Buncombe County, North Carolina Inmate Search

A Buncombe County, North Carolina inmate search requests open records maintained by the Sheriff’s Office regarding a person’s stay at the Buncombe County Detention Facility (BCDF). The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) oversees operations at the jail facilities and is responsible for disseminating the associated county-level inmate records, including bond and charge information.

Notwithstanding, inquiries about arrested persons in Buncombe can be directed to the local police force. Municipal agencies like the Asheville and Black Mountain Police Departments, which operate in the county’s largest city and town, respectively, rely on the BCDF for detainee housing and processing. However, initial custody procedures may involve temporarily holding the arrestee at a local precinct for questioning or processing, pending transfer to county jurisdiction.

Where an individual arrested in Buncombe is later moved to state or federal custody, the search can be conducted through state agencies like the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (for adult felony offenders) or Youth Development Centers (YDCs) (for juveniles adjudicated for serious or violent offenses), or through the Federal Bureau of Prisons (for federal prisoners).

How to Find an Inmate in Buncombe County Jail

To locate an inmate at the Buncombe County Detention Facility (the county jail), individuals may reach out to the local Sheriff’s Office. Calls can be made to detention staff at the Sheriff’s department. Additionally, parties can utilize the online jail/inmate roster (Detainee Search), as described below, for remote inmate record inquiries or submit a public records request to the Sheriff’s administrative arm. The addresses of the Buncombe County Detention Facility and Sheriff’s Office are provided below.

Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office - Headquarters

60 Court Plaza

4th Floor

Asheville, NC 28801

Buncombe County Detention Facility

20 Davidson Drive

Asheville, NC 28801

How to Use the Buncombe County Jail Roster

The Buncombe County jail/inmate roster, officially known as the Detainee Search, is a web-based application on the Sheriff’s Office website for members of the public seeking information about the inmate population at the Buncombe County Detention Facility.

The roster is accessible as follows:

• Visit https://buncombesheriff.com/ on a browser.
• From the top menu, select "Detention" under the "Divisions" section to access the Detention Division’s webpage.
• Select the "Detainee Search" option, located further down the page and identifiable by a search icon.
• On the next page (the Detainee Search program), enter a name to filter the results page. Advanced filters, such as age, charge, and arrest date, are also available.
• View the inmate’s jail profile. To view the full profile, including the inmate’s charges, traits, scars/marks/tattoos, and reasons for release, select "See More Detail."

What Information is Included in the Buncombe County Inmate Roster

Accessible to members of the public on the Buncombe County jail roster is the following data:

• Inmate Personal/Descriptive Data: Mugshot, full name, age, gender, race, height, weight, traits, scars/marks/tattoos
• Arrest Date: The specific date the individual was apprehended by the police
• Court Date: The specific date the individual must appear in court.
• Primary Charge: The offense considered most serious for classifying the inmate’s arrest or record. This includes the legal statute governing the charge and a brief description of it.
• Booking Agency: This is typically the Sheriff’s department
• Holding Facility: The inmate’s precise location, whether they are currently at the main/central jail or the jail annex
• Total Bond Amount: The full sum payable to release the inmate from secure custody while their case is pending in court. If an inmate has more than one bondable charge, the sum includes all charges, and they cannot be released until the total is paid.
• Charges: For each inmate, a comprehensive list of charges is provided, detailing specific information about every charge, such as the
  • Governing statute: The particular North Carolina General Statute (N.C.G.S.) that describes the criminal offense.
  • Description: A short synopsis of the charge (e.g., Assault, Probation Violation).
  • Status: The present status of the charge. For most individuals at the BCDF, their case status is "pre-trial," meaning no sentencing or conviction has yet occurred.
  • Docket number: The unique identifier assigned by the court to track the case within the court system.
  • Bond type: This field indicates the nature of the inmate’s release conditions. Possible entries include
    • No Bond: Indicates the inmate is ineligible for release.
    • Secured: Financial collateral is required for the inmate’s release.
    • Unsecured: The inmate was released on their personal recognizance (signed, written promise). The stated amount is the financial penalty they will owe the court if they miss their court date.
    • Included W Other: Marks a consolidated bond.
  • Bond status: The current status of the bond. For example, ACTI-which means the bond is "active" and the inmate is eligible for release once satisfied-or INAC, which stands for an "inactive," marking cases that may have been disposed of by the court.
  • Bond amount: The exact amount payable to secure the inmate’s release from custody while their legal proceedings are ongoing.

In accordance with the North Carolina Public Records Law, the preceding information is available to any member of the public. This law broadly grants access to government records, except for those deemed exempt by statute or judicial order. One example is a juvenile offender’s record.

Contact Details for Buncombe County Jail or Sheriff’s Office

To contact the Buncombe County Detention Facility or the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office concerning individuals arrested within the county, individuals can use the following key details:

Facility/Office	Physical Address	Phone Number
Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office	60 Court Plaza 4th Floor Asheville, NC 28801	Administration: (828) 250-4503 (The Sheriff’s Administrative Office is open Mondays through Fridays, 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.)
Buncombe County Detention Facility	20 Davidson Drive Asheville, NC 28801	Front Desk: (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557

Jail Facility Overview in Buncombe County

The Buncombe County Detention Facility in North Carolina comprises a main jail facility and a jail annex, with a combined capacity to house 524 inmates. The facility’s population averages 430 inmates daily and mainly consists of pre-trial inmates-individuals (adults) charged with offenses within the county.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) manages the custody of juveniles involved in delinquent acts through its Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP). This separate system utilizes two kinds of secure custody centers for youths within North Carolina: juvenile detention centers and youth development centers. Juvenile detention centers are temporary residences for young people accused of committing a delinquent act or being a runaway. Meanwhile, YDCs provide long-term secure confinement focused on the education and treatment of youth committed by the court. Per the latest Juvenile Justice Update, the DJJDP maintains 445 detention beds and 196 youth development center beds across all facilities.

