Find Forsyth County Mugshots, Arrests and Booking Records
If you are trying to determine whether someone is currently held in Forsyth County, start with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Inquiry linked from the county detention-center page. For an arrest report, police incident, court case or older state-custody record, use the separate agency that actually maintains that record.
Records Search
Court, Criminal, Marriage, Divorce, Property
A mugshot, booking entry or arrest record documents an arrest or detention event. It does not establish guilt, and it may not show what later happened to the charge. Court records are the better source when you need a case disposition or an official certified record.
Which Forsyth County Record Answers Your Question?
The fastest route depends on what you are actually trying to verify. A person can have an arrest record without still being in the county jail, and a jail entry can exist before the later court record shows dismissal, conviction or another disposition.
Is the person in Forsyth County jail now?
Use the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Inmate Inquiry. The Sheriff links this service directly from its Law Enforcement Detention Center page.
Open Inmate Inquiry →Need a Forsyth County Sheriff incident report?
Use the Sheriff’s Records Division procedure. The public process is different from the online inmate search and has specific ID and report-number requirements.
Sheriff incident-report rules →Was Winston-Salem Police involved?
WSPD Records maintains arrest and incident records for police activity and provides separate request channels for arrest and incident reports.
WSPD Records Division →Need filed charges, hearings or disposition?
Use North Carolina eCourts Portal for available public case information, then contact the Clerk of Superior Court if you need the official court record.
Open NC eCourts Portal →Need a certified Forsyth County criminal-record search?
The North Carolina Judicial Branch uses Form AOC-CR-314 for a certified, name-based single-county search through the Clerk of Superior Court.
Official background-check options →Was the person moved to a North Carolina prison?
Use NC Department of Adult Correction offender search for state prisoners, probationers or parolees. That database does not include county-jail information.
NC offender searches →How to Search the Forsyth County Sheriff Inmate Inquiry
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s detention-center page identifies its Police-to-Citizen Inmate Inquiry as the county’s inmate lookup. Use that official path first when your question concerns present county detention.
Open the Sheriff-linked Inmate Inquiry
Begin with the Police-to-Citizen inmate catalog linked from the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center page rather than a commercial mugshot directory.
Use the search options shown by the live portal
Enter the identifying information you actually know. Do not invent a birth date, middle name or other identifier simply to narrow a search.
Verify the person before relying on the result
Common names can produce mistaken matches. Compare available identifiers, booking information and other record details before repeating information about a person.
Use the booking entry for custody information
Review the information the portal actually publishes. If a booking photograph is displayed, treat it as a booking record rather than proof that the person committed the alleged offense.
Move to court records for the later case
A jail record reflects detention. North Carolina eCourts or the Clerk of Superior Court is the better route when you need filed charges, hearings, disposition or an official copy.
Finding Recent Forsyth County Bookings Without Inventing a Mugshot Archive
The Sheriff provides an official Inmate Inquiry, but its detention-center guidance does not describe that tool as a guaranteed “last 24 hours,” “7 days” or “30 days” historical mugshot archive. Use the tool for what it actually provides and change sources when the person is no longer in county custody.
| What you need | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Someone who may be jailed now | Forsyth County Sheriff Inmate Inquiry | It is the county detention lookup linked by the Sheriff. |
| Booking information for a person still in local custody | Inmate Inquiry | Start with the current county-jail record. |
| Person no longer visible in the jail search | Law-enforcement record + eCourts | Release or transfer can make current custody the wrong question. |
| Winston-Salem Police arrest record | WSPD Records Division | WSPD maintains local arrest and incident records and provides report requests. |
| Filed criminal case or disposition | NC eCourts / Forsyth Clerk | Court records follow the case beyond the booking stage. |
| State prison, probation or parole | NC Department of Adult Correction | State correction records are separate from Forsyth County jail records. |
How to Request a Sheriff Incident Report
The Sheriff’s Records Division publishes a specific in-person procedure for incident reports. This process is useful when you need the law-enforcement incident record rather than a jail-custody entry.
Where and when to request the report
The Records Division is on the second floor at the main entrance of the Sheriff’s Office Administration Building.
301 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Published hours are Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
What the Sheriff requires
- A written application at the Sheriff’s Office public window.
- The report number issued by the law-enforcement officer who initiated the report.
- A current North Carolina driver license or North Carolina state identification card under the published procedure.
- For a juvenile-related report request, the parent or legal guardian must provide the required proof described by the Sheriff.
