Search Washoe Court Records

WashoeCountyNvCourt.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports.
All searches conducted on WashoeCountyNvCourt.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

  1. Washoe County Court
  2. Washoe County Arrest Records

Washoe County, Nevada Arrest Records

Washoe County arrest records document the apprehension and booking of a person by law enforcement. The record is created by the agency that made the arrest and may include information about the individual's identifying characteristics, the alleged offense, the date of arrest, and charges filed against them. These records support open government by allowing citizens to review the activity of law enforcement agencies.

In addition to regulating criminal history information, NRS Chapter 179A defines the criminal history record as including arrests, warrants, charges, case dispositions, and other related documents. Additionally, NRS 179A.100 governs the distribution of this type of data.

County and municipal agencies maintaining arrest and booking records include the Reno Police Department and the Sparks Police Department

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Washoe, Nevada?

Yes, many arrest-related records in Washoe County are open to public review under the Nevada Public Records Act (NRS) Chapter 239. The Nevada Public Records Act provides that all government records shall be considered publicly accessible unless otherwise exempted from disclosure by statute. In addition, as stated in NRS 239.0107, there are specific procedures that an agency must follow when processing a records request.

Criminal history information is covered by a separate body of law contained in NRS Chapter 179A. Additionally, pursuant to NRS 179A.100, it identifies which portions of an individual's criminal history may be freely disclosed and which can only be disclosed under certain conditions.

Generally, requesters do not need to be residents of Washoe County to request a public document, nor do they need to provide identification to initiate a request. However, they may need to identify themselves to obtain a copy of their own restricted criminal history.

What Do Public Washoe County Arrest Records Contain?

In most cases, publicly available Washoe County arrest records will provide some basic information about a defendant's arrest and subsequent booking. However, the type of information made available for each arrest record will depend upon which department provided the record and what the circumstances are regarding the individual being arrested..

Examples of common information found in a publicly available arrest record may include:

  • The names and general identifying characteristics of the individual arrested
  • Date and time the arrest was made
  • Location where the arrest occurred
  • Law Enforcement Agency responsible for making the arrest
  • Offense, alleged crime committed or charge
  • Date booked into jail and booking number assigned to that incident.
  • Amount of bail or bond set to be paid by the individual
  • Current custody status of the defendant

Not all information in an arrest record must be disclosed to the public. Agencies in Nevada are permitted to withhold certain types of information from public view if doing so would violate state or federal law or for other reasons. These examples of restricted information may include, but are not limited to:

  • A Social Security Number or other identifiable or protected personal information
  • Juvenile records that have been declared confidential.
  • Victim or witness information that has been deemed confidential
  • Any information that would reveal ongoing investigations
  • Information that falls under protection due to privacy laws
  • Information that has been ordered sealed or expunged by a Court Order

Washoe County, Nevada Arrest Search

Those looking to find Washoe County arrest information through state and federal sources have the following options:

  • Nevada State Police: The records division is responsible for maintaining the central repository for all of Nevada's criminal history records. Individuals may obtain a copy of their criminal history from Nevada if it includes arrest data linked to fingerprints and the dispositions for those arrests.
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation: A nationwide search can be done through the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Identity History Summary, commonly referred to as a rap sheet. For persons arrested anywhere in the U.S., chances are their arrest was submitted to the FBI via fingerprint. The summary will list each arrest submitted to the FBI and its disposition.

These two resources are primarily used to obtain copies of one's criminal history report. They are not designed to perform unlimited public-name-based searches.

Washoe County Inmate Locator

The Washoe County Sheriff's Department provides a public online Inmate Locator for finding people who are being detained within the Washoe County Detention System. This tool allows users to search for an individual's name or other identifying information to find an inmate.

The search result will display basic booking and custodial information about the inmate, such as their full name, date of birth, charge, bail amount, current location, and the jail's current status. Therefore, this is a great resource to find someone who has recently been arrested or booked into jail.

For persons who require additional information or for persons who can not find a record online, they can contact the Sheriff's Office at:

Washoe County Sheriff's Office

911 Parr Boulevard

Reno, Nevada 89512

Phone: (775) 328-3001

Note that the Sheriff's Office operates the Washoe County Detention Facility and maintains the inmate records.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Washoe County

Interested individuals can access Washoe County arrest information for free. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office has an online inmate search that helps people find current booking and custody information. For free searches to be most effective, the individual should know specific details, such as the full name and date of arrest of the person being searched. ID is usually not needed, as the information is publicly available online. However, when searching for someone else's full arrest history through Reno Police, requesters will need a written authorization from that person and some form of ID.

There are several drawbacks to using free tools to find Washoe County arrest records. Free options may:

  • Exclude older arrest information
  • Provide information from only one agency
  • Exclude Confidential or other restricted information
  • Omit redacted or sealed information

Washoe County Arrest Report

Washoe County arrest records and arrest reports are related. However, they are not the same document. The arrest record is usually a simple entry in the law enforcement system that includes the individual's first and last name, date of arrest, alleged offense, booking number, bail amount, and custody status.

The arrest report will include a much longer, more detailed account from the arresting officer of what the officer observed during the stop and why the individual was stopped. It will also include what the individuals said during questioning, items obtained during the search of the person's property, and details of how the arrest occurred.

Arrest reports often contain material that is more investigative or private, so not all parts of the report can be disclosed. Agencies may withhold certain parts of reports in accordance with Nevada State Statutes. Consequently, even though searchers can locate an individual in an inmate booking database, they may not be able to obtain a copy of the full arrest report completed by the arresting officer.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Washoe County

Washoe County follows the state of Nevada's sealing process rather than expunging arrest records, per NRS 179.255. Under this statute, a person whose charges were dismissed, whose prosecution was declined, or who was acquitted may petition to seal the records without a waiting period. Guidelines for conviction-sealing eligibility and the waiting period are in NRS 179.245.

To start the process, petitioners would need to:

  • Obtain a copy of their current Nevada criminal history record
  • Complete a petition identifying all of their arrests and the agency that holds those records
  • Submit the completed petition to the proper court

If the prosecutor objects to the petition's approval, the Court may schedule a hearing to determine whether to approve it.

Petitioners should note that some crimes cannot be sealed.

How Do You Remove Washoe County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Sealing an arrest record in Washoe County will not immediately remove all copies of a person's information online. Once a court issues a lawful order sealing the records of the offenses listed in the petition, government agencies subject to the order must keep these records confidential.

Petitioners should note that they must have completed the record-sealing process and obtained a signed court order. Petitioners can contact agencies that still have their records and submit a copy of the court order or provide any additional documentation needed to remove the previous arrest information.

Copies of arrest information published prior to the sealing of the records require sending separate requests to the private publisher for deletion of that information. This is because the court's sealing order is unlikely to affect the private publishers' publications.