Search Okaloosa County Bookings

Recent bookings in Okaloosa County are managed by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, which operates the county jail at 1200 East James Lee Boulevard in Crestview. The sheriff's office maintains an inmate search tool and handles all booking records for the county. Under Florida's public records law, all requesters may remain anonymous when asking for public records, and they do not have to put their request in writing or state why they want the record. Okaloosa County sits in the Florida panhandle with Crestview as the county seat, and the sheriff's office serves as the main custodian of arrest and booking data for the area.

Okaloosa County Inmate Search

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office provides an online inmate search tool. This system lets you look up people who have been booked into the Okaloosa County jail. You can search by name to find booking dates, charges, bond info, and mugshots. The tool is free and works from any device. It pulls data from the jail's booking system, so results stay current for Okaloosa County. The inmate search is the quickest way to check on recent bookings without calling or visiting in person.

To run a search, go to the sheriff's website and find the inmate lookup section. Type in the last name of the person you want to find. Adding a first name helps narrow the results. Each record shows the booking number, charges filed, bond amounts, and the date the person was brought in. If someone has been released, their record may still appear for a period of time. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office keeps these records as part of its duties under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office website provides inmate search tools and booking information for the county jail.

This is the main portal for looking up current and recent inmates in Okaloosa County.

How Okaloosa Arrests Work

When someone gets arrested in Okaloosa County, they are transported to the jail on East James Lee Boulevard in Crestview. The booking process starts at intake. Staff photograph the person, collect fingerprints, and enter personal details into the system. A booking record is created with the arrest date, charges, arresting agency, and bond amount. This process follows Chapter 901 of Florida Statutes, which governs arrest procedures across the state.

Arrests in Okaloosa County come from several agencies. The sheriff's office handles unincorporated areas. Police departments in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, and Destin make arrests within their city limits. Eglin Air Force Base has its own security forces that sometimes transfer people to county custody. All of these agencies bring arrested individuals to the same Okaloosa County jail for booking. After the process is done, the person either posts bond, gets released on recognizance, or waits in jail for a first appearance before a judge.

Note: Booking records in Okaloosa County become public as soon as they are created, with no waiting period for access.

Okaloosa County Records Requests

If you need copies of booking records or arrest reports from Okaloosa County, contact the records section. The records department can be reached at (850) 651-7434. Regina Godwin is the records manager, and Lt. Matt Harrison serves as the alternate custodian. The main records office is at 50 2nd Street in Shalimar. The public information office is available at (850) 651-7410 from 7:30am to 4:30pm.

Florida's Chapter 119 gives broad access to government records. You do not have to state your name. You do not have to say why you want the records. You do not need to put the request in writing, though written requests create a paper trail. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office must respond in a reasonable amount of time. They can charge for copies but not for the effort it takes to find what you asked for. Most basic booking data can be checked online without a formal request.

For more involved requests, it helps to be specific. Include the person's full name, date of birth if you know it, and a date range for the records. This speeds up the process. The records staff in Okaloosa County handle a high volume of requests, so clear details make a difference.

Statewide Search Tools

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains criminal history records from all 67 Florida counties, including Okaloosa. Through its record check system, FDLE offers background checks for $25 that cover the entire state. This is useful when you do not know which county an arrest happened in. FDLE data may lag behind what the local Okaloosa County jail shows, since it takes time for records to flow from the county to the state system.

The Florida Department of Corrections has its own search for state prison inmates. This covers people serving sentences in state facilities. It does not include people held in the Okaloosa County jail who are awaiting trial. Use the county tools for local bookings and the state tools when you need a broader search. The Florida Department of State also keeps a directory listing all county jails and their inmate search options.

Okaloosa County Bond Process

After booking into the Okaloosa County jail, the bond process begins. Florida's Chapter 903 sets the rules for bail and bonds statewide. The bond amount depends on the charge. Some offenses carry a preset bond from the schedule. Others need a judge to set the amount at a first appearance hearing. Serious charges may result in bond being denied.

You can post bond in Okaloosa County a few different ways. Cash bond means paying the full amount to the jail. A bail bondsman charges about 10% of the bond as a fee that is not refunded. Some people qualify for release on their own recognizance, meaning they promise to appear in court without posting money. The judge makes this decision at the first appearance. Once bond is posted, the release process takes a few hours. Cash bonds are returned at the end of the case if the person attends all required court dates in Okaloosa County.

Note: Bond amounts shown online may change after a hearing, so always verify with the Okaloosa County jail directly.

Okaloosa County Jail Contact

The Okaloosa County jail handles all bookings for the county. You can call the jail line for inmate status questions or visit the records office in Shalimar for copies of documents.

For general questions about someone in custody in Okaloosa County, calling the jail is the fastest option. Written requests can be sent to the records office at the Shalimar address. The sheriff's website also has information about how to submit records requests electronically.

Booking Record Details

Each booking record in Okaloosa County contains key information about the arrest. You can see the person's full name, date of birth, and booking photo. The charges are listed with the corresponding statute numbers, and you can tell whether each charge is a misdemeanor or felony. Bond amounts are shown for each charge separately. The record also includes the booking date and time, which law enforcement agency made the arrest, and the person's location inside the jail.

Some records show prior bookings for the same person in Okaloosa County. Court dates get added once a judge sets them. Release information appears after the person leaves custody. Remember that a booking record is not the same as a conviction. It means the person was arrested and processed. The case still has to move through the court system before any guilt is determined. All of this information falls under Chapter 119 and remains part of the public record.

Cities in Okaloosa County

Okaloosa County has several cities and communities. Crestview is the county seat and where the jail is located. Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Destin, and Valparaiso are also within the county. All arrests in these areas lead to bookings at the Okaloosa County jail on East James Lee Boulevard. No cities in Okaloosa County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page, but all booking records are handled at the county level through the sheriff's office.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Okaloosa County. If an arrest took place in one of these areas, you will need to check that county's records instead.