Find Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Mugshots, Bookings & Jail Records
If you are trying to confirm a recent Winston-Salem arrest, locate someone in the Forsyth County jail, check a booking, find a mugshot when one is publicly displayed, or follow a criminal case into court, start with the record system that actually controls that information.
Records Search
Court, Criminal, Marriage, Divorce, Property
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Inquiry is the practical starting point for current county-jail custody. Winston-Salem Police records, North Carolina eCourts and the NC Department of Adult Correction answer different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Important: An arrest, booking entry, criminal charge or mugshot is not proof of guilt or conviction. Court records should be checked when the final legal outcome matters.
How to Search Forsyth County Arrests and Current Jail Bookings
Winston-Salem is in Forsyth County, and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office operates the Law Enforcement Detention Center. An arrest made by Winston-Salem Police or another local agency may still result in the person being booked into the county detention system.
- Open the official inmate inquiry. Go to the Forsyth County Sheriff Inmate Inquiry. If the direct portal does not load, open the Sheriff’s detention-center page and select Inmate Inquiry.
- Search the legal name. Start with the person’s correct first and last name. If needed, try the middle name or initial, hyphenated surname, maiden name or another legitimate spelling variation.
- Confirm the correct person. Do not rely on a name alone. Compare the booking date, inmate identifier, charge information and any other identifying fields the system displays.
- Save the inmate ID and booking details. The inmate identifier can be important for mail, account deposits and other detention services.
- Read every listed charge and bond entry. One booking can involve several charges, warrants or holds. A displayed dollar amount by itself does not guarantee release.
- Move to eCourts when you need the legal case. Jail information answers the custody question. North Carolina court records are the better source for hearings, case activity and disposition.
Where Forsyth County Mugshots Fit Into the Search
People searching for “Winston Salem Forsyth County mugshots” are often really trying to answer one of three questions: whether a person was recently arrested, whether the person is still in jail, or what charges were filed.
The Sheriff’s public route is the Inmate Inquiry. The Sheriff’s detention pages do not advertise a separate countywide mugshot gallery. If an individual public booking record includes a booking photograph, use that image only as part of the booking record and verify the case separately.
| Record | What it can answer | What it cannot prove |
|---|---|---|
| Jail booking / inmate entry | Current or recent custody information, identifiers, charges or bond details when displayed | Final guilt or case disposition |
| Booking photo / mugshot | May help distinguish people with similar names when publicly displayed | That the person committed the alleged offense |
| Police arrest report | Information documented by the arresting or investigating agency | The eventual court outcome |
| eCourts case | Filed case information, hearings, events and available dispositions | Real-time jail housing or visitation status |
If the Person Does Not Appear in the Forsyth County Inmate Search
A blank search result does not automatically mean no arrest occurred. Work through these checks before paying a commercial search site.
| Possible reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| Very recent arrest | Booking, identification and intake may still be processing. Retry the official search and call the detention center if custody confirmation is urgent. |
| Name mismatch | Retry the legal surname, middle initial, hyphenation, former surname or correct spelling. |
| Already released | Current jail information may no longer be useful. Search the related criminal case through NC eCourts. |
| Transferred | Check whether the person moved to another county, state correctional custody or federal custody. |
| Wrong jurisdiction | Confirm where the arrest happened and which agency accepted the person into custody. |
| Restricted record | Juvenile, sealed, expunged, confidential or otherwise protected information may not appear publicly. |
For a time-sensitive current-custody question, the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center lists 336-917-7600.
Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center
The Sheriff’s Office describes the downtown Winston-Salem detention center as an adult maximum-security facility housing male and female pretrial inmates and sentenced misdemeanants. The facility is an eleven-story twin-tower structure with a published bed capacity of 1,016.
201 North Church Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7600
301 North Church Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7001
The jail, Sheriff’s administration building and Forsyth County Courthouse are all in the downtown area, but they serve different purposes. Do not go to the jail expecting court-record copies, and do not go to the courthouse for commissary or visitation questions.
Forsyth County Inmate Visitation
Public visitation depends on the inmate’s housing assignment. The county’s published public visit periods are 9:00–11:30 a.m., 1:00–3:00 p.m. and 5:30–7:30 p.m., with the applicable days determined by housing unit. Visitors should be registered at least 30 minutes before the visitation period ends.
- Confirm the inmate is still in custody before traveling.
- Record the housing unit shown for the inmate when available.
- Match that housing unit to the current official schedule.
