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.
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Find a Lancaster County, PA Inmate Using the Official Roster
If you are trying to complete a Lancaster jail inmate search, this guide covers Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The county officially calls its detention facility Lancaster County Prison, although many people search Google for “Lancaster County Jail.”
The fastest way to confirm current custody is the county’s official inmate locator. You can also use the jail’s automated phone system if the online search is unavailable or you need information about charges, bail, visitation, or phone-account funding.
How to Search the Official Lancaster County Inmate Roster
- Start on the county’s official page. Go to Lancaster County Who’s In Jail. This helps you avoid unofficial databases and outdated copies of jail records.
- Read the county notice and policy. Select the county’s I AGREE link to continue to the live inmate locator.
- Enter the person’s identifying information. Use the person’s legal name and any additional identifying information requested by the portal. Check spelling carefully, including hyphenated or multiple last names.
- Compare identifying details. Do not assume the first similar name is the correct person. Compare available identifiers and custody information before relying on the result.
- Confirm important information. For bail, charges, visitation, or a result you cannot confidently match, call 717-299-7800 and press #2. Lancaster County specifically recommends using date of birth when searching through its automated inmate-information system.
If you are unfamiliar with county jail databases, the site’s County Jail Inmate Search & Roster Lookup Guide explains common booking-number, custody-status and roster-search terms.
What Information Can You Find?
The live jail roster is mainly useful for answering one immediate question: is this person currently associated with Lancaster County Prison custody? Lancaster County’s automated system can also provide information about charges, bail, visitation and funding the person’s phone account.
| What you need | Best official source | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Current Lancaster County custody | County inmate locator | Designed for current Lancaster County inmates. |
| Charges or bail information | Inmate system + Pennsylvania court docket | The jail can provide custody information while the court docket gives case-level details. |
| Upcoming court activity | PA Unified Judicial System | Public docket sheets and court information are separate from the jail roster. |
| State prison custody | PA Department of Corrections locator | County inmates and state-sentenced inmates are maintained in different systems. |
| Federal custody | Federal inmate locator | Federal detention is not covered by the Lancaster County roster. |
If You Cannot Find the Person in the Lancaster County Roster
A missing search result does not automatically mean the person was released. Intake processing, spelling differences, a transfer, another county, state custody or federal custody can all lead you to the wrong database.
Use this order before assuming the person is not in custody
- Retry the Lancaster County search using the person’s full legal name and alternate spellings.
- Call 717-299-7800, press #2, and use the date of birth if known.
- Check the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Case Search for a related criminal docket.
- If the person may have been transferred to a state institution, use the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections inmate/parolee locator.
- If federal custody is possible, follow this Federal Jail Inmate Search & Booking Lookup guide.
The Pennsylvania state locator should not be used as a substitute for the Lancaster County roster. It is intended for people under Pennsylvania Department of Corrections custody or supervision rather than ordinary county-jail custody.
How to Check Charges, Court Dates and Bail
The jail roster and the court docket answer different questions. The roster helps confirm custody. The Pennsylvania court system is the better place to examine a criminal docket, scheduled proceedings and case history.
Check the Pennsylvania court docket
- Open the official Pennsylvania UJS Case Search.
- Search using a participant name or, when available, a docket number or offense tracking number (OTN).
- Use Lancaster County and the appropriate criminal court information to narrow results.
- Open the matching docket and carefully compare the defendant’s details.
- Review filed charges and scheduled events rather than relying on a third-party arrest page.
The court warns that recent filings may not appear immediately and that some records are restricted or unavailable publicly. A public docket is also not the same as an official criminal-history background check.
Bail information and payment
Lancaster County’s inmate-information system can provide bail information. Pennsylvania also operates PAePay Bail for eligible cases. Availability depends on the case, and the Pennsylvania court system does not guarantee how quickly an online bail payment will affect release.
50 N. Duke St., 5th Floor Courthouse, Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone: 717-295-3584
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Do not assume that payment automatically means immediate release. Processing, holds, other cases and required paperwork can affect when a person actually leaves custody.
