Dawson County Busted Mugshots and Arrest Records

Dawson County sits in the North Georgia foothills with a population of about 26,108, and the Dawson County Sheriff's Office handles all local bookings out of the county jail in Dawsonville. If you want to search Dawson County busted mugshots, arrest records, or inmate booking data, this page covers the main tools and resources available to the public, including statewide databases that may carry Dawson County records alongside local sheriff resources.

Dawson County Sheriff Inmate Search and Booking Records

The Dawson County Sheriff's Office is the primary agency for local arrest records and busted mugshots. The jail is located in Dawsonville, and the sheriff's staff processes bookings for anyone arrested in the county. For current inmate information, contacting the Dawson County Sheriff's Office directly is the most reliable approach. The main number is (706) 344-3535. Staff can confirm whether someone is currently in custody and provide basic booking details over the phone.

Because Dawson County is a smaller jurisdiction, it does not maintain a publicly accessible online inmate search portal in the same way larger metro counties do. That means phone contact and formal records requests are often the most direct routes to get Dawson County arrest records. The sheriff's office address is 78 Howard Avenue East, Dawsonville, GA 30534. Walk-in requests during business hours are also an option for basic record lookups.

Dawson County falls under the Pickens Judicial Circuit. Cases that move past the initial arrest stage are processed through the Superior Court of Dawson County. Court records related to Dawson County busted mugshots and criminal cases can be requested from the Superior Court Clerk's office at the Dawson County Courthouse in Dawsonville.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Department of Corrections offender database, which covers individuals with state prison sentences who may have prior Dawson County arrest records.

The GDC offender search is free and shows photos for state inmates, making it a useful supplement to local Dawson County jail records.

Georgia Law on Booking Photos and Mugshot Websites

Georgia passed a law in 2014 that directly affects how Dawson County busted mugshots are handled. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, law enforcement agencies in Georgia cannot post booking photos online. That means the Dawson County Sheriff's Office does not display mugshots on a public website. You can request inmate status and booking data, but the sheriff is not allowed to put photos on the web under this law.

Third-party mugshot websites often collect and publish photos from public booking records. A second Georgia law addresses your rights in those situations. Under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5, passed in 2013, mugshot sites must remove photos free of charge within 30 days when you make a written request by certified mail and the record qualifies for restriction. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division has a guide that walks through how to send the removal request and which types of records qualify.

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 governs agency responses to public records requests. Agencies have three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of staff search time is free, and the first 20 pages cost nothing. Pages beyond that run $0.10 each. These rules apply to Dawson County Sheriff records requests, including requests for booking photos.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Consumer Protection Division's page on mugshot websites, which explains how to request removal under state law.

Georgia's 2013 law requires mugshot companies to remove photos at no charge within 30 days when the arrest qualifies for record restriction.

Statewide Resources for Dawson County Arrest Records

Several free statewide tools can help you find Dawson County arrest records and busted mugshots when the local sheriff's site doesn't have an online portal. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and includes photos for individuals currently in state prison. If someone was arrested in Dawson County and later received a state prison sentence, their record may appear in this database. It won't show people held in the local county jail, but it's a good starting point for older records.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry, managed by the GBI, is a free public tool searchable by name or location. It shows photos and is useful for Dawson County residents checking the registry for people in their area. The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), also run by the GBI, maintains statewide criminal history data. Formal requests for GCIC records require a fee and proper identification. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and returns instant results for felony conviction records statewide, which can include Dawson County convictions.

The screenshot below shows the GBI's Sex Offender Registry search tool, available free to the public.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry includes photos and is searchable by name, making it a useful supplement to Dawson County arrest record searches.

Submitting an Open Records Request for Dawson County Busted Mugshots

If you need a certified copy of a Dawson County arrest record or booking photo, a formal open records request is the right approach. You can submit a request directly to the Dawson County Sheriff's Office by mail or in person at 78 Howard Avenue East, Dawsonville, GA 30534. Include the subject's full name, date of birth, and booking date or case number if you have it. The more detail you provide, the faster the agency can locate the record.

For statewide criminal history records, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation handles formal requests through its online open records request portal. GBI records cover arrests and dispositions across all Georgia counties, including Dawson County, so a GBI request can sometimes fill gaps when local records are harder to access. Under the Open Records Act, agencies have three business days to acknowledge the request and provide the records or a cost estimate.

The screenshot below shows the GBI open records request portal, which accepts statewide criminal history requests including Dawson County arrest records.

The GBI's open records portal is the best route for certified copies of statewide arrest history that includes Dawson County booking data.

Cities in Dawson County

Dawsonville is the county seat and largest city in Dawson County. No cities in Dawson County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site, but arrest records for Dawsonville residents are handled through the Dawson County Sheriff's Office and the resources listed above.

Nearby Counties

Dawson County borders several other North Georgia counties. Each has its own inmate search and arrest record resources.