Austin TX Arrest Records Search | Police & Court

Austin police, booking and court record route

Austin Police Booking Search, Travis County Jail and Court Case Lookup

Use this guide to find an Austin arrest, check whether the person is still in Travis County custody, view an APD booking photo when available, verify charges in the correct court, request a police report, understand bond and reach visitation or legal-help services.

Jail information: 512-854-4180 APD records help: 512-974-5212 Municipal Court: 512-974-4800 Arrest does not mean conviction
Austin Police may make the arrest, but Travis County handles central booking and county-jail custody. APD booking photos are not a same-day custody tool because the official photo database posts eligible photos 13 days after arrest.
Fast answer

Austin Arrest Records Quick Facts

Current custody

Use the Travis County Sheriff inmate search, not the delayed APD photo database.

APD booking photos

Eligible booking photographs are posted 13 days after the arrest date.

Police incident reports

The public APD database updates daily and covers the latest 18 months.

Jail information

Call 512-854-4180 to confirm housing or bond location.

Jail visitation

Wednesday–Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.

Felony records

Travis County District Clerk; criminal online coverage begins in 2008.

Misdemeanor records

Travis County Clerk handles Class A and B misdemeanor court records.

Wrong court risk

Austin Municipal Court does not handle ordinary Travis County felony cases.

Someone was arrested in Austin today?
Search the Travis County inmate system first. If the person is not listed, call jail information with the full legal name, date of birth, arresting agency and approximate arrest time. Do not wait for the APD booking-photo database because eligible photos are delayed by 13 days.
Private browser tool

What Do You Need to Find?

Select the task. This local tool routes you to the correct Austin or Travis County source without collecting names, dates of birth or case details.

Use the correct source

Austin Police Records, Jail Records and Court Records Are Different

Current jail status Travis County inmate search

Use for present county custody, booking ID, charge and housing information.

Open official inmate search
Booking image APD photo database

Use for eligible booking photographs after the published 13-day delay.

Open APD booking-photo search
Police report APD incident reports

Search public incident reports by case number, police area, ZIP code or census tract.

Search APD incident reports
City citation Austin Municipal Court

Use for City of Austin Class C, traffic, ordinance and citation matters.

Search Municipal Court cases
Class A or B case Travis County Clerk

Use for county misdemeanor case data, dockets and copies.

Search misdemeanor records
Felony case Travis County District Clerk

Use for adult felony cases, certified felony searches and expunction filings.

Open felony record search
Current custody

How to Find Someone Arrested in Austin Today

Austin Police and other local agencies use Travis County Central Booking. The Sheriff’s current-inmate search is therefore the practical first source after an Austin arrest.

Open the Travis County Sheriff inmate page Use the official county source for current custody rather than waiting for a booking-photo site.
Open Travis County inmate search
Search the legal name Start with the last name. Add the first name or date of birth when the name is common.
Open the matching person Compare name, date of birth, booking number, arresting agency, charge and current housing information.
Save the jail or booking ID You will need it for bond, calls, visitation, mail, trust-fund deposits and court searches.
Call when the arrest is too new Contact jail information at 512-854-4180 when intake, transfer or release information is not yet clear online.
Search tip: Do not assume a missing result means no arrest occurred. The person may still be in transport, identity processing, magistration, medical screening or another agency’s temporary custody.
Austin police booking photos

How the APD Booking Photo Database Works

The Austin Police booking-photo database is useful for historical identification, but it is intentionally delayed and should not be used to confirm same-day custody.

13-day posting delay

APD states that eligible arrestee photographs are posted 13 days after the arrest date.

Several search fields

Search by last name, first name, date of birth, booking number, booking date or charge.

More than APD arrests

The database may include booking photos from other police agencies that use Travis County Central Booking.

Open the official APD photo database Read the acknowledgement before starting the search.
Open APD Booking Photo Search
Search with one strong field first Use the booking number when known. Otherwise use last name and first name, then add the date of birth or booking date.
Compare the complete record Confirm identity, arrest date, booking number and charge before assuming the photo belongs to the person you need.
Verify present status elsewhere Use the Travis County inmate search for live custody and the appropriate court clerk for filed charges and disposition.
Why a photo may never appear: APD does not post juvenile booking photographs and may withhold a photograph when publication would interfere with law-enforcement interests.
Avoid wrong-person mistakes

Confirm Identity Before Sharing an Austin Arrest Record

Match the complete legal name and date of birth.
Compare the booking photo when one is available.
Check the arresting agency and booking date.
Save the Travis County jail or booking ID.
Compare the charge with the court case.
Confirm whether the person remains in custody.
Check middle names, aliases and earlier surnames.
Never rely on a name-only match.
Bond and release

How to Check and Post Bond in Travis County

Bond can differ by charge, court and hold. Confirm the current amount, type and posting location with the Sheriff before travelling or buying a cashier’s check or money order.