Lancaster County Prison Visitation: Current Scheduling Process
Visits are scheduled by calling 717-299-7800, Option 1 on the designated call day between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The prison does not accept walk-in visits. Visitors are instructed to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled visit.
| Housing location | Visit day | Call to schedule |
|---|---|---|
| 3-1 | Monday | Sunday |
| 3-2 | Tuesday | Monday |
| 2-1 | Wednesday | Tuesday |
| 2-2 | Thursday | Wednesday |
| 3-5 | Thursday | Wednesday |
| G-1 Work Party | Thursday | Wednesday |
| G-2 | Friday | Thursday |
| MHU | Friday | Thursday |
| 2-5 | Saturday | Friday |
| D-Block | Saturday | Friday |
| Ad Seg | Saturday | Friday |
| C-Main | Sunday | Saturday |
| Work Release | Sunday | Saturday |
Published visiting time slots
- 8:00–9:00 a.m.
- 9:00–10:00 a.m.
- 1:00–2:00 p.m.
- 2:00–3:00 p.m.
- 6:30–7:30 p.m.
- 7:30–8:30 p.m.
Before leaving home
- Previously incarcerated visitors must generally be at least six months removed from incarceration before visiting.
- Bring current government-issued photo identification. The prison says the address must match the incarcerated person’s visitation list.
- Visitors must pass through a metal detector.
- Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, with guardianship documentation where applicable.
- Personal items such as phones, purses and backpacks are not taken into the visiting area; lobby lockers may be available for a fee.
- Clothing is subject to visitation rules, including restrictions on alcohol- or drug-related logos.
- People held on sexual charges cannot visit minors unless directed by the court.
Operational disruptions can change visitation. Check the official Lancaster County Prison visitation page before traveling.
Mail, Phone Calls and Electronic Messaging
Personal mail
Lancaster County changed its mail procedure in June 2024. The prison states that personal mail is no longer accepted directly at the county jail. Because the current personal-mail processing address and procedures can change, use the county’s Contacting Incarcerated Individuals page before sending personal correspondence.
Legal mail
Legal mail is sent directly to the prison and should be clearly marked as legal mail:
Lancaster County PrisonIncarcerated Individual’s Full Name and ID # — LEGAL MAIL
625 E. King Street
Lancaster, PA 17602
Phones, tablets and e-messaging
Lancaster County says tablets are issued upon commitment and housing units also have kiosks and telephones. Electronic messaging is available through Securus. Calls can be made through a tablet or unit phone; three-way calls are prohibited.
How to Send Money to a Lancaster County Prison Inmate
Lancaster County lists three main ways for family or friends to add money to an incarcerated person’s account:
- Lobby kiosk: cash, credit or debit card at the kiosk in the Lancaster County Prison vestibule; a service fee applies.
- Online: use JailATM; a service fee applies.
- By mail: send a money order or certified check containing the incarcerated person’s name and identification number.
Attn: Inmate Accounts
625 E. King Street
Lancaster, PA 17602
Do not confuse Securus with the commissary account. Lancaster County describes Securus as the service used for phone calls, e-messaging stamps and tablet media, not commissary deposits.
The county also states that a $35 processing fee is imposed on each new incarceration or re-incarceration and that financial/commissary privileges are unavailable until that fee is paid. Medical access is not denied because a person cannot pay that processing fee.
When an incarcerated person is released, remaining account funds are generally provided by debit card. If transferred to another institution, the county says remaining funds are sent to that institution by check.
Get Release, Transfer or Escape Notifications
If you need ongoing custody-status alerts rather than repeatedly checking the roster, Pennsylvania provides PA SAVIN, a free and confidential victim-notification service.
For a person held at Lancaster County Prison, notifications may include release, transfer, escape or a return to custody. Lancaster County lists the PA SAVIN registration number as 866-972-7284 and TTY 866-847-1298. Lancaster County Victim/Witness Services can also be reached at 717-299-8048 during business hours.
See the county’s victim assistance and PA SAVIN information for current registration options.
