Miami City booking reports are public records that show every arrest processed through the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Each report lists the arrestee’s name, age, charges, bond amount, booking time, and arresting agency.
These records stay open under Florida public records law, and anyone can search them through the county inmate portal, by phone, or through a written records request.
What Miami City Booking Reports Cover
Booking reports serve as the official record of an arrest from the moment a person enters the jail. They include identifying details, photographs, fingerprints, and the full list of charges assigned by the arresting officer. These records remain open to the public, except in cases where a court has ordered them sealed or expunged.
The County System Behind the Reports
Miami sits inside Miami-Dade County, Florida, with a city population near 487,000. Local police departments in the city of Miami do not run their own jail. Every person arrested goes to a Miami-Dade County Corrections facility for processing. The county agency creates and stores the booking reports for all arrests made inside city limits.
What Each Report Contains
A Miami City booking report includes the full legal name, date of birth, physical description, a booking photo, the date and time of arrest, the case number, each charge, the bond amount set for every charge, the arresting agency, and the booking officer’s name. Reports also include prior booking history when the person has past entries in the system.
Why Booking Reports Stay Public
Florida has some of the strongest public records laws in the country. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes opens nearly every government record to public review. Booking reports fall under this law. Public access supports court proceedings, helps victims track cases, and supports background checks by employers, landlords, and journalists.
How to Search Miami Booking Reports Online
The fastest way to find a Miami City booking report is through the Miami-Dade inmate search portal. The tool runs 24 hours a day, costs nothing, and does not require a user account. The portal shows anyone currently held in the corrections system. Once the person is released, the active record drops off the main search results.
Using the Miami-Dade Inmate Search Portal
The inmate search portal sits on the Miami-Dade County government website at miamidade.gov. Visitors reach it by opening the Corrections and Rehabilitation Department page and clicking the link labeled inmate search. The search tool accepts a full or partial name and returns matching results with photos, charges, and bond amounts.
The screenshot above shows the main corrections portal. From here, users move to the inmate search screen below for direct name lookups against current custody records.
Looking Up Someone by Name
The search field accepts a first name, last name, or both. The system filters results for anyone held at any Miami-Dade Corrections facility, which includes the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, the Pre-Trial Detention Center, and the Women’s Detention Center. Each result shows the inmate number, full name, date of birth, race, sex, and housing location.
The search screen above opens after clicking the inmate search link. Results typically load within seconds for most name queries against the current roster.
Information Shown in Search Results
Each search result opens a profile page with the full booking report data. Profile pages list the booking date, every charge, the bond amount for each charge, the court date if set, current housing assignment, and the scheduled public visitation window. Each entry also shows whether the person can post bond or must wait for a court hearing before release.
- Full legal name and any known aliases
- Date of birth, race, and sex
- Booking date, time, and intake location
- Full list of charges and Florida statute references
- Bond amount for each listed charge
- Current housing location inside the facility
- Scheduled court dates and division numbers
- Arresting agency and officer identification
Limits of the Online Search
The online search only shows people currently in custody. It does not include historical bookings from people already released. It also does not include sealed records or juvenile bookings. Older records need a separate public records request through the corrections department or the Miami Police Department.
Inside the Miami Booking Process
The booking process in Miami-Dade County follows a fixed procedure. Officers collect personal details, capture fingerprints and photos, run background checks, and log every charge. The full process can take between two and eight hours, depending on charge level, inmate volume, and medical screening needs.
TGK Intake Procedure
The Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, also called TGK, sits at 7000 NW 41st Street in Miami and processes most felony arrests from city police. Officers bring arrestees to the intake sally port, where staff verify identity, log personal property, and perform a medical screening for injuries or health concerns before housing.
- Arrestee arrives at the intake sally port and gets scanned for weapons
- Personal property gets logged, stored, and itemized for later return
- Medical staff check for injuries, withdrawal, or chronic health needs
- Fingerprints and palm prints get captured through a digital live-scan device
- Booking photo taken against a calibrated height chart
- Charges entered into the Miami-Dade corrections system
- Bond amount set by the booking officer or on-duty magistrate
- Inmate moved to a housing unit based on charge level and classification
Fingerprint and Photo Capture
Florida law requires fingerprint and photo capture for any adult charged with a felony or a jailable misdemeanor. Chapter 943 of the Florida Statutes directs that all prints and facial images be sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The data joins the statewide criminal history network and stays available for background checks by authorized agencies.
