Access San Francisco Arrest Records

San Francisco County recent arrest records are searchable through the sheriff's online inmate lookup tool. San Francisco is unique in California because it is both a city and a county. The sheriff's department runs the jails and handles booking records. You can search for someone in custody by name, SF number, or booking number. The city processes a large number of arrests each week through its jail facilities. All arrest data is public under California law. Searching for recent arrests in San Francisco is free and available from any device with internet access.

San Francisco Arrest Records Online

The San Francisco Sheriff's Department runs an online inmate search that lets you find people in custody. To search by name, enter at least three letters of the first name and three letters of the last name. You can also search by SF number or booking number if you have one. Results show the person's charges, booking date, bail, and which jail they are at. The system pulls live data from all San Francisco County jail facilities.

San Francisco handles arrest records differently than most counties because there is no separate city police jail. The SFPD makes arrests, but everyone gets booked through the sheriff's jail system. This means the sheriff's inmate search is the one place to check for all recent arrests made anywhere within San Francisco, whether the arresting agency was SFPD, the sheriff, BART police, or any other law enforcement agency operating in the city.

The search is free. No account is needed. You can use it from a phone, tablet, or desktop. Results update as new bookings are processed and as people are released from San Francisco County custody.

San Francisco Sheriff Inmate Lookup

The San Francisco Sheriff's inmate search is the primary portal for checking recent arrest records in the city and county.

This tool pulls data from all three San Francisco County jail locations. It provides current booking and custody details for anyone recently arrested within San Francisco.

When you look someone up, each result gives you a set of standard booking details. The full name is shown along with booking date, charges, and bail amount. The facility holding the person is listed too. Keep in mind that charges shown at booking are initial and can change later as the district attorney reviews the case. The search gives you a snapshot of the arrest as it stands right now. It is informational and should not be used for legal purposes on its own.

San Francisco County Jail Facilities

San Francisco operates three jail facilities. County Jail #1 is at 425 7th Street in San Francisco. Call (415) 553-1430 for information. County Jail #2 is at the same address and can be reached at (415) 554-7225. County Jail #3 sits at 1 Moreland Drive in San Bruno, just south of the city. All three jails handle bookings from San Francisco arrests.

Because San Francisco is both a city and a county, the jail system is consolidated. There is no separate municipal jail. The sheriff runs everything. People arrested by SFPD, California Highway Patrol, BART Police, or any other agency within city limits all end up booked into the sheriff's custody. This makes the inmate search tool a single point of access for all recent arrest records in San Francisco.

• County Jail #1: 425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 - (415) 553-1430
• County Jail #2: 425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 - (415) 554-7225
• County Jail #3: 1 Moreland Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066

Note: County Jail #3 in San Bruno is technically outside San Francisco city limits but is still part of the San Francisco County jail system.

California Arrest Laws and San Francisco

Government Code 7923.610 requires all California law enforcement agencies to release basic arrest information. This includes the full name, physical description, arrest time and date, booking details, location, circumstances, bail, custody status, and charges. San Francisco follows this law. The only exceptions apply when disclosure would endanger someone or hurt an active investigation. The city-county structure does not change these requirements. San Francisco must share the same arrest data that every other California county does.

The California Public Records Act applies to all city-county agencies in San Francisco. You can submit a formal records request for arrest data, reports, or booking logs. The agency must respond within 10 days. Processing times and any copy fees depend on the specific agency and the type of record requested.

Sealing San Francisco Arrest Records

An arrest in San Francisco that did not result in a conviction can potentially be sealed. Under Penal Code 851.87, you file a petition with San Francisco Superior Court. If approved, the arrest record is sealed from most background checks. You can legally state you were not arrested for that charge. San Francisco has several legal aid organizations that may help with the petition process if you cannot afford a private attorney.

California's automatic sealing program also applies. The DOJ reviews arrest records monthly. Qualifying misdemeanor arrests from January 2021 onward get sealed automatically when charges were dismissed or not filed within one year. This covers San Francisco arrests without any petition needed. To check your own record, use the DOJ Record Review by submitting fingerprints and paying $25.

Statewide Resources for San Francisco

The CDCR CIRIS search covers people sentenced to state prison from San Francisco. The search is free and shows the person's current location, admission date, and parole hearing details. VINE notifications are available at 877-411-5588 for alerts about custody status changes at San Francisco County jails.

San Francisco Arrest Records by City

San Francisco is a combined city-county, so there is only one jurisdiction here. All arrests within San Francisco are handled by the sheriff's jail system. For arrest records, use the inmate search tool above or contact the sheriff's department directly.

Nearby Counties

These counties are adjacent to San Francisco and each has its own jail and arrest record system.