Search Horry County Booking Reports
Horry County booking reports are available through the Sheriff's Office and an online database maintained by the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. Horry County sits on the Atlantic coast in the northeast corner of South Carolina and is one of the largest counties in the state. The Sheriff's Office provides an online booking and releases database where you can search for people booked at the detention center. This page explains how to access Horry County booking reports, what they contain, and how the booking process works at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Conway.
Horry County Quick Facts
Horry County Online Booking Reports Database
Horry County provides a free online booking and releases database through the Sheriff's Office website. This tool shows people booked at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. It also includes bookings by the City of North Myrtle Beach. The database is updated regularly and contains booking photographs, charges, bond amounts, and custody status for each person.
You can access the Horry County booking reports database at horrycountysc.gov. The site lets you search by name to find specific booking reports. Results show current inmates and recent releases. This is the fastest way to find booking information for Horry County.
The database is free and open to the public. No account or login is needed. You can view it from any device with internet access. Data includes the full name of each person, their booking date, charges filed, and current status in the detention center. Horry County booking reports in this system are public records under South Carolina law.
Note: The online database may not include all historical records, so contact the Records Division for older Horry County booking reports.
Horry County Sheriff and Police Department
Horry County is unique in South Carolina. It has both a County Sheriff's Office and a County Police Department. This dual structure affects how booking reports are created and stored. Most counties in South Carolina have only a Sheriff's Office for law enforcement in unincorporated areas. Horry County is different.
The Horry County Police Department handles the majority of calls for service in unincorporated areas. Officers from the Police Department make most arrests outside city limits. The Sheriff's Office focuses on criminal warrants, civil papers, and running the detention center. Deputies serve court papers and arrest warrants. Both agencies send arrested people to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center for booking.
This means booking reports in Horry County may list either agency as the arresting authority. When you search the online database, you will see bookings from both the Police Department and the Sheriff's Office. City police departments in Myrtle Beach, Conway, and other towns also book people at the same facility. All of these create Horry County booking reports stored in one system.
| Sheriff's Office |
Horry County Sheriff's Office 1301 2nd Avenue Conway, SC 29526 Phone: (843) 915-5130 |
|---|---|
| Detention Center |
J. Reuben Long Detention Center 4150 J. Reuben Long Avenue Conway, SC 29526 Phone: (843) 915-5140 |
| Booking Line | (843) 915-6911 |
How the Booking Process Works in Horry County
When a person is arrested in Horry County, they are brought to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center for booking. The process follows a set procedure that creates the booking report. Each step adds information to the record. Here is what happens during booking in Horry County.
First, staff take a booking photograph, also called a mugshot. Fingerprints are recorded next. The person is asked about their personal history and current state of mind. For serious felony charges, a DNA sample may also be taken. Officers run warrant checks in Horry County and other jurisdictions to see if the person is wanted elsewhere. A full body search is done as part of the intake process. Personal property is taken and held until the person is released.
For DUI arrests in Horry County, officers may ask the person to take a breathalyzer test. If they refuse, blood may be drawn as allowed under South Carolina law. All of this goes into the booking report. The result is a detailed record that covers every part of the arrest and intake.
Each booking report in Horry County includes the charges, the arresting agency, the bond amount set by a magistrate, and the court date. The information is entered into the county database and becomes available through the online search tool shortly after.
Horry County Booking Reports Retention
Horry County keeps booking reports and related arrest records for specific periods under state law. The retention schedule follows S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-1-90. This means records are kept for a set number of years depending on the type of record.
Retention periods for Horry County records include:
- Booking records: permanent retention
- Arrest reports: minimum 10 years
- Incident reports: 5 years
- Criminal history information: permanent
- Fingerprint cards: permanent
- Mugshot photographs: permanent
This means Horry County booking reports are available for a long time. Booking records and mugshots are kept permanently. You can request records going back many years by contacting the Records Division at the Sheriff's Office. Older records may not be in the online database, but they exist in the county files.
Note: Even permanently retained records may have restrictions if they involve juveniles or have been expunged by court order in Horry County.
Requesting Booking Reports in Horry County
Beyond the online database, you can request Horry County booking reports through a formal public records request. The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act at S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-4-50 makes arrest and booking reports public. Any person can ask for these records. You do not need to give a reason.
Send your request to the Records Division at the Horry County Sheriff's Office. Include the person's full name, date of birth if known, and the approximate date of the arrest. The office must respond within 15 business days. They may charge a fee for copies. You can also visit the office at 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway to review records in person.
The SLED CATCH system at catch.sled.sc.gov provides another way to check for Horry County arrest records. This statewide database costs $25 plus a $1 online fee. It covers arrests reported by all South Carolina law enforcement agencies, including those in Horry County. Results show criminal history based on fingerprint records submitted to SLED.
Horry County Booking Scam Warnings
The Horry County Sheriff's Office has issued warnings about scams related to booking and arrests. Callers may pretend to be from the Sheriff's Office and demand payment over the phone. This is a scam. The Sheriff's Office will never collect payment by phone. Bond payments must be made in person at the Magistrate's Office.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the Horry County Sheriff's Office asking for money, hang up. You can verify any real issues by calling the booking line directly at (843) 915-6911. Do not give personal or financial information to unknown callers. Report these scams to the Sheriff's Office.
More Resources for Horry County Records
Several other tools can help you find information related to Horry County booking reports. The South Carolina Judicial Department at sccourts.org has court records that show what happened after an arrest. Court records include charges, plea deals, trial outcomes, and sentences. Horry County is part of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
The VINE system at vinelink.com lets you track an inmate's custody status. You can register for alerts when someone is released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. This is free and works for all South Carolina detention facilities. The South Carolina Department of Corrections at doc.sc.gov covers inmates in state prison. If someone arrested in Horry County was later sentenced to prison, their records appear there.
The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services at dppps.sc.gov tracks people released on probation or parole. The Sex Offender Registry at scor.sled.sc.gov is a free search for registered offenders in Horry County and across the state.
Nearby Counties
Horry County borders several other counties. If an arrest happened near the county line, it may be in a neighboring county's records instead of Horry County booking reports.