Find Free Ada County Arrest Records & Bail Information (Idaho)

Search free Ada County arrest records through official agencies and databases today.

Arrest records can inform you of someone’s potential criminal past. Members of the public have the right to know who is currently incarcerated in Ada County — as well as who has been previously locked up.

This streamlined resource explains how to look up arrest records in Ada County, Idaho, and provides information for individuals who want to track down someone’s criminal history. It also covers how to help out an arrested friend or family member by posting bail.

How Do I Access Recent Ada County Arrest Records & Mugshots for Free?

Thanks to the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as well as Idaho’s Public Records Act, everyone has the right to request public records — including information on arrests made in the state.^{1, 2}

The best place to check when researching arrest records in Ada County is through the county sheriff’s office. The Ada County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for maintaining the County Jail, which houses all arrestees in the county.³

The sheriff’s office has two handy online features for individuals to use to find out if someone they know has been arrested.

First, you can use the website’s Current Arrests Search Portal to view information and mugshots for everyone arrested within the past five days.⁴ You can choose to enter a last name to start a search, or you can scroll through to see all of the recent arrests.

For each offender, you’ll see their name, age, and arrest date and time. You can also view the charges against them.

Second, you can use the website’s Inmate Search Tool to see everyone who is currently housed in the Ada County Jail (except for juvenile offenders).⁵ You’ll be able to view each arrestee’s mugshot, as well as the charges against them, the amount of bail that can be posted for their release, and their jail identification number.

However, there’s a limitation to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office’s database: Information on arrestees is updated only every 24 hours. This means that if someone has been arrested or released before the daily update, the new information may not show up.

Therefore, to verify someone’s current arrest status, researchers may want to contact the sheriff’s office by calling 208.577.3000.

You can also request a copy of an arrest report from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office once any open investigation has been closed. You can do so by submitting an online public records request or by mailing a written request to the following address:⁶

Ada County Sheriff’s Office
Public Safety Information Center
7200 Barrister Dve.
Boise, ID 83704

All requests must include the arrestee’s full name and birthdate.

Under Idaho’s Public Records Act, there may be some limitations to the records that can be disclosed. For example, former jail inmates are not allowed to receive records concerning themselves.

For more information, you can contact the Ada County Sheriff’s Office at the phone number or address above. The office is open 24 hours, seven days a week.

If you’re unable to find out information about a recent arrest, you may have luck by contacting the law enforcement agency that performed it. This is especially the case if the arrest has occurred within 24 hours.

Boise is the most populous city in Ada County. Although it doesn’t have its own jail, the Boise Police Department may be able to provide information on arrests made by the agency.

You can submit a public records request online or by sending a written request to the following address:⁷

Boise Police Department
333 North Mark Stall Place 
Boise, ID 83702

When requesting records concerning an individual, the Boise Police Department requires researchers to provide the subject’s full name and birth date.

For more information, you can contact the Boise Police Department by calling 208.570.6000 or visiting the address above. The office is open 24 hours, seven days per week.

When looking up information on recent arrests, third-party services such as VINELink may also be of use.

The next section of this article will cover how to track down information about arrests and criminal activity in Ada County that were not recent.

How To Search Previous Arrest Details & Criminal Charges in Ada County Idaho

To find out about prior arrests and criminal activity, you can contact the Ada County Sheriff’s Office and submit a public records request.

However, it’s important to note that there are limitations on reports that can be requested. Not all criminal records are considered public under the Idaho Public Records Act.²

This includes records pertaining to criminal investigations that have not been closed yet, as well as records that may threaten someone’s right to a fair trial. The law also forbids current and former inmates to receive records about themselves.

You can also request a copy of a police activity report from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office by submitting an online public records request.⁶ You can also submit a written request by mail — making sure to include the search subject’s full name and birth date — to the following address:

Ada County Sheriff’s Office
Public Safety Info. Center
7200 Barrister Drive
Boise, ID 83704

Depending on the record request, the sheriff’s office may charge a fee for researching and copying the information. After receiving the request, the department will contact you with payment information, if necessary.

For more information, you can call the Ada County Sheriff’s Office at 208.577.3000. The office is open around the clock.

You can also submit a records request to the Boise Police Department to find out information about criminal activity in Ada County’s most populous city.

You can request copies of public records through the department’s online request form or by submitting a written request to this address:⁷

Boise Police Department
333 North Mark Stall Place 
Boise, ID 83702

All requests must include both the full name and the birth date of the individual in question. For more information, you can call the Boise Police Department anytime at 208.570.6000.

You can also find out information about activity from other police departments located within Ada County. You can search “[name of town] Ada County Idaho police public record request” using Google or another web browser to find the pertinent contact information.

You may find it helpful to search for criminal records beyond Ada County’s borders. The most efficient way to do so is by using the Idaho iCourt Case Lookup Tool. You can use this tool to conduct a records search of Idaho court cases, including both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.

In order to use the tool, you’ll need to enter both the last and first names of the individual in question. You’ll then be able to view a list of all court cases involving individuals with matching names. The website will display the charges, as well as the judgment and any fees or penalties.

There are several other helpful resources for finding out about someone’s potential criminal past on the state level, including:

• Idaho Department of Correction Resident/Client Search. This tool allows users to look up current inmates of the state’s prison, as well as offenders who are out on probation or parole.
• Idaho Sex Offender Registry Search.⁹ This search tool allows researchers to look up sex offenders by name, city, and county.
• Idaho State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification.¹⁰ This office allows individuals to request criminal background checks on others in the state. The cost of a check is $20.

The next section of this resource will cover what to do if a friend or loved one is arrested in Ada County and is eligible for release on bail.

How Do I Post Bail for Someone Arrested in Ada County?

If someone has been arrested and taken to the Ada County Jail, they may be eligible for pretrial release through bail.³

There are two options for posting bail: You can do so by paying the bail amount directly, or you can recruit the services of a bail bondsman or agency.

The Ada County Jail’s Inmate Search Tool displays the bail amount required.⁵ You can visit the jail in person to pay the amount with cash, a cashier’s check, or a money order. In addition to the bail amount, you must also pay a $25 administrative fee.

To pay the required bail, you can visit the jail lobby at this address:

Ada County Jail
7200 Barrister Drive
Boise, ID 83704

If you wish to pay with cash, the jail lobby features an ATM (Automated Teller Machines) for your convenience. If you wish to pay with a cashier’s check or money order, you should make sure that it is made payable to the “Ada County Sheriff’s Office.”

If the offender complies with all of the requirements of the court, your bond will be returned to you, minus the $25 processing fee.

Alternatively, you can use a bail bondsman service. These services generally charge a fee of 10% of the bail amount.

However, the fee is not refundable. Even if the individual complies with the court’s requirements, the service will keep the 10% fee.

To find a bail bondsman service, check the local white pages or search online. Make sure that the service is authorized for use in Ada County, Idaho.

Using the information provided in this resource, individuals are empowered to conduct a free search of Ada County arrest records and find out about someone’s whereabouts or their potential criminal past.