1
Booking Charges and holds entered
2
Magistration Rights and bond reviewed
3
Bond type Cash, surety or no bond
4
Correct location Downtown or Del Valle
5
Release check Other holds and paperwork
Find the current inmate record Write down the booking ID, listed charges and facility.
Call the bond-information line Call 512-854-4180 to confirm the person’s location and current bond instructions.
Use the correct posting location The official page lists the Blackwell-Thurman Bonding Office at 509 W. 11th Street and the Travis County Correctional Complex at 3614 Bill Price Road.
Prepare the exact approved payment Cash bonds require the full amount by exact cash, cashier’s check or money order. The Sheriff states that change and overage are not accepted.
Confirm the payee before purchase Cashier’s checks and money orders for Travis County charges are generally payable to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, but out-of-county charges can use different instructions.
Check for another hold Payment does not guarantee immediate release when another charge, warrant, detainer or court condition exists.
Review the Sheriff’s official bond-information page immediately before paying because the housing location and payment instructions can change.
Scam warning: Travis County warns about callers impersonating officers and demanding payment. Never pay from an incoming call alone. Hang up and independently call the published Sheriff or court number.
Choose the right court

Austin Municipal, Travis County Misdemeanor and Felony Case Search

The arresting agency does not determine which online court portal you should use. The level of charge controls the practical search route.

Austin Municipal Court Class C, traffic and city cases

Use for citations, city ordinance matters, traffic offenses and other lowest-level City of Austin cases.

Search Municipal Court
Travis County Clerk Class A and B misdemeanors

Use for DWI, assault, theft and other county misdemeanor matters handled by County Courts at Law.

Search misdemeanor cases
Travis County District Clerk Adult felony cases

Use for felony court records, certified felony searches, felony nondisclosures and all expunction filings.

Search felony cases
Which Austin or Travis County court source should you use?
Situation
Correct source
Search details
Important limitation
Traffic or City citation
Austin Municipal Court
Case or citation number, name, driver-license information or plate.
Not the route for ordinary county felony records.
Class A or B misdemeanor
Travis County Clerk
Name, case data, dockets and redacted documents.
Court data updates every 24 hours; new document images can take about 72 hours.
Adult felony
Travis County District Clerk
Odyssey Smart Search by name or case number.
The public online criminal collection starts in 2008.
Upcoming criminal setting
Travis County Criminal Docket Search
Defendant, attorney, court or case information.
Confirm time-sensitive settings with the court or lawyer.

How to search the Travis County Odyssey portal

Open the official case-information page Use the District Clerk’s page and follow its Online Court Records Search Portal link.
Enable JavaScript and cookies The Odyssey portal requires both and works best in a current browser.
Select Smart Search Search by legal name or case number. Use Advanced Filtering Options when a common name returns too many results.
Compare the register of actions Review court, case type, filing date, events and available documents.
Request certified records when necessary Online viewing is useful for research. Use the Clerk’s records-request process for official, certified or authenticated copies.
Police and arrest reports

How to Search or Request an Austin Police Report

Search public incident reports

The APD database updates daily and includes public incident-report information from today back 18 months. Search by case number, police area, ZIP code or census tract.

Open APD Incident Reports
Request records not found online

Use the City of Austin Public Records Center for reports or responsive records that are not available in the public database.

Open public-information request guidance
Collect identifying details Prepare the APD case number, date, location, involved person, incident type and the exact record requested.
Search the incident database first A known case number is usually the fastest field. Geographic searches are useful when the case number is unavailable.
Submit a focused written request Describe the record precisely. Broad requests can require clarification, additional review or a cost estimate.
Save the request confirmation Keep the reference number, date submitted and any correspondence about redaction, cost or delivery.
APD public-information request support: 512-974-5212 or 512-974-5499. The City states that there is no initial fee to submit a request, but reproduction and processing charges may apply.
Legal representation

How to Find Appointed or Private Criminal Defense Help

Travis County Public Defender

The office is one of two organizations providing court-appointed representation to adults who cannot afford an attorney. Appointment is made through the court.

Phone: 512-854-5100
Address: 1010 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX 78701.

Open Public Defender information
Capital Area Private Defender Service

Some court-appointed attorneys are provided through CAPDS rather than the county Public Defender’s staff.

