Search Elbert County Busted Mugshots and Arrest Records

Elbert County is a Northeast Georgia county with a population of about 19,212, and Elberton is the county seat. The Elbert County Sheriff's Office handles all local bookings and jail operations. If you are looking for Elbert County busted mugshots, arrest records, or inmate booking data, this page covers the local and statewide tools available for that search.

Elbert County Sheriff Inmate Search and Booking Records

The Elbert County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail in Elberton and is the main local agency for arrest records and busted mugshots. The sheriff's office is located at 20 Laurel Drive, Elberton, GA 30635. You can reach them by phone at (706) 283-2151. Calling the jail is the fastest way to check if someone is currently in custody and get basic booking details. Staff can confirm custody status and provide initial charge information during business hours.

Elbert County does not publish an online public inmate roster. Written records requests and direct phone contact are the main options for getting Elbert County arrest records. The Elbert County Courthouse in Elberton holds Superior Court records for criminal cases that move past the initial booking stage. Elbert County is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit, which covers several Northeast Georgia counties. Felony cases originating from Elbert County busted mugshots and local arrests move through the Northern Circuit for prosecution and sentencing.

For misdemeanor matters and initial appearances, the Elbert County Magistrate Court and State Court handle early case stages. Both courts operate out of the Elbert County Courthouse in Elberton. If you need court records tied to a specific Elbert County arrest, the Superior Court Clerk's office is the right starting point for document requests.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Bureau of Investigation homepage, the main state agency for statewide criminal history records and open records request processing.

The GBI and GCIC division maintain Georgia criminal history records from all 159 counties, and open records requests submitted through GBI can pull arrest data that includes Elbert County bookings.

Georgia Law on Booking Photos and Elbert County Mugshot Websites

Georgia passed O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 in 2014, which bans Georgia law enforcement from posting booking photos online. The Elbert County Sheriff follows this law. You can request a booking photo through a formal written open records request, but you won't find a mugshot gallery on the county's official website. Third-party sites that publish Elbert County busted mugshots collect their data from other public channels and operate independently of the sheriff.

If you have a photo on a mugshot website, Georgia law gives you a removal path. Under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 (2013), mugshot sites must remove photos free of charge within 30 days when you send a certified mail request and the arrest qualifies for record restriction. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division explains which arrests qualify and walks through the removal request process. This applies to Elbert County busted mugshots on covered websites.

The Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, sets a three-business-day response window for public records requests. The first 15 minutes of staff time is free. The first 20 pages cost nothing. Pages beyond that are $0.10 each. These rules apply to written requests for Elbert County arrest records and booking photos submitted to the sheriff's office.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia statute page for § 35-1-19, the 2014 law that restricts law enforcement agencies from posting booking photos on the internet.

This is why the Elbert County Sheriff does not display busted mugshots online, even though booking photos remain legally requestable as public records through written channels.

Statewide Tools for Elbert County Arrest Records

Several free Georgia databases supplement local Elbert County records. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free, shows photos, and covers state prison inmates. If an Elbert County arrest led to a state sentence, the record may appear there. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is free and searchable by name, covering all Georgia counties with photos included.

For felony conviction records, the Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and gives instant results statewide. The GCIC and the GBI handle full criminal history requests that cover all arrests and dispositions reported from Elbert County law enforcement agencies. A GCIC check gives a more complete picture than any single county jail roster.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Sex Offender Registry public search, a free tool that includes photos and covers all counties in Georgia.

The Sex Offender Registry is one of the few free Georgia tools that includes photos alongside searchable name and address data for all counties including Elbert.

Open Records Requests for Elbert County Busted Mugshots

To request a certified copy of an Elbert County arrest record or booking photo, submit a written request to the Elbert County Sheriff's Office at 20 Laurel Drive, Elberton, GA 30635. Include the subject's full name, date of birth, and any booking number or arrest date you have. The sheriff's office must respond within three business days. If the record exists and is not restricted, you'll receive it or get a cost estimate for copying and staff time.

For a broader statewide criminal history that includes Elbert County arrests, use the GBI open records request portal. GBI-certified records from GCIC cover all arrests and dispositions from Elbert County law enforcement reported to the state. This is the right path when you need a more complete Georgia arrest history than a single jail roster provides.

Cities in Elbert County

Elberton is the county seat and largest city in Elbert County. No cities in Elbert County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Arrest records for Elberton and other communities in the county are handled through the Elbert County Sheriff's Office and the state resources listed above.

Nearby Counties

Elbert County borders several Northeast Georgia counties. Each has its own inmate search and arrest record resources.