Jefferson County Court
Jefferson County Arrest Records

Jefferson County, Kentucky Arrest Records

In Jefferson County, an arrest record is a legal document created by a law enforcement agent when an individual is taken into custody for the suspicion of committing a crime. Arrest records are primarily created and maintained by the arresting law enforcement agency at the time of booking. These records ensure that law enforcement agencies and the justice system remain accountable to the public, stay informed about community safety, and verify the backgrounds of individuals. There are two separate sets of laws that govern how arrest records in Jefferson County are handled. The Kentucky Open Records Act gives the public a broad right to access government records, including arrest records. A separate law, the Criminal History Record Information Act (KRS 17.110 to 17.157), specifically controls how criminal history data is collected, stored, and shared by the Kentucky State Police and other criminal justice agencies. Together, these two statutes define what the public can access and under what conditions. Arrest records in Jefferson County are maintained by law enforcement agencies like the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, which handles civil process, court security, and warrant service.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Jefferson, Kentucky?

Yes. Arrest records are generally considered public records in Jefferson County, and are primarily governed by the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870 to 61.884). While many police records, such as initial incident reports, are public, agencies can also withhold them if they fall under specific statutory exemptions, such as premature release or risk of harm to an ongoing investigation, per KRS 61.878 and KRS 17.150.

According to this law any person can request to inspect or receive copies of public records, which means ID is not really required by the law states agencies and you do not have to be a resident before you can get access to the open records, although as a requester you should be able to provide some identifying details about the person whose record you are seeking such as a full name or date of birth to help locate the correct file. A government-issued ID may be required for certain requests, particularly those made in person.

What Do Public Jefferson County Arrest Records Contain?

Under Kentucky law, the Arrest records in Jefferson County include elements such as personal information, booking and detention details, offense details, and others. And these records are commonly accessed through law enforcement agencies, the Background Checks - Kentucky State Police, or the Kentucky Court of Justice

The Typical details found in an arrest record include:

Full legal name, date of birth, gender, and physical description (height, weight, identifying marks)
Date, time, and location of the arrest
The charges filed, and the statute allegedly violated
The name of the arresting agency and officer
Booking information, including mugshot and fingerprints
Bond or bail amount, if applicable
Disposition information, such as whether charges were dismissed or reduced

Meanwhile, under the Kentucky Open Records Act, not all information in an arrest record is available to the public. Sensitive data is withheld to protect the integrity of ongoing investigations, preserve the safety of officers and victims, and guard personal privacy. Some of the details may be withheld or redacted by the agency responding to your request. The following are consistently withheld or excluded from the public arrest record

Information protected by privacy laws (e.g., medical or mental health details)
Materials sealed or expunged by a court order
Victim, witness, or uncharged juvenile information
Attorney-client privileged communications
Active intelligence and investigatory files
Details from ongoing investigations, where disclosure could compromise the case.

Jefferson County, Kentucky Arrest Search

State law enforcement and federal resources provide broad pathways for members of the public to track individuals incarcerated in Kentucky. At the state level, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) maintains the statewide criminal history database. The public can request a name-based background check for $20 per name, payable by check or money order. Requests can be made in person or by mail using the official Background Check Form available on the KSP website. Furthermore, interested persons who wish to look up information regarding convicted individuals incarcerated in Kentucky State prisons may utilize the Kentucky Offender Online Lookup (KOOL) tool maintained by the Kentucky Department of Corrections. To search, input the first and last name of the incarcerated individual and click on search.

At the federal level, the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is accessible to authorized criminal justice agencies, though direct public access is not available. Members of the public can request their own federal criminal history through the FBI Identity History Summary check for a fee of $18. The Kentucky Court of Justice’s CourtNet system also allows searches of court case records, which can reflect charges tied to an arrest.

Jefferson County Inmate Locator

If you need to find out whether someone is currently held in Jefferson County, you can simply check using the individual's first and last name to view booking details, pending charges, housing location, and upcoming court dates and bond amounts. One may use the Louisville Metro Government Inmate Search tool to look up current detainees by name and return information. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office also assists in locating inmates. You can contact the Sheriff’s Office via phone or in person at

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

515 West Market Street

Louisville, KY 40202

Phone: (502) 574-5400

The main jail facility is Louisville Metro Corrections, which operates two locations: the Hall of Justice Jail at 600 W. Jefferson Street and the Corrections Center at 400 S. 6th Street, both in Louisville.