- Bring acceptable identification.
- Arrive early enough to complete registration.
- Do not assume attorney-visitation hours apply to the public.
Attorney visitation follows a separate schedule; the Sheriff lists attorney access seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Housing assignments and security conditions can change. Recheck the official schedule before making a trip.
How to Send Money or Buy Commissary Items
Forsyth County currently identifies McDaniel Supply Company as the detention center’s commissary provider. The Sheriff’s commissary page describes lobby-kiosk deposits and an online route for inmate-account deposits and approved packages.
- Confirm the inmate is currently at Forsyth County LEDC.
- Copy the inmate’s correct name and identifier.
- Open the official Forsyth County Inmate Commissary page.
- Use the vendor link supplied by the Sheriff rather than a payment link found in an advertisement.
- Review the amount and inmate identity before submitting payment.
- Keep the transaction receipt until the deposit appears correctly.
The detention-center public lobby is listed as open 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The commissary page lists 912-427-9022 for additional McDaniel Supply assistance.
Forsyth County Inmate Phone Calls
The Sheriff’s Office identifies Pay Tel Communications as the inmate telephone provider. Family and friends may need a prepaid or direct-bill account to receive calls, depending on the available service.
Start from the official Forsyth County inmate telephone page so you are using the provider currently approved by the facility. Do not fund a telephone account from an unsolicited text, advertisement or unofficial payment page.
Forsyth County Inmate Mail: Current Scanning Address
Forsyth County changed ordinary non-legal inmate mail to an off-site scanning system effective July 15, 2024. Personal correspondence is scanned for access on the inmate tablet, and the physical mail is destroyed after processing.
Regular non-legal mail
Inmate Name, Inmate ID Number
Facility ID Number: 5067
PO Box 18247
Greensboro, NC 27419
The envelope must also contain the sender’s complete, legible first and last name and return address.
| Mail rule | Current guidance |
|---|---|
| Facility ID | 5067 |
| Maximum length | 10 pages per envelope |
| Maximum page size | 8.5 × 11 inches |
| Cash, personal checks or money orders | Do not send them to the scanning center |
| Books, magazines or packages | Do not send publications to the mail-processing center |
| Important originals | Do not send irreplaceable originals such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards or similar documents |
Legal or privileged mail
Legal mail should not be sent to the scanning center. The Sheriff’s policy directs legal correspondence to the detention facility and requires it to be marked “Legal Mail.”
Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center
201 Church Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
The policy states that legal mail is opened in the inmate’s presence. Publications must come directly from an approved publisher or distributor under the current rules.
Scanned mail after release
A released inmate can request digital copies of scanned mail by emailing [email protected] and providing the detention-center name, inmate name, inmate ID number and recipient email address.
How to Check Forsyth County Criminal Court Records
A jail record tells you about booking and custody. It does not tell you the complete outcome of the criminal case. Forsyth County has used North Carolina’s eCourts environment since July 21, 2025.
- Start with the correct booking. Save the defendant’s exact name and any case or charge identifiers shown.
- Open NC eCourts Portal. Use the official public Portal.
- Use Smart Search. Search by the person’s name or a known case number.
- Narrow to Forsyth County. Confirm the county, party name and case information so a similar name is not mistaken for the correct defendant.
- Check hearings and case events. Portal can provide public case summaries, hearings, events and available dispositions.
- Request an official copy when needed. The Judicial Branch states that eCourts Portal is internet access to public docket information, not the official certified court record.
175 N. Chestnut Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Clerk / main: 336-779-6300
Current courthouse: the North Carolina Judicial Branch lists this Chestnut Street location rather than the former North Main Street Hall of Justice.
How to Get a Winston-Salem Arrest or Incident Report
The agency that made or investigated the arrest may hold the police report even though the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office operates the detention center.
For Winston-Salem Police records, the Records Division is the primary repository for official documents from most WSPD police activity. The city says the division maintains local incident, arrest and warrant data.
Vivian H. Burke Public Safety Center
725 North Cherry Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Records: 336-773-7922
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Police non-emergency: 336-773-7700
Winston-Salem Police states that its local arrest records are not certified and do not contain court dispositions. When you need a certified record that includes the disposition, use the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court rather than treating the police arrest record as the final case history.
