Jail records in Charleston County rest with the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center on Leeds Avenue in North Charleston. Deputies book people arrested by county and municipal police, and each booking creates a row in a public search portal. That row lists a name, a booking number, the date of intake, and the charges filed at the desk. This page explains how to read those rows and ask for copies.
The sections below cover identity fields, custody status, housing units, and bond amounts. Later parts explain transfers, discharges, sealed files, copy fees, and the steps to take when a name does not appear in the roster. Two phone lines serve the public: the detention desk at (843) 529-7300 and the sheriff’s non-emergency line at (843) 202-1700. Hours at the front counter change, so call before a trip.
Jail Record Search
Search the county inmate portal by name, booking number, or date to find current and recent custody rows.
- Official inmate search portal: https://inmatesearch.charlestoncounty.gov/
- Detention Center address: 3841 Leeds Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405.
- Detention desk: (843) 529-7300.
- Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line: (843) 202-1700.
- Search fields include full name, booking number, and booking date range.
- Rows list charges, bond amounts, and a housing unit when one is assigned.
Inmate & Facility Details
A booking row holds more than a name. It carries the intake date, the arresting agency, a list of charges, a bond figure, and a housing assignment that shifts as people move through the building. Read the top of the row first, then the charge block below it. The newest entry is the one that matters most when a family member asks about a current custody status.
| Office detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Location | Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, 3841 Leeds Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405 |
| Contact Number | (843) 529-7300 (Detention Center); (843) 202-1700 (Sheriff’s Office non-emergency) |
| Office Hours | Contact the Detention Center or relevant division to confirm public counter hours |
| Official Website Search Portal | https://inmatesearch.charlestoncounty.gov/ |
Start with a full legal name and a date range, since a common surname can return dozens of rows. A booking number from a family member, a bondsman, or a court paper narrows the list at once. If the portal shows nothing, call the detention desk and read the same details to the deputy on the line. Write down the booking number you receive for later requests.
Subject Identity & Booking Numbers
Identity fields tie one person to one file. Expect a full name, a date of birth, a race and sex code, and a booking number that begins with the year of intake. The jail assigns that number at the desk, and it stays with the file through later charges. A name spelled three ways can appear as three rows. Use the birth date and number to confirm a match.
Active Custody & Housing Location
A current row shows whether the person is still in custody or has been released. Housed inmates carry a unit, a pod, or a bed code, and that code changes with classification and with space needs. Visitors need the housing unit and the full name before a scheduled visit, and that same unit decides which visiting day applies. Released rows keep a discharge date and drop the housing field.
Booking Charges, Bail & Bond
Each charge sits on its own line with a statute or ordinance number, a description, and a degree. The bond column shows a cash amount, a surety amount, or a hold with no bond. A magistrate sets bond for most charges, and a higher court handles the rest. Read the total before you call a bondsman, since one arrest often carries several counts, and each count holds a separate figure.
Facility Transfers & Discharges
People move between the county jail and state prison, and a transfer shows as a new line with a date. A discharge line states the reason: bond posted, charges dropped, sentence served, or release to another agency. The row may keep the old housing code for a day or two. Check the discharge date before you plan a visit or send mail to the facility.
| Field on the row | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Booking number | Year of intake plus a sequence assigned at the desk |
| Name and birth date | Identity check for a name match |
| Charges | Statute, description, and degree for each count |
| Bond | Cash amount, surety amount, or a no-bond hold |
| Housing unit | Current pod or bed assignment inside the facility |
| Status | In custody, transferred, or released |
A field can look empty and still carry meaning. A blank bond often means a hold from another county or a court, and a blank housing code can mark a medical unit that the public list hides. Read the status line before the charge block, then call the desk when a field you need is missing. Staff answer questions about one booking at a time.
Public Availability & File Requests
South Carolina treats arrest and booking data as a public record with limits. The county posts a searchable roster, and the sheriff’s records unit answers written requests for paper copies. Some files stay closed: juvenile matters, sealed orders, and health details. Ask which part of a file the office can release before you pay a fee, and put the request in writing with a date and a return address.
