Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
Independent records-search resource. This website is not a government agency, police department, sheriff's office, jail, prison or courthouse. Search coverage varies by source and jurisdiction. Some links may lead to third-party services, and compensation may be received when a partner service is used.
Find a City Jail Inmate Without Searching the Wrong System
If someone was arrested by a city police department, do not assume the person will appear in a database called “City Jail.” Some cities operate their own jail or holding facility, while others book people directly into a county jail, regional jail, city correction system, or another detention facility.
The fastest way to complete a city jail inmate search is to identify where the person was arrested, determine which agency currently has custody, and then use the official inmate or booking system for that facility.
Information reviewed: October 2026. Jail rosters can change throughout the day, so use the official custody system for the final live status.
How to Run a City Jail Inmate Search
- Start with the arrest location. Write down the city, state, approximate arrest date, and the police or law-enforcement agency if you know it.
- Use the full legal name. Have the first name, middle name or initial, last name, date of birth, and booking number if available.
- Determine who operates local detention. Look for the city police department, city corrections department, municipal jail, county sheriff, county detention center, or regional jail serving that city.
- Open the official inmate-search page. The tool may be called Inmate Search, Jail Roster, Current Inmates, In-Custody Search, Prisoner Locator, Booking Search, or Inmate Information.
- Search broadly first. Start with the last name and first name. Add date of birth or a booking number if several people have similar names.
- Verify the result. Compare age or birth date, booking date, arresting agency, charges, booking number, and facility before assuming you found the correct person.
- If there is no result, follow the transfer path. Check the county jail, state corrections system, or federal locator depending on what happened after the arrest.
Why “City Jail” Can Mean Different Things
There is no single nationwide city-jail database. Local governments use different detention arrangements, so the correct search depends on the city.
| Local setup | What happens | Where to search |
|---|---|---|
| City-operated jail | The police department or city corrections agency books and houses inmates locally. | City jail roster or city corrections inmate search. |
| Short-term police holding facility | The person may remain temporarily for booking, court, or initial appearance before transfer. | City holding-facility information first, then the receiving county jail. |
| County jail arrangement | City police make the arrest, but the county sheriff handles detention and booking. | County sheriff inmate search. |
| Regional jail | Several cities or counties share one correctional facility. | Regional jail authority roster. |
| Independent city correction system | Large cities may operate their own correction department and multiple facilities. | City corrections prisoner locator. |
Real Examples of How City Jail Searches Work
These official examples show why checking the local custody structure matters before searching.
| City | Local custody setup | Practical search route |
|---|---|---|
| Yakima, Washington | Yakima Police Department operates a city jail and publishes a current roster and recent-release list. | Yakima Police City Jail |
| Mesa, Arizona | Mesa Police operates a holding facility. People arrested on some non-city charges are processed and then transported to Maricopa County custody. | Mesa Police Holding Facility |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | The city directs people looking for jail inmates to Hennepin County jail and corrections rosters. | Minneapolis Jail Roster Information |
| New York City | NYC Department of Correction operates the city jail system. People arrested very recently can still be in police custody before appearing in the DOC locator. | NYC Incarcerated Person Information |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | The Philadelphia Department of Prisons operates city correctional facilities and provides its own locator. | Philadelphia Incarcerated Person Locator |
What Information Do You Need Before Searching?
You can often search with only a name, but collecting more information helps avoid matching the wrong person.
- Full legal first and last name
- Middle name or middle initial
- Date of birth or approximate age
- City and state where the arrest occurred
- Approximate arrest or booking date
- Arresting police department or agency
- Booking, inmate, subject, or jail identification number if known
For a common name, do not rely on the name alone. Match at least one or two additional identifiers before using information from the booking record.
What a City Jail Booking Lookup May Show
The fields vary by agency, but a public booking profile may include:
- Full inmate name
- Booking or inmate number
- Booking date and time
- Current custody status
- Holding facility or housing location
- Arresting agency
- Listed criminal charges
- Bond or bail amount
- Court name or court date
- Scheduled release information when publicly available
- Photograph or mugshot where local policy allows publication
Not every jail publishes every field. A missing bond, court date, photo, or release date does not necessarily mean the information does not exist.
If the Inmate Does Not Appear
A failed search does not automatically mean the person was not arrested. Work through the likely causes in order.
| Possible reason | What to do next |
|---|---|
| Booking is still being processed | Check the police or holding facility and try the roster again after intake is completed. |
| Person was transferred to the county jail | Search the sheriff or detention center for the county containing the city. |
| Person was released | Look for a recent-release or historical booking search if the agency provides one. |
| Name is entered differently | Try the legal surname only, alternate spelling, former surname, hyphenated name, suffix, or middle initial. |
| Person entered state custody | Use the state’s Department of Corrections inmate locator. |
| Person entered federal custody | Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator. |
| Juvenile or protected record | Public online access may be restricted. Contact the responsible juvenile court or agency if you are legally entitled to the information. |
| You searched the wrong jurisdiction | Confirm the arresting agency and the county where the arrest happened. |
City Jail vs. County Jail vs. State Prison
| System | Typical use | Best search source |
|---|---|---|
| City or municipal jail | Short-term detention, municipal offenses, booking, or pre-arraignment custody. | City police, city corrections, or municipal detention website. |
| County jail | Pretrial detention, county bookings, local sentences, and people transferred from city police. | County sheriff or county corrections website. |
| Regional jail | Shared detention for several cities or counties. | Regional jail authority. |
| State prison | People placed in state correctional custody, commonly after sentencing or transfer. | State Department of Corrections. |
| Federal prison | Federal defendants and people serving federal sentences. | Federal Bureau of Prisons. |
Booking Record, Court Record, Arrest Record and Warrant Are Not the Same
Use the record that matches the question you are trying to answer.
