Find Forsyth County Jail Inmates and Booking Records Through the Sheriff’s Official Search
If you are searching for Forsyth County jail mugshots, a recent booking or current inmate information, start with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s official Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry. The Sheriff operates the Law Enforcement Detention Center in downtown Winston-Salem.
Records Search
Court, Criminal, Marriage, Divorce, Property
A jail booking or mugshot records an arrest and detention event. It does not prove guilt, and the charge shown during booking may not be the same as the final charge or court disposition.
Which Forsyth County Record Answers Your Question?
“Forsyth County jail mugshots” can describe several different records. The Sheriff’s inmate system answers jail and booking questions. An incident report explains the law-enforcement event. North Carolina court records show what happened after the arrest.
Is the person in the Forsyth County jail?
Use the Sheriff’s Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry for the current inmate search.
Need a recent jail booking?
Start with Inmate Inquiry and verify the person using the identifying information provided by the official system.
Need the Sheriff’s report about the event?
The Sheriff’s Records Division has separate rules for incident-report copies. Reports created by another law-enforcement agency must be requested from that agency.
Were criminal charges filed?
Use North Carolina eCourts Portal and the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court when you need the later court case rather than only the jail entry.
Need a certified county criminal-record search?
The North Carolina Judicial Branch provides a certified single-county criminal record search through the Clerk of Superior Court for a current listed fee.
Was the person transferred to a North Carolina prison?
Use the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction offender search after county custody ends when state prison, probation or parole status may apply.
How to Search Forsyth County Jail Inmates
The Forsyth County Sheriff links its Law Enforcement Detention Center directly to a Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry. This is the appropriate official starting point for a current jail search.
Open the official Forsyth County Inmate Inquiry
Use the Sheriff-linked Police-to-Citizen inmate catalog rather than relying first on a commercial mugshot directory.
Search using accurate identifying information
Use the correct legal name and compare any additional identifying information that the official system provides. Similar names can lead to mistaken identity.
Review the jail record
Check the available booking, custody, charge and bond information. Treat these as jail-stage records rather than as proof of a final criminal judgment.
Check the court case when the legal outcome matters
Move to North Carolina eCourts Portal or the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court to determine what happened after booking.
Use another custody system if the person is no longer listed
A person can leave the county jail because of release, transfer or movement into state custody. Use the court record and North Carolina Department of Adult Correction search when appropriate.
How to Check Recent Forsyth County Bookings
The official inmate system is the best starting point for a recent Forsyth County jail booking. Avoid assuming that an unofficial “last 24 hours” or “last 72 hours” page is equivalent to the Sheriff’s live jail information.
| What you need | Best official source | If the record is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Current Forsyth County inmate | Sheriff Inmate Inquiry | Recheck spelling and identifying details. |
| Recent arrest or booking | Police-to-Citizen inmate / arrest tools | Check the responsible arresting agency and later court record. |
| Older criminal case | NC eCourts Portal / Clerk of Superior Court | Search by defendant name or case number. |
| State prison custody | NC Department of Adult Correction | Search the state offender database. |
Forsyth County Jail Mugshots and Booking Photos
The Sheriff’s public Police-to-Citizen system is the correct official starting point for jail and arrest information. If an official inmate or arrest result includes a booking photograph, treat that image as part of the booking record rather than as evidence of guilt.
When an older photograph or arrest record is not publicly displayed, do not assume a third-party mugshot page is the official source. Identify which law-enforcement agency made the arrest and contact that agency about the record it maintains.
Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office operates the Law Enforcement Detention Center in downtown Winston-Salem. The Sheriff describes it as an adult maximum-security facility housing male and female pretrial inmates and sentenced misdemeanants.
Detention Center
201 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7600
Sheriff Administration
301 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7001
Fax: 336-727-8070
The Sheriff currently states that the detention facility has a bed capacity of 1,016 inmates. Capacity information describes the facility and should not be interpreted as the current inmate population.
How to Obtain a Forsyth County Sheriff Incident Report
The Sheriff’s Records Division has specific rules for incident reports. The general public may request the front page of an incident report in person. The Sheriff states that a full incident report is available only when authorized by a court order signed by a judge.
Where to request
Forsyth County Sheriff’s OfficeRecords Division, 2nd Floor
301 North Church Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
What to bring
The Sheriff currently requires a valid North Carolina driver license or North Carolina state identification card and a written application at the public window.
The requester should also provide the report number issued by the law-enforcement officer who initiated the report.