Phone: 512-774-4208

Open CAPDS
Confirm the lawyer’s Texas license status.
Ask who will attend magistration and future settings.
Request a written fee and scope agreement.
Ask which fees and expenses are excluded.
Do not discuss case facts on recorded family calls.
Keep the booking and court case numbers ready.
Public-defender scam warning: Travis County states that an appointed attorney will never ask the defendant or family for money. A caller demanding payment to secure release is not following the official appointed-counsel process.
Jail visitation

Travis County Jail Visitation Hours and Rules

All Travis County Jail and Travis County Correctional Complex onsite visits are administered at the Del Valle correctional complex.

Confirm current custody Search the inmate and check whether the person remains in Travis County custody before scheduling.
Create a ViaPath visitation account Use the official scheduling link published by the Sheriff.
Open Travis County visitation scheduling
Schedule at least 24 hours ahead Face-to-face non-contact visits must be scheduled a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
Use the published visitation window Onsite face-to-face and kiosk video visits are available Wednesday–Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.
Arrive 30 minutes early Check-in ends 15 minutes before the appointment. Late check-ins are not accepted.
Bring appropriate identification Visitors age 17 and older need government-issued photo identification. Minors under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Visit allowance

Two visits per week, combining face-to-face and onsite kiosk visits.

Visitor limit

Two visitors; up to three when children under 12 are included.

Provider support

ViaPath visitation customer support: 1-855-208-7349.

Review the complete official visitation and dress-code page before leaving. Lockdowns, holidays, dress-code violations or late arrival can cancel a visit.
Phone, money and mail

How to Contact an Inmate or Send Approved Funds

Prepaid phone account

ViaPath AdvancePay: 1-800-483-8314
PIN Debit: 1-855-706-2445
Customer support: 1-877-650-4249.

Open official contact guidance
Inmate Trust Fund

In-person deposits are handled at Finance Building 230, 3614 Bill Price Road, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.

Open trust-fund instructions
SecurePak

Use the inmate’s full name and jail or booking ID. Order support: 800-546-6283.

Read commissary rules

Trust-fund mail requirements

Inmate Trust Fund
Inmate’s full name and jail ID or booking number
P.O. Box 1368
Del Valle, TX 78617

Include the inmate’s full name, booking number, date of birth, sender name and return address. Money orders over $100 are not accepted for deposit to an inmate trust account.

Normal inmate correspondence

Travis County Jail
Inmate full name, date of birth and booking number
500 W. 10th Street
Austin, TX 78701
Travis County Correctional Complex
Inmate full name, date of birth and booking number
3614 Bill Price Road
Del Valle, TX 78617
Check the housing location before mailing. The Sheriff requires correspondence to be sent directly to the facility where the inmate is housed, with a return address and the required identity details.
When the inmate disappears

Where Did the Person Go After an Austin Arrest?

Central booking Identity, charges and magistration
County housing Downtown jail or Del Valle complex
Released Bond, personal bond or court order
Transferred Another county, federal or TDCJ
Supervised Pretrial, probation or parole
Next source when the Travis County inmate result is missing
Possible reason
What to check
Official next source
Recently released
Court events, bond and release confirmation.
Transferred to state custody
Search after state intake has updated.
Federal custody
Search by name or federal register number.
Wrong county or agency
Confirm where the arrest occurred and which agency accepted custody.
Search mismatch
Try surname only, full date of birth and alternate spelling.
Victim and witness support

Travis County Victim Services and Custody Notifications

District Attorney Victim Services

Support for victims and witnesses in pending felony matters.

512-854-9449

Open victim-services guidance
Texas VINE

Available custody notification and jail-information service in English and Spanish.

877-894-8463

Open Texas VINE
Immediate danger

Call 911 for a current emergency. Do not confront a person based on an arrest listing or release notice.

Old or incorrect record

Expunction, Nondisclosure and Record Correction in Travis County

Expunction, nondisclosure and correction are different procedures. Eligibility depends on the complete case history and Texas law.

Get the official disposition Search the correct court and request a certified record when proof is needed.
Choose the correct filing route Travis County District Clerk handles all expunctions and felony nondisclosures. The County Clerk provides misdemeanor nondisclosure guidance.
Use current court forms Review the Texas Judicial Branch forms and the applicable Travis County filing instructions.
Ask for filing help when needed The District Clerk recommends consulting an attorney or the Travis County Law Library at 512-854-8677.
Correct a Texas DPS history error separately Use the Texas DPS criminal-history error-resolution process when the statewide criminal-history record is inaccurate.
Expunction and felony nondisclosure

District Clerk Criminal Division, 501 W. 11th Street, Room 2.300, Austin.

Open District Clerk guidance
Misdemeanor nondisclosure

Review the Travis County Clerk process and current Texas court forms before filing.

