Costa Mesa Booking Records

Costa Mesa sits in Orange County with over 112,000 residents located in the heart of Orange County near Newport Beach and Irvine. When Costa Mesa Police arrest someone, that person goes into the Orange County jail system operated by the Sheriff's Department. The county runs two main detention facilities with approximately 60,000 bookings annually to serve all Orange County cities including Costa Mesa. Arrestees from Costa Mesa typically get booked at Central Jails at 550 North Flower Street in Santa Ana or Theo Lacy Facility at 501 The City Drive South in Orange depending on bed space and classification requirements. You can search for jail mugshots and inmate information through the Orange County Sheriff's online public services portal. This free database displays booking photos, arrest charges, custody status, and bail amounts for people held at county jails without requiring registration or payment to access public records under California law.

Orange County Jail System

The Orange County Sheriff's Department operates the jail system for Costa Mesa and all other county cities. Costa Mesa Police Department handles law enforcement but does not run its own jail. All Costa Mesa arrests go into county custody at one of two major facilities.

Central Jails sit at 550 North Flower Street in Santa Ana. Call (714) 647-4666 for information. Theo Lacy Facility is at 501 The City Drive South in Orange. Their number is (714) 935-6940. For general inmate information, call (714) 710-8884. Orange County processes approximately 60,000 bookings annually across these facilities.

Search for Costa Mesa jail mugshots at apps.ocsheriff.gov. This public services portal shows all current inmates in Orange County custody. You can look up anyone by name. Results include booking photos if available, arrest charges, bail amounts, and booking dates. The system operates around the clock without requiring login or fees.

Orange County uses JailATM and other third-party services for inmate communications and commissary. The Sheriff operates an enhanced portal system for public access to booking information.

Finding Costa Mesa Inmates

Visit the Orange County Sheriff public services portal. Enter the person's first and last name. Hit search. The system checks both county jail facilities at once. You do not need to know which jail houses the person.

Results display everyone currently in custody. Click a name to view detailed information. You will see the booking photo if available, all charges filed, bail amount set, and booking date. The page shows which facility currently houses the inmate. Data updates when custody status changes.

If you know when someone was arrested in Costa Mesa, use that date to verify you found the right person. Common names can produce multiple matches. Check the age and physical description to narrow results. The booking number is unique to each arrest.

The database shows current inmates only. Released individuals drop from the active search quickly. For past Costa Mesa booking records or more detailed information, contact the Sheriff's records division. Orange County handles high volume so records requests may take several days.

Orange County Detention Facilities

Orange County operates two main jails to handle arrests from Costa Mesa and other county cities. The Sheriff determines which facility houses each inmate based on gender, charges, classification, and available bed space. Costa Mesa arrestees could go to either location.

Central Jails in Santa Ana at 550 North Flower Street serve as the main booking facility. Call (714) 647-4666 for information about this location. Theo Lacy Facility in Orange at 501 The City Drive South provides additional capacity. Their phone is (714) 935-6940. Both facilities work together to house the approximately 60,000 people booked annually in Orange County.

The public services portal at apps.ocsheriff.gov searches both facilities at once. You do not need to search each jail separately. The system shows which facility currently houses each inmate from Costa Mesa or other county cities.

Inmate Notification Services

VINE provides free custody notifications for Orange County jails. Visit vinelink.dhs.gov to register for alerts. You can receive texts or emails when someone arrested in Costa Mesa is released, transferred, or has court dates. The service tracks both county jail facilities.

Call 877-411-5588 to access VINE by phone. This automated hotline operates 24 hours a day. Search by name or booking number to check custody status. The system tells you if someone remains in custody at an Orange County jail and which facility houses them.

For direct questions about Costa Mesa inmates, call the inmate information line at (714) 710-8884. You can also contact Central Jails at (714) 647-4666 or Theo Lacy at (714) 935-6940. Staff can verify custody and provide basic information.

California Booking Photo Law

Government Code 6254(f) requires law enforcement to disclose booking information in California. Agencies must release name, physical description, date of birth, arrest time and date, booking time and date, arrest location, charges, and bail amount. This applies to all Costa Mesa arrests processed through Orange County jails.

Jail mugshots are public records unless exempted by law. The Sheriff can release booking photos through the online database. You do not need to show ID or state a reason to search. California law gives the public a right to access this information.

Penal Code 13665 restricts posting mugshots on social media for nonviolent crimes. Law enforcement must remove such posts within 14 days. This does not affect official jail databases. The Orange County public services portal remains available for Costa Mesa booking records at all times.

Civil Code 1798.91.1 makes it unlawful to charge fees for removing mugshots from websites. Companies cannot post Costa Mesa booking photos and demand payment for removal. California law treats this as extortion with criminal penalties.

Costa Mesa Police Department

Costa Mesa Police Department provides law enforcement for the city. Their headquarters is at 99 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For general information, call (714) 754-5252. The department makes arrests but does not operate a jail.

When Costa Mesa Police arrest someone, they transport that person to an Orange County jail for booking. The Sheriff takes custody and processes the arrestee. All mugshots and arrest records enter the county system. This is why you search Orange County jail records to find Costa Mesa booking information. The booking process typically takes several hours from arrest to database entry.

For court records related to Costa Mesa arrests, check with Orange County Superior Court. The Central Justice Center in Santa Ana handles many cases. You can search the court's online database for criminal filings and case status.

Contacting Costa Mesa Inmates

Orange County jails use JailATM and other services for inmate communications and commissary. These companies handle phone calls, video visits, and deposits for people in county custody. Check the Sheriff's website for current procedures and fees at each facility.

To send money to someone arrested in Costa Mesa, you need their full name and booking information. Find this using the public services portal first. Online deposits typically post within hours. Inmates can use funds for phone calls and commissary purchases.

Visit the Orange County Sheriff website for visitation schedules at Central Jails and Theo Lacy Facility. Rules may differ by facility. Verify which jail houses the Costa Mesa arrestee before planning a visit. The online search shows current facility location.

Other Orange County Cities

Other Orange County cities use the same jail system as Costa Mesa. If you are searching for someone arrested in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine, or other county cities, use the Orange County public services portal. All local police book into county jails operated by the Sheriff.

Santa Ana | Anaheim | Irvine | Huntington Beach

The online database covers all of Orange County. Search results include bookings from Costa Mesa and other cities. The system does not filter by arrest location. Enter a name to find custody information regardless of which police department made the arrest.