Rice County Booking Records and Inmate Search
Rice County recent bookings are managed by the Sheriff's Office located in Faribault, which runs the county jail and processes all arrests made within Rice County. Under Minnesota law, booking and arrest data is classified as public government information, meaning anyone can request or search it without providing a reason. This page explains where to find Rice County booking records, what the records contain, how to use state-level tools for broader searches, and what Minnesota law says about record retention, booking fees, and the path to expungement for people seeking to address past arrests.
Rice County Jail Overview
Rice County Jail Bookings and Roster Data
The Rice County Sheriff's Office at 3700 Division St. W. in Faribault runs the county jail and handles all booking functions for people arrested in Rice County. A note on geography: the city of Faribault is the county seat of Rice County and is a separate place from Faribault County, which is located further west. This county and city share a name but are not related administratively. All jail bookings for Rice County go through this Faribault facility.
Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, law enforcement must make arrest and booking data public. This means when someone is booked into the Rice County jail, a record is created that is available to any member of the public. The Sheriff's Office may maintain this data on a publicly accessible roster or make it available through records requests. For the most current inmate status, calling 507-332-1320 during business hours is the fastest option. Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody and walk you through the records request process if you need documentation. The Rice County website has updated contact information and office hours.
The county is served by the 3rd Judicial District, so court case filings, hearing schedules, and dispositions for Rice County arrests can be tracked through the Minnesota Courts public access portal by searching the 3rd District.
What Rice County Booking Records Include
Minnesota Statute 13.82 defines what arrest data is public. In Rice County, a standard booking record includes the name of the person arrested, the date and time of booking, the charges listed at intake, the arresting agency, and the location where the person is being held. This information is available to any person who requests it. You do not need an attorney, a court order, or any special reason to get it.
Not all data collected at intake is public. Home addresses and some case management notes are not in the public-facing record. More importantly, the charges shown on the booking record are what the arresting officer documented. The county attorney may file different charges after reviewing the case. Some charges get upgraded, others get reduced, and some cases are not prosecuted at all. The booking record will not reflect those later changes. If you need the full legal outcome, search for the case on the Minnesota Courts portal, which shows filed charges, court dates, and case disposition.
The record shows what happened at arrest. It is not a finding of guilt or a complete picture of the legal outcome.
How to Search Rice County Jail Records
The most direct method is contacting the Rice County Sheriff's Office at 507-332-1320. For current inmate status, a phone inquiry is usually the fastest route. If you need records in a more formal format, you can submit a written public records request to the office at 3700 Division St. W., Faribault, MN 55021. Under Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act, the office is required to respond within a reasonable time, typically within 10 business days for most requests.
The BCA criminal history search at the Department of Public Safety covers arrest records from all 87 counties. It costs $8 per search and requires a name and date of birth. This tool is useful when you want records from multiple counties or when the local office's records window does not go back far enough. The BCA overview page explains exactly what the search returns, including what types of records are and are not included in the results.
If the person you are looking for was sentenced to a state prison rather than the county jail, use the Minnesota DOC offender locator. That system shows current location, release dates, and supervision status for people in DOC custody. County jail and state prison are separate systems. Check both if you are unsure where someone ended up after sentencing.
The VINELink victim notification platform is available to anyone who needs automatic updates on an inmate's custody status. It is free to register, works across county jail and state DOC facilities, and sends alerts by phone, text, or email when the person's status changes. This is often the best tool for ongoing monitoring rather than a one-time lookup.
Rice County Sheriff's Office
The Rice County Sheriff's Office manages all jail operations, booking procedures, and inmate records for the county. Questions about current custody, recent bookings, or formal records requests should be directed here. The Rice County website lists full department contact information and hours for the Sheriff and other county offices.
| Office | Rice County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 3700 Division St. W. Faribault, MN 55021 |
| Phone | 507-332-1320 |
| County Website | co.rice.mn.us |
Scam Alert: The Rice County Sheriff's Office will not contact you by phone demanding payment for bail, fines, or warrants. Any such call is fraudulent. Hang up and call the office directly to verify.
Fees, Retention, and Expungement in Rice County
Booking records persist in the Rice County system long after a person leaves the jail. Minnesota Statute 138.17 governs how government records are retained. Jail files fall under those rules, and the Sheriff's Office must keep them for the periods the state mandates. A person being released or having their case dismissed does not automatically result in the deletion of the booking file.
When someone is booked into the Rice County jail, a booking fee is charged under Minnesota Statute 641.12. This covers the administrative cost of intake and is separate from bail, court fees, or fines. The fee is assessed at booking and applies regardless of the case outcome. Under Minnesota Statute 641.08, counties have authority to set jail management rules and procedures that go beyond the state minimum requirements.
Someone who wants to remove a Rice County booking from their public record can file for expungement under Minnesota Statute 609A. The process runs through the district court. If the petition is granted, the court record is sealed. The law enforcement file may also be sealed depending on the charge level and outcome. Not every arrest qualifies. The type of offense, how the case ended, and the time elapsed since the arrest all affect eligibility. LawHelpMN offers free self-help guides that cover Minnesota expungement law in plain language and include the forms needed to start a petition.
A court expungement order does not compel private websites to remove data they collected before the order was issued.
The Minnesota Courts public access portal is the primary tool for tracking Rice County case filings, court dates, and case outcomes after someone is booked and charges are formally filed in the 3rd Judicial District.
State tools like the courts portal and the BCA criminal history search complement local Rice County booking data and can help fill gaps when local records are limited or when a case spans multiple counties.
Nearby Counties
Rice County is bordered by several south-central Minnesota counties. Arrests near county boundaries may have been processed by a neighboring jurisdiction. Check these pages if you are not certain which county holds the record.