Maricopa County 24 Hour Booking
Maricopa County has the largest jail system in Arizona. The sheriff's office processes thousands of bookings each year at multiple detention facilities across the Phoenix metro area. You can search for recent arrests and current inmates through the MCSO online portal. This page explains how to find 24 hour booking records in Maricopa County and what information is available to the public.
Maricopa County Booking Quick Facts
Maricopa County Online Inmate Search
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office runs an online inmate search tool. You can find it at mcso.org/InmateInfo. The system lets you search by booking number or by name and date of birth. It shows current inmates in the county jail system. Results include the person's booking info, charges, and bond amount.
This search covers all four Maricopa County jail facilities. These include the 4th Avenue Jail in downtown Phoenix, Estrella Jail on Durango Street, Lower Buckeye Jail, and the Intake Transfer and Release facility. When someone is arrested in Maricopa County, they go through booking at one of these locations. The online system updates regularly to show current custody status.
The search is free to use. You do not need to create an account. Enter the person's name and search to see if they are in custody right now.
Maricopa County Booking Info by Phone
Call the SIMS line at (602) 876-0322 for inmate information. SIMS stands for Sheriff's Inmate Management System. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody, what charges they face, and their bond amount. This line operates around the clock. It is the fastest way to check on a recent arrest when you need info right away.
You can also call the main sheriff's office or specific jail facilities. The 4th Avenue Jail handles many intake bookings for arrests in central Phoenix. Each facility has staff who can answer basic questions about inmates. However, the SIMS line is the central point for all inmate inquiries in Maricopa County.
Maricopa County Booking Records Requests
The Public Records and Request Management Section handles formal record requests for the sheriff's office. You can submit requests by email to LLSADMIN@mcso.maricopa.gov. In-person requests go to MCSO Headquarters at 550 W. Jackson Street in Phoenix. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Under ARS 39-129, the sheriff's office follows a set fee schedule for public records. Fees took effect February 1, 2024. You can pay by cash, money order, cashier's check, or business check. The office does not accept personal checks or credit cards for record fees. Allow 30 business days for mail-in requests before following up.
Accident reports from MCSO are available through BuyCrash.com for $5 plus a convenience fee. This is a separate system from booking records. For arrest and booking documents, use the main public records request process instead.
Note: Media requests go to a different email at mediarequest@mcso.maricopa.gov.
Maricopa County Jail Facilities
Maricopa County operates four main jail facilities. Each serves a different role in the booking and detention process. Understanding where someone might be held can help you locate them faster.
The 4th Avenue Jail sits at 201 S. 4th Avenue in Phoenix. It is close to the downtown courts and handles many initial bookings. Estrella Jail at 2939 W. Durango Street provides additional detention capacity. Lower Buckeye Jail at 3250 W. Lower Buckeye Road is another major facility. The Intake Transfer and Release center at 2670 S. 28th Drive handles movement between facilities and releases.
Maricopa County booking records may show which facility holds an inmate. This info helps if you plan to visit or need to contact a specific jail. Each facility has its own procedures for visitation and phone calls. The county uses GettingOut for video visitation and TouchPay for inmate deposits across all facilities.
Houston v. Maricopa County Impact
A 2024 Ninth Circuit ruling in Houston v. Maricopa County addressed online posting of booking info. The court found that certain ways of displaying mugshots and personal data could raise due process concerns. This ruling started in Maricopa County and affected how agencies across Arizona share booking records online.
Maricopa County still provides online inmate search. The ruling did not eliminate public access to booking records. It focused on how information is presented and how long mugshots stay visible online. Other Arizona counties took their inmate search tools offline after this ruling. Maricopa County adjusted its practices but kept its search available.
You can still access Maricopa County booking records through the methods described above. The core public records rights under Arizona law remain intact. How agencies display that info online is what the ruling addressed.
Maricopa County Cities and Booking
Many Arizona cities fall within Maricopa County. When city police make an arrest, the person goes to a Maricopa County jail for booking. The county sheriff handles detention even when a city officer made the arrest. This means Maricopa County booking records include arrests from all these cities.
Major cities in Maricopa County include:
Each city police department keeps its own arrest records. For booking and jail info, use the county resources. City police can tell you about the arrest. The county jail has the booking record.
Maricopa County Sheriff Contact Info
Here is how to reach the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office for booking records and inmate information. Keep these numbers handy if you need to check on someone in custody.
The SIMS inmate info line at (602) 876-0322 is available 24 hours a day. This is the best number for quick questions about who is in jail. For public records requests, email LLSADMIN@mcso.maricopa.gov or visit headquarters at 550 W. Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Note: For the fastest response on recent arrests, use the online inmate search or call SIMS directly.
Nearby Arizona Counties
Maricopa County borders several other Arizona counties. If you are unsure where an arrest occurred, check these neighboring counties as well.