Norfolk County Public Records / Norfolk County Arrest Records

Norfolk County Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Norfolk County

Arrest records in Norfolk, Virginia, are generally accessible to the public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), codified at Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 et seq. This statute establishes that all public records maintained by government bodies — including law enforcement agencies — are presumed open to inspection and copying unless a specific exemption applies. Members of the public may inspect arrest records maintained by the Norfolk Police Department and related agencies, subject to applicable restrictions.

It is important to distinguish between an arrest record and a conviction record. An arrest record documents the act of being taken into custody by law enforcement and does not indicate guilt or a criminal conviction. A conviction record, by contrast, reflects a formal finding of guilt by a court of law. Under current Virginia law, an arrest that does not result in a conviction may still appear in public records unless the individual pursues expungement through the courts. The Virginia State Police maintains the central repository for criminal history records under Virginia Code § 19.2-389, which governs the dissemination of criminal history record information to authorized requesters.

What's in Norfolk County Arrest Records

Norfolk County arrest records contain a standardized set of data fields compiled at the time of booking and maintained by law enforcement agencies. The following categories represent the typical contents of an arrest record in this jurisdiction.

Arrestee Identifying Information:

Full legal name and any known aliases
Date of birth and age at time of arrest
Race, sex, height, and weight
Home address at time of arrest
Social Security Number (restricted in public-facing records)

Arrest Details:

Date, time, and location of arrest
Arresting officer's name and badge number
Arresting agency (e.g., Norfolk Police Department)

Charge Information:

Specific criminal charges filed
Virginia statute or city ordinance cited
Classification of offense (felony, misdemeanor, or infraction)

Warrant Information (if applicable):

Warrant number and issuing court
Date warrant was issued
Jurisdiction of originating warrant

Booking Information:

Booking number and date
Facility where the individual was processed
Fingerprint and photograph (mugshot) notation

Bond/Bail Information:

Bond type (personal recognizance, secured, or no bond)
Bond amount set by the magistrate or court
Conditions of release, if any

Court Information:

Assigned court docket number
Scheduled arraignment or hearing date
Name of presiding court (e.g., Norfolk General District Court or Norfolk Circuit Court)

Custody Status:

Current detention status (held, released, or transferred)
Name of detention facility if currently incarcerated

Additional Information May Include:

Prior arrest history referenced in the booking record
Incident report number associated with the arrest
Notations regarding co-defendants or related cases

How To Look Up Arrest Records in Norfolk County in 2026

Members of the public seeking arrest records in Norfolk may pursue several official channels. The process varies depending on the type of record sought and the level of detail required.

Submit a FOIA Request to the Norfolk Police Department: Individuals may submit a written Virginia FOIA request to the Norfolk Police Department's FOIA Officer. Requests may be submitted by mail, in person, or via the department's online portal. The agency is required by law to respond within five business days.
Visit the Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office: Court records associated with an arrest, including charging documents and disposition records, are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk. Members of the public may inspect these records during regular business hours.
Request Criminal History from the Virginia State Police: A formal criminal history record request may be submitted to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE). Individuals requesting their own records must submit fingerprints and a completed form along with the applicable fee.
Access the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System: The Virginia Judiciary's online portal provides public access to case information, including charges and court dates, for cases filed in Virginia courts.

Norfolk Police Department 100 Brooke Ave, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-7000 Norfolk Police Department

Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office 150 St. Paul's Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-4380 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office

Virginia State Police — Central Criminal Records Exchange 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, North Chesterfield, VA 23235 (804) 674-2000 Virginia State Police

How To Find Norfolk County Arrest Records Online

Several official online platforms currently provide access to arrest and related criminal justice records for Norfolk, Virginia.

Norfolk Open Data Portal: The City of Norfolk maintains a publicly accessible open data platform where the Norfolk Police Department publishes daily arrest data. Members of the public may search, filter, and download arrest report data directly from this resource. The portal is updated on a daily basis and reflects arrests recorded within the preceding 24-hour period.
Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System (VJCIS): The Virginia Judiciary Case Information system allows users to search for criminal case records by name, case number, or hearing date across all Virginia general district and circuit courts, including those serving Norfolk.
Virginia State Police iSAFE Portal: The Virginia State Police operates an online portal through which individuals may request their own criminal history record. Third-party requests require additional authorization.
Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Locator: Members of the public may use the Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator to determine whether an individual is currently in state custody, including at the Norfolk City Jail or a state correctional facility.

How To Search Norfolk County Arrest Records for Free?

Several no-cost methods are currently available for members of the public seeking arrest record information in Norfolk without incurring fees.

Norfolk Open Data Portal (Free): The City of Norfolk's open data platform provides free public access to recent arrest reports published by the Norfolk Police Department. Users may access Norfolk police arrest reports directly online without registration or payment.
Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System (Free): Court case information, including criminal charges and case dispositions, is available at no cost through the Virginia Judiciary's public case search portal.
In-Person Inspection at the Clerk's Office (Free to Inspect): Members of the public may inspect court records in person at the Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office at no charge. Fees apply only when copies are requested.
FOIA Requests (Potentially Free): Under Virginia FOIA, agencies may not charge fees for records that require minimal staff time to locate and produce. Fees for extensive searches or large volumes of records may apply per agency policy.

