Find Bellingham Jail Mugshots
Bellingham jail mugshots come from arrests made by the Bellingham Police Department. People booked in Bellingham go to the Whatcom County Jail at 311 Grand Avenue. The county runs an online jail roster with booking photos, charges, and bail info. This page shows you where to search, how to request a police report, and what Washington law says about access to booking records. Bellingham is in Whatcom County and is the largest city there. Use the search tool below to begin.
Bellingham Overview
Bellingham Jail Mugshots Overview
Bellingham is the largest city in Whatcom County and has the biggest municipal police department in the region. The Bellingham Police Department serves about 90,000 residents. The department is at 505 Grand Avenue and the main line is 360-778-8611. Arrests made by Bellingham Police are booked into the Whatcom County Jail, which is just up the street at 311 Grand Avenue. Booking photos are taken during intake.
The Records Division handles requests for police reports, arrest records, and body camera footage under the Washington Public Records Act. The department publishes a daily media log on its website with notes on significant incidents. The log is a quick way to see what happened in town each day, though it does not include mugshots or full arrest details.
The jail is run by the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office.
Bellingham Police Department Records
The Bellingham Police main page lists all records services. Reports come from the Records Division.
The Bellingham Police site links to records requests, daily logs, and contact info for the records unit.
The Evidence and Identification unit handles fingerprinting, seized property, and safekeeping. Property can be claimed by appointment. Fingerprinting is open to the public for certain licensing needs. To file a records request, go through the City Public Records Officer or the Bellingham PD Records Coordinator. The full Bellingham public disclosure policy is posted as a PDF on the city website and outlines how requests are handled under RCW 42.56.
Note: The city says you should search the Bellingham website first for commonly requested records like crime stats and the police daily activity log before filing a formal request.
Whatcom County Jail Roster Search
The best place to find a Bellingham booking photo is the Whatcom County Jail Roster Search. The roster lists every inmate booked by Bellingham Police and other county agencies. Click on a name to see the full booking record, including the mugshot, charges, and bail amount. The roster updates multiple times daily. You can search by last name, first name, or booking number. Everyone is housed at the Whatcom County Jail on Grand Avenue.
The image below shows the Bellingham Municipal Court, which works alongside the jail for local cases.
The Bellingham Municipal Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases that come out of Bellingham arrests.
The court is at 625 Halleck Street. Case searches work by name, case number, or citation number. The court tracks warrants for people who fail to appear. Felony cases move to the Whatcom County Superior Court instead.
Access Bellingham Booking Photos
Booking photos in Bellingham are public under state law. RCW 70.48.100 makes jail registers open for public inspection. That includes the date of booking, charges, and the person's name. The mugshot itself is part of the broader arrest record. Criminal history data is handled separately under RCW 10.97, which controls what can be shared.
If you want the full report behind a mugshot, file a public records request with Bellingham PD. Requests can be submitted online, by mail, by fax, in person, or by email. The five business day response window applies. Exemptions and redactions follow RCW 42.56. Some details stay back when they involve victims, minors, or ongoing investigations.
How to Search Bellingham Arrests
Here is a quick list for finding a Bellingham arrest:
- Full name of the person
- Date of birth to filter common names
- Approximate arrest date
- Case number if you have one
Start with the Whatcom County Jail roster. If the person is out, try the court case search on the Washington Courts site. Then file a records request with the Bellingham Police Department for the report.
Bellingham Jail Mugshots and Public Law
The Bellingham Public Records Officer is listed on cob.org. The City Council made the call that keeping a full records index would be too burdensome, so requests get handled case by case. Each department has a records coordinator. The daily activity log and the Bellingham Municipal Code are online for anyone to read.
Police mugshots can stay on the public roster until the person is released or moved. After that, they live inside the arrest report, which you can still request.
Note: A fee may apply for larger records requests in Bellingham, and body camera footage usually costs more and takes longer than a standard report.
Whatcom County Jail Mugshots
Bellingham is in Whatcom County, and every Bellingham booking goes through the Whatcom County Jail. For a full countywide list of search tools, records, and agency links, view the Whatcom County page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Bellingham. Each files its own arrests through its local jail.