Multnomah County Portland Booking Records
Multnomah County jail mugshots are managed by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in Portland, Oregon. As the most populated county in the state, Multnomah County processes a high volume of bookings each day. The county runs two jail sites and offers a public search tool called PAID. You can look up jail mugshots and arrest records through the sheriff's office or by using state resources. Portland is the county seat, and the main booking facility sits in the heart of the city. Booking photos from Multnomah County jails fall under Oregon's public records laws, though HB 3273 now limits how these jail mugshots can be shared.
MCSO PAID Inmate Search System
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office runs the PAID system. PAID stands for Public Access to Inmate Data. This online tool lets you search for inmates who are now in custody, those released in the last seven days, and those booked on a given day. The system shows the inmate's name, SWIS ID, booking date, charges, bail amount, and which facility holds them. Before HB 3273 took effect, PAID also showed jail mugshots. Now, booking photos are no longer part of the public search results.
You can access the PAID search tool through the MCSO PAID portal. The system is free to use. You do not need an account. Just type in a name and hit search. Results come up fast. The tool is a key resource for anyone who needs to check if a person is held in a Multnomah County jail. It pulls data from both MCDC and MCIJ, so you get a full view of the county's jail population in one place. The PAID system is updated in near real time, which makes it one of the most current inmate search tools in Oregon.
The PAID portal shown above is the main public tool for searching Multnomah County inmate records online.
Multnomah County Jail Mugshots and Facilities
Multnomah County runs two jail sites. The first is MCDC, the Multnomah County Detention Center. It sits at 1120 SW Third Avenue in Portland, OR 97204. MCDC has 676 beds and serves as the main booking point for the county. When law enforcement brings someone in, the booking process starts at MCDC. Staff take a booking photo, log the charge, and record the person's details. This is where most Multnomah County jail mugshots are created.
The second site is MCIJ, also known as Inverness Jail. It is at 11540 NE Inverness Drive in Portland, OR 97220. MCIJ holds inmates who have been through the initial booking at MCDC and are awaiting trial or serving short terms. Both jails are run by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. The jail info line is 503-988-3689 and runs around the clock, seven days a week. You can call this number to ask about a person's custody status or to get basic booking info.
The MCSO main line is 503-988-4300. The sheriff's admin office is at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 350, Portland, OR 97214. If you need to file a records request or have a question about Multnomah County jail mugshots, this is the office to contact. Staff can tell you what records are on file and how to get them.
Note: MCDC is the primary booking site, so most new Multnomah County jail mugshots are taken there.
Multnomah County Arrest Records Access
Oregon law says most arrest records are public. Under ORS Chapter 192, any person can ask to view arrest records from Multnomah County. You do not have to give a reason. The county must respond to your request within five business days. The first 30 minutes of staff time to find records is free.
Multnomah County jail mugshots are more complex to get than basic arrest data. Since January 1, 2022, Oregon's HB 3273 limits who can see booking photos. The law says these images can go to the person in the photo, law enforcement, crime victims, and parties in a related court case. Booking photos can also be shared after a conviction. This means that not all Multnomah County jail mugshots are free and open to the public at all times. Given the high volume of bookings in Portland and the cities served by MCSO, this law affects a large number of records each year.
Multnomah County uses a GovQA portal for public records requests. You can submit your request online through this system. It lets you track the status of your request and get updates by email. This is the fastest way to ask for records from any Multnomah County office. If the county denies your request, you can appeal. Contact the Oregon Department of Justice for guidance on the appeal process.
Portland Police Jail Mugshots and Records
The Portland Police Bureau handles records for arrests made by PPB officers in Multnomah County. The PPB Records Division is at 1111 SW 2nd Avenue, Room 1126, Portland, OR 97204. You can reach them at 503-823-0756. PPB does not accept records requests by phone or email per their policy ARA 8.03. You must submit a written request in person or by mail.
