Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Caldwell County, Kentucky, has about 13,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DUI arrest in Caldwell County starts two cases, a criminal case in the District Court and a license case before the Transportation Cabinet, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Caldwell County public records, Caldwell County arrest records, Caldwell County warrants, Caldwell County inmate search, Caldwell County criminal records, Kentucky arrest records and Kentucky inmate search.
The DUI Law in Kentucky
Drunk driving is charged as DUI in Kentucky, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in Kentucky is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DUI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Transportation Cabinet, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, Kentucky counts prior offenses within 10 years.
Who Makes DUI Arrests in Caldwell County
The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Princeton make the DUI arrests in Caldwell County.
Together, the two agencies in Caldwell County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 663 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Caldwell County does not break DUI out.
Booking After a DUI Arrest in Caldwell County
A driver arrested for DUI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, held about 15 people on an average day in 2021 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at caldwellcounty.ky.gov/elected-officials/Pages/sheriff.aspx, phone (270) 365-2088. The Caldwell County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
A DUI charge from Caldwell County is brought by the Commonwealth's Attorney in the District Court.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at caldwellcounty.ky.gov, phone (270) 388-9494.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Caldwell.aspx, phone 270-365-6884.
Kentucky has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
The License Case
A DUI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Transportation Cabinet. The driving record, kept by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, carries the result of both.
The Records a DUI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Kentucky Open Records Act.
- The court file: from the District Court, kept by the Circuit Court Clerk.
- The driving record: from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
More on each: Caldwell County arrest records, Caldwell County police reports and Caldwell County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DUI limit in Kentucky?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DUI case from Caldwell County heard?
In the District Court, brought by the Commonwealth's Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at kycourts.gov.
Where is a person arrested for DUI in Caldwell County held?
At the county jail, run by the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DUI arrest in Kentucky?
The Transportation Cabinet, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DUI count as a prior in Kentucky?
10 years.
Is this the official Caldwell County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.