Holmes County Arrest Records

Holmes County arrest records are held by the Holmes County Sheriff's Office in Bonifay, Florida. This small county in the Florida Panhandle does not have an online inmate search tool, so most arrest record requests go through the jail by phone or in person. The sheriff's office is the sole law enforcement and detention agency for Holmes County and handles all bookings at the county jail. Under Florida's Sunshine Law, arrest records in Holmes County are public documents that anyone can request. Whether the arrest took place in Bonifay or Ponce de Leon or the rural areas between them, all records end up at the same sheriff's office.

Holmes County Sheriff Booking Records

The Holmes County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail at 3207 Lonny Lindsey Drive in Bonifay. All arrests in Holmes County are processed at this one location. During booking, staff take a photo, log the charges, and set bond. This creates the arrest record. It becomes public once it enters the system.

Holmes County does not have an online search tool for inmates. To check on someone who was recently arrested, call the jail at 850-547-3681. The staff can tell you if the person is in custody and share basic info like charges and bond amounts. For copies of arrest records, you can visit the sheriff's office during business hours or submit a written public records request. Holmes County is a small agency, so response times on records requests tend to be reasonable.

Note: Holmes County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, which also serves Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Jackson, and Washington counties.

Arrest Records Laws in Holmes County

Florida has strong public records laws. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes gives everyone the right to inspect government records, and that includes arrest records in Holmes County. You can walk into the sheriff's office and ask to see them. You can also call or write to request copies. The agency must provide access. No reason is needed.

An arrest record from Holmes County shows the arrest date, the charges, the name of the person arrested, and which agency made the arrest. It is not a finding of guilt. Section 943.053 says that criminal history records are public unless a court has sealed or expunged them. This statute covers all Holmes County arrest records that FDLE or the sheriff hold. Restrictions apply to juvenile records, victim information, and files from active investigations.

The screenshot below shows the Chapter 119 statute page from the Florida Legislature website.

This is the law that makes arrest records public across all 67 Florida counties, including Holmes County.

Searching Holmes County Arrest Records Statewide

Since Holmes County does not have its own online lookup, state databases are the best option for remote searching. FDLE's Public Access System runs name-based criminal history checks that cover every Florida county. A search costs $24 plus $1 in processing fees. Results are instant for online requests. You need the person's full name. Adding a date of birth helps narrow down common names.

The CCIS system is another way to find records tied to Holmes County arrests. It has court case data from all 67 counties. You can look up charges, court events, and case outcomes. For people who went to state prison after a Holmes County arrest, the FDC Offender Search lets you track them. FDLE also runs a Wanted Persons database that includes warrants from Holmes County and the rest of Florida.

These state tools cover far more ground than any single county system. Even if Holmes County had an online search, the state databases would still be worth using because they pull from a much wider pool of records.

Expunging Holmes County Arrest Records

People with qualifying arrest records in Holmes County can apply to have them sealed or expunged. The process starts with FDLE. You submit an application for a Certificate of Eligibility along with $75. Processing takes around 12 weeks. There is no way to speed this up.

Once you have the certificate, you petition the Holmes County court. Sealing under Section 943.059 blocks public access to the record. Expunging under Section 943.0585 requires most agencies to destroy their copies. FDLE keeps a confidential version. The certificate is good for 12 months from the issue date. Administrative expungement under Section 943.0581 covers arrests made in error. Juvenile diversion expungement under Section 943.0582 applies to minors who completed approved programs in Holmes County.

Get the application forms from the FDLE seal and expunge page or from the Holmes County Clerk of Court in Bonifay.

Holmes County Jail and State Corrections

The Holmes County jail holds people awaiting trial and inmates with short sentences. Anyone sentenced to state prison transfers to a Department of Corrections facility. You can look up state inmates on the FDC Offender Search by name or DC number. The FDC handles public records requests under Chapter 119 and Section 945.10.

For current inmates at the Holmes County jail, call 850-547-3681. This is the most direct way to get booking information since the county does not have an online tool. For formal requests or copies, contact the Holmes County Sheriff's Office in person or by mail.

The FDC Offender Search is shown here for looking up state inmates from Holmes County.

This free tool covers anyone in the Florida state prison system, including people originally arrested in Holmes County.

Cities in Holmes County

Holmes County includes the city of Bonifay and several small towns like Ponce de Leon, Esto, Noma, and Westville. None have a population over 75,000. All arrest records for the county go through the Holmes County Sheriff's Office in Bonifay.

Nearby Counties

Holmes County sits in the Florida Panhandle and shares borders with several counties. If you need arrest records from a different jurisdiction, contact that county's sheriff directly.