Open County Clerk guidance
A dismissed case or private-page removal does not automatically erase every police, jail, court or DPS record. Verify the official record after the legal process is complete.
Visit the correct office

Austin Jail, Court, Police and Public Defender Maps

Use the buttons to switch the map. Call before travelling because booking, bond, visitation, court records and police-record requests are handled at different locations.

Travis County Jail

500 W. 10th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Jail information: 512-854-4180

Visitation is not held at the downtown jail. The Sheriff states that all onsite Travis County Jail and TCCC visits are administered at the Del Valle correctional complex.
Verified contacts

Austin Police, Jail and Court Phone Numbers and Hours

Travis County Jail Information

512-854-4180

Use for housing location, bond posting location and general jail routing.

Austin Police Records Support

512-974-5212 or 512-974-5499

Use for APD Public Information Request questions.

Austin Municipal Court
6800 Burleson Road
Building 310, Suite 175
Austin, TX 78744

512-974-4800

Monday–Wednesday and Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

Travis County Misdemeanor Division
1000 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701

512-854-9188

County Clerk hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Travis County District Clerk

512-854-9457

Felony record office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Travis County Public Defender
1010 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX 78701

512-854-5100

The main entrance moved to the south side of the building in November 2025.

Real situations

What to Do in Common Austin Arrest Situations

Arrest happened this morning

Use the Travis County inmate search and call jail information if central booking has not yet published the result.

The mugshot search is empty

APD photos are delayed 13 days. Use the jail search for current custody and return to the photo database later.

I found a citation but no county case

Check Austin Municipal Court because traffic, ordinance and Class C matters can remain in the city court system.

Bond was paid but release has not happened

Call the jail to confirm payment, housing location, other holds and release processing.

I cannot afford a lawyer

Ask the court about appointed counsel and contact the Travis County Public Defender for routing.

The case was dismissed but records remain

Get the official disposition and review expunction, nondisclosure and DPS correction routes before contacting private publishers.

Official and related resources

Austin, Travis County and Texas Arrest Record Links

Exactly 10 answers

Austin TX Arrest Records FAQs

How do I find someone arrested in Austin today?

Use the Travis County Sheriff current-inmate search because Austin Police and other agencies use Travis County Central Booking. Search by legal name, compare the date of birth and booking information, and call 512-854-4180 if the arrest is too recent to appear online.

Does the APD booking photo database show same-day arrests?

No. Austin Police states that eligible arrestee photographs are posted 13 days after the arrest date. Use the Travis County inmate search for current custody and return to the APD photo database later.

What can I search in the APD booking photo database?

You can search by last name, first name, date of birth, booking number, booking date or charge. The database may also include booking photographs from other police agencies that use Travis County Central Booking.

How do I check bond for a Travis County inmate?

Open the inmate record and call 512-854-4180 to confirm the current amount, bond type, holds and posting location. Cash bonds require the full amount by exact cash, cashier’s check or money order under the Sheriff’s current instructions.

Which court should I search after an Austin arrest?

Use Austin Municipal Court for City of Austin Class C, traffic and ordinance matters; the Travis County Clerk for Class A and B misdemeanors; and the Travis County District Clerk for adult felony cases.

How do I search a public Austin Police incident report?

Use the APD Incident Reports database and search by a known case number, police area, ZIP code or census tract. The database updates daily and provides public incident information from today back 18 months.

What are Travis County Jail visitation hours?

Onsite face-to-face and kiosk video visits are available Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., excluding county holidays. Schedule face-to-face visits at least 24 hours ahead and arrive 30 minutes early.

How do I send money to a Travis County inmate?

Use the official Inmate Trust Fund instructions. In-person deposits are handled at Finance Building 230 in Del Valle from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on county business days, or use the approved mail or Western Union routes with the inmate’s full name and booking number.

How do I request an Austin Police arrest or incident record?

Search the public incident database first. If the record is not available there, submit a focused request through the City of Austin Public Records Center using the case number, date, location, involved person and exact record needed.

Does an Austin arrest record prove a conviction?

No. An arrest, booking photograph, police report or jail record does not prove guilt or conviction. Check the correct Municipal Court, County Clerk or District Clerk record for filed charges, hearings and disposition.

Official-resource review completed August 3, 2026

Arrests-Org.us is an independent public-record navigation guide. It is not affiliated with the Austin Police Department, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Austin Municipal Court, Travis County Clerk, Travis County District Clerk, Public Defender’s Office or another government agency.

Custody status, bond, court settings, office hours, provider details, fees and visitation availability can change. Confirm time-sensitive information through the responsible official source before travelling, paying money or making a legal decision.

Responsible-use notice: An arrest is not a conviction. Do not use this page, a mugshot, booking record or police report for employment, housing, credit, insurance or another decision requiring a legally compliant consumer report.