Holmes County Jail Records

Holmes County 24 hour booking records are managed by the Holmes County Sheriff's Office in Bonifay, Florida. The sheriff runs the county jail and keeps track of all arrests in the area. You can search for current inmates through the sheriff's online inmate search tool or call the office at 850-547-3681 for booking info. Florida's public records law makes this data open to anyone, and the search tool is free to use at any time.

Holmes County Booking Records and Inmate Search

The Holmes County Sheriff's Office provides an online inmate search through its website. This tool lets you look up who is currently in the county jail. You type a name and the system shows matching results. It is free. No account is needed. The portal works on any device with internet access.

Holmes County is a small, rural county in the Florida Panhandle. The jail does not see the volume of bookings that a place like Hillsborough or Duval does. But the same public records rules apply. Every booking creates a record, and that record is open to the public. Whether you are checking on a family member or just want to see recent arrest activity, the online tool gives you direct access to the data.

For the most up-to-date info, call the sheriff's office at 850-547-3681. Phone staff can check real-time records faster than the website updates. In a small county like Holmes, calling can be the quickest way to get the answer you need. The staff there tends to be responsive and can tell you right away if someone has been booked.

How Holmes County Arrest Records Are Created

When someone is arrested in Holmes County, they are taken to the county jail at 211 North Oklahoma Street in Bonifay. During the booking process, officers record the person's name, date of birth, and physical description. A photo is taken. Fingerprints are collected. The charges are logged. All of this becomes part of the booking record that goes into the public system.

The Holmes County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency in the county. Bonifay Police Department handles the city of Bonifay, and Esto and Noma have small police forces as well. But all arrests, no matter which agency makes them, go through the county jail for booking. This means the inmate search tool captures all activity across the county in one place.

Under Section 119.07 of the Florida Statutes, these records are public. The sheriff's office must make them available. You do not need to explain why you want to see them. The online search tool is one way the office meets this requirement. You can also request records in person at the jail, or by mail.

The right to communicate after being booked is protected by Section 901.243 of Florida law. People who are arrested and booked get the chance to make phone calls within a reasonable time.

Contacting the Holmes County Sheriff's Office

The main number is 850-547-3681. Use this for booking questions, inmate status, and general inquiries. The office is at 211 North Oklahoma Street in Bonifay, FL 32425. You can visit in person to view records or request copies.

Under Section 119.011, booking data qualifies as a public record in Florida. If you need formal copies of booking sheets or arrest reports, submit a public records request through the sheriff's office. There may be a small fee for copies, but viewing the information itself is free. The online inmate search gives most people what they need without having to request paper documents.

The Holmes County Sheriff's Office website has contact details, staff info, and links to their services. Below is the agency website for reference.

The site is the best starting point for any Holmes County booking lookup or public records request.

Holmes County Records and Florida Public Access

Florida's Sunshine Law gives anyone the right to view government records. Booking data falls under this law. When someone is arrested and booked in Holmes County, the record is public right away. You do not need to live in the county. You do not need to give a reason for your search. The data belongs to the public.

There are a few limits to what you can see. Sealed or expunged records will not appear in the inmate search. Juvenile cases are not on the public roster. Certain info may be withheld under Section 119.071, which lists specific exemptions to the public records law. But for regular adult bookings in Holmes County, everything is available.

A booking record is not the same as a conviction. It shows that an arrest took place and what the person was charged with. The court system determines guilt or innocence. Charges get dropped. Trials end in acquittals. The booking record remains in the system, but it should not be seen as proof that someone did something wrong.

The Florida Department of State maintains a directory of county jail search tools. Holmes County is listed there. If the sheriff's link changes, that directory can help you find the updated URL. For statewide criminal history checks, the FDLE Criminal History portal costs $24 per search as set by Section 943.053.

Cities in Holmes County

Bonifay is the county seat and the largest town in Holmes County. Esto, Noma, Ponce de Leon, and Westville are smaller communities in the area. None have populations large enough for their own city page. All arrests from anywhere in the county are processed through the Holmes County jail in Bonifay. The booking records end up in the same system regardless of where in the county the arrest took place.

Nearby Counties

Holmes County is in the Florida Panhandle, bordered by several other counties. If you are not sure where someone was arrested, check the nearby counties below.