Online Directory & Roster Access
The public roster lives on the county inmate search site and needs no account. Type a last name and a first name, or paste a booking number. Results show the booking date, charges, bond, and custody status. The list covers current inmates and a rolling window of recent releases. A very old booking may not appear, and the records unit keeps the original paper file.
Sealed, Restricted & Confidential Files
A judge can seal a booking file or limit one part of it. State law closes juvenile records, and a protective order can cover a medical report or an informant’s name. The roster may still show a name with no charges listed. A person named in a sealed file can ask the court to open it, and a lawyer usually files that motion. Other requesters need a court order.
Copy Fees & Processing Timelines
The records unit charges a per-page copy fee and may charge for a certification stamp. Staff quote the total before they print, and payment is due when you pick up the copies. A one-page booking sheet is often ready the same day. A longer file or one stored off site can take several business days. Ask for a pickup date and keep the receipt with your copies.
| Request step | Detail to have ready |
|---|---|
| Identify the file | Full name, birth date, and booking number |
| Name the papers | Booking sheet, charge list, or discharge page |
| Show identification | Photo ID at the records window |
| Pay the fee | Per-page copy charge plus any certification stamp |
| Set a pickup date | Written date for a long or off-site file |
Put a request in writing when the file matters for a court date, a benefits claim, or a landlord. Include the booking number, the exact page you need, and a phone number for follow-up. A written request gives you a dated record if the office cannot find the file. Keep a copy of the letter and note the name of the clerk who took your call.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A name search can fail for reasons that have nothing to do with the jail. A person may give a nickname, a maiden name, or a spelling that differs from the court paper. Intake clerks type what an arresting officer writes. New bookings wait in a queue before the site refreshes. Work through the checks below before you decide that no record exists for the person you seek.
Name Matching & Identity Verification
Try every spelling you know: the legal name, the nickname, and a hyphenated or maiden form. Search the last name alone with a wide date range. Compare the birth date, the middle initial, and the booking photo when the site shows one. Two people can share a name and a city. A booking number removes doubt, and the jail can confirm an identity over the phone.
Intake & System Delays
A booking appears online after the desk finishes the intake steps and the data reaches the server. That gap can run from a few hours to a full day, and a busy weekend stretches it. A records clerk may hold a row until a charge is corrected. Call the detention desk with the name and arrest date when nothing shows after one full business day has passed.
Unlisted Inmate File Resolution
Ask the records unit to check the paper log when the roster shows nothing. Give the full name, the birth date, the arrest date, and the arresting agency. The person may be in another county jail, in state custody, or out on bond before the site updated. A sheriff’s deputy can confirm a transfer. Request a written response when a landlord or an employer needs proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come up at the detention center counter and on the phone. Every reply tracks South Carolina practice and the offices listed on this page. Fees and hours change, so confirm the details before a trip to Leeds Avenue. A deputy can check one booking, and a lawyer can explain how a court rule applies to a sealed file or a bond condition in a pending case.
Are all county jail rosters open to the public?
Most booking rows are open, but the roster is not a complete file. Juvenile matters, sealed orders, and medical details stay closed under state law and court rules. The county may show a name and hide the charges. A requester who needs a closed part must ask a judge for an order. The records unit can say which fields it can release for one booking at the front counter.
How quickly do recent facility intakes appear online?
A new booking usually reaches the portal within a few hours of intake. A weekend arrest can wait until the next business day, and a holiday adds more time. A charge that needs correction may hold the row longer. Call the detention desk at (843) 529-7300 with the name, the arrest date, and the arresting agency when the record is still missing after one full business day has passed.
What is required to request certified jail record copies?
Bring the full name, the birth date, and the booking number to the records window. Photo identification is required, and the office charges a per-page fee plus a certification charge. State which pages you need: the booking sheet, the charge list, or the discharge page. A short paper is often ready the same day, and a long file or one stored off site can take several business days.
Who confirms unlisted or missing detention records?
The sheriff’s records unit and the detention desk confirm whether a booking exists. Have the person’s full name, date of birth, arrest date, and the arresting agency ready. Staff check the county system and the paper log, and they can tell you when a person moved to state custody. Ask for a written note when a landlord, an employer, or a court needs proof of the search on that date.