Prepare these details before requesting a record
- Person’s full legal name
- Approximate arrest or incident date
- Incident location
- Report or incident number, if known
- Case number, if known
- The exact document you need: arrest report, incident report or court record
Which Forsyth County Record Should You Use?
| Your question | Best starting source |
|---|---|
| Was someone recently booked into the Forsyth County jail? | Forsyth County Sheriff Inmate Inquiry |
| Is the person still in county custody? | Current inmate record or Detention Center at 336-917-7600 |
| Is a booking photo publicly displayed? | Check the individual official inmate record; do not depend on a scraped mugshot gallery |
| What are the listed charges or bond? | Current jail record, then verify the court case |
| When is the court date? | NC eCourts Portal |
| What was the final case outcome? | eCourts / Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court |
| Need a Winston-Salem Police arrest or incident report? | WSPD Records Division |
| Has the person moved to NC state prison? | NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Search |
| Need custody-change notifications? | NC SAVAN |
When to Use NC DAC or NC SAVAN
NC Department of Adult Correction
Use the NC DAC Offender Search when the person has entered North Carolina state-prison custody or you need probation/parole information. DAC specifically states that its offender database does not include county jail information.
NC SAVAN
NC SAVAN is North Carolina’s statewide custody-information and notification service. It can cover county jail inmates as well as state prisoners, probationers and parolees and can provide supported notifications by phone, email or text.
NC SAVAN telephone access: 1-877-627-2826.
Winston-Salem Forsyth County Mugshots & Arrest Records FAQs
1. Where can I check recent arrests in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County?
Start with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s official Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry for current county-jail booking and custody information. If the direct portal does not load, open the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Detention Center page and use its Inmate Inquiry link.
2. Where can I find Forsyth County mugshots?
The Sheriff’s public route is its Inmate Inquiry rather than a separate advertised countywide mugshot gallery. Check the individual official booking record for any booking photograph that is publicly displayed and verify the related case through NC eCourts.
3. What is the Forsyth County jail phone number and address?
The Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center is at 201 North Church Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. The detention-center phone number is 336-917-7600.
4. Why is someone who was just arrested not showing in the inmate search?
The booking may still be processing, the person’s name may be entered differently, the person may have been released or transferred, or another jurisdiction may hold the person. Retry the legal name and call 336-917-7600 when current custody is time-sensitive.
5. How do I find a Forsyth County court date after an arrest?
Search the North Carolina eCourts Portal using the defendant’s legal name or case number and confirm the case is filed in Forsyth County. The Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court main number is 336-779-6300.
6. What are the Forsyth County jail visitation hours?
The county publishes public visitation periods of 9:00–11:30 a.m., 1:00–3:00 p.m. and 5:30–7:30 p.m., but the applicable day depends on the inmate’s housing unit. Visitors should register at least 30 minutes before the visitation period ends and should check the current housing-unit schedule before traveling.
7. How do I send money to a Forsyth County inmate?
Use the Sheriff’s official Inmate Commissary page. Forsyth County identifies McDaniel Supply Company as its commissary provider and describes lobby-kiosk and online deposit options. Confirm the inmate’s identity and current custody before paying.
8. What is Facility ID 5067 for Forsyth County inmate mail?
5067 is the facility ID required on ordinary non-legal mail sent through Forsyth County’s scanning system. The envelope also needs the inmate name and inmate ID number. Legal mail follows a separate direct-to-facility procedure.
9. Does a Forsyth County mugshot or jail booking mean the person was convicted?
No. A mugshot, arrest, booking or criminal charge documents part of the criminal-justice process and does not establish guilt. Use the court record to check whether a charge was dismissed, amended or resulted in a conviction or another disposition.
10. Should I use NC DAC to search for a Forsyth County jail inmate?
Not for ordinary county-jail custody. The NC Department of Adult Correction states that its offender database does not include county jail information. Use DAC after a person enters state-prison custody or for qualifying probation and parole information.
Official Resources for Final Live Checks
- Forsyth County Sheriff Inmate Inquiry — current county inmate lookup.
- Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center — facility contact and inmate-service links.
- Forsyth County Visitation Policy — current housing-unit visitation schedule.
- Forsyth County Inmate Commissary — deposits and commissary guidance.
- Forsyth County Inmate Telephone Service — current phone provider information.
- Official Forsyth County Inmate Mail Policy — scanned mail, Facility ID 5067 and legal-mail rules.
- NC Judicial Branch — Forsyth County — courthouse, court dates and official court services.
- NC eCourts Portal — public case and hearing search.
- Winston-Salem Police Records Division — city arrest and incident reports.
- NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Search — state prison, probation and parole records.