Start with the county sheriff’s office inmate roster for the county where the arrest happened. Sheriffs run the county jails in most of the United States.
Which one you need depends entirely on who arrested them and how long ago.
Where to look, in order
| If the person is in… | Search here |
|---|---|
| A county jail — recently arrested, awaiting a hearing, or serving a short sentence | The county sheriff’s office inmate roster for the county of arrest. |
| A city or municipal lockup — the first hours after an arrest | The arresting police department directly. These rarely publish rosters online. |
| A state prison — sentenced to more than a year | The state department of corrections offender locator. |
| A federal prison | The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, which covers 1982 to the present. |
County jails are run by sheriffs, city police run their own short term holding cells, and the two are not the same system. If you are not sure which agency covers an address, our guide on police departments vs sheriff’s offices explains how to tell them apart.
Why your search might come up empty
- Booking takes time. Someone arrested an hour ago may not appear on any roster for several hours.
- They are still in a city lockup and have not been transferred to the county jail yet.
- Wrong county. People are held where they were arrested, not where they live.
- Name spelling. Rosters match exactly. Try a partial surname, and try middle names and known aliases.
- They were released. Cited and released, bailed out, or the charge was dropped.
- The record is restricted. Juveniles, protected witnesses and some federal holds do not appear publicly.
When the search fails, call
If the online roster shows nothing and you have good reason to think someone was arrested, call the non emergency number of the agency you believe arrested them and ask whether they are in custody. Booking staff can usually confirm it and tell you which facility they are being held at.
Have the person’s full legal name and date of birth ready, and the approximate date and location of the arrest. Ask specifically for the booking or records desk rather than the general switchboard.
Do not call 911 to ask whether someone has been arrested. It is never an emergency, and it ties up a line that someone else may need.
What the roster will and will not show
A typical county roster shows the booking date, the charges, the bond amount and sometimes a next court date. It does not tell you whether someone is guilty of anything: an arrest is an accusation, and charges are frequently reduced or dropped.
Rosters are also public records, which is why commercial sites copy them and then charge for access. Go to the sheriff’s own website first. It is free and it is more current.
Finding the right number
Search our directory for the city or county to get the non emergency number, address and official website of the police department or sheriff’s office you need. Procedures for visits, phone calls and bail vary by facility, so the agency itself is always the authority.
Three systems, three places to look
County jail
Run by the sheriff. Recent arrests, people awaiting a hearing and short sentences. Most publish a daily roster.
State prison
Sentences over a year. Search the state department of corrections offender locator.
Federal prison
The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, which covers 1982 to the present.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I not find someone who I know was just arrested?
Booking takes time. Someone arrested an hour ago may not appear on any roster for several hours, and they may still be in a city lockup rather than the county jail. Try again later, and check the spelling of the name.
Is it free to search?
Yes. Rosters are public records, which is why commercial sites copy them and then charge for access. Go to the sheriff’s own website first: it is free and it is more current.
Does an arrest mean the person is guilty?
No. A roster shows the booking date, the charges and the bond amount. An arrest is an accusation, and charges are frequently reduced or dropped.
Find your local non emergency number
157 agencies across 6 states, every number checked against the agency’s own official website.