Austin Jail Mugshots and Booking Records
Austin jail mugshots are part of the public record system shared between the Austin Police Department and Travis County. The Austin Police Department (APD) makes arrests throughout the city, but once a person is booked, custody typically transfers to the Travis County Jail where the Sheriff's Office maintains the official inmate records and booking photos. You can look up recent arrests online, request police reports from APD, or submit a public information request for records that aren't posted on the public portal. This page covers the main paths for finding Austin arrest records through official sources.
Austin Overview
Austin Police Department
The Austin Police Department handles all law enforcement operations within Austin city limits. The department's main headquarters is at 715 E. 8th Street, Austin, TX 78701. APD makes arrests, documents charges, and processes initial booking records. After arrest, most people are transferred to the Travis County Jail where the Travis County Sheriff's Office takes over custody. APD keeps its own arrest and incident reports, which you can access through its records unit.
The Austin Police Department website offers access to crime data, public record request tools, and department contact information. APD maintains an incident report database with the public portions of most police reports available online. For reports that aren't posted publicly, you submit a written request. The Report Sales Unit handles copies of police reports and can be reached at 512-974-5499.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Headquarters Address | 715 E. 8th Street, Austin, TX 78701 |
| Report Sales | (512) 974-5499 |
| General Records | (512) 974-5212 |
| Hours | Contact APD for current hours |
| Website | austintexas.gov/department/police |
The APD website provides direct links to the public records request center, police report access, and open records guidance for Austin residents and the general public.
Where Austin Jail Mugshots Are Held
Austin jail mugshots and booking photos are maintained by the Travis County Sheriff's Office. Once APD transfers an arrestee to Travis County Jail, the Sheriff's Office handles all custody records from that point forward. This includes the booking photo, charges on file, bail status, and inmate location. The Travis County online inmate search is the main tool for finding current Austin jail mugshots.
The Travis County Jail holds people arrested in Austin and throughout Travis County. If you want to know whether a specific person is currently in custody, start with the Travis County inmate roster. This is a live system that updates as people are booked, transferred, or released. It shows names, booking dates, charges, and bond amounts. For older records or copies of booking photos, you will likely need to submit a formal request to the Sheriff's Office or APD.
Note: APD maintains its own initial arrest records, but the Travis County Sheriff's Office is the official custodian of jail booking data once transfer is complete.
How to Find Austin Jail Mugshots
For recent arrests, check the Travis County inmate roster first. This gives you the most current data on anyone who was booked in the last few days. If you need a copy of a specific police report from APD, you can request it through the APD police reports page. Reports can be purchased from the Report Sales Unit at 715 E. 8th Street or by calling 512-974-5499.
For a formal public information request to the City of Austin, you can submit online through the city's Open Records Center, by mail to P.O. Box 689001, Austin, TX 78768, by email to public.information@austintexas.gov, or in person at City Hall (4th Floor, 301 W. 2nd Street) or APD Headquarters. The Austin Open Records page explains the full process and links to the request portal.
For state prison records, use the TDCJ Offender Search. For broader criminal history, the Texas DPS Crime Records Service maintains a statewide database. Both are free to search online.
Public Information Requests in Austin
The City of Austin processes public information requests under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. The city must respond within 10 business days. APD has a separate email for records requests: public.information@austintexas.gov. Requests specifically for police records go to APD rather than to the general city records office. The Austin public information request page walks through submission methods and contact options.
Austin has a detailed fee schedule for records copies. Paper records cost $0.10 per page (single-sided) or $0.50 per oversize page. A CD copy is $1.00. A DVD is $3.00. Personnel time is charged at $15 per hour if the request requires more than 50 pages of work. Computer programming costs $28.50 per hour. An overhead charge of 20% applies to personnel and programming costs. If your request is estimated to exceed $40, the city will send you an itemized cost estimate first and ask you to confirm before processing begins. If you don't respond within 10 days, the request is closed.
Statewide Resources for Jail Records
Texas offers several statewide tools for finding jail and arrest records beyond what APD and Travis County provide. The TDCJ Offender Search covers anyone currently or previously incarcerated in a Texas state prison. The Texas DPS Crime Records Service manages the state's criminal history database and handles requests for background checks and court disposition records. These tools are especially useful when an Austin case moved from county jail to state prison.
For victim notification and inmate tracking, VINELink lets you register for automated alerts when someone's custody status changes in a Texas jail or prison. This service is free and covers Travis County along with all other Texas counties. It can notify you by phone, email, or text when a person is released, transferred, or escapes.
Arrest Record Expunction in Austin
Texas law gives people the right to have certain arrest records destroyed through expunction. Under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55, a person may qualify for expunction if their case was dismissed, they were acquitted at trial, or their charge was never filed. If a court grants the expunction, all agencies that hold records tied to that arrest, including APD and the Travis County Sheriff, must destroy or return the records.
Austin arrests are handled in Travis County courts. You file the expunction petition in the district court in Travis County and list every agency that holds records. The court sets a hearing, and if all legal requirements are met, the judge can grant the order. Once granted, you can legally deny that the arrest ever happened in most contexts. For arrests that don't qualify for full expunction, an order of nondisclosure may be available in some cases under Texas law.
Travis County Jail Records
Austin arrests are processed at Travis County Jail. Visit the county page for the full inmate search and booking records.
Nearby Cities
Other Texas cities with jail mugshot information: