Manassas Busted Mugshots and Arrest Records
Manassas busted mugshots and arrest records are kept by the Manassas Police Department and the Manassas Circuit Court. Manassas is an independent city in Northern Virginia, separate from Prince William County despite being located within it geographically. People arrested in Manassas are held at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center. The city has its own Circuit Court and General District Court that handle criminal cases. This page covers where to find booking photos, how to check inmate status, and how to request criminal court records from Manassas.
Manassas Overview
Manassas Police Department Arrest Records
The Manassas Police Department handles all law enforcement inside city limits. The department makes arrests, processes bookings, and generates records for each person taken into custody. Those records include the person's name, date of arrest, charges, and booking photograph. Under Virginia law, these records are public and available to anyone who requests them.
The governing statute is Virginia Code §2.2-3706. Adult arrestee photographs taken during initial intake are mandatory release records under this law. The Manassas Police Department must release a booking photo to anyone who submits a proper FOIA request. The department can only withhold the photo if doing so is needed to protect an active felony investigation. Once that concern is resolved, the photo must be released.
The Manassas Police Department accepts FOIA requests by mail and in person. Submit a written request to the Records Division with the name of the person arrested and the arrest date. The department must respond within five business days. Visit manassasva.gov/police for current contact information and submission instructions. Plain copies cost less than certified copies, and fees vary, so confirm the current fee schedule when you contact the department.
The Manassas Police Department is the primary source for booking records and mugshots from Manassas arrests. Their Records Division processes FOIA requests for recent and historical arrest records.
Arrest records from Manassas Police are reported to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange, making Manassas arrest data part of the statewide criminal history system and available in background checks conducted through the CCRE.
Manassas Circuit Court Criminal Records
Manassas has its own Circuit Court that handles felony criminal cases and appeals. The Circuit Court at manassasva.gov/circuit-court maintains criminal records for all felony cases processed within the city. The court clerk's office handles records requests, copy orders, and case history lookups. These records are public and searchable by name or case number.
The Virginia Online Case Information System (OCIS) provides online access to Manassas circuit court case records. Search by party name or case number to see charges, case status, hearing dates, and outcomes. The OCIS system is the fastest way to confirm whether a case is pending, disposed, or on appeal without calling the clerk's office.
For misdemeanor cases and preliminary hearings, the General District Court at vacourts.gov holds those records. Not all General District Court records are in the online system. You may need to contact the clerk directly or appear in person to request misdemeanor case histories from Manassas.
The Manassas Circuit Court maintains felony criminal case records for Manassas arrests that were prosecuted at the circuit court level. The clerk's office processes records requests and can pull case histories by name.
Criminal convictions from Manassas Circuit Court proceedings are reported to the Central Criminal Records Exchange, making them part of the statewide criminal history that appears in official Virginia background checks.
Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center
People arrested in Manassas are held at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center (ADC). The ADC is operated by Prince William County and serves both Prince William County and the independent cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. To verify whether someone arrested in Manassas is currently in custody, contact the ADC directly.
The ADC can be reached at 703-792-5811 or 703-792-6420. The facility can only verify information on inmates who are currently incarcerated. If a person has been released, the ADC will not have active custody information. For released individuals, check court records or the CCRE for case status. The ADC website at pwcva.gov/department/adult-detention-center has additional contact information and facility details.
You can also use VINE at vinelink.com to check custody status without calling the facility. VINE is Virginia's free statewide inmate notification service. It covers the Prince William ADC and lets you register for alerts by phone, text, or email when a specific person's custody status changes. This is useful if you need to track multiple status changes over time without calling repeatedly.
Note: The Prince William ADC serves both Manassas and Manassas Park. Inmates from both cities appear on the same facility roster.Northern Virginia and Statewide Arrest Tools
Manassas sits in the northern part of Virginia, part of the broader Northern Virginia metro area. Several statewide tools can extend a Manassas-specific search. The Virginia State Police Criminal Background division runs name-based criminal history checks covering all of Virginia. The fee is $15 using the SP-167 form, and the turnaround is about 15 days by mail. Results include Manassas arrests and convictions alongside any other records in the person's Virginia history.
The Virginia Department of Corrections Offender Locator shows people currently serving state prison sentences. If someone was convicted in Manassas and sent to a VADOC facility, this tool shows the current facility, release date, and photo. The search is free. This is separate from the ADC, which holds people awaiting trial or serving local sentences.
The Virginia.arrests.org database is a third-party site that aggregates recent arrest data from local agencies across Virginia. It can surface recent Manassas bookings with charge details and dates. For sex offenders registered in the Manassas area, the official source is the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. It is free, searchable by name or zip code, and maintained by the Virginia State Police with photos of registered offenders.
FOIA Rights and Expungement in Manassas
Virginia's Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to request arrest records from Manassas law enforcement. The main statute is Virginia Code §2.2-3706. This law requires mandatory release of mugshots, felony incident information, and basic arrest data. Submit a written FOIA request to the Manassas Police Department. The department has five business days to respond. If they deny the request, they must cite a specific legal exemption.
Since July 1, 2021, criminal investigative files from closed cases must also be released under Virginia Code §2.2-3706.1. This expanded the scope of what you can get from Manassas law enforcement through FOIA requests. Before 2021, investigative files were discretionary. Now they are required for closed cases, with limited exceptions for ongoing investigations or safety concerns.
If a Manassas arrest ended in an acquittal or dismissal, the person can petition for expungement under Virginia Code §19.2-392.2. The petition goes to the Manassas Circuit Court. The person serves the prosecutor and submits fingerprints. After a hearing, the court decides whether to grant the petition. If granted, the record is removed from public view. Virginia's record sealing law under Title 19.2, Chapter 23 goes into effect July 1, 2026 and adds a path for eligible convictions to be sealed from public access as well.
Nearby Cities
These Virginia independent cities are near Manassas in Northern Virginia and each keeps separate arrest records and mugshots.