Washington County Booking Records
Washington County booking reports are managed by the Sheriff's Office in Chipley, Florida. This panhandle county processes all jail bookings at its detention facility on Brickyard Road. The sheriff maintains an online inmate roster and keeps records of every arrest. You can look up who is in the jail and see their charges and bond amounts. Booking reports in Washington County are public records, and any person can request access without giving a reason for their interest.
Washington County Quick Facts
Washington County Sheriff Arrest Records
The Washington County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and maintains all booking records. The main office is at 1100 Brickyard Road in Chipley. Call 850.638.6110 for questions about jail bookings or to inquire about a specific arrest report. Every arrest in Washington County gets processed at this one facility.
Each booking report has the person's name, date of birth, charges, arresting agency, and bond details. A mugshot and physical description are part of the record. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, booking reports are public records. The law says all state, county, and municipal records must be open for inspection and copying by any person. This includes booking reports, arrest logs, and booking photos filed at the Washington County jail.
The sheriff's office has a website with general information and an inmate roster that shows who is currently in the jail.
| Address | 1100 Brickyard Road, Chipley, FL 32428 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 850.638.6110 |
| Website | wcso.us |
| Inmate Roster | wcso.us/inmateRoster |
Find Washington County Booking Reports
The quickest way to check booking reports in Washington County is the online inmate roster. Visit the Washington County inmate roster page to see who is currently in the jail. The roster shows names, charges, and booking dates. It is free to view and open to everyone.
For records not on the roster, call the jail at 850.638.6110. Staff can search by name or booking number during regular hours. You can also visit the office on Brickyard Road in Chipley. Bring a valid photo ID if you plan to request copies. Florida law requires the custodian of public records to let any person inspect and copy records at a reasonable time. Copy fees follow state guidelines, and the office staff can tell you the per-page cost for Washington County booking reports.
The screenshot below shows the Florida Department of Corrections inmate search, which is useful if someone booked in Washington County has been transferred to a state prison.
The Florida Department of Corrections search tool checks all state prison databases at once. Data refreshes weekly, and release dates plus location changes update nightly. Use this tool if someone was arrested in Washington County and later sent to state prison. The local inmate roster only shows people in the county jail.
Note: Washington County also houses the Northwest Florida Reception Center, a state prison facility that is separate from the county jail.
Washington County Jail Booking Steps
When an arrest takes place in Washington County, the person goes to the jail in Chipley for booking. Officers record their name, date of birth, and physical traits. A booking photo is taken and fingerprints are captured. Florida Statute Chapter 943 requires fingerprints, palm prints, and facial images of all adults charged with felonies or misdemeanors to be captured and submitted to the FDLE electronically. This applies to every booking in Washington County.
After the personal data is recorded, charges get entered into the system. Each charge has a bond amount set by the court or a standard bond schedule. The booking report becomes public once it is in the system. Washington County is a smaller, rural county, so it does not see the same volume as metro areas. But the legal process is the same as in any other Florida county. The booking report has to include the same data points and follow the same rules whether the arrest happens in Washington County or in a big city like Jacksonville.
Washington County Public Records Law
Florida's public records statute makes booking reports open to all. Chapter 119 covers this. The law defines public records as all documents, papers, photographs, and data made or received in connection with official business by any agency. Every booking report filed in Washington County is a public record from the moment it goes into the system.
Some records have limits. Juvenile booking records are confidential unless the person is charged with a felony-level offense. Medical and mental health records from the jail cannot be accessed by the public. Sealed or expunged records are off limits. Under Florida Statute 901.43, for-profit websites cannot demand payment to remove booking photos. If someone's Washington County mugshot ends up on such a site, they can send a written removal request. The site has 10 days to remove it. The penalty for not complying is $1,000 per day. If the photo gets republished after removal, the penalty jumps to $5,000 per day.
Statewide Resources for Washington County
The Florida Department of State publishes a directory of all 67 county jails with contact information and links to inmate search tools. This is helpful if you need to check Washington County and nearby panhandle counties at the same time.
The FDLE Sexual Offender and Predator search can be used alongside Washington County booking reports to check if someone is a registered offender. You can reach the FDLE at (850) 410-7000 for state-level criminal history questions. The Florida Statutes portal has the full text of all laws that govern booking records, arrest procedures, and public records access in the state. Washington County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit along with Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties.
Cities in Washington County
Chipley is the county seat and largest city in Washington County. Vernon, Caryville, Wausau, and Ebro are other small communities in the area. None of these cities run their own jail. All booking reports go through the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Chipley. Local police bring all arrestees to the county facility for booking and processing.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Washington County. If an arrest happened near a county line, the booking report may be in a neighboring county's records. Check the county where the arrest took place for accurate results.