To find an inmate ID number, search the free online locator run by the agency that holds the person in custody. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator for federal inmates, the state department of corrections database for state prisoners, the county sheriff’s roster for someone in a local jail, and ICE’s Online Detainee Locator for immigration detainees. Each tool lets you search by name and returns the assigned ID number along with the facility. If online results are stale or empty, call the facility’s records office with the person’s full legal name and date of birth.
Start With the Right Agency
The number you need depends on who has custody. Federal prisoners get an eight-digit register number assigned when they enter Bureau of Prisons custody. State prisoners get a DOC number from their state’s corrections system. County jail inmates get a booking number from the sheriff. ICE detainees are tracked by their nine-digit Alien Registration Number, or A-Number. Searching the wrong database is the single most common reason people can’t find someone, so identify the level of custody first and go straight to that agency’s tool.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Locator
If the person is in federal custody, use the BOP’s free Inmate Locator, which covers everyone incarcerated in the federal system from 1982 to the present.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Find an Inmate You can search by name or, if you already have a partial number, by register number.2Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal Inmates By Name Filters for race, sex, and age help narrow results when the name is common.
Results show the register number, age, and current facility. That register number is what you’ll need for mail, deposits, and phone accounts. If the person was released before 1982 or was never in federal custody, the BOP locator won’t return results and you’ll need to search at the state or county level.
State Department of Corrections Databases
Every state runs a department of corrections with its own online inmate search.3USAGov. State Departments of Corrections Most let you search by name, date of birth, or DOC number. Results typically include the ID number, current facility, and projected release date. Some states also publish the offense of conviction and custody level.
State DOC databases only cover people sentenced to state prison. Someone held pretrial, or serving a short sentence in a county jail, usually won’t appear in the state system even if the arrest happened in that state. If a state search comes up empty, drop down to the county level.
County Jail Rosters and VINE
County jails are run by the local sheriff, and each one maintains its own roster. Most sheriff’s offices publish a searchable roster on their website that returns the booking number along with charges and bond information. Check the sheriff’s site for the jurisdiction where the arrest happened.
VINELink, run by the DHS-VINE program, is a useful second stop.4DHS-VINE. VINELink It lets you search participating jails and prisons across all 50 states and sign up for custody status notifications. The service was built for crime victims but is open to anyone. It’s free and runs around the clock, though not every county participates.
Finding an ICE Detainee
If the person is being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the corrections databases above won’t help. ICE runs its own Online Detainee Locator System.5U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Online Detainee Locator System Search by name, country of birth, and date of birth, or by the detainee’s A-Number if you have it.6USAGov. Locate Someone Being Detained by ICE The A-Number appears on correspondence from the Department of Homeland Security or the immigration court. If it’s fewer than nine digits, add zeros at the beginning.
Call the Facility When Online Tools Fall Short
Online databases lag. Someone booked yesterday may not appear for a day or two. When that happens, call the facility’s records office. Have the inmate’s full legal name and date of birth ready. Most facilities will confirm custody and give you the ID number over the phone.
Some facilities handle records requests only in writing, with response times ranging from same-day to several weeks. A quick call to ask whether phone lookups are available saves time. A small number of facilities limit release of inmate information to family or attorneys, though basic details like the ID number and housing location are usually available to anyone who asks.
Court Records as a Backup
When locator tools come up empty, court records can fill the gap, especially for recent arrests or cases still moving through the system. Criminal case files include the defendant’s identifying information, and sentencing orders reference the correctional ID number assigned at commitment.
For federal cases, PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) lets anyone view docket sheets and case documents.7PACER: Federal Court Records. Find a Case Search by party name or case number in a specific district, or use the PACER Case Locator for a nationwide search across all federal districts. Access costs $0.10 per page, capped at the equivalent of 30 pages per document, and accounts that accrue less than $30 in charges per quarter owe nothing.8United States Courts. Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule For state and local cases, check the court clerk’s website in the county where the case was filed. Many have free online portals; others require an in-person or written request.
Avoid Predatory Third-Party Sites
A name search turns up dozens of third-party sites offering inmate lookups. Some aggregate public data and can be a convenient starting point. Others are scams built to collect your personal information or charge you for data that’s free on the official government site. State consumer protection agencies have warned about fraudulent jail websites that impersonate real facilities and ask for payment or personal details.
Red flags worth watching for:
- Payment demanded for a basic lookup. Official inmate searches are always free.
- Unofficial domain names. Real databases live on .gov domains or recognized county websites, not on lookalike names like “countyinmatesearch.com.”
- Requests for your Social Security number or bank details. No legitimate inmate search asks for either.
When in doubt, go directly to the correctional agency’s website. State corrections departments, the BOP, and sheriff’s offices are easy to reach through a .gov search or the USAGov directory.
Using the ID Number Once You Have It
The ID number is the key that unlocks nearly every service tied to the inmate:
- Mail. Every envelope must include the full name and ID number, or the facility will reject it. Returned mail can take weeks to come back.
- Money deposits. Commissary funds go through third-party vendors like JPay, Access Corrections, or the facility’s designated service. Each requires the ID number to route the deposit.
- Phone accounts. To receive calls or purchase minutes, you register with the facility’s phone provider and link your account to the ID number.
- Visitation. Most facilities require the ID number when you apply for visitation approval or schedule a visit through their portal.
Double-check the number before entering it into any payment system. A single transposed digit can send your deposit to the wrong person’s account, and recovering misrouted funds is slow.