Seattle Busted Mugshots
Search Seattle busted mugshots, jail roster data, and arrest records tied to the Seattle Police Department and the King County jails. The city sits inside King County, so most booking photos and inmate records flow through the King County Correctional Facility downtown. You can look up a name, pull a recent arrest, or request older police records. This page walks through the main tools to find Seattle mugshots, the offices that hold the files, and the steps to file a public records request for arrest records and booking photos.
Seattle Police Records Requests
The Seattle Police Department runs a two-tier public records system. Tier one is the front counter Public Request Unit at 610 5th Avenue. It serves victims, complainants, and legal reps. Staff hand out simple police reports, collision reports, and clearance letters. The wait runs five to seven business days from the date of the incident. You do not need a full public disclosure form for this tier. Most folks who just need a basic report start here.
Tier two is the Public Disclosure Request Center. It is open to the public and handles the deeper files. You can ask for arrest reports, DUI files, audio, video, photos, witness statements, and full case work. The intake runs through an online portal on the GovQA platform. You can view the full process at the Seattle Police public disclosure page. The portal lets you submit a request, talk to staff, pay fees, and download files when ready.
Every request needs a valid ID. A state ID, passport, or student ID works. Attorneys send a letter on firm letterhead with a case number. Next of kin must send a death certificate. The unit responds within five business days under RCW 42.56.520. Note: SPD currently has over 2,000 open public records requests, so large jobs come back in installments.
King County Jail Roster
People booked in Seattle land at the King County Correctional Facility at 500 Fifth Avenue. The jail roster is public under RCW 70.48.100, which says the register must list the name, date, hour, and cause of each booking. The roster also shows discharge data. You can pull current bookings online or call the jail at (206) 296-1234. Reception closes daily from 2:20 to 2:40 p.m. so plan around that.
For deeper county data, see the King County busted mugshots page. It covers the King County Sheriff records unit, the contract cities the sheriff serves, and the two main jail sites. The Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center at 1211 East Alder Street holds juveniles. Hours run 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Note: King County does not use the statewide Odyssey court portal, so you must search King County court files through the county's own eCourt system.
Seattle Police Department Sources
The lead-in below links to the source page used to capture the screenshot. The page lays out the full disclosure process for Seattle arrest records and booking photos.
The official intake hub for Seattle police records sits on the city site. View it at seattle.gov public disclosure requests.
The page shows the request form, the fee chart, and the rules for who can ask for what. Body camera redaction runs $1.25 to $5 per file. Paper copies cost $0.15 per page. Inspection at SPD HQ is free with an appointment.
Seattle Municipal Court Mugshots
The Seattle Municipal Court holds case files for city-level arrests and charges. Most court records are open online with no login at courtrecords.seattle.gov. Older criminal cases and most non-criminal files show up there. Some files are not online and live at the Records Unit on the third floor of the courthouse at 600 5th Avenue. You can ask for files online, by fax at (206) 684-8115, by email, or in person.
Civil case files do not show on the portal at all. For those, email the civil clerk or call (206) 684-5650. Case numbers run in an XX-XXX format. The court splits "court records" from "administrative records." The two have separate forms and rules. State law under RCW 42.56 covers most of the city side, while court files fall under court rule and common law.
Statewide Tools for Seattle Arrest Records
The state runs a few tools that help with Seattle arrest records and booking photos. WATCH, the Washington Access to Criminal History site at watch.wsp.wa.gov, gives conviction data only. Non-conviction data over one year old is not open to the public under RCW 10.97. The state Department of Corrections has its own inmate search for people in state prison. VINELink sends alerts when custody status changes.
The state Odyssey portal works for most counties but not King. So for Seattle court files, use the city and county tools. For other state work, the Odyssey portal helps. Note: RCW 10.97.130 limits the commercial use of mugshots, mainly to stop fee-for-removal sites.
Seattle Mugshot Search Tips
A good search needs a few facts. The more you give, the faster the result.
- Full name and date of birth
- Date or rough date of the arrest
- Booking number or case number if you have it
- The agency that made the arrest
Start with the King County jail roster for current bookings. Move to the Seattle Police portal for the full police file. Use the Municipal Court site for charges and case status. Use WATCH for a state-level history check.
If the name is common, add a middle name, a date range, or a known address. The portal will narrow the list. For arrests linked to a car crash, also pull the collision report from the Washington State Patrol at wsp.wa.gov/driver/collision-records or call 360-570-2355. SPD does not hold collision reports on file. Note: a small typo in a last name often kills a search, so try a few spellings.
Fees for Seattle Booking Records
The fees for Seattle arrest records and booking photos are set by city policy and capped under RCW 42.56. Digital files cost about nine cents per gigabyte, with a two cent floor. Paper copies run fifteen cents per page. CDs and DVDs cost a dollar each. Postage is sixty cents per envelope. Scanning is ten cents per page. The city may also charge labor for body camera redaction work.
Payment is online by card. After you pay, files are released in one to two business days. Large jobs need a deposit of up to ten percent of the cost. You have thirty days from the invoice to pay or the request is closed. In-person review at SPD HQ is free if you book an appointment first.
King County Handles Seattle Bookings
Seattle is the seat of King County. The county jail downtown books most adults arrested in the city. For county-wide tools, jail data, and sheriff records, see the King County busted mugshots page.