The Sheriff also states that report requests made after 4:00 p.m. are processed the next business day.
Use North Carolina Court Records to Verify the Case Outcome
A Forsyth County jail booking answers a custody question. A court record is the better source when you need filed charges, hearing dates, later case activity or the final disposition.
North Carolina eCourts Portal
The Judicial Branch allows users to search Portal online for case information by name, case number, attorney and other available criteria.
Forsyth County courts
Forsyth County is in Prosecutorial, Superior Court and District Court District 31. The county court page provides court dates, criminal calendars and Clerk of Court resources.
| Stage | Best record | What it helps establish |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest | Arresting-agency / incident record | The law-enforcement event, subject to release restrictions. |
| Booking | Forsyth County Inmate Inquiry | Jail intake and available custody information. |
| Criminal filing | NC eCourts Portal / Clerk of Superior Court | Filed case information and court activity. |
| Case outcome | Final court record | Dismissal, judgment, conviction or other recorded disposition. |
The Judicial Branch also states that public self-service terminals at clerk offices can search criminal cases by defendant name, case number, or victim or witness name.
Forsyth County Certified Criminal Background Checks
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident-report page states that its Records Division does not provide general-public criminal-history background checks and directs users to the Clerk of Court.
The North Carolina Judicial Branch currently provides a certified single-county criminal record search for $25 through a Clerk of Superior Court office.
Certified single-county search
Complete form AOC-CR-314 and submit it to the Clerk of Superior Court with the required fee.
The search covers the court records in the named county only. It is not a statewide background check.
Payment methods
North Carolina Courts currently lists money order or certified check for mailed requests. For in-person requests, it lists credit card, cash, money order or certified check.
Personal checks are not accepted for the mailed certified-search process described by the Judicial Branch.
Forsyth County Detention Center Visitation
Public visitation days depend on the inmate’s housing unit. The Sheriff publishes the housing-unit schedule online and warns that housing assignments can change, which can also change an inmate’s visitation day.
Morning
9:00–11:30 a.m.
Afternoon
1:00–3:00 p.m.
Evening
5:30–7:30 p.m.
The current Sheriff page says visitors must be registered at least 30 minutes before the visitation period ends.
The Sheriff’s current visitation memorandum states that an inmate may have up to three approved adult public visitors on the visitation list, while only two weekly visits are honored per inmate. Children age 16 or younger are handled separately under the published visitation rules.
Forsyth County Inmate Commissary Deposits
The Sheriff currently identifies McDaniel Supply Company as the commissary provider for the Forsyth County Detention Center. Family and friends can use the detention-center lobby kiosk or the provider’s website for eligible deposits and packages.
Lobby kiosk
The kiosk is located behind the detention-center receptionist area and accepts cash or credit cards.
The Sheriff describes the kiosk as available 24 hours a day for eligible deposits, while the public lobby itself currently operates from 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily.
Newly booked inmates
The Sheriff warns that inmates booked late Friday, during a weekend or before the Monday processing period may not become available for deposits until after the specified Monday processing time.
For commissary-provider assistance, the Sheriff currently lists 912-427-9022.
Forsyth County Inmate Telephone Service
The Sheriff identifies Pay Tel Communications as the detention facility’s inmate telephone provider. Family or friends who need to receive calls may need to establish a prepaid or direct-bill account with the provider.
The Sheriff also notes that phone-service options can vary by facility and account type. Confirm current rates and account rules directly with the provider rather than assuming an older quoted price still applies.
What If the Person Is No Longer in Forsyth County Jail?
If a person no longer appears in the county inmate search, check the criminal court case first. The person may have been released, transferred or moved into a different correctional system.
Check the court case
Use North Carolina eCourts Portal for later case activity, hearing information and available disposition information.
Check North Carolina state custody
The North Carolina Judicial Branch directs users seeking prisoner information to the Department of Adult Correction offender search when the person is or was in the state prison system.
Forsyth County Jail Mugshot and Inmate Search Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible explanation | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| No inmate appears | The person may have been released, transferred, or the search information may not match the jail record. | Recheck the name and then search the court record or state offender system. |
| No mugshot appears | The public inmate page may not display a photograph for the record you expected. | Do not assume no arrest occurred; identify the arresting agency and ask about the relevant record. |
| Booking charge differs from court case | Booking and prosecution are different stages. | Use the NC court record for filed charges and disposition. |
| Need a complete Sheriff incident report | The Sheriff restricts full incident reports. | Review the Sheriff’s court-order requirement before requesting the full report. |
| Sheriff says it is not their report | Another agency initiated the incident. | Request the record from Winston-Salem Police, another local police department or the applicable state agency. |
| Need a certified criminal history | The Sheriff does not provide general-public criminal-history checks. | Use the Clerk of Superior Court certified search process. |
| Inmate moved to state prison | County detention has ended. | Use the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction offender search. |
Forsyth County Sheriff, Jail and Court Contacts
Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center
201 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7600
Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office
301 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7001
Fax: 336-727-8070
Sheriff Communications
For suspected ongoing criminal activity, the Sheriff currently lists 336-727-2112.