Requests made after 4:00 p.m.
The Sheriff states that requests received after 4:00 p.m. are processed the next business day. Its Records Division also says it does not provide criminal-history background checks to the general public; use the court-record process for that task.
Read the current Sheriff instructions →Winston-Salem Police Arrest and Incident Records Are Separate
If Winston-Salem Police handled the arrest or incident, use WSPD’s Records Division instead of assuming the Forsyth County jail page contains the complete police record.
Arrest reports
WSPD provides an Arrest Report Request process. The department says its local arrest records are not certified and do not contain court dispositions.
Incident reports
WSPD also provides a separate Incident Report Request. Public portions of many reports can be requested through Records, and some records are available through the Police-to-Citizen system.
Vivian H. Burke Public Safety Center
725 North Cherry StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Records phone: 336-773-7922
Records email: [email protected]
Police report availability
WSPD lists Records public access Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The city also says some reports can be obtained through Police-to-Citizen.
Use North Carolina eCourts to Follow the Criminal Case
Forsyth County joined North Carolina eCourts on July 21, 2025. The public Portal is the appropriate online route for available case and docket information after an arrest moves into the court system.
Search public case information
Use eCourts Portal to find publicly available case information by the search methods provided by the live system.
Open eCourts Portal →Portal is not the certified court record
The North Carolina Judicial Branch states that Portal provides internet access to public docket entries. Contact the appropriate Clerk of Court when an official copy is required.
Forsyth County court page →Not every record is public online
Some information is confidential, sealed or otherwise restricted. The Portal FAQ specifically identifies categories such as certain unreturned warrants and juvenile records as non-public or restricted.
North Carolina eCourts information →How to Get a Certified Forsyth County Criminal-Record Search
If your task is a certified county criminal-record search rather than a mugshot or jail lookup, use the North Carolina Judicial Branch procedure through the Clerk of Superior Court.
Use Form AOC-CR-314
The Judicial Branch identifies AOC-CR-314 as the Criminal Record Search form for certified name-based searches through a Clerk of Superior Court.
Understand the geographic limit
A certified search requested through the Forsyth County Clerk checks that county’s court records. It is not a statewide North Carolina search.
Use the current $25 published fee
The North Carolina Judicial Branch currently lists a $25 fee for the certified single-county search.
Choose mail or in-person submission
For mailed requests, the Judicial Branch lists money order or certified check and says personal checks are not accepted. For in-person requests, it lists credit card, cash, money order or certified check.
Free non-certified courthouse option
The Judicial Branch also says public access computers at courthouse clerk offices can be used to search, view or email criminal records without a search fee. Those results are not certified, and printing charges may apply.
Do not substitute eCourts for a formal background check
The court system expressly directs people performing criminal background checks to the Clerk’s Office process rather than treating Portal as the official background-check service.
Check State Custody or Custody Notifications When Needed
County jail custody and North Carolina state correction records are separate. If the person has been transferred to state prison or is under state probation or parole supervision, move to the Department of Adult Correction rather than continuing to search the Forsyth County jail system.
NC Offender Public Information Search
The Department of Adult Correction says its offender search covers North Carolina state prisoners, probationers and parolees, with current and historical information dating back to 1972. It specifically states that county-jail records are not included.
NC SAVAN notifications
NC SAVAN provides free, confidential custody-status notifications. The Department of Adult Correction says the service includes county jail inmates, state prisoners, probationers, parolees and registered sex offenders, with notification options that include phone, email, text and TTY.
If Your Goal Is Visiting or Helping Someone in the Detention Center
Once you have confirmed county custody, use the Sheriff’s detention-center resources for visitation, commissary and other inmate services instead of relying on a mugshot page.
Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center
201 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Detention Center phone: 336-917-7600.
Check the current visitation policy
The Sheriff maintains a dedicated detention-center visitation policy. Review the current policy before traveling because schedules and requirements can change.
Detention Center information →Inmate account deposits
The county publishes separate commissary instructions, including lobby and online options. Use the current Sheriff page before sending money because provider procedures can change.