How To Delete Arrest Records in Norfolk County

Virginia law provides two primary legal remedies for individuals seeking to limit public access to arrest records: expungement (legal erasure from public records) and sealing (restricting access without full destruction). These are distinct processes with different eligibility requirements.

Expungement removes the arrest record from public access and directs law enforcement agencies to purge or seal the record. Under Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2, individuals may petition for expungement in the following circumstances:

The charge was dismissed or nolle prossed (not prosecuted)
The individual was acquitted at trial
The individual received an absolute pardon from the Governor
The charge was reduced and the original charge qualifies for expungement

Sealing became available in Virginia through the Clean Slate Act, which took effect in 2025. Sealing restricts public access to certain conviction records and arrest records for qualifying offenses after a designated waiting period, without requiring a court petition in all cases.

Steps to Petition for Expungement in Norfolk:

Obtain a copy of the arrest record and associated court disposition from the Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office.
Complete the Petition for Expungement form (available from the Virginia Courts website).
File the petition in the Norfolk Circuit Court along with the required filing fee.
Serve the petition on the Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Norfolk.
Attend the scheduled hearing, at which the court will determine eligibility.
If granted, the court order is forwarded to the Virginia State Police and the arresting agency for record removal.

Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office 800 E. City Hall Ave, Suite 600, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-4888 Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney

What Happens After Arrest in Norfolk County?

The criminal justice process in Norfolk follows a structured sequence from the point of arrest through final case disposition.

Arrest and Booking: Following an arrest, the individual is transported to the Norfolk City Jail for booking. This process includes fingerprinting, photographing, and recording personal identifying information.
Magistrate Hearing: A magistrate reviews the charges and determines whether probable cause exists. The magistrate also sets bond or remands the individual to custody without bond.
Arraignment: The individual appears before a judge in Norfolk General District Court to enter a plea and receive formal notice of charges.
Preliminary Hearing (Felony Cases): For felony charges, a preliminary hearing is held to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to certify the case to the grand jury.
Grand Jury Review (Felony Cases): A grand jury convenes to review evidence and determine whether to issue an indictment.
Trial: The case proceeds to trial in either Norfolk General District Court (misdemeanors) or Norfolk Circuit Court (felonies).
Sentencing or Disposition: Upon conviction, the court imposes a sentence. Upon acquittal or dismissal, the individual may pursue expungement of the arrest record.

Norfolk City Jail 811 E. City Hall Ave, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-6900 Norfolk Sheriff's Office

How Long Are Arrest Records Kept in Norfolk County?

Arrest records in Norfolk are subject to retention schedules established under Virginia law and applicable local government records management policies. The Library of Virginia administers the official records retention schedules for Virginia localities under the Virginia Public Records Act.

Under current law, law enforcement agencies are generally required to retain arrest records for a minimum period that varies by offense classification:

Felony arrest records are typically retained for a minimum of 10 years following case disposition, with many agencies retaining such records permanently.
Misdemeanor arrest records are generally retained for a minimum of 5 to 7 years following disposition.
Juvenile arrest records are subject to separate retention rules and confidentiality protections under Virginia law.

The Virginia Public Records Act mandates that no public record may be destroyed without authorization from the Library of Virginia. Records retention preserves evidence for ongoing investigations, supports accountability in the criminal justice system, and ensures that historical records remain available for authorized purposes. Different agencies — including the Norfolk Police Department, the Norfolk Sheriff's Office, and the Virginia State Police — maintain separate record sets and may apply different retention periods to the same underlying arrest event.

Library of Virginia — Records Management 800 E. Broad St, Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 692-3500 Library of Virginia

How to Find Mugshots in Norfolk County

What Mugshots Are Mugshots are photographic images taken of an individual at the time of booking into a detention facility. They are part of the official arrest record and are maintained by the law enforcement agency responsible for the booking.

Where Mugshots Are Maintained In Norfolk, mugshots are maintained by the Norfolk Sheriff's Office, which operates the Norfolk City Jail. The Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange also retains booking photographs as part of the statewide criminal history record.

Finding Mugshots Members of the public may request mugshots through a formal Virginia FOIA request submitted to the Norfolk Police Department or the Norfolk Sheriff's Office. Requests must identify the individual by name and, where possible, date of arrest or booking number.

Can They Be Found Online The City of Norfolk does not currently publish mugshots on its open data portal or official website. Third-party websites may aggregate and republish booking photographs; however, these sources are not official government records and may contain outdated or inaccurate information.

Obtaining Mugshots Officially To obtain a mugshot through official channels, submit a written FOIA request to the Norfolk Sheriff's Office. The agency will respond within five business days and may charge a reasonable fee for reproduction of the photograph.

Restrictions on Mugshot Access Certain booking photographs may be withheld from public disclosure if their release would jeopardize an ongoing investigation, endanger a witness, or if the individual is a juvenile. Juvenile records are confidential under Virginia law and are not subject to public disclosure.

Norfolk Sheriff's Office 811 E. City Hall Ave, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-6900 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Norfolk Sheriff's Office