Explore Free Davidson County Arrest Records (North Carolina)

Find free Davidson County arrest records in seconds using the convenient online search tools in this resource.

Thanks to North Carolina’s Public Records Law, all state and local governing bodies must practice full transparency with their public records.

Quickly and conveniently search for arrest records in Davidson County, North Carolina, using the tools and tips in this brief resource.

Look Up Current Davidson County Arrest Records for Free

Davidson County Detention Center: The Davidson County Detention Center regularly updates an active inmate list that provides some details about all individuals currently detained at the jail.¹

The only information this PDF provides on inmates is names, name numbers, booking numbers, a list of offenses that led to the arrest, and whether those offenses were felonies or misdemeanors. There are no mugshots, booking dates, or bail information posted.

This is a free search tool that is available for the public to use and is updated every business day by noon. The detention center can be reached by phone at 336-242-2140 and is located at:

Davidson County Detention Center
110 West Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292

Davidson County: Under the North Carolina Public Records law, all governmental records are to be considered public unless otherwise protected.

To comply with this law, the county of Davidson provides a virtual public records request form that anyone can fill out to access just about all public records within the county, including arrest records. Records that were filed with the sheriff’s office, such as police reports, are still accessed through this platform as well.

Public records requests can also be placed by phone by calling 336-242-2000. To mail in a request, individuals should write a letter including the following information:

•  Requester’s first and last name
• Requester’s email address and phone number
• The date of the request
• As much detail as possible about the desired record: a description of the record, names of people involved and dates.

Mail the letter to the following PO box:

Davidson County Governmental Center
PO Box 1067
Lexington, NC 27292

The governmental center is located at the following physical address:

Davidson County Governmental Center
913 Greensboro Street
Lexington, NC 27292

The building is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday. The county will be in contact with the requester about the record and will advise if there is any payment due to complete the request. According to the records request policy, if the record is particularly difficult to locate and requires county resources to track it down, there may be a fee of $28.00 charged to the requester in order to obtain the record.

Lexington Police Department: The Lexington Police Department has its own system for citizens to access police reports.² Folks can choose to email a request to [email protected] or call 336-243-3302 for assistance. Wait times for fulfilling the request can take up to 5 days.

The police station is located at:

Lexington Police Department
106 North Main Street
Lexington, NC 27292 

There are some third-party vendors that may provide information on inmates and arrests in Davidson County, such as VINELink.

If the sought-after arrest records are older and not applying to individuals currently incarcerated, there might be a few additional resources folks can utilize to locate them.

How To Uncover Information on Previous Offenses & Arrests Made in Davidson County North Carolina

Davidson County: The process for locating previous arrest reports through the county is similar to finding more recent ones: Start by filling out the online Davidson County Public Records Request form available through the website.³

Otherwise, opt to call the main phone number for the Davidson County Courthouse (336-242-2000) or the number for the county clerk of the court (336-242-6700) for assistance placing a request. If mailing in a request for records by mail, include the following in a letter:

•  Name of requester
• Phone number and email of requester
• Description of the record
• Type of record (such as arrest record, sheriff report, etc.)

Send the letter to the county clerk of the court at the following P.O. Box:

Davidson County Clerk of the Court
PO Box 1064
Lexington, NC 27292

City of Lexington: The city of Lexington is the county seat for Davidson County and has its own similar system for processing requests for public records. There is an online form available, which is the most expedited way to enter a request. There is also a downloadable PDF version of the form for anyone preferring to mail in a request, or stop by in person.

The city clerk’s office is the official custodian for public records, so to drop a request form off in person, head to the office located inside city hall:

Lexington City Hall
28 West Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 4 PM

Alternatively, the Lexington Police Department can be utilized for older police reports as well through the same means mentioned above: email [email protected] or call 336-243-3302 to file a request with the department.

North Carolina Judicial Branch: The state judicial branch allows citizens to make requests for certified copies of public records from within a certain county. Using the case records search form, interested individuals can submit a request for information to the clerk of the superior court.⁴

The search will only yield results in the selected county, not across the entire state.

