Santa Maria Booking Records
Santa Maria 72 hour booking records come from the Santa Maria Police Department and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff. The city has its own police force that handles arrests within city limits. People arrested by the Santa Maria PD are either booked at the city jail or transferred to the Santa Barbara County Main Jail in Santa Barbara. Booking records from both agencies are public under California law. You can search for recent bookings online through the county's custody search tool or by contacting the Santa Maria PD directly. No fee is charged for basic booking lookups.
Santa Maria Booking Quick Facts
Santa Maria Booking in Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria sits in the northern part of Santa Barbara County. It is the largest city in the county by population. The Santa Maria Police Department makes arrests in the city and handles initial bookings. For short-term holds and misdemeanors, people stay at the city jail. Those facing serious charges or longer holds get transferred to the county system.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff operates the main jail system for the county. The Northern Branch Jail near Santa Maria opened in 2019 and serves as the primary detention facility for the north county area. This jail replaced the older Santa Maria facility that had limited capacity. People arrested in Santa Maria who need longer custody end up at the Northern Branch Jail or, in some cases, the Main Jail in Santa Barbara.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's custody search tool shows who is currently held in any county jail facility. It covers inmates from all cities in the county, including those arrested by the Santa Maria PD.
Santa Maria Police Department Records
The Santa Maria PD handles booking records for arrests made by its officers. The department is at 222 East Cook Street, Santa Maria, CA 93454. You can call them at (805) 928-3781 to ask about someone in custody. The police department also takes written public records requests for booking data and arrest reports.
Santa Maria PD has a records division that processes requests during business hours. Basic booking information like names, charges, and bail is available by phone for recent arrests. Older records require a formal request. The department must respond within 10 days under the California Public Records Act. Copy fees may apply for printed documents, but the lookup itself is free.
Santa Maria Booking Law
California Government Code 7923.610 requires all law enforcement agencies to release booking information. This includes the Santa Maria PD and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff. The data that must be disclosed includes the full name of the person, their date of birth, charges, bail amount, booking date and time, and the facility where they are held. No agency in California can withhold this information.
The California DOJ provides public records request forms that apply to all booking records held at the state level, including those from Santa Maria arrests.
This DOJ form covers state-level record requests. Local requests go through the Santa Maria PD or the Santa Barbara County Sheriff.
Penal Code 851.5 gives people who are arrested the right to three phone calls within three hours of booking. The calls can go to a lawyer, a bail agent, or a relative. Both the Santa Maria city jail and the county jails must honor this right. No charge can be made for these calls.
Santa Maria Arrest Process
When Santa Maria PD officers make an arrest, the process starts with transport to the city jail. At booking, staff take the person's photograph and fingerprints. They record the name, date of birth, height, weight, charges, and other identifying details. Bail is set using the Santa Barbara County bail schedule. Each charge has a dollar amount tied to it.
Many misdemeanor arrests in Santa Maria result in a cite-and-release. The person gets booked but is let go with a court date. They do not sit in jail. A booking record is still created for every arrest, even cite-and-release cases. For felony arrests, the person typically stays in custody until they post bail or go before a judge. That first court appearance usually happens within 48 hours, not counting weekends and holidays.
- City jail at 222 East Cook Street handles initial booking
- Northern Branch Jail serves longer-term holds
- Cite-and-release is common for minor offenses
- Felony arrests may mean a hold until court
- Bail follows the Santa Barbara County schedule
How to Find Santa Maria Bookings
Start with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's online custody search. It is the fastest way to check if someone is currently in jail. If the arrest just happened, the person may not show up yet. Processing takes time. Try calling the Santa Maria PD for the most recent arrests. The phone line can confirm custody status before the online tool updates.
For records that are more than a few days old, file a written request. The Santa Maria PD records division and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff both accept public records requests. Include the person's full name and any other identifying details you have. A date of arrest narrows the search significantly. Response times vary, but 10 business days is the standard deadline set by state law.
Nearby City Booking Records
Santa Maria is in the north end of Santa Barbara County. The nearest large cities with booking record pages are to the south in Ventura County.
Oxnard and Ventura are both in Ventura County. Their booking records go through the Ventura County Sheriff after local processing. Each city page covers how to search that city's booking data.