A background check through PPB costs $2. Processing can take three weeks or more. This is separate from a Multnomah County jail mugshot request through the sheriff's office. PPB records cover arrests made by Portland police, while MCSO records cover the jail booking and custody data. If you need both, you may have to file with each office. The DA's office can be reached at 503-988-3162 for questions about case records and charges.
Multnomah County serves several cities beyond Portland. These include Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview, and Wood Village. Each city has its own police force, but all bookings go through the Multnomah County jail system. So the jail mugshot for any arrest in these cities will be on file with MCSO.
Note: PPB's written request rule means you cannot call or email to get Portland arrest records.
State Tools for Multnomah County Inmate Search
Oregon runs several databases that may help you find records for people held in Multnomah County or moved to state custody. The Oregon Offender Search tool lets you look up anyone in the state prison system. You can search by name or state ID number. This tool does not show jail mugshots, but it gives you the person's status, location, and charge details. If someone was arrested in Multnomah County and later sent to a state prison, you can track them here.
The Oregon Department of Corrections runs 14 state prisons. None are in Multnomah County, but those convicted in Multnomah County courts may be sent to any state site. The DOC lets you file a public records request for more detailed info. Court records for Multnomah County cases can be searched through the Oregon Judicial Department online portal. The court phone number is 971-274-0504. Court records show charges, dates, and case outcomes but do not include jail mugshots.
The VINE system is a free tool for crime victims. It gives you updates on an inmate's custody status. You can sign up for alerts so you know when someone is moved or let go from a Multnomah County jail or any other site in Oregon.
How to Request Multnomah County Booking Records
To ask for jail mugshots or booking records from Multnomah County, follow these steps:
- Go to the GovQA portal and create a new request
- Name the person and include the date of arrest if known
- State which record type you want, such as a booking photo or arrest log
- Include your name and contact info
- Wait for a response within five business days per ORS 192.324
Multnomah County may ask you to pay for copies if the work takes more than 30 minutes. The office must tell you the cost before they charge you for any amount over $25. Given the volume of records in Multnomah County, complex requests may take longer to process. Simple requests for a single jail mugshot should be handled within the free time frame in most cases. You can also visit the MCSO admin office at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 350, in Portland to file in person.
Multnomah County Offender Records
Oregon keeps a sex offender registry that covers all counties. The VISOR system lets you search for registered sex offenders by name, address, or area. This tool shows photos, addresses, and offense details. It is free to use. Multnomah County, as the most populated county in Oregon, has a large number of entries in the VISOR system. If you live in Portland, Gresham, or any of the other cities in Multnomah County, this is a good tool to check.
The Oregon State Police also handle criminal history requests. You can ask for a record check on any person. This is separate from Multnomah County jail mugshots but gives you a broader view of someone's criminal history across the state. OSP data covers all Oregon counties, so it can show arrests and charges from beyond Multnomah County as well.
Booking Photo Laws in Multnomah County
Oregon's HB 3273 changed the rules for jail mugshots across the state on January 1, 2022. Before this law, the MCSO PAID system showed booking photos for anyone in custody. Now, Multnomah County no longer displays jail mugshots through the PAID portal. The system still shows names, charges, bail, and facility data. But the booking photo is restricted.
Under HB 3273, booking photos can only go to the person in the photo, law enforcement, crime victims, parties in the court case, and the public after a conviction. This law also targets websites that post jail mugshots and charge a fee to take them down. These sites must remove a photo within 30 days of a request, or within 7 days if charges were dropped. They cannot charge more than $50 for removal. Given the size of Multnomah County and the volume of bookings in Portland, this law has had a large impact on how jail mugshots are shared and viewed. The PAID tool remains useful for custody and charge data, but you will need to file a records request for any actual booking photo from Multnomah County.
Note: HB 3273 does not erase old Multnomah County booking photos; it only limits who can view them going forward.
Nearby Counties
Multnomah County borders several other Oregon counties. If you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check the location where it took place. Each county keeps its own jail mugshots and booking records.
Clackamas and Washington counties border Multnomah County to the south and west. Columbia County sits to the north along the Columbia River.