Agency	Office and Mail Address	Phone Number	Office Hours	Email
Buncombe County Detention Facility	20 Davidson Drive Asheville, NC 28801	Front Desk: (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557	24 hours a day, full week	No general inquiry email address. Call the Front Desk instead.
Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention	Central Office Physical Address: 3010 Hammond Business Place Raleigh, NC 27603 Mailing Address: 4212 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-4212	NCDPS Main Line: (919) 710-8885 Central Office Phone: (919) 733-3388 Juvenile Records Manager: (919) 324-6065	Standard Administrative Hours: 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays Secure Facilities: 24 hours a day, full week	For email addresses of key staff, refer to the Agency Contact Directory.

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Buncombe County Detention Facility

The Buncombe County Detention Facility primarily uses an authorized third-party vendor to provide inmate money deposit services. Individuals who wish to fund an inmate’s account for commissary purchases or phone minutes can set up an account on the vendor’s website. Funding instructions are specified on the vendor’s page after signing up, and a convenience fee applies per transaction.

Inmate Search by Jail Facility

To find persons imprisoned at the Buncombe County Detention Facility, individuals can utilize the "Detainee Search" tool (jail/inmate roster) provided on the local Sheriff’s Office website, as explained earlier.

A key nuance regarding the adult detention facility in Buncombe County must be highlighted: As mentioned, the BCDF’s population is composed mainly of inmates awaiting trial in the Buncombe County District or Superior Court. However, the facility also houses

• Inmates with sentences of 90 days or less
• Inmates with sentences of over 90 days: These inmates are managed by the Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program (SMCP) (G.S. § 148-32.1). Sentenced (SMCP) inmates may remain at the BCDF or be transferred to another participating county jail. When searching for an SMCP inmate, the "Detainee Search" is not the appropriate tracker if the inmate is not currently residing in the BCDF. Searches should be conducted on the SMCP’s Inmate Locator site instead.

For records of juveniles under the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s custody, requests can be made to the DJJDP Juvenile Records Manager. However, in line with state and federal confidentiality laws (e.g., G.S. 7B-3001), juvenile records are withheld from public inspection and disseminated only to legally authorized parties, such as the juvenile’s parents/guardians/custodians.

Facility	Inmate Type	Availability of Public Inmate Search/Roster	Search Method to Use	Limitations/Notes
Buncombe County Detention Facility	Pre-Trial/Short Sentence (≤ 90 Days)	Yes	Access the BCDF’s Detainee Search tool.	Only displays public records for an inmate currently in BCDF custody.
Buncombe County Detention Facility	Short Sentence - Misdemeanor (> 90 Days)	Yes	The BCDF’s Detainee Search tool (for those incarcerated locally) or the SMCP Inmate Locator (for those transferred to other county facilities)	Only displays public records for sentenced inmates.
Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention - Juvenile Detention Centers & Youth Development Centers	Pre-Trial/Adjudicated Youth	No	Contact DJJDP’s Juvenile Records Manager at (919) 324-6065 Written requests can be submitted online or via email The email address and online portal for submitting requests, as well as guidance on retrieving juvenile records and access limitations, are specified on the NCDPS Requests for Juvenile Records page.	Juvenile records are strictly confidential per NC law. Records are accessible only to legally authorized parties, such as the juvenile’s parent/guardian/custodian, the juvenile’s attorney, law enforcement, U.S. probation offices, and the Department of Social Services.

Buncombe County Visitation Rules and Schedules

Inmates at the Buncombe County Detention Facility are permitted social visits from friends and family. To schedule a first-time visit, one will need to coordinate with the BCDF’s Front Desk at (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557. Additional visits can be scheduled online through the facility’s vendor.

The BCDF’s visitation days and time blocks are as follows:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

In-person visitation sessions at the BCDF are 20 minutes long and must be scheduled by the visitor 24 hours in advance. A maximum of one adult and one child may attend each visit.

The following regulations apply:

• All visitors must present an unexpired government-issued photo ID (state/federal ID or driver’s license). Minors (15 years or younger) do not need to show ID when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The accompanying adult must supervise the minor at all times.
• No items or belongings may be left unattended in the lobby area.
• Visitors are prohibited from having the following items on their person: weapons, wallets (female), sharp items (any), radios, purses, pictures, pens, pencils, paper, pocket knives, matches, lighters, nail files, nail clippers, recording devices, cellular phones, and bags.
• All inmates and visitors must remain fully clothed during the visit.
• Visits are terminated immediately for inappropriate behavior, such as the use of abusive or obscene language.

Mailing and Commissary Information

Individuals have the option to fund an account for a Buncombe County Detention Facility inmate by making an online deposit via the facility’s approved vendor’s website (as explained earlier).

While inmates can receive personal mail (physical letters) from anyone outside the facility, the jail uses a different vendor to process such services. Mail sent to a BCDF inmate is routed through a private digital scanning service in Maryland. This vendor scans all letters and uploads them to the specified inmate’s issued tablet. To ensure mail is delivered correctly, senders must use the inmate’s full name and ID number, and also include their full name (first and last) and complete return address. The correct mailing address format is listed on the Sheriff’s website.