to correct errors in their records at the SLED Criminal Records Department in Columbia between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
South Carolina 72 Hour Booking Laws
South Carolina has clear rules about how booking records can be shared and used. The most important is S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-60, which deals with the publication of arrest and booking records. This law says it is unlawful to get booking records and post them on a website that charges a fee to remove them. It also bans charging people to take down their arrest photos. Publishers must remove 72 hour booking records within 30 days of a written request if the charges were dropped, dismissed, or ended in a not guilty verdict. News outlets, TV stations, and radio stations are exempt from these rules in South Carolina.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections also plays a role in records oversight through its Office of Inspector General.
This office handles investigations tied to inmate conduct and facility security across the South Carolina state prison system. While it does not manage 72 hour booking records at the county level, it oversees records for inmates transferred from county jails to state prisons.
The actual text of S.C. Code Section 17-1-60 spells out what counts as unlawful use of booking records in South Carolina.
Under this statute, a person who publishes South Carolina arrest records on a website is considered to be doing business in the state. A written removal request must include the name, arrest date, arresting agency, and proof that the charges were resolved. The publisher then has 30 days to comply. Violations can lead to legal action. This law protects people whose 72 hour booking records were posted without their consent in South Carolina.
Note: These publication rules do not apply to government agencies that post booking records as part of their public duty in South Carolina.
South Carolina Booking Records and FOIA
The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act gives every person the right to request booking records from any public agency. The full text of this law is found in S.C. Code Ann. Title 30, Chapter 4. It covers all public bodies in the state. For 72 hour booking records, the key section is § 30-4-30(d)(3), which requires jails and detention centers to share documents that list confined persons for the past three months. You do not need a written request to view these in person. An oral request is enough during normal business hours at any South Carolina jail. Agencies that post records on a public website are also in compliance with this law.
The South Carolina State Government Portal is the main gateway to all state agencies that handle booking and arrest records.
From this site you can reach every county government page, the courts, and state law enforcement. It is a good starting point when you are not sure which agency holds the 72 hour booking records you need. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40(a)(3), some records are exempt from public release. These include records that would interfere with an active investigation, reveal a confidential source, or put someone at risk. Juvenile booking records are also restricted under South Carolina law.
The South Carolina State House site holds the full code of laws that governs how booking records are created, stored, and shared across the state.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 24-13-50, every county jail manager must file monthly reports to the Department of Corrections. These reports list the name, race, age, offense, and sentence length of each person held that month. S.C. Code Regs. § 12-608.10 also requires booking reports to include agency ID, case number, charges, and other key details. All of these records feed into the broader 72 hour booking record system in South Carolina. Local detention facilities must follow state retention standards set by S.C. Code Ann. § 24-9-10 for how long they keep booking data on file.
Some South Carolina counties have standout online tools for 72 hour booking. The Beaufort County Inmate Inquiry System offers a search for inmates booked within the last 72 hours as a specific feature. Charleston County runs a dedicated inmate search portal through the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. These county-level tools are the best way to find recent arrest data in South Carolina.
Browse 72 Hour Booking by County
Each of the 46 counties in South Carolina keeps its own 72 hour booking records at the local detention center. Pick a county below to find contact info, search tools, and resources for booking records in that area.
City 72 Hour Booking in South Carolina
City police departments in South Carolina make arrests that result in 72 hour booking records at the county detention center. Pick a city below to learn about booking records in that area.