| You want to know | Best record |
|---|---|
| Is the person currently in jail? | Current inmate roster or custody search |
| When were they booked? | Booking or inmate record |
| What charges were filed in court? | Criminal court docket |
| What is the next hearing date? | Court record or clerk of court |
| Was the case dismissed or was there a conviction? | Final court disposition |
| Does the person have an active warrant? | Official warrant system, where publicly available |
| Do I need an older arrest or incident report? | Police or sheriff records division |
How to Read a Booking Record Correctly
- Confirm identity first. Match name, age, date of birth, booking date, and arresting agency.
- Check current status. Look for terms such as in custody, released, transferred, bonded out, or another status used by the local jail.
- Save the booking number. You may need it for phone calls, visitation, mail, property, money deposits, or court searches.
- Read each charge separately. One booking can contain several charges or holds from different jurisdictions.
- Do not treat the charge list as the final case outcome. Use the court docket when you need filed charges, hearing dates, or disposition.
Before Paying Bond, Sending Money or Planning a Visit
Confirm these three details first:
- The person is still in custody.
- You have the correct facility and inmate or booking number.
- You are using the payment, visitation, mail, or phone instructions published by that facility.
Jails use different vendors, schedules, deposit methods, mail formats, visitation rules, and identification requirements. Do not assume instructions from another city or county apply to the inmate you are looking for.
Be especially careful with advertisements or unrelated websites asking for payment. An inmate lookup itself is normally a public-information function, while services such as commissary deposits, calls, certified records, or bond payments may involve legitimate fees.
Useful Location-Specific Jail Search Guides
If you already know the jurisdiction, use a local guide instead of repeating the national search process:
- Arizona Jail Inmate Search & County Jail Lookup
- Orange County, California Jail Inmate Search
- CCDC Jail Inmate Search for Clark County, Nevada
- Pasco County, Florida Jail Inmate Search
Official Sources Used to Verify the Search Process
Local procedures vary, so this guide was checked against official city and federal resources showing several common custody models:
- Yakima Police Department — City Jail
- City of Mesa — Police Holding Facility
- City of Minneapolis — Jail Roster Information
- NYC311 — Incarcerated Person Location and Information
- City of Philadelphia — Locate an Incarcerated Person
- Federal Bureau of Prisons — Inmate Locator
City Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. What is a city jail inmate search?
A city jail inmate search is a way to check whether someone is being held by a municipal police department, city corrections agency, city detention facility, or another jail serving that city. Some cities do not operate their own jail, so the correct result may be in a county or regional jail instead.
2. How do I find someone who was arrested by city police?
Start with the city where the arrest occurred and identify the arresting police department. Check whether that city operates a jail or holding facility. If it transfers detainees to the county, use the county sheriff or detention-center inmate search.
3. Why is a recently arrested person not showing in the jail search?
The person may still be going through booking, may remain temporarily in police custody, may have been released, or may already have been transferred. Check the arresting agency and then the jail that receives prisoners from that city.
4. Is a city jail the same as a county jail?
No. A city jail is generally operated by a municipal agency, while a county jail is usually operated by a sheriff or county corrections department. Many cities do not maintain a separate jail and send arrested people directly to the county facility.
5. Can I search a city jail by booking number?
Many inmate systems allow searches by a booking, inmate, subject, or identification number, but available search fields depend on the local jail. A booking number is useful because it helps distinguish people with similar names.
6. What information can a city jail booking record show?
A record may show the inmate’s name, booking number, booking date, custody status, facility, arresting agency, charges, bond or bail, court information, release information, and sometimes a booking photo. The exact fields vary by jurisdiction.
7. Does every city jail publish mugshots?
No. Mugshot availability depends on local law, agency policy, the type of case, and the information the jail chooses or is permitted to publish. A valid custody record may exist even when no photograph is displayed.
8. How do I know if an inmate was transferred?
If the person disappears from a city roster or never appears there, check the county jail serving the city. If the person was sentenced or moved into another correctional system, check the state Department of Corrections or the Federal Bureau of Prisons when federal custody applies.
9. Does appearing in a jail roster mean the person is guilty?
No. A jail roster shows custody or booking information. It does not establish guilt or prove a conviction. Use the appropriate court record to verify filed charges, case status, and final disposition.
10. Is an official city jail inmate search free?
Public online inmate and custody searches are generally available without a search fee. Charges may apply for separate services such as certified records, copies, phone accounts, commissary deposits, or other jail services.