For an emergency or crime in progress, call 911.
Forsyth County Courthouse
175 N. Chestnut StreetWinston-Salem, NC
Use the North Carolina Judicial Branch Forsyth County directory for the current Clerk of Court and courtroom contacts.
How to Read Forsyth County Arrest Information Correctly
- A booking entry documents custody, not guilt.
- A mugshot does not show whether prosecutors later changed or dismissed a charge.
- Use the court record when the final outcome matters.
- Verify identity before sharing information about another person.
- Do not confuse a jail search with a complete statewide background check.
- Request police reports from the agency that actually created the record.
- Do not use arrest information for harassment, threats or unlawful discrimination.
This independent guide is not operated by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Forsyth County government, the North Carolina Judicial Branch or the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. It does not control the government databases linked above.
Forsyth County Jail Mugshots and Inmate Search FAQ
Where can I search Forsyth County jail inmates?
Use the Forsyth County Sheriff’s official Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry. The Sheriff links directly to that service from its Law Enforcement Detention Center page.
Where is the Forsyth County Detention Center?
The Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center is at 201 North Church Street in Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101. The Sheriff currently lists the detention-center phone number as 336-917-7600.
Does a Forsyth County mugshot mean the person was convicted?
No. A mugshot or jail booking documents an arrest-stage event. Check North Carolina court records to determine the filed case and later disposition.
How can I obtain a Forsyth County Sheriff incident report?
The general public may request the front page of an incident report through the Sheriff’s Records Division. The Sheriff states that a full incident report requires authorization by a court order signed by a judge.
Can the Forsyth County Sheriff provide a criminal background check?
The Sheriff says its Records Division does not provide criminal-history background checks for the general public. North Carolina Courts directs certified single-county searches to the Clerk of Superior Court.
How much is a certified Forsyth County criminal-record search?
The North Carolina Judicial Branch currently lists a $25 fee for a certified criminal-record search by name in a single county through the Clerk of Superior Court.
Where do I check the criminal case after a Forsyth County arrest?
Use North Carolina eCourts Portal and the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court. The online portal can be searched for case information, while the clerk maintains the official county court records.
What are the Forsyth County Detention Center visitation hours?
The Sheriff currently lists public visitation blocks of 9:00–11:30 a.m., 1:00–3:00 p.m., and 5:30–7:30 p.m. Visitation days depend on the inmate’s housing unit, and visitors must register at least 30 minutes before the visitation period ends.
How do I send money to a Forsyth County inmate?
The Sheriff currently uses McDaniel Supply Company for commissary services. Eligible deposits can be made through the detention-center lobby kiosk or the provider’s website.
What if the inmate is no longer in Forsyth County jail?
Check the North Carolina court case and, when state custody may apply, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction offender search. The person may have been released or transferred.
Primary Government Sources for This Forsyth County Guide
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Law Enforcement Detention Center
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Inmate Inquiry
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Incident Reports
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Detention Center Visitation
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Inmate Commissary
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Inmate Telephone Service
- North Carolina Judicial Branch — Forsyth County
- North Carolina Judicial Branch — Obtaining Court Records
- North Carolina Judicial Branch — Criminal Background Checks
Government information and procedures should be rechecked before an in-person visit, payment, record request or visitation attempt because custody status, facility rules, fees and agency procedures can change.
More North Carolina Arrest and Jail Record Resources
For another North Carolina jurisdiction, see the Cumberland County jail mugshots and inmate-search guide.
You can also browse the site’s USA Mugshots record guides for additional county and city arrest-record resources.
Bottom Line
For Forsyth County jail mugshots, inmates and booking records, begin with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s official Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry. It is the correct starting point for current jail information at the Law Enforcement Detention Center.
If you need more than the jail entry, use the source that owns the next part of the record: the arresting agency for an incident report, the North Carolina court system for the criminal case, and the Department of Adult Correction when a person has moved into state custody.