Highlands County Booking Records
Recent bookings in Highlands County are managed by the Highlands County Sheriff's Office in Sebring. The sheriff runs the county jail at 338 South Orange Street and keeps all booking records for public access. Under Florida's public records law, anyone can look up arrest and booking details for people held at the Highlands County jail. You do not need to be a resident or give a reason to search these records. The jail processes bookings around the clock, and records are created at the time of intake for each person brought into custody in Highlands County.
Highlands County Quick Facts
Highlands County Arrest Process
When law enforcement makes an arrest in Highlands County, the person is brought to the jail on South Orange Street in Sebring. The booking process starts right away. Staff take a photo, collect fingerprints, and log personal details into the system. Each booking creates a record with the arrest date, charges, arresting agency, and bond amount. This follows Chapter 901 of Florida Statutes, which sets the rules for arrests across the state.
Most arrests in Highlands County come from the sheriff's office or local police in Sebring, Avon Park, and Lake Placid. All agencies bring people to the same jail for processing. The Highlands County jail is the central intake point. After booking, the person either posts bond, gets a release on their own recognizance, or stays in custody to wait for a first court appearance. Bond amounts depend on the charge and follow the schedule set by the 10th Judicial Circuit.
Booking records in Highlands County become public the moment they are created. There is no waiting period to access them.
How to Search Booking Records
There are several ways to find recent bookings in Highlands County. You can call the jail at (863) 402-7201 and ask about a specific person. Give the staff a name, and they can tell you if that person is currently in custody. For more detailed info, you may need to file a public records request with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. Florida law gives everyone the right to ask for these records, and the agency must respond in a reasonable time.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also keeps arrest records from all counties, including Highlands. FDLE has a criminal history check through its online record check system. The fee is $25. This search covers all of Florida, not just Highlands County. It is useful if you are not sure which county an arrest took place in. FDLE records sometimes take a bit longer to show up than what the local jail has.
The Florida Department of Corrections runs a separate search for state prison inmates. That tool covers people who have been sentenced and sent to a state facility. It does not show people in the Highlands County jail waiting for trial. Use the county search for local bookings and the state tools for broader searches.
Note: FDLE record checks may not include arrests that are still being processed at the Highlands County jail.
Highlands County Sheriff's Office
The Highlands County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. It handles patrol duties, runs the jail, and serves court papers. The sheriff's office also keeps the booking system that stores all recent bookings in Highlands County. You can call them at (863) 402-7201 for questions about jail or booking records.
The FDLE homepage provides statewide resources for searching Florida arrest records, including links to county-level tools in Highlands County.
The FDLE site is a good starting point when you need to search beyond just the Highlands County jail system.
| Jail Address | 338 South Orange St, Sebring, FL 33870 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (863) 402-7201 |
| County Seat | Sebring |
Booking Record Details
A booking record in Highlands County holds several pieces of information. It shows the person's full name, date of birth, and a booking photo. The charges are listed along with their statute numbers. You can see if the charge is a misdemeanor or felony. Bond amounts are shown for each charge. The record also includes the date and time of booking, which agency made the arrest, and the housing location inside the jail.
Some records may also show prior bookings for the same person. Court dates get added once they are set by the judge. Release dates appear after the person leaves custody. A booking record is not a conviction. It only means the person was arrested and processed at the Highlands County jail. The case still has to go through court before any finding of guilt. Under Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes, all of this information is open to the public.
Public Records Law in Highlands County
Florida has some of the broadest public records laws in the country. Chapter 119 says that all records made or received by a government agency are open to the public. This covers booking records, arrest reports, and jail logs in Highlands County. You do not have to say why you want the records. You do not have to live in Florida either.
To make a formal records request in Highlands County, contact the sheriff's office. State what records you want as clearly as you can. Include the person's name and any dates you know. The agency must respond in a reasonable amount of time. They can charge for copies but not for the staff time it takes to find records. Most booking info from Highlands County can be checked without a formal request. Printed or certified copies do cost money though.
Note: Juvenile booking records are exempt from public disclosure under Florida law and will not appear in searches.
Bond and Bail in Highlands County
After booking in Highlands County, the bond process starts. Florida's Chapter 903 governs how bail and bonds work. The bond amount depends on the charge. Some offenses have a set bond on the schedule. Others need a judge to set the amount at a first appearance hearing. For serious charges, bond may be denied.
There are a few ways to post bond in Highlands County. You can pay the full amount in cash to the jail. You can use a bail bondsman, which usually costs 10% of the bond as a fee. Some people qualify for release on their own recognizance, meaning no money is needed. The judge decides this at the first appearance. If bond is posted, the person is released after processing. Cash bonds are returned at the end of the case if the person shows up for all court dates. The bail bondsman fee is not refundable in Highlands County.
Highlands County Jail Operations
The Highlands County jail is on South Orange Street in Sebring. It serves the entire county. The facility handles intake, housing, and release of inmates. When someone is booked, the process can take several hours depending on how busy the jail is. Staff check for warrants, medical issues, and any holds from other agencies during intake.
Visitation at the Highlands County jail follows a set schedule. Rules vary by housing unit and classification level. Check with the jail for current visit times and rules. Phone calls are available for inmates to make outgoing calls. The jail also handles transport to court hearings at the Highlands County Courthouse in Sebring. For questions about an inmate or a booking, call the jail line at (863) 402-7201. Written requests can go to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office at the jail address.
The Florida Department of State keeps a directory of county jails and inmate search tools. Highlands County is listed there alongside all other Florida counties. This directory can help if you need to search multiple counties.
Cities in Highlands County
Highlands County has several cities and towns. Sebring is the county seat and the largest city. Avon Park and Lake Placid are also in the county. All arrests in these areas go through the Highlands County jail for booking. No cities in Highlands County have their own dedicated booking pages, but all bookings are handled at the county level through the sheriff's office on South Orange Street.
Nearby Counties
These counties share a border with Highlands County. If an arrest happened in one of these areas, you need to search that county's booking records instead.