Find Beaufort County Booking Records
Beaufort County maintains booking records at its detention center in Washington, North Carolina. The facility is operated by the Sheriff's Office and holds both pretrial detainees and people serving short sentences. While Beaufort County does not maintain an online inmate roster, you can get booking information by contacting the detention center directly. Records created during the arrest and booking process are public under NC law. This page explains how to search for and access Beaufort County 24 hour booking data.
Beaufort County Detention Center 24 Hour Booking
The Beaufort County Detention Center opened in 1969 in the basement of the Beaufort County Courthouse in Washington, NC. It is a direct-supervision facility with an 85-bed capacity. The center primarily houses pretrial detainees charged with felony and misdemeanor offenses, as well as inmates serving shorter terms.
The facility's guiding principle is to provide a safe, secure, and humane environment for inmates, staff, and visitors. Captain Jeremy Hewitt serves as Jail Administrator, overseeing daily operations. The detention center address is 112 W. 2nd Street, Washington, NC. Mail should be sent to: Full inmate name, C/O Beaufort County Detention Center, 210 N Market St., Washington, NC 27889.
The screenshot below shows the Beaufort County Detention Center page from the Sheriff's Office website.
Attorney visits are available by appointment Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Contact Lieutenant Tina Coward at (252) 946-7113 with 24-hour advance notice to arrange a visit.
Beaufort County Detention Services
The Beaufort County Detention Center provides several services for inmates and their families. These include in-person and virtual visitation, inmate phones and mail, property drop-off, funds deposit, bail bonding through a mobile app, attorney visits, and inmate search through a mobile app.
The Beaufort County detention services portal is shown in this screenshot from the Sheriff's Office.
Inmates booked into the jail have access to payphones managed by Pay Tel Communications from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM. No incoming calls are allowed. Personal property for inmates is accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. All clothing items must be white and new in factory-sealed packaging, with a limit of 7 of each item.
Visitation hours are split by last name. Last names A through M visit on Saturdays from 2 to 4 PM. Last names N through Z visit on Sundays from 2 to 4 PM. Remote video visitation through JailATM.com costs $0.40 per minute.
How to Find Beaufort County Inmates
The Beaufort County Detention Center does not maintain a public online roster. To find an inmate, contact the facility at (252) 946-7113. Staff can confirm whether a person is in custody, provide charges and bond information, and share court dates.
The Beaufort County detention center information resource shown below provides additional lookup guidance for the facility.
Under NC GS Chapter 132, basic arrest information is public. Section 132-1.4 states that the name, age, and charges of arrested persons are open records. Fingerprints are required under section 15A-502. Section 153A-220 requires local jails to maintain identification records, commitment orders, and release documentation for each inmate.
Note: Since Beaufort County does not have an online roster, phone or in-person inquiries are the most reliable way to get current booking data.
Beaufort County Public Records Rights
North Carolina law gives the public broad access to government records. You do not need to state a reason for your request. Inspection of records is free, and copies cost only the actual amount needed to reproduce them. Written requests are preferred for clear tracking, but you can also ask by phone or in person.
Certain records are exempt from public disclosure. Medical and mental health files, juvenile records, Social Security numbers, and ongoing investigation details are all restricted. The 1972 ruling in Goble v. Bounds confirmed that internal prison records about inmate behavior and classification are confidential. Community supervision records are protected under NC GS 15-207.
Beaufort County 24 Hour Booking and Court Records
Court records for Beaufort County criminal cases are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court. These include arrest warrants, indictments, judgments, and case dispositions. The courthouse has public access terminals for searching cases. Staff can help locate records but cannot give legal advice. Certified copies of court documents are available for a fee.
The Beaufort County Detention Center has served the community since 1969. Its location in the County Courthouse basement makes it one of the more unique jail facilities in North Carolina. Despite its small 85-bed capacity, the facility handles a steady flow of bookings throughout the year. Captain Jeremy Hewitt oversees all operations and ensures the jail meets state inspection requirements.
The Sheriff's Office also enforces a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse and harassment within detention facilities. This is part of the federal PREA standards that all jails must follow. Inmates can report concerns through the PREA reporting system available at the facility.
Beaufort County keeps all booking records on file per the North Carolina retention schedule. Historical entries that are no longer on the active roster can still be requested. Provide the full legal name and an approximate date of arrest to help staff retrieve archived files. Written requests may be mailed to the Sheriff's Office at 210 N Market St., Washington, NC 27889.
Statewide 24 Hour Booking Search Resources
The NC.gov Offender Search Portal lets you look up state prison inmates and supervised offenders. The NC Department of Adult Correction has search tools with records going back to 1972. For crime victims, the VINELink system offers free custody status alerts.
The NC State Bureau of Investigation maintains the central criminal record repository and sex offender registry. Court records for Beaufort County cases are available through the NC Judicial Branch website. These state-level tools supplement the local records available from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.
State-level databases cover prison inmates and supervised offenders but do not include county jail data. For people held at the Beaufort County Detention Center, contact the facility directly at (252) 946-7113 or visit the Sheriff's Office in Washington, NC.