Alabama is an open records state. When law enforcement takes someone into custody and processes them through booking, the core details of that arrest become a public record under state law. If you are trying to find out whether someone has been arrested, track down where they are being held, or understand what is actually on your own record, this guide walks through how Alabama's system works and where to look.
What Makes Alabama Arrest Records Public
The legal foundation is the Alabama Open Records Act, codified in Section 36-12-40 of the Code of Alabama. It establishes that every citizen has the right to inspect and copy any public writing of the state, with specific statutory exceptions. Arrest records fall squarely within that definition. The law is presumed to favor disclosure -- the burden falls on any agency refusing access to prove the record qualifies for an exemption, not on the person requesting it.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, known as ALEA, serves as the central repository for criminal history information statewide. Every law enforcement agency in Alabama is required to report arrest data to ALEA under Alabama Code Section 41-9-620 through 41-9-646. The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center Commission, established under Section 41-9-591, oversees standardization of those records across all agencies.
There are limits. Records connected to active criminal investigations, juvenile arrests, sealed cases, and expunged records are exempt from public access. Unexecuted arrest warrants also stay confidential under Alabama law -- once a warrant is served and executed, the supporting complaint becomes public record.
What an Alabama Arrest Record Contains
An arrest record is a booking document. It captures what law enforcement knew and charged at the time of arrest. It is not a finding of guilt, and it carries no legal presumption that the person committed the offense listed.
A typical Alabama arrest record includes the person's full legal name, date of birth, race, sex, and physical description. It will list the arresting agency, the date, time, and location of the arrest, the charges filed at booking with statute references, booking number, and bond or bail information if applicable. Mugshot photographs are generally included and are considered public record in Alabama.
What the record does not automatically capture is what happened in court afterward. A charge dismissed before trial, a not-guilty verdict, a plea to a lesser offense -- none of those outcomes erase the original arrest entry from public databases unless the person pursues expungement. The arrest record exists independently of the case outcome.
Juvenile records are handled separately. Most juvenile arrest records in Alabama are confidential and not subject to public disclosure. Certain serious offenses tried in adult court are exceptions to that rule.
How to Search Alabama Arrest Records
ALEA is the starting point for a statewide criminal history search. The public access route is the Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information (CHRI), commonly called ALEA Form 46. This requires submitting a completed application, a copy of a government-issued photo ID, fingerprints on an FBI-approved card, and a $25 fee payable by money order or cashier's check made out to the ALEA Criminal Records and Identification Unit. Requests can be submitted by mail to P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511, or in person at 301 S. Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104.
One important distinction in Alabama: unlike some states that provide instant online public criminal history searches, Alabama does not maintain a free name-based online arrest record database accessible to the general public. The CHRI process is the official route, and it requires fingerprints. That makes Alabama's official channel slower and more involved than states like Florida. The result, however, is a certified statewide record drawn from ALEA's central repository.
For faster and broader searches that pull public record data across multiple sources without the fingerprint requirement, TruthFinder is a reliable third-party option. It aggregates publicly available arrest, court, and background data across jurisdictions and returns results considerably faster than the CHRI process.
VINELink at vinelink.com is the tool for real-time custody tracking. VINE, which stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday, is a free notification service that lets you register to receive alerts when an individual's custody status changes -- transfer, release, or re-arrest. It connects to both county jail and state prison systems across Alabama. You can also reach VINE by phone at 1-877-846-3425.
County Jail Records in Alabama
Alabama has 67 counties and each county sheriff operates the local jail and maintains its own booking records. County jails hold people who have just been arrested, those awaiting trial, and individuals serving short sentences. If someone was arrested recently -- especially within the past 24 to 48 hours -- start at the county sheriff's website, not the state systems. ALEA's criminal history database and the ADOC's inmate search reflect records that have been processed and submitted, which takes time.
Most county sheriffs in Alabama publish online inmate rosters that are free to search and updated regularly. You can typically search by name or booking number and get the facility, charges, bond amount, and custody status. If you do not know which county the arrest occurred in, VINELink or TruthFinder can help narrow the location before you start calling sheriff's offices.
Once a person is convicted of a felony and sentenced to more than one year, they move out of the county jail system and into state prison under the Alabama Department of Corrections. The ADOC Inmate Search is the right tool at that point. It is free and accessible through the ADOC's official site at doc.alabama.gov. You can search by name or by the person's Alabama Institutional Serial number, known as an AIS number, which is assigned at intake and stays with that individual. Search results show the facility, charges, custody status, and projected release or parole eligibility date where available.
Federal Arrests in Alabama
Federal arrests in Alabama are made by agencies including the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Homeland Security Investigations. After sentencing, federally convicted individuals enter the Bureau of Prisons rather than the ADOC.
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free tool for finding anyone serving a federal sentence. You can search by name or BOP register number. For case-level records -- charging documents, indictments, sentencing information -- the PACER system at pacer.gov provides access to federal court filings. PACER requires a registered account.
Federal arrest records are not part of ALEA's criminal history database. An ALEA CHRI search will not surface federal charges or federal custody. If the person you are looking for was arrested on federal charges, start with PACER for court records and the BOP locator if they have been sentenced.