Bond and Charge Setup
Once charges load into the system, a booking officer or on-duty magistrate sets a bond for each charge. Bond amounts vary based on charge severity and prior history. Some charges carry a no-bond hold, including domestic violence cases, violations of probation, and certain felony holds. Bond decisions appear in the online booking report within hours of intake.
Turner Guilford Knight Detention Center
TGK is the main facility that holds male pretrial detainees from the city of Miami. It opened in 2004 to replace the older Metro West Detention Center for intake duties. The facility handles an average daily population that runs well over 1,500 inmates, including those booked on Miami Police Department cases.
Location and Contact Info
TGK sits at 7000 NW 41st Street, Miami, Florida 33166. The mailing address for inmate correspondence must include the inmate’s full name and inmate number, plus the same street address. Family and friends can contact the facility by phone at 786-263-7000 for general questions about an inmate’s booking status and housing unit.
Visiting Hours and Rules
Visits at TGK require advance scheduling through the corrections department visitation system. Each inmate receives one visit per week, lasting up to 30 minutes. Visitors need a valid photo ID, must pass a background check, and cannot bring phones or recording devices inside. All visits occur behind glass with a phone handset for audio.
| Day | Session One | Session Two |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Saturday | 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Sunday | No scheduled visits | |
Sending Money and Mail to Inmates
Friends and family can deposit money into an inmate’s commissary account through the jail’s online trust account system. Deposits cover phone calls, commissary snacks, hygiene items, and reading materials. Mail must use plain white envelopes, standard paper, and the full inmate identification number. Stamps, stickers, and colored paper get rejected at intake.
Pretrial Detention and Bond Hearings
Most inmates at TGK are pretrial detainees who have not been convicted of any charge. Pretrial services reviews each arrestee for risk level and may recommend a bond reduction at first appearance. Bond hearings take place before a county judge within 24 hours of arrest. Each hearing result updates the booking report to show new bond amounts or continued no-bond status.
Public Records and Florida Law
Florida’s public records law covers nearly every document produced by government agencies, including Miami City booking reports. These laws shape what appears in search results, who can access older records, and how booking photos get handled after a release from custody.
Chapter 119 Florida Public Records
Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes sets the framework for public access to government records. The statute says any record made or received by a government agency in connection with official business belongs to the public. The corrections department must provide copies of any booking report on request, with limited exceptions for medical files and sealed case files.
Chapter 901 Booking Photos
Florida law places strong controls on commercial use of booking photos. Section 901.43 makes it illegal for a website to charge money to remove a booking photo. Any person can send a written removal request, and the site must take down the photo within 10 days. Civil penalties reach $1,000 per day for violations and jump to $5,000 per day for reposting after removal.
Records That Stay Private
Not every booking data point stays open to the public. Juvenile booking reports stay sealed except to the minor’s parents, attorneys, and the courts. Medical records tied to a booking stay private from public view. Sealed or expunged records disappear from search results by court order. Records tied to active criminal investigations can also be withheld by law enforcement.
Miami Police and Arrest Reports
The Miami Police Department makes arrests across the city. Each arrest eventually creates a booking report through the county corrections system. The police department also keeps its own arrest records tied to each incident report filed by officers in the field.
MPD Arrest Log Access
The Miami Police Department publishes a daily arrest log on its official website. The log covers the past 24 hours of arrests made by city police officers. The log lists the arrestee’s name, age, charges, and arrest location. The log does not include photos or bond information, which remain housed inside the county booking system.
Weekend and Recent Booking Reports
Booking reports for weekend arrests appear in the county system by Monday morning. The online inmate search updates multiple times each day, so recently booked individuals appear on the portal within hours of intake. Users searching for fresh arrests can refresh the page or check the MPD arrest log for same-day listings.
Difference Between Arrest and Booking Records
Arrest records describe the act of arrest from the police side. They list officers, locations, witness details, and probable cause statements. Booking reports describe jail intake from the corrections side. They list charges, bond, fingerprints, photos, and housing. Public users see both record types, but the booking report carries the official charges set by the state.
Requesting Older Miami Booking Records
Once a person is released from Miami-Dade custody, that person’s booking data drops off the public inmate search. Records tied to past bookings need a written public records request to the corrections department or to the Miami Police Department for the original police side report.
