Chicago 24 Hour Booking Records
Chicago 24 hour booking records come from the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Chicago is the largest city in Illinois with over 2.7 million people. The CPD is the second-largest municipal police department in the country. Chicago does not run its own city jail. All arrestees get transported to Cook County Jail at 2700 South California Avenue. You can search for recent bookings through the CPD adult arrest search tool or the Cook County inmate locator. Both are free and available online around the clock for anyone who needs to look up a 24 hour booking record in Chicago.
Chicago 24 Hour Booking Quick Facts
Chicago Police Booking Records
The Chicago Police Department handles arrests across all 25 districts in the city. When CPD officers make an arrest, the booking record gets created at the district station. This record includes the person's name, charges, time of arrest, and arresting officer. Since Chicago has no city jail, people who are held after booking get sent to Cook County Jail.
The Chicago Police Department website is the main portal for accessing arrest and booking information.
The CPD main page links to all department services including records requests and arrest data.
| Department | Chicago Police Department (CPD) |
|---|---|
| Address | 3510 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60653 |
| Phone | 312-744-4000 (Main) / 911 (Emergency) |
| Records Division | (312) 745-5644 |
| Fingerprint Hours | Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM |
Search Chicago 24 Hour Booking
The Chicago Police Adult Arrest Search is a free tool for finding 24 hour booking records. It shows public records on adults arrested by Chicago police. The names, charges, and citations appear as officers provided them at the time of arrest. The list is not comprehensive and does not include every arrest.
Juvenile arrest records are not included in this search tool.
For people held at Cook County Jail, use the Cook County inmate locator. You can search by name or booking number. Results show charges, bond amount, booking date, and custody status. The locator updates throughout the day. If you do not find someone, try different spellings of the name.
The CPD also runs the ClearMap Arrest Database, which provides interactive crime and arrest data for Chicago. The Chicago Data Portal has open crime incident data going back to 2001.
Note: Some arrest records may be exempt from public disclosure under Illinois law if they involve active investigations or would endanger someone's safety.
Chicago Booking Record Requests
To get official copies of booking records in Chicago, you can file a FOIA request with the CPD. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), arrest records are public documents. The first 50 pages are free. Extra pages cost 15 cents each. The CPD must respond within five business days. For large requests, they may take up to 21 business days.
The CPD department page on the city website has FOIA submission details and contact information for records requests.
FOIA requests can be sent online or filed in person at CPD headquarters.
Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, agencies must release basic arrest information within 72 hours of a booking. This includes the person's name, age, address, charges, time and place of arrest, and custody status. The Records Division at (312) 745-5644 can help with specific booking record questions in Chicago.
For your own Chicago RAP sheet, go to 3510 S. Michigan Ave during fingerprint hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The fee is $16 payable by cash, check, or money order. Your RAP sheet gets mailed 7 to 10 business days after your fingerprint date. You can also mail in your request with fingerprints, an ID copy, a $16 money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Booking Record Laws for Chicago
Several Illinois laws affect how 24 hour booking records work in Chicago. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires all felony and Class A and B misdemeanor arrests to be reported to the Illinois State Police. This means CPD booking data feeds into the statewide criminal history database at the ISP Bureau of Identification.
The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) controls what the state can share with the public. Only conviction information goes out to the general public through the ISP. But local booking records from CPD and Cook County are covered by FOIA, which is broader. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15(e), Chicago police cannot post mugshots on social media for minor offenses like petty offenses and Class B or C misdemeanors.
Cook County does not provide public online access to criminal court records. You need to go to the Circuit Clerk's Office in the district where the case was filed. Court dispositions are not available for arrests that did not lead to court cases. For cases that did go to court, the records are generally open to the public in Chicago.
Access Your Chicago Arrest Record
If you want to see your own criminal history from Chicago arrests, you have options. The ISP Access and Review process is free. Go to any law enforcement agency or licensed fingerprint vendor in Illinois. The ISP mails your full statewide transcript to you. There is no fee from the ISP. The fingerprint vendor may charge for their service.
The CHIRP system lets you run a name-based background check. Paper results cost $16. Electronic results cost $10. No consent is needed for a name-based search, unlike fingerprint-based requests.
The Chicago Police website also has information on expungement and sealing under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2. You may qualify to have old booking records sealed or expunged if the case ended in dismissal, acquittal, or if enough time has passed since supervision or probation.
The CPD site links to all services related to booking records, arrest data, and records requests.
Note: Sealed records need a court order to access, and expunged records are physically destroyed under Illinois law.
Cook County 24 Hour Booking
Chicago is in Cook County. All people held after arrest in Chicago go to Cook County Jail. The Cook County Sheriff handles the jail and all booking records for people in custody. For more on county-level booking records, jail rosters, and inmate search tools, visit the Cook County page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Chicago and are also in or adjacent to Cook County. Each has its own police department but shares the Cook County Jail for detained individuals.