Davidson County, TN Jail Inmate Search & Roster

How to Search the Davidson County Jail Roster

1. Open DCSO Active Inmate Search. Go directly to dcso.nashville.gov. You do not need to pay a commercial inmate-search site to begin.
2. Enter the legal name. Start with the first and last name used during booking. For a common name, use the Advanced Search instead of assuming the first result is correct.
3. Add a date of birth or identifier. The advanced form accepts date of birth, OCA number, warrant number and CIS number in addition to name fields.
4. Open the matching inmate record. Compare the date of birth, race, sex, Control Number, booking date and current facility before relying on the result.
5. Save the Control Number. DCSO identifies the roster’s CONTROL_NUMBER as the inmate’s OCA number. It is useful for mail, account deposits and communication with jail staff.
6. Check the facility before taking the next action. Housing can change. Verify the current facility immediately before visiting, sending money or mailing correspondence.

If you know an identifier already, use the DCSO Advanced Search. It is often faster and safer than trying to identify someone from a common name.

Search Fields Available in the Official DCSO System

What a Davidson County Inmate Record Can Show

An individual DCSO record can provide considerably more information than a name-only roster. Fields depend on the inmate and booking, but the official system can include:

Do not use only a name to identify someone when the result matters. Compare multiple fields, especially the date of birth and Control/OCA number.

Looking for Someone Arrested Today? Check Recent Bookings

DCSO maintains a separate Recent Bookings page covering the previous 48 hours. This can be quicker than a broad name search after a recent Nashville-area arrest.

The booking list can display the inmate’s name, race, sex, date of birth, Control Number, admitted date and release date. Open the individual record for more detail.

If the Davidson County Inmate Search Shows No Result

A blank search does not automatically mean the person was never arrested or is not in custody. Work through these checks:

1. Retry the legal first and last name and check spelling, hyphens and suffixes.
2. Use Advanced Search with the date of birth if the name is common.
3. Check the 48-hour Recent Bookings list for a new arrest.
4. Allow for transport, identification, medical screening and booking if the arrest happened very recently.
5. Call the DCSO Offender Information Center at 615-862-8123. DCSO states this line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for current and released offenders.
6. Check the criminal court record if the person has already been released from jail but you still need the case.
7. If the person received a felony sentence and moved into state custody, switch to Tennessee’s FOIL offender search.

Davidson County Jail Facilities

Do not assume that every Davidson County inmate remains at the same building. Use the Facility field in the live inmate record before traveling or sending anything.

See the current DCSO facility directory if the live inmate record lists a location you do not recognize.

How to Check Charges, Bond and the Court Case

The jail record and court record answer different questions. The DCSO profile is useful for current custody, listed charges and displayed bond. The Criminal Court Clerk of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County is the better source for the related court case.

DCSO specifically warns that bond amounts may be changed by the court. For updated bond information, the inmate-search system directs users to the Criminal Court Clerk at 615-862-5670 or the Clerk’s website.

1. Find the correct inmate and record the Control/OCA number and any warrant information.
2. Write down each listed charge and displayed bond.
3. Open the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk.
4. Use Search Case Information for the related public court record.
5. Before paying bond, confirm the current amount and conditions with the responsible jail/court source.

Davidson County Inmate Visitation

DCSO currently states that inmate visits are video only, except for attorney visits. Schedules depend on facility and housing assignment, so identify the inmate’s current facility first.

For the Downtown Detention Center, DCSO currently publishes remote family video availability for eligible listed housing units from 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.–9:20 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The DDC page also notes that third-floor medical housing does not receive video visits and that family lobby visitation is not currently being offered there.

1. Search the inmate and confirm the current facility and housing assignment.
2. Open the current DCSO visitation schedule.
3. Open the specific facility page when the schedule depends on the inmate’s pod.
4. Follow the current scheduling/provider link shown by DCSO.
5. Recheck the schedule before the session because housing and availability can change.

DCSO has published different communication/vendor instructions across facility and historical visitation pages. For that reason, use the current facility page rather than an old bookmarked vendor link.

How to Send Mail to a Davidson County Inmate

DCSO instructs senders to use the inmate’s name and OCA number. The OCA is the number labeled CONTROL_NUMBER in the public inmate search.

DCSO says correspondence must be stamped and mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. Accepted material includes legal mail, ordinary letters, standard greeting cards and permitted photographs. Current restrictions include:

• No inmate-to-inmate correspondence unless an immediate-family exception has prior approval.
• Do not include stamps, envelopes or writing paper for the inmate.
• No hardback books or Bibles through ordinary inmate mail.
• No emergency packages.
• No greeting cards with glitter or similar embellishments.

Read the official DCSO inmate-mail rules immediately before mailing because rejected items may not reach the inmate.

Putting Money on an Inmate Account

DCSO currently identifies several deposit routes. Always confirm the inmate’s full name and OCA number before sending money.

Use the current DCSO inmate-account instructions before making a payment because vendors, limits and fees can change.

How to Get Older Davidson County Jail Records

The live inmate search is mainly for current custody and recent booking information. For general offender jail records that are no longer available through the active search, use the DCSO records process.

DCSO currently states that its offender records center handles general inmate jail records from 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and that an advance appointment is not required. You can start by calling 615-862-8123 or using the online inmate/public records request.

If the Person Was Transferred to Tennessee State Custody

The Davidson County jail roster and Tennessee Department of Correction database are different systems. If a felony offender has moved from local jail custody to TDOC custody or supervision, use Tennessee’s Felony Offender Information (FOIL) system.

FOIL can provide available information such as the offender’s current status, location, photograph, offenses, active sentences, parole-hearing information and release information.

Get Notified About Release or Custody Changes

Davidson County Sheriff and the Tennessee Department of Correction provide access to Tennessee’s victim-notification system. TN SAVIN/VINE can be used for custody-status and release notifications. DCSO states that the service is free.

TN SAVIN statewide number: 1-888-868-4631. The service is available 24/7, and eligible users can register for available notification methods such as phone, text or email.

Davidson County Jail Inmate Search FAQs