Public Records Request Steps
The first step is sending a written request to the agency that holds the records. For booking reports, that means the Miami-Dade Corrections Department at 2525 NW 62nd Street, Miami, FL 33147. The request must name the records sought, the person’s name, the booking date or date range, and a valid return address. The agency must respond under Florida public records law.
Fees and Response Times
Agencies can charge a fee that covers the cost of copies and labor. The fee structure depends on the size of the records and the time it takes to locate them. A single booking report costs a small fee per page. Larger requests that need extra research time may cost more. Florida law does not allow agencies to charge for the act of inspecting records in person.
Sealed and Expunged Records
Some past booking records get sealed or expunged by court order. Florida law allows sealing for first-time offenders who complete diversion programs or who win a motion to seal. Expungement removes the record from public view. Once a record reaches sealed or expunged status, the agency no longer releases it to the public, even through a public records request.
Miami-Dade Corrections Contact Details
Anyone needing direct help with Miami City booking reports can reach the corrections department during business hours. Use the contact details below for phone calls, written requests, or in-person visits to the corrections headquarters or the TGK booking facility.
- Corrections Main Line: 786-263-7000
- Public Information Line: 786-263-7100
- Visitation Scheduling: 786-263-7115
- Records Request Email: corrections.publicrecords@miamidade.gov
- TGK Booking Facility: Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, 7000 NW 41st Street, Miami, FL 33166
- Corrections Headquarters: 2525 NW 62nd Street, Miami, FL 33147
- Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Records Window: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday
- Online Inmate Search: miamidade.gov/Apps/mdcr/inmateSearch
- Corrections Portal: miamidade.gov/global/corrections/home.page
For walk-in visits, the corrections headquarters opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM on business days. The records window hours run from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Same-day booking report copies are often available for pickup in person at the records window. The official government portal at miamidade.gov remains active 24 hours a day for digital searches against the current inmate roster.
Miami City Booking Reports FAQ
This FAQ covers the most common questions about Miami City booking reports, inmate searches, recent Miami-Dade arrests, and public records access. Each answer pulls from current corrections department policies, Florida statutes, and standard records request practices applied by Miami-Dade County agencies.
How current is the Miami inmate search portal?
The Miami-Dade inmate search portal updates several times each day. New bookings usually appear within two to four hours of intake. Releases take effect on the portal the same day the inmate leaves the facility. The search screen stays online at all hours even though new entries tend to post during business cycles.
Can someone remove a booking photo from search results?
Florida law makes it illegal for any commercial website to charge money to take down a booking photo. Send a written removal request to the site by certified mail. The site has 10 days to remove the photo. Civil penalties reach $1,000 per day for each day the photo stays up past that deadline and $5,000 per day for reposting after removal.
What does a no-bond hold mean in a booking report?
A no-bond hold means the person cannot post money for release. Holds happen in domestic violence cases, violations of probation, federal holds, or charges listed under Florida Statute 903.035. The arrestee must wait for a court hearing before the court reviews possible bond conditions. The booking report shows no-bond status in the bond section of the profile page.
Are juvenile booking reports open to the public?
No. Juvenile booking reports stay sealed under Florida law. Only parents, legal guardians, defense attorneys, and the courts can access them. The Miami-Dade online inmate search does not show juvenile records. Public requests for juvenile records must go through the juvenile court system at 305-638-6170.
What is the difference between arrest and booking records?
Arrest records describe the action taken by police officers at the time of arrest. They include the location, time, witnesses, and the officer’s account. Booking reports describe jail intake. They include fingerprints, photos, charges set by the state, bond amounts, and housing. Both record types exist for each arrest but serve separate roles in the criminal justice process.
Can employers use Miami booking reports for background checks?
Florida public records law allows employers to use official booking reports during background checks. Some industries must do so under Florida Administrative Code rules, like healthcare, childcare, and financial services. Employers should follow federal Fair Credit Reporting Act rules if they base hiring decisions on these records, especially for credit, character, or criminal history reviews.
How long does Miami-Dade keep booking records on file?
Booking records stay in the Miami-Dade system permanently unless sealed or expunged by a court. Online search results only show current inmates. Older records require a written public records request. Retention rules under the Florida Department of State keep arrest and booking records for several years beyond release, often indefinitely for felony cases.