Search Banks County Busted Mugshots

Banks County is a northeast Georgia county with Homer as its county seat, and the Banks County Sheriff's Office handles all local arrest records, bookings, and busted mugshots. This page explains how to find those records, which state databases apply, and what Georgia statutes say about arrest photos and removal rights.

Banks County Sheriff and Arrest Booking Records

The Banks County Sheriff's Office in Homer handles all county jail operations and is the local source for arrest records and busted mugshots. When someone is booked into the Banks County Jail, a record is created with their name, charges, arresting agency, and booking date. Georgia's Open Records Act classifies these records as public. The sheriff is prohibited by state law from posting booking photos online, but the office responds to formal open records requests within three business days.

Banks County sits in northeast Georgia, between the Atlanta metro and the North Georgia mountains. It is close enough to Hall County that overflow arrests and related court activity sometimes touch the region. The Banks County Sheriff covers law enforcement across the whole county. Homer is the only incorporated city of note, and its small size means the sheriff's office is the dominant law enforcement presence.

If you are trying to find a current inmate at the Banks County Jail, a direct call to the sheriff's office is the fastest option. Staff can confirm custody status by phone. For a formal record, including a booking photo, you will need to submit a written request. The process is the same as any Georgia county, and the timeline is three business days under state law.

The screenshot below shows the GBI open records portal, a statewide tool for submitting records requests when local sheriff data is not enough for Banks County searches.

The GBI portal covers state-held criminal history and investigative files that go beyond what the Banks County Sheriff maintains locally.

State Databases That Cover Banks County Arrests

Banks County does not operate its own public online arrest database. State-level tools help fill that gap. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, or GCIC, which holds criminal history records for every Georgia county. GCIC background checks cover arrests and dispositions, not just convictions. If you need a complete state-level record for someone with ties to Banks County, a GCIC request is the most thorough option available through official channels.

The Georgia Felon Search is fast and costs $15 through the official georgia.gov portal. It returns instant results for felony conviction records across Georgia. If you need to verify whether someone has a felony conviction tied to a Banks County case, this is a quick and affordable way to check. It does not show arrests that did not result in felony convictions, but for conviction records it is reliable.

For people who were convicted in Banks County and are now serving state prison sentences, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and shows photos. GDC covers state inmates only, not local jail residents. But if someone started with a Banks County arrest and ended up in state prison, the GDC database may have their current status and photo. This tool complements local sheriff records.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Felon Search service, a low-cost tool that returns instant felony conviction results covering Banks County and all of Georgia.

The Felon Search service runs through the official georgia.gov portal and is based on state-maintained conviction data for all 159 counties.

Georgia Law and Banks County Busted Mugshots

Two state laws directly affect how Banks County busted mugshots are accessed and challenged. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 was passed in 2014 and prohibits law enforcement from posting booking photos on the internet. The Banks County Sheriff's Office falls under this rule, which is why you will not find a live jail photo gallery on the county website. Booking photos are still public records. You get them by submitting an open records request, not by browsing a website.

O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 targets commercial mugshot websites. If one of these sites posted a Banks County booking photo and is charging for removal, Georgia law makes that illegal. Send a certified letter to the site demanding removal within 30 days at no cost to you. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division has a step-by-step guide that walks you through this process for free. The law covers for-profit sites only, not news organizations or government databases.

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 sets the rules for all public records requests in the state. Agencies must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff search time is free. The first 20 pages of documents are also free. Pages beyond 20 cost $0.10 each. These rules apply to Banks County the same as every other Georgia county.

Sex Offender Registry and GBI Resources for Banks County

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is maintained by the GBI and is free to search. You can look up registered sex offenders by name or location, including Banks County. Photos are shown where available. The registry is updated regularly and does not require any account or payment to access. It is one of the most commonly used free tools for checking criminal backgrounds across all of Georgia's 159 counties.

The GBI's open records portal lets you request state-level criminal history and other GBI-held records online. If you need data beyond what the Banks County Sheriff has, this is the right channel. Requests are tracked through the online system and responses follow the same three-business-day deadline as county agencies. If a Banks County case involved GBI investigators or went through a state court, the portal may hold files the local sheriff does not have.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Sex Offender Registry search interface, a free GBI tool that covers Banks County registered offenders statewide.

The registry includes photos where available and is one of the few free state databases that shows images without requiring a formal open records request.

How to Get Banks County Arrest Records and Booking Photos

Contact the Banks County Sheriff's Office in Homer to request booking photos or arrest records. You can call, visit in person, or send a written request. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, the office must respond within three business days. Give as much identifying information as you can: full name, approximate arrest date, and case number if available. That detail helps staff find the right record quickly and minimizes fee exposure.

For state-level records, the GBI open records portal is the right place to file. The online system tracks your request from submission to response. If the case involved GBI involvement or moved to state court, the portal may have records the Banks County Sheriff does not. Fees follow the same Open Records Act schedule as county agencies.

Booking photos from Banks County are public records under Georgia law. The 2014 statute limits how agencies can post them online, but it does not restrict public access through the request process. You have a right to ask for them. If you are dealing with a commercial website that posted a photo from a Banks County arrest, the Consumer Protection Division guide explains your removal rights under Georgia law in plain terms.

Cities in Banks County

No city in Banks County meets the 25,000 population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. For arrest records in Homer or any other Banks County community, contact the Banks County Sheriff's Office directly.

Nearby Counties

Banks County borders four northeast Georgia counties, each with its own arrest records and sheriff operations.