Search Texas arrest records, booking records, and public criminal history in all 254 Texas counties. Learn what information is available and how to access it free.
ⓘ Calls may be answered by a licensed bail bond agent.Under the Texas Public Information Act, arrest records including booking photos (mugshots) and booking records are public records in Texas. Here is what they contain and how to access them.
The date and time the person was booked into the county jail after their arrest by law enforcement.
The specific offenses listed at the time of booking. Charges may be modified or dismissed by the district attorney before or after arraignment.
The bail amount set at magistration for each charge. Multiple charges may have multiple bail amounts set individually.
Most Texas counties include the booking photo in their public roster. Mugshots are public records under Texas law.
Texas arrest records are maintained at the county level. Each county manages its own booking records and public access system. Here is how to search.
Texas arrests are processed through the county where the arrest occurred. If you know the arrest location, start with that county's records. For statewide searches, you may need to check multiple counties.
Use our 254-county directory to find the right county jail inmate roster page. Current booking records show active inmates. For historical records, you may need to contact the county clerk.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) maintains a statewide criminal history database. While full criminal history reports require a fee, basic conviction records are available. Visit dps.texas.gov/rsd/crime-records.
If a county does not publish records online, you can submit a Texas Public Information Act request to the county sheriff's office or district attorney requesting specific arrest records. Agencies must respond within 10 business days.
An arrest record shows that a person was arrested and booked it does not mean they were convicted. Many arrest records result in charges being reduced, dismissed, or acquitted. Texas law allows expunction of arrest records that did not result in conviction. See our Texas Expungement Guide for details.
When a person is arrested in Texas, the charge filed against them determines the severity of the criminal history entry created. Texas uses a tiered classification system, misdemeanors and felonies each broken into levels. Every level carries different maximum penalties and different implications for employment, housing, and professional licensing. Understanding where a charge falls in this system helps families make sense of what an arrest actually means legally.
Common charges: Public intoxication, disorderly conduct, minor traffic violations, possession of drug paraphernalia (first offense), simple assault (threat only, no contact)
Class C arrests tried in municipal or justice of the peace courts often do not generate a formal criminal history entry at DPS if handled as a civil matter or successfully deferred. They are the lowest tier and frequently expungeable if the case is dismissed.
Common charges: First-offense DWI (BAC under .15), possession of marijuana under 2 oz, criminal trespass, theft $100-$749, evading arrest on foot
The most commonly booked misdemeanor level in Texas county jails. A Class B booking creates a public jail record and a DPS criminal history entry. First-time offenders often receive deferred adjudication, which can later be sealed by nondisclosure order.
Common charges: DWI with BAC at or above .15, second-offense DWI, assault causing bodily injury, possession of marijuana 2-4 oz, theft $750-$2,499, family violence assault
The most serious misdemeanor level. Class A convictions remain permanently on record unless expunged or sealed. A conviction for an assaultive offense, even at the Class A misdemeanor level, can prohibit someone from owning a firearm under federal law.
Common charges: Possession of controlled substance (Penalty Group 1) 1-4 grams, theft $2,500-$29,999, forgery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, credit card abuse
The lowest felony tier but still a felony. State jail felonies carry significant employment and housing consequences. They are not eligible for regular probation (community supervision) unless the court makes specific statutory findings, which makes them in some ways harder to resolve than higher-level felonies.
Common charges: Assault on a public servant, DWI third offense, robbery (no deadly weapon), stalking (second conviction), intoxication assault, possession of controlled substance 4-200 grams (depending on penalty group)
A third-degree felony conviction results in loss of voting rights during sentence, prohibition on firearm possession, and permanent bar from many professional licenses including teaching certificates and peace officer licenses.
Common charges: Aggravated assault (deadly weapon), robbery, sexual assault, manslaughter, burglary of a habitation, delivery of a controlled substance (Penalty Group 1) 4-200 grams
Second-degree felony convictions carry serious immigration consequences for non-citizens, including mandatory deportation grounds under federal immigration law. These charges generate permanent, highly visible criminal history entries.
Common charges: Aggravated robbery, aggravated sexual assault, murder (non-capital), trafficking of persons, arson causing death, drug delivery over threshold quantities
The most serious non-capital level. A life sentence is possible. First-degree felony records follow a person permanently and are rarely if ever eligible for expunction or sealing. These cases typically receive significant local media coverage as well, compounding the public record issue.
An arrest record documents that you were taken into custody and booked. A criminal history documents what happened afterward, whether charges were filed, whether there was a plea or trial, and whether a conviction resulted. You can be arrested twenty times and have a clean criminal history if every case was dismissed. Conversely, one arrest with a guilty plea creates a permanent criminal history entry. Background check companies often report both, which is why expunction and nondisclosure orders matter even for cases that were dismissed.
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 allows people to petition the court to expunge, permanently destroy, arrest records that did not result in conviction. Eligible scenarios include: charges dismissed, case no-billed by grand jury, acquittal at trial, and certain deferred adjudication completions. Once expunged, a person may legally deny the arrest occurred. See our Texas Expungement Guide for full eligibility criteria.
If a county does not publish its arrest records online, or if you need records older than what the online roster shows, you can formally request them under the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552, Government Code). Government agencies must respond to PIA requests within 10 business days, either by providing the records, seeking an attorney general opinion on whether an exemption applies, or explaining why the records are exempt. Most routine arrest records requests are fulfilled without issue.
Booking records are held by the county sheriff's office. Court records are held by the county district clerk or county clerk depending on the court level. Statewide criminal history records are held by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Send a clear written request by email or certified mail identifying the person, the approximate date of arrest, and the records you need. You do not need to explain why you want public records, that is your right under Texas law.
Within 10 business days of receiving your request, the agency must either produce the records, ask the Texas Attorney General's Office for a ruling on whether an exemption applies, or tell you the records do not exist. If the agency fails to respond within 10 days, they have effectively made the records available and you can file a complaint with the AG's Open Records Division.
Texas law caps fees for public records at reasonable reproduction costs. Agencies cannot charge you for the time spent reviewing records for exemptions. If a request will cost more than $40, the agency must notify you and get approval before proceeding. Many routine requests, a single booking record, a case number lookup, cost nothing or a few dollars.
If an agency believes records are exempt, they must get a ruling from the Texas Attorney General's Office, they cannot simply deny your request on their own. The AG's Open Government Hotline at 1-877-OPEN-TEX (1-877-673-6839) provides free guidance to the public on navigating PIA requests and appeals.
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