St. Louis County 24 Hour Booking
St. Louis County 24 hour booking records are managed by the Sheriff's Office in Duluth. As the largest county in Minnesota by land area, St. Louis County has about 201,000 people. The jail in Duluth processes bookings from across this huge region. The sheriff's office provides inmate search tools and jail services. All booking data must go to the BCA within 24 hours under state law. This page covers how to search for booking records, what data is public, and the legal rules behind the process.
St. Louis County Overview
St. Louis County Sheriff and Jail
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office runs the jail in Duluth. All arrests in the county lead to booking at this facility. Staff take fingerprints and photos during the booking process. Under Minnesota Statute 299C.10, that data must be entered into the BCA database within 24 hours. This is the 24 hour booking rule that applies to every county in Minnesota.
St. Louis County is massive. It is the largest county in Minnesota by land area, covering more than 6,000 square miles. The county stretches from Duluth on Lake Superior all the way north to the Canadian border. It includes the Iron Range cities of Virginia, Hibbing, and Eveleth. The jail in Duluth handles most bookings. The sheriff's office provides inmate search, visiting info, and bail details for people in custody.
| Office | St. Louis County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 1001 E 2nd St, Duluth, MN 55805 |
| Phone | (218) 726-2121 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Find St. Louis County Booking Records
The VINE system lets you check if someone is in the St. Louis County Jail. It is free and works around the clock. You can search by name and register for alerts when an inmate's status changes. This is one of the fastest ways to look up a recent booking.
Court records tied to St. Louis County bookings are on Minnesota Court Records Online. The system covers the 6th Judicial District. Search by name or case number to see charges, hearing dates, and outcomes. For records not posted online, call the sheriff at (218) 726-2121. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest data is public. You can ask for booking dates, charges, and names without a formal request.
Note: Booking records are public data in Minnesota. Contact the sheriff for records not available online.
The St. Louis County website provides access to county departments and services. Visit the St. Louis County Sheriff jail page for more information.
County offices in Duluth serve all communities in St. Louis County.
You can find details about jail operations on the St. Louis County main website.
Contact the sheriff's office for questions about booking records or jail services.
Booking Data in St. Louis County
A booking record from the St. Louis County Jail includes the person's full name, age, sex, and last known address. The charges are listed along with the arresting agency and the date and time of booking. If bail or bond has been set, that amount is in the record too. All of this data is public under Minnesota law.
Booking photos are also public in most cases. Minnesota treats mugshots as public data under Statute 13.82, subdivision 26. The sheriff can briefly hold back a photo if releasing it would hurt an active investigation. Private data like medical records, juvenile info, and Social Security numbers never appear in public booking reports.
Laws Behind St. Louis County Bookings
Several state laws control how booking works in St. Louis County. The 24 hour rule under Statute 299C.10 requires fingerprint data to reach the BCA within a day. This covers felonies, gross misdemeanors, and targeted misdemeanors like DWI, domestic assault, and order for protection violations.
The sheriff must keep permanent records of every person held in jail under Statute 641.05. Each record has the person's name, charges, commitment date, and committing authority. The sheriff also checks every person booked against the state predatory offender registry. Booking fees are allowed under Statute 641.12 and can be refunded if all charges are dismissed.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension stores booking data from St. Louis County in its Criminal History System. When a court disposition cannot be matched to an arrest record, Statute 299C.111 requires the BCA to notify the right agency so records stay accurate.
Get St. Louis County Booking Records
Call the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office at (218) 726-2121 for booking record requests. You can submit a data request under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. The county must respond within a reasonable time.
The MN DOC Offender Locator is free for checking on people in state custody. For background checks, the BCA offers fingerprint-based reports for a fee. The Minnesota Sheriffs' Association can also help you find the right contact for jail records in St. Louis County.
St. Louis County Record Retention
St. Louis County keeps booking records on file for years after the arrest. Arrest reports are stored for at least six years. Booking data is kept for six to ten years depending on the case. The BCA stores fingerprint records permanently. Mugshots stay on file for at least six years and often longer than that.
For very old records, the Minnesota Historical Society may have archived St. Louis County jail records at their History Center in St. Paul. For current or recent booking records, contact the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office at (218) 726-2121.
Cities in St. Louis County
St. Louis County includes Duluth and several other communities. All arrests in these areas are processed at the St. Louis County Jail.
Other communities in St. Louis County also use the county jail for all 24 hour booking processing.
Nearby Counties
These counties are near St. Louis County. Check the right county if you are unsure where the arrest took place.