Search Federal Way Booking Releases
Federal Way booking releases come from the Federal Way Police Department, the city records portal, and the King County Jail. The Federal Way PD holds police reports and arrest records tied to city cases. The county jail holds the booking data once a person is in custody. To find a Federal Way booking release you can use the city portal, call the police records office, or look up an inmate on the county jail roster. This page walks through each route.
Federal Way Overview
Federal Way Police Booking Releases
The Federal Way Police Department is the first stop for Federal Way booking releases tied to a city arrest. The Records unit is at 33325 8th Ave. S., Suite 101, Federal Way, WA 98003. Call 253-835-6700 or fax 253-835-6739. The Civilian Operations Manager serves as the Public Records Officer for all records held by the FWPD. The city responds to all requests under RCW 42.56, the Public Records Act. Staff must reply within five business days.
The Federal Way Public Records page lists the three record types the city handles: city records, police records, and court records. Each has its own path.
The page points you at the right portal based on what you need. Pick police records for booking related data.
Court records are handled by the Federal Way Municipal Court at 33325 8th Ave. S., Suite 102. Call 253-835-3000. Under GR 31.1, court records are not subject to the Public Records Act. Ask the Court Administrator for those.
Filing a Federal Way Records Request
Most Federal Way booking releases go through the city online portal. You can also submit in person at City Hall, by mail, email, fax, or phone. Paper forms are at City Hall during business hours. All requests, no matter the format, get entered into the online portal. You will get an email with a tracking number.
The City Clerk's Office at 33325 8th Ave. S., Federal Way, WA 98003, takes non-police records. Phone 253-835-2542. The clerk serves as the Public Records Officer for most city records. For police records use the FWPD line instead. Include clear details like names, dates, addresses, and report numbers. The PRA only covers "identifiable records" that exist at the time of the request.
Note: Within five business days, staff will either give you the record, send a link, provide a time estimate, ask for clarification, or deny the request with a reason.
Fees: photocopies cost $0.15 per page. Scanning is $0.10 per page. Electronic file transfer is $0.10 per gigabyte. Body worn camera redaction runs $0.83 per minute of edited video. Mailing is billed at actual cost.
King County Jail Booking Releases
Federal Way sits in King County. Anyone booked into the county jail goes through the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention. You can look up inmates on the King County Jail locator. The county runs jails in Seattle and in Kent. Either site may hold a Federal Way arrestee. A live tool at dajd-jms.powerappsportals.us lets you search by name or booking number.
Some Federal Way arrestees go to SCORE Jail in Des Moines. SCORE is a regional jail used by Federal Way, Auburn, Des Moines, Kent, Renton, and other south King County cities. Look up an inmate on the SCORE inmate lookup or call the Public Records Officer at 206-257-6200. The jail is at 20817 17th Avenue South, Des Moines, WA 98198. Under RCW 70.48.100, SCORE can only share the name, booking date, reason, release date, and release reason.
State Sources for Federal Way Booking Releases
Beyond the local options, the state holds extra data tied to Federal Way arrests. The Washington DOC Incarcerated Search is a free tool. It shows people held in state prison. Use it when the person has moved past county jail and into state custody. The DOC also runs a Wanted for Arrest page with active warrants.
The Washington State Patrol runs a paid background check tool called WATCH. Use the WSP Criminal History page to order a full report. The VINELink site is a free victim notification tool. Sign up and get an alert when an inmate is released.
Statutes and Federal Way Records Limits
State law sets the rules for Federal Way booking releases. Under RCW 70.48.100 jail records are confidential. The law only lets the jail share the arrestee name, the date and time of booking, the reason for booking, the date and time of release, and the reason for release. All other jail data is held back.
The Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 covers the rest of the police records held by FWPD. The city must respond in five business days. Some records are exempt. Ongoing investigation files and certain juvenile records are two examples.
In Person Visits for Federal Way Booking Releases
You can drop in during normal business hours to ask about Federal Way booking releases. Bring a photo ID and the case number if you have one. Staff can check the file and tell you if it is ready to release or still part of an open case. The FWPD handles most walk-in questions tied to Federal Way. Plan to spend a bit of time at the counter if the file is older or needs a fresh review.
The Federal Way City Hall is a good first contact if you need to know which office holds a specific file. Call 253-835-2542 ahead of time to confirm hours and any holiday closures. A phone call before the visit saves a wasted trip when the office is closed for lunch or for training.
Note: If you need a case number to start a search, ask the front desk to run a name lookup. Staff can often find a case tied to a recent Federal Way booking in just a few minutes.
Older cases may take longer since the file could be in archive storage. Archive retrieval can add a few days to the turnaround. The office will let you know up front if the file needs to be pulled from an off-site location.
For King County arrests that moved from a Federal Way traffic stop into the county jail, the fastest path is to check the county jail roster first, then file a separate records request with the agency that made the arrest.
Booking releases for Federal Way often come up in a few common life events. A family member may need to find out where a loved one has been taken after an arrest. A lawyer may need the booking data to prepare a case. A reporter may need the records for a news story. Each of these asks goes through the same public records path, but the forms and fees stay the same no matter who is asking. The Washington Public Records Act treats each request equally.
When you fill out a Federal Way records request, give clear dates and full names. Staff cannot guess which file you mean. A vague ask gets pushed back for clarification and adds days to the turnaround. A sharp, specific ask usually gets a clean response inside five business days. That matters when you are trying to get info fast on a King County booking.
Note: Keep a copy of the tracking number from your Federal Way records request. That number is the fastest way to check status or ask a follow up question later.
King County Booking Releases
Federal Way is in King County, and the county handles all jail booking data once a person is in custody. For the full county overview, visit our King County booking releases page.