Marin County Recent Arrests
Recent arrests in Marin County are tracked through the sheriff's booking log and jail records system. The Marin County Sheriff's Office posts booking data online for free. Anyone can search these arrest records without an account or a fee. Marin County sits just north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge, and the sheriff handles all jail bookings for the county. When someone gets arrested in Marin County, the booking record shows up in the public log. Search tools cover current inmates plus recent bookings. This page walks through every way to find Marin County recent arrest records, from the sheriff's online portal to state databases and public records laws in California.
Marin County Arrest Records Quick Facts
Marin County Booking Log Search
The Marin County Sheriff runs a public booking log at apps.marincounty.gov/bookinglog. This is the main tool for checking recent arrests in Marin County. The log shows everyone booked into the Marin County Jail. Each entry has the person's name, booking date, charges, and bail amount. You can look it up right now. There is no cost. The system updates on a regular basis so recent arrests in Marin County show up quickly. If someone was just picked up by police in San Rafael, Novato, or anywhere else in Marin County, their booking data will appear in the log once the jail processes them. The booking log is the fastest way to confirm a Marin County arrest.
To use the booking log, go to the site and browse the entries. You can sort by date. You can look for a name. The log covers recent bookings over the past several days. Not every arrest in Marin County leads to a jail booking. Some people get cited and released in the field. Those cases will not show up in the booking log since no jail processing took place.
Note: The Marin County booking log does not include people who have already been released from custody.
How Arrests Work in Marin County
When someone is arrested in Marin County, the arresting agency takes them to the Marin County Jail in San Rafael. City police departments in Novato, Mill Valley, and other Marin County cities handle arrests within their limits. But the jail booking goes through the sheriff's office. That is why the sheriff's booking log is the central place to find all recent arrests in Marin County regardless of which agency made the arrest. The jail processes each person and creates a booking record with their name, charges, physical description, and bail amount.
California law makes this information public. Under Government Code Section 7923.610, law enforcement agencies in California must release the full name, charges, bail amount, arrest time, and booking details for every person they arrest. This applies to Marin County and all other counties in the state. The law lists nine specific items that must be made public after an arrest.
Marin County arrest records stay in the system. They do not vanish after a set time. But the online booking log only shows recent entries. For older arrest records in Marin County, you would need to contact the sheriff's records division directly or go through the California DOJ record review process.
Marin County Arrest Records Screenshot
The Marin County Sheriff's public booking log is the main portal for looking up recent arrests in Marin County.
This tool lists all current bookings at the Marin County Jail with names, dates, and charges for each arrest.
Statewide Tools for Marin County Arrests
Besides the county booking log, two state systems can help you find arrest records tied to Marin County. The California DOJ Record Review lets you get your own criminal history from the state. It costs $25 and requires Live Scan fingerprints. This covers all arrests statewide, not just Marin County. The DOJ mails the results to you. You cannot request someone else's record through this system. It is for your own history only.
The CDCR CIRIS inmate search covers people in California state prisons. If someone from Marin County was convicted and sent to state prison, you can find them through CIRIS. Search by name or CDCR number. CIRIS does not cover Marin County Jail inmates. It only tracks people serving time in state facilities. For recent arrests still at the county level in Marin County, the booking log is the right tool.
Note: The California DOJ will not release your arrest record to a third party without your written consent.
Marin County Arrest Record Laws
Several California laws affect how arrest records work in Marin County. The state Public Records Act gives anyone the right to request public records from government agencies. Arrest booking information falls under this act. Penal Code Section 13300 defines what counts as local criminal history information. It includes names, dates of arrest, charges, and dispositions. This is what Marin County law enforcement agencies collect and store.
If an arrest in Marin County does not lead to a conviction, the person may be able to seal the record. Penal Code Section 851.87 allows people to petition for arrest record sealing when the case was dismissed or never filed. California also has AB 1076, which created automatic arrest record relief for qualifying cases. Under this law, the DOJ reviews records each month and grants relief without the person needing to file anything. This applies to Marin County arrests where charges were dropped or the person was found not guilty.
There are limits on what can be done with booking photos from Marin County arrests. SB 1027 makes it illegal for websites to charge a fee to take down a booking photo. And AB 1475 stops police from posting booking photos on social media for nonviolent offenses in most cases.
Requesting Older Marin County Records
The booking log covers recent arrests. For older records, you have options. You can file a public records request with the Marin County Sheriff's Office. Under the California Public Records Act, the agency has 10 days to respond. There may be a small copying fee. You can also check with the Marin County Superior Court for case records tied to an arrest. Court records are separate from booking records but they connect through case numbers.
The California DOJ record review covers your full arrest history in the state. If you need to see your own Marin County arrest from years ago, this is the best route. It costs $25 and the processing takes about four weeks after the DOJ gets your fingerprints.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Marin County. Each has its own booking log and arrest search tools.