There will be a $25.00 fee, which can be paid by credit card, cash, money order, or certified check if paying in person. The Davidson County Courthouse is located at the following street address:

Davidson County Courthouse
110 West Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292

The courthouse is open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday. The building administration telephone number is 336-242-6701. If mailing in the form, requesters can pay by money order or certified check only.

All mail correspondence can be sent to the following PO Box:

Davidson County Courthouse
Attn: Clerk’s Office
PO Box 1064
Lexington, NC 27292

North Carolina Department of Adult Correction: Another resource available to the public is an offender public information search tool through the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.⁵

The details available on each previous or current inmate through this platform vary from one to the next but could include the following information:

• Physical descriptors of the inmate (age, race, gender)
• Birthdate of inmate
• Probation/release status
• Booking date and release date
• Charges/offenses

This is a free search tool and dates back to 1972. The department is located at:

North Carolina Department of Adult Correction
214 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603

The department’s phone number is 919-733-2126. The department provides a non-emergency contact form for any emails, and any mail can be sent to:

North Carolina Department of Adult Correction
5201 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699

There are also third-party vendors that may be able to help individuals obtain information on criminal records. These would be unofficial copies of records.

The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) provides a list of companies that comply with a licensing agreement to get the information directly from the NCAOC, but it is not guaranteed that the information passed along by the companies is accurate.⁶

If friends and family of an inmate are looking to make use of these resources because they would like to help release him or her from a detention center, the next section discusses how the bail system works in Davidson County.

How Do I Post Bail for Someone Arrested in Davidson County?

In North Carolina, there are different types of bail that could be set by a magistrate. The most common type is a secured bond. This means that the full amount of the bail needs to be paid in cash, by a bail bondsman, or using real estate as collateral.

The North Carolina Judicial Branch provides instructions for posting real property surety bonds if that is an option an individual would like to use.⁷

If a magistrate orders a cash bond, the only way to release the inmate would be to pay the full amount in cash. In some instances, a judge will set an unsecured bond, which means that the individual does not have to pay the bail amount to be released from jail, but any failure to appear at court hearings will result in a money judgment being entered against him or her.

To pay a cash bond, folks need to head to the detention center in person. There will be a buzz box in the hallway when they walk in. Using that box, they should explain that they are there to post bail. The detention center staff will hand out the necessary paperwork to begin the release process.

Once the paperwork is filled out, it should be brought to the magistrate’s office (which is also located inside the detention center, further down the hallway). If the magistrate’s office is satisfied, then the inmate can be released.

The detention center address is as follows:

Davidson County Detention Center
110 West Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292 

They can be reached by phone at 336-242-2140, 24 hours a day.

If friends and family of an inmate are unable to pay the full bond amount in cash, they could consider using a bail bondsman or a bonds agency. These are third parties that are licensed by the state to help people post bail.

Typically, agencies will charge individuals a percentage of the entire bail amount, which will not be refunded if and when the inmate is released. Typically, you will have to pay a non-refundable fee between 5%-10% of the bail.

The North Carolina Judicial Branch lists all bondsmen for the entire state and which county or counties they are licensed in.⁸ Davidson County’s list of bondsmen can be found using the drop-down menu.

Lexington, North Carolina: Because all arrests made by the Lexington Police are brought to the Davidson County Detention Center, the process for posting bail is the same for inmates brought in by this law enforcement body: Head to the detention center in-person to post a cash bond, otherwise enlist the help of a bond agency or bail bondsmen using the list provided by the state.

Thanks to the state’s Public Records Law, arrest reports, which are considered public records unless otherwise marked, are readily available for any individual to view and copy. If anyone has additional questions about any of the related material, calling one of the county departments, such as the detention center or the clerk’s office, is a great next step.

Public records are meant to be accessible, and Davidson County arrest records are no different; use this streamlined resource to find vital information on anyone in custody here.