Arrest Records Versus Conviction Records
The distinction matters and causes real confusion. An arrest record reflects that law enforcement took someone into custody. A conviction record reflects that a court found the person guilty of a criminal offense. They are not the same document, and in Alabama, they do not automatically update each other.
You can have an arrest record in Alabama with no corresponding conviction. That happens every time charges are dropped, a case is dismissed, or a jury returns a not-guilty verdict. In all of those situations the arrest record still exists in public databases unless it is sealed or expunged. It will still appear in background checks, on third-party data aggregator sites, and in ALEA records unless legal action is taken to address it.
An arrest record by itself carries no finding of guilt. It reflects probable cause at the time of arrest -- nothing more. What happened in court afterward is a separate record entirely.
A Note on Expungement
Alabama law allows certain arrest records to be expunged under the Alabama Expungement Law, codified at Code of Alabama Section 15-27-1 through 15-27-16. Expungement removes the record from public access. Once expunged, the arrest should not appear in public databases, and most job applications do not require disclosure of expunged arrests.
Eligibility depends on the charge, the outcome of the case, and the individual's record. The process involves filing with the court and paying a filing fee. Not every arrest qualifies. Law enforcement agencies can still access expunged records in certain circumstances, including applications to serve as a peace officer. If you have an arrest record in Alabama and want to understand your options, InmateAid's guides on expungement cover the process in more detail. Mugshot removal is a separate but related concern -- Alabama does not have the same mugshot fee-removal statute as some other states, so that process is handled through a different path covered in InmateAid's mugshot removal resources.
Frequently asked questions
Are Alabama arrest records public?
Yes. Under the Alabama Open Records Act, Section 36-12-40 of the Code of Alabama, arrest records are public records. The law presumes disclosure and places the burden on any agency that wants to withhold a record to prove an exemption applies. Exceptions include juvenile arrests, active criminal investigations, and records that have been sealed or expunged.
How do I search Alabama arrest records?
The official statewide search goes through ALEA using the CHRI application process, which requires fingerprints and a $25 fee by money order or cashier's check. For county-level recent arrests, check the relevant county sheriff's website, which is usually free and updated frequently. For multi-source results without the fingerprint requirement, TruthFinder aggregates public record data across jurisdictions. For real-time custody status, VINELink at vinelink.com provides free notification registration.
What does an Alabama arrest record contain?
A typical Alabama arrest record includes the person's full legal name, date of birth, physical description, the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, charges as filed at booking, booking number, bond information, and usually a booking photograph. The exact contents vary by agency and whether the record has been formally submitted to ALEA.
Is an arrest the same as a conviction in Alabama?
No. An arrest documents that someone was taken into custody. A conviction documents a court's finding of guilt. You can have an arrest record with no conviction -- charges can be dropped, cases dismissed, or juries can acquit. The arrest record persists in public databases regardless of the outcome unless it is expunged.
How do I find someone in an Alabama county jail?
Search the sheriff's office website for the county where the arrest occurred. Most Alabama counties publish free online inmate rosters searchable by name or booking number. If you do not know the county, VINELink at vinelink.com connects to county jails statewide and can help locate a specific person, or you can call VINE at 1-877-846-3425.
Can I search federal arrest records in Alabama?
Federal court records are accessible through PACER at pacer.gov. If the person has been sentenced and transferred to a federal facility, the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free search tool. Federal arrests do not appear in ALEA's criminal history database, so an ALEA CHRI search will not surface them.
How long does an arrest stay on record in Alabama?
Alabama does not have an automatic expiration for adult arrest records. An arrest remains on your record indefinitely unless you successfully petition the court for expungement under Section 15-27-1 of the Code of Alabama. Juvenile records are generally confidential by default and not subject to the same indefinite retention rules.
Can an Alabama arrest record be expunged?
Yes, under certain conditions. Alabama's expungement law at Section 15-27-1 through 15-27-16 of the Code of Alabama allows eligible individuals to have qualifying arrest records removed from public access. Eligibility depends on the charges, case outcome, and prior record. The process requires a court filing and fee. Law enforcement retains access to expunged records in specific circumstances. Not every arrest qualifies.
What is ALEA and what records does it hold?
ALEA is the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the state's central repository for criminal history information. Through its Criminal Records and Identification Unit, ALEA maintains statewide records submitted by all Alabama law enforcement agencies, including arrest records, charges, and case dispositions. ALEA also manages the Alabama Background Check system used by employers and licensing agencies, and maintains the state's sex offender registry.
Why does my record show an arrest but no conviction?
An arrest record is created at booking and reflects the charges filed at that time. If those charges were later dropped, reduced, or resulted in a not-guilty verdict, the original arrest record still exists unless expunged. Many people discover years later that an ALEA check surfaces an old arrest with no accompanying conviction -- that is how the system works by default. Expungement under Alabama Code Section 15-27-1 is the legal path to address it. ---
Discovery Offer - Silos 1-2
Search arrest records and find out where they are
If you're trying to locate someone who was arrested or find out where they are being held, TruthFinder searches arrest records, court records, and custody status across all 50 states.