Nevada County Recent Arrest Search
Recent arrest records in Nevada County can be searched through the sheriff's in-custody inmate report. Nevada County, California sits in the western Sierra Nevada foothills with Nevada City as its county seat and Grass Valley as its largest town. This is not the state of Nevada. It is a California county. The Nevada County Sheriff maintains an online inmate search tool that shows current bookings at the county jail. The search is free and open to anyone. This page explains how to find recent arrests in Nevada County, which state tools can help, and what California laws make these arrest records public.
Nevada County Arrest Records Quick Facts
Nevada County Inmate Search Tool
The Nevada County Sheriff runs an in-custody inmates report on the county website. This is the primary tool for checking recent arrests in Nevada County. The report lists everyone currently held at the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility. You can see names, booking dates, charges, and bail amounts. The tool is free. It does not need an account or login. Anyone can pull it up and search for a name.
The in-custody report covers people who are in the jail right now. If someone was arrested in Nevada County yesterday and already released, they may not appear. For the most current snapshot of who is in custody, this report is the best tool. It reflects the Nevada County jail's live data. If you need information about a person who was booked and released, you would contact the sheriff's office directly.
Nevada County is a mid-sized county by California standards. The jail sees moderate booking volume. Most arrests come from the Grass Valley and Nevada City areas, plus the unincorporated communities around them. Truckee, on the other side of the county near Lake Tahoe, also generates arrests that go through the Nevada County system.
Note: The in-custody report may not include people who were cited and released without a jail booking.
How Nevada County Arrests Work
Several agencies make arrests in Nevada County. The sheriff patrols unincorporated areas. Grass Valley Police and Nevada City Police handle their respective cities. Truckee Police covers the town of Truckee. The CHP patrols the highways including Interstate 80, which runs through the county. All arrested people who are booked into jail go to the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility. That is the Nevada County jail. The sheriff's corrections staff handles the booking process and enters the record into the system.
Under California Government Code Section 7923.610, every law enforcement agency must release booking information to the public. The law covers nine specific items: full name, occupation, physical description with date of birth, arrest time and date, booking time and date, arrest location, the circumstances, bail amount, custody status, and charges. This applies to every arrest processed through the Nevada County jail.
Nevada County Arrest Records Screenshot
The Nevada County Sheriff in-custody report shows current inmates at the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility.
The report includes booking details, charges, and bail information for all people currently held at the Nevada County jail.
State Databases for Nevada County
California runs two statewide systems relevant to Nevada County arrest records. The DOJ Record Review lets you get your own arrest history from the state. You pay $25 and submit Live Scan fingerprints at a local law enforcement office. The DOJ sends back your complete California criminal record by mail. This includes any Nevada County arrests along with arrests from all other California counties. Processing takes about four weeks. Only you can request your own record. The DOJ will not give it to a third party.
The CDCR CIRIS tool searches California state prison inmates. If someone from Nevada County was sent to state prison, CIRIS will show them. Search by name or CDCR number. Results include the inmate's housing location, admission date, and hearing dates. CIRIS does not cover the Nevada County jail. Use the sheriff's in-custody report for local arrests.
Note: VINE (Victim Information and Notification) is also available statewide at 877-411-5588 for custody alerts on Nevada County inmates.
Nevada County Arrest Record Laws
Penal Code Section 13300 defines local criminal history in California. It includes names, dates of arrest, booking numbers, charges, and case outcomes. This is the type of data the Nevada County Sheriff keeps for every jail booking. The California Public Records Act gives anyone the right to request copies of public records from the sheriff's office. They have 10 days to respond.
People arrested in Nevada County who are not convicted can seek record sealing. Penal Code 851.87 allows petitions to seal records when charges are dropped or dismissed. AB 1076 provides automatic relief. The DOJ reviews records monthly and clears eligible arrests without anyone filing a petition. This covers Nevada County arrests from 2021 forward where there was no conviction. Booking photo rules also apply. SB 1027 bans charging fees to remove booking photos from websites. AB 1475 restricts police from posting booking photos on social media for nonviolent offenses.
Older Nevada County Arrest Records
The in-custody report covers current inmates. For older arrest records from Nevada County, contact the sheriff's office. File a public records request. The county responds within 10 days. The Nevada County Superior Court also has case records tied to past arrests. Court records are separate from booking records but they relate to the same cases.
For a complete personal history that includes Nevada County, the DOJ Record Review at $25 is the most thorough route.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Nevada County in the Sierra foothills and mountain region of California.