Active Warrant Search in Jefferson County

An arrest warrant is a written court order that authorizes law enforcement to take a specific person into custody. In Kentucky, warrants are issued by a judge or magistrate based on an affidavit showing probable cause that the named individual committed a crime. The warrant will typically identify the person by name, describe the alleged offense, and authorize any peace officer to make the arrest. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for serving warrants issued within the county.

Warrants are public records in Kentucky under the Open Records Act (KRS 61.870–61.884). Members of the public can inquire about active warrants using the following search criteria:

Full name of the individual
Date of birth
Case or docket number

To search for arrest warrants online, the Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk’s office and Kentucky CourtNet are useful starting points. For in-person inquiries, visit the Sheriff’s Office or call (502) 574-5400. Interested persons may also contact the Jefferson County Circuit Court at 700 W. Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, phone (502) 595-3007.

Agency / Resource	Purpose	Search Methods	Notes
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office	Maintains and serves warrants	Phone, online, in person	Official lookup available in person
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office	Maintains and executes warrants; civil process	Phone, in person (515 W. Market St, Louisville, KY 40202)	No dedicated public online warrant search; call (502) 574-5400
Louisville Metro Police Dept (LMPD)	Primary law enforcement: arrests within Louisville Metro	Online arrest blotter, in person, phone	Arrest blotter information available
Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk	Files petitions; maintains court-ordered warrants	In person or online via KY CourtNet	700 W. Jefferson St, Louisville, KY 40202 \| kcoj.kycourts.net
Kentucky State Police (KSP)	Statewide criminal history records	Background check form, mail, or in-person	Name-based check available

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Jefferson County

There are several free tools available for locating arrest information in Jefferson County. The Louisville Metro Corrections Inmate Search shows current and recently booked detainees at no charge. And the LMPD arrest blotter also provides publicly available arrest information. For court records tied to an arrest, Kentucky CourtNet is free to search online.

There are practical limits to free searches. Free tools typically reflect recent arrests and may not include older or archived records. You will generally need to supply identifying information, such as a full name and date of birth, to get results. Redacted information, such as home addresses or victim details, will not appear in free public searches. If an individual needs a certified copy of a record or is conducting a background check, fees will likely apply.

Jefferson County Arrest Report

Arrest records and arrest reports may sometimes be used interchangeably, but they refer to different documents. An arrest record is a summary entry in a law enforcement database or booking system. It captures the core facts of a custodial event: who was arrested, when, on what charges, and what happened next. It’s the structured data that feeds into background checks and criminal history reports.

On the other hand, an arrest report, sometimes called an incident report or offense report, is the narrative account written by the arresting officer after the arrest occurs. It describes what the officer observed, the circumstances leading to the arrest, witness statements, and other details relevant to the case. The LMPD charges $5 for accident and offense reports. Requests can be submitted to the LMPD Records Management Division at 701 West Ormsby Avenue, Suite 001, Louisville, KY 40203.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Jefferson County

The state of Kentucky allows for the expungement of arrest records in Jefferson County, and the rules are governed by KRS Chapter 431. Expungement is the legal process of removing an arrest or conviction from the public record. Once granted, the records are sealed and are no longer accessible to the public. Under KRS 431.076, if you were arrested but not convicted, meaning the charges were dismissed, you were acquitted, or a grand jury did not indict you may be eligible to have the arrest record expunged. Kentucky automatically processes expungements for acquittals and dismissals with prejudice after July 2020. In other cases, you can file a petition 60 days after dismissal.

The process begins by filing a petition with the Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. A filing fee of $100 is required. For conviction records, you must also obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Kentucky State Police before filing. The court will schedule a hearing and notify the Commonwealth’s Attorney. If the petition is granted, all relevant agencies, including local police and the KSP, are directed to seal the records.

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

The first step to removing an arrest record from the internet is to get the record expunged. Once an expungement order is issued by the court, the Jefferson County arrest records are removed from all courts and official government databases, but they are not automatically removed from third-party websites that may have previously indexed the information. After an expungement order is granted, you can contact individual websites and request removal by providing a copy of the court order. Furthermore, you cannot legally demand the removal of public information from the web until the underlying government records are officially sealed.