Shelby County 24 Hour Booking
Shelby County 24 hour booking records are public and searchable through the county sheriff's office. The jail in Sidney processes all arrests for the county around the clock. You can look up current inmates online, call the jail at 937-498-7831, or visit in person to check on a recent booking. Each record includes the person's name, charges, bond amount, and booking date. This page covers how to find Shelby County booking records and what resources are available for searching arrest data in the area.
Shelby County Overview
Shelby County Correctional Facility Booking
The Shelby County Correctional Facility is a 188-bed county-owned jail at 555 Gearhart Road in Sidney. The facility has been at this site since 1994. Before that, the jail was downtown with room for only 39 male inmates. Now it can house males, females, and juveniles on a limited-time basis. The daily population averages 165 inmates, with a record high of 186. The jail phone is 937-498-7831 and the fax is 937-494-2180.
The Shelby County Jail Offender Information page gives public access to booking data. The facility maintains 100% compliance with Ohio Bureau of Adult Detention Jail Standards. Programs include G.E.D., drug and alcohol rehab, and various enrichment classes. The jail also runs work release and inmate worker positions for those who qualify.
Search Shelby County 24 Hour Booking Online
The Miami Valley Jails system hosts the Shelby County jail roster online. It shows inmates in alphabetical order with booking photos, charges, bond info, and booking dates. The system updates twice per hour to keep up with new bookings, releases, and transfers. Historical inmate data is available for people who were previously housed but are no longer in custody. The jail roster went back online in May 2021 after moving to a new software company.
You can also download the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Ohio App for mobile access to the jail roster. The system includes inmates from multiple jurisdictions that use the regional facility. Jail Lieutenant Karla Pleiman can be reached at Karla.pleiman@shelbycountysheriff.com for questions.
Under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43, booking records are public. You do not need to give a reason. Traffic accident and incident reports can be requested in person or by mail.
Shelby County Jail Visitation and Services
All visitation at the Shelby County Jail is done through video. Inmates get up to 40 minutes of free video visitation per week. Visits can be scheduled on the HomeWav website. On-site hours run Tuesday through Sunday from 8am to 10pm. Off-site hours are Monday through Sunday from 7:30am to 10:30pm. Commissary funds go in online through SmartDeposit or by phone at 866-394-0490.
The facility has a most wanted list showing fugitives with photos, charges, and identifying features. For statewide searches, the Ohio DRC Offender Search covers state prison inmates. VINELink offers free custody alerts across Ohio.
Note: The Shelby County Jail roster updates twice per hour to reflect new bookings and releases.
Shelby County Statewide Search Tools
The Ohio DRC Offender Search covers state prison inmates committed from Shelby County and all other Ohio counties.
Search results include the inmate's name, facility location, incarceration date, and offense data for anyone in the Ohio state prison system.
Nearby County Booking Records
These counties border the area and have their own jail and booking systems.
Shelby County Records Under Ohio Law
Ohio's Public Records Act under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 makes booking records public. Any person can ask for them. You do not need to give a reason or show ID in most cases. The law covers all records created by public offices, and that includes the sheriff's booking logs, jail rosters, and arrest data. Exemptions exist for medical records, Social Security numbers, juvenile records, and certain investigatory materials. But the core booking data is available to anyone who asks.
Agencies must respond within a reasonable time. There is no fixed deadline in the statute, but courts have held that delays without explanation can violate the law. If the Shelby County Sheriff's Office denies your request or takes too long, you can contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office for mediation. The Ohio Sunshine Laws Manual published by the State Auditor explains the full scope of your rights under the Public Records Act. Copies of records cost $0.05 per page for standard letter or legal size paper. Certified copies run $1.00 per document plus any per-page copy charges.
What Shelby County Booking Records Show
A typical 24 hour booking record from Shelby County contains several pieces of information. The record starts with the person's full legal name, date of birth, and physical description including height, weight, race, and sex. The booking date and time are logged along with the arresting agency. Charges are listed with their classification level, such as felony or misdemeanor grades. Bond amounts show how much the person needs to pay for release. Court dates and housing assignments within the jail are also included.
Mugshots are part of most booking records. These photos are taken during intake and become part of the public file. Some counties post them on the online roster. Others release them only upon request. The booking record also tracks changes during the person's time in custody, including transfers, court appearances, and release dates. After someone leaves the jail, the record stays in the county's system. You can access older records through a records request to the sheriff's office even if they no longer appear on the online roster.
Note: Protected information like medical data and Social Security numbers is removed from public copies of booking records.
Shelby County Background Checks and BCI
For a broader look at someone's criminal history beyond a single booking, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation runs the Computerized Criminal History database. BCI collects arrest data, charges, convictions, and dispositions from law enforcement agencies across Ohio. Fingerprint-based background checks are available through WebCheck locations at sheriff's offices, police departments, and authorized private vendors statewide. Processing fees typically run $30 to $50 depending on the reason code.
BCI results include arrests, charges, convictions, and dispositions from Ohio jurisdictions. They may also include mugshots and fingerprint classification data. The BCI database does not cover federal arrests or out-of-state convictions. Individuals can request their own criminal history for review and correction. This is separate from the county jail roster, which only covers current or recent bookings at the Shelby County facility.