How to find someone in jail

1. Start with the county where the arrest happened

Almost everyone arrested in the United States is first taken to a county jail, even when a city police department or the state highway patrol made the arrest. So the county where the arrest happened is the best place to start.

• Search the name on our search page. If we collect that county's roster, the person will appear once the jail publishes the booking.
• Open the county page for that area (from the state list on our home page) and use the link to the sheriff's own roster or inmate lookup. That is the source of record.
• If the county has no online roster, call the jail. Ask: "Was [full name, date of birth] booked, and what are the charges and bail?" Jail staff can usually confirm whether someone is in custody.

2. If the person does not show up yet

Not finding someone right away is very common. Booking (fingerprints, photo, property, medical screening) often takes 2 to 12 hours, and some jails only update their public list a few times a day.

• Try again in a few hours. Try the last name only, and try spelling variations and middle names.
• Check nearby counties. People are sometimes arrested in one county on a warrant from another, then moved.
• Small or rural jails may not publish a roster at all. Call them.
• If the person was released quickly (for example, cited and released), they may never appear on a roster.

3. Someone already sentenced: state prison

People serving a sentence of more than about a year for a state crime are usually held by the state department of corrections, not the county. Each state runs its own offender or inmate locator. You will find a link to it on each state page here, when we know it. Search by name, and if you know it, the state ID number.

4. Federal charges: the Bureau of Prisons

People sentenced for federal crimes are held by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The BOP runs a free inmate locator that covers people in its custody from 1982 to the present. See our federal prisons page for more.

People who are waiting for a federal trial are often held for the U.S. Marshals Service in a county jail or private facility, so they may appear on a county roster instead.

5. Immigration detention

People held on immigration matters are listed in the ICE Online Detainee Locator System at locator.ice.gov. You will usually need the person's country of birth, or their A-number.

6. Get told when something changes

Many jails and prisons take part in VINE, a free notification service at vinelink.com that can alert you by phone, text or email when someone is released or transferred. On our person and facility pages you can also sign up for an email when we see a booking or release.

What to have ready when you call a jail

• The person's full legal name, and any nicknames or other names they use
• Date of birth, or at least an approximate age
• When and where the arrest happened
• A pen: write down the booking number. You will need it for money, visits and mail.

Be calm and brief. Staff cannot discuss the facts of a case, but they can usually tell you the charges, bail amount and next court date if those are public.

Questions