Current commissary information →What to Do When You Cannot Find a Forsyth County Record
Do not assume a missing result means the event never happened. First identify which stage of the process you are trying to verify, then switch to the agency that controls that record.
| Problem | Possible explanation | Next official check |
|---|---|---|
| No match in Inmate Inquiry | The person may not currently be held, may have been released or transferred, or the search details may not match. | Check law-enforcement records and eCourts rather than assuming no arrest occurred. |
| Mugshot is not displayed | The public entry may not include a booking photograph, or the relevant record may be held through another process. | Do not infer guilt or identity from missing media; contact the record custodian when necessary. |
| Need details about the incident | A jail entry is not the police or Sheriff investigative report. | Identify the arresting or investigating agency and use its report procedure. |
| Need the result of the criminal case | Booking data reflects the arrest/custody stage rather than final disposition. | Search eCourts and request the official record from the Clerk when required. |
| Person may be in state prison | County and state custody systems are separate. | Use NC Department of Adult Correction offender search. |
| Need a formal background check | Inmate Inquiry and eCourts are not substitutes for the certified Clerk process. | Use the Judicial Branch criminal-background-check procedure. |
| Portal blocks or fails to load | The third-party portal infrastructure may reject a browser or network request. | Return through the Sheriff or Judicial Branch official page and use the linked service or agency contact information. |
Forsyth County Arrest and Booking Record Contacts
Use the office that controls the record. Calling the detention center about a court disposition or calling the Clerk about a police incident report can add unnecessary steps.
Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office
301 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7001
Law Enforcement Detention Center
201 North Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-917-7600
Winston-Salem Police Records Division
725 North Cherry StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-773-7922
Email: [email protected]
Forsyth County · North Carolina Judicial Branch
Use the official county court page for current Clerk services, court calendars, eCourts access and courthouse information.
Clerk phone published by the Judicial Branch: 336-779-6300.
Official Sources Used for This Forsyth County Guide
Government portals can change URLs, vendors, fees and procedures. When a current portal conflicts with a summary here, use the responsible agency’s current instructions.
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Law Enforcement Detention Center
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Inmate Inquiry
- Forsyth County Sheriff — Incident Reports
- Winston-Salem Police Department — Records Division
- Winston-Salem Police — Incident & Arrest Reports
- North Carolina Judicial Branch — Forsyth County
- North Carolina Judicial Branch — Criminal Background Checks
- NC Department of Adult Correction — Offender Searches
Research check completed September 27, 2026. The Forsyth Sheriff Police-to-Citizen inmate portal itself rejected automated retrieval during research, but the official Forsyth County detention-center page was accessible and directly linked that portal as its Inmate Inquiry. No individual inmate information was collected or reproduced.
Forsyth County Mugshots and Booking Records FAQ
Where can I search Forsyth County mugshots officially?
Start with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Inmate Inquiry linked from the official Law Enforcement Detention Center page. A booking photograph may appear when the public inmate entry includes one, but do not assume every booking will have a publicly displayed image.
How do I find out whether someone is in Forsyth County jail now?
Use the Sheriff’s official Inmate Inquiry. If the person does not appear, consider whether they have been released or transferred and move to law-enforcement or court records when those better match your question.
Does a Forsyth County mugshot mean the person was convicted?
No. A mugshot or booking entry documents an arrest or jail intake. Use North Carolina eCourts and, when necessary, the Clerk of Superior Court to check what later happened in the case.
Can I request a full Forsyth County Sheriff incident report?
The Sheriff says the general public may request the front page of an incident report in person. Its published procedure says a full incident report requires authorization by a court order signed by a judge.
Where do I get a Winston-Salem Police arrest report?
Use the Winston-Salem Police Records Division or its Arrest Report Request process. WSPD states that its local arrest records are not certified and do not contain court dispositions.
How do I check what happened in court after a Forsyth County arrest?
Forsyth County is part of North Carolina eCourts. Use Portal for publicly available case information, then contact the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court if you need the official or certified court record.
How much is a certified Forsyth County criminal-record search?
The North Carolina Judicial Branch currently lists a $25 fee for a certified, name-based single-county criminal-record search through the Clerk of Superior Court using Form AOC-CR-314.
Is eCourts Portal a certified background check?
No. The Judicial Branch states that Portal is not the official court record and directs people performing criminal background checks to the Clerk’s Office process instead.
Where should I search if the person was transferred to state prison?
Use the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Offender Public Information Search. The department states that its database covers state prisoners, probationers and parolees but does not include county-jail information.
Can crime victims receive custody-status notifications?
NC SAVAN provides free, confidential notifications about offender custody status. The Department of Adult Correction says participating information includes county jail inmates, state prisoners, probationers, parolees and registered sex offenders.