Lancaster County Prison Contacts at a Glance
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Main prison line | 717-299-7800 |
| Automated inmate information | 717-299-7800, press #2 |
| Visitation scheduling | 717-299-7800, Option 1 |
| Work release | 717-299-7809 |
| Chaplain / family emergency | 717-295-2089 |
| 24/7 inmate safety / suicide concern | 717-664-5433 |
| PREA hotline | 844-429-5412 |
| Bail Administration | 717-295-3584 |
Facility address: Lancaster County Prison, 625 E. King St., Lancaster, PA 17602.
Which Search Should You Use?
| Situation | Where to look first |
|---|---|
| Arrested locally and believed to be in Lancaster County custody | Lancaster County Who’s In Jail |
| Need charges, bail or custody details by phone | 717-299-7800, press #2 |
| Need court docket or hearing information | Pennsylvania UJS Case Search |
| Person has been transferred to Pennsylvania state prison | PA Department of Corrections locator |
| Person may be in federal custody | Federal inmate locator |
| You actually need another Pennsylvania county | Use that county’s official jail system; for example, see the Allegheny County Jail Inmate Search & Roster guide for the Pittsburgh area. |
Official Resources
- Lancaster County — Who’s In Jail?
- Lancaster County — Live Inmate Search
- Lancaster County Prison
- Lancaster County Prison — Visitation Information
- Lancaster County — Contacting Incarcerated Individuals
- Lancaster County Prison — Incarcerated Individual Finances
- Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System — Case Search
- Pennsylvania DOC — Locate an Inmate or Parolee
Lancaster County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
How do I search for an inmate in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania?
Open the official Lancaster County Who’s In Jail page, accept the county’s inmate-information policy and continue to the live locator. Search using accurate identifying information and verify the result before relying on it. You can also call 717-299-7800 and press #2 for automated inmate information.
Is Lancaster County Jail the same as Lancaster County Prison?
For Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, people often search for “Lancaster County Jail,” but the county’s official facility name is Lancaster County Prison, located at 625 E. King St., Lancaster, PA 17602.
Can I search for a Lancaster County inmate by date of birth?
Yes. Lancaster County says its automated phone system allows searches by name or date of birth and specifically recommends using date of birth. Call 717-299-7800 and press #2 for inmate information.
Why can’t I find someone who was recently arrested?
A person may still be going through intake, the name may be entered differently, or the person may be held in another county, state or federal system. Retry the search, call the prison’s automated inmate-information line and then check the Pennsylvania court or state-custody systems when appropriate.
Does the Lancaster County inmate system show charges and bail?
Lancaster County states that its automated inmate-information system can provide information about charges and bail. For case-level information and court events, also check the official Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System docket.
How can I find a Lancaster County inmate’s court date?
Use the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Case Search and locate the matching criminal docket by participant name, docket number or another available identifier. Review scheduled events carefully because court information is maintained separately from the jail roster.
How do I schedule a visit at Lancaster County Prison?
Call 717-299-7800 and choose Option 1 on the designated call day between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Visits must be scheduled in advance, walk-ins are not accepted, and visitors should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled time.
Can I mail a personal letter directly to Lancaster County Prison?
Lancaster County states that personal mail has not been accepted directly by the county jail since June 2024. Check the prison’s current Contacting Incarcerated Individuals page for the active personal-mail procedure before sending anything. Legal mail follows separate rules and is sent directly to the prison.
How do I send money to an inmate at Lancaster County Prison?
Family and friends can use the kiosk in the prison vestibule, make an online deposit through JailATM, or mail a money order or certified check with the incarcerated person’s name and identification number to Lancaster County Prison, Attn: Inmate Accounts, 625 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602.
How can I be notified when a Lancaster County inmate is released or transferred?
PA SAVIN provides free and confidential custody-status notifications that may include release, transfer, escape or return to custody. Lancaster County lists 866-972-7284 for registration and also provides assistance through Victim/Witness Services.
Verify the Live Status Before Taking Action
Jail custody, bail and court information can change quickly. Use this page to understand the process and identify the correct service, but confirm a person’s current status through the official Lancaster County inmate locator or the county’s automated inmate-information line before traveling, sending money, arranging a visit or making decisions based on a roster entry.
Information reviewed October 27, 2026. Public jail and court information should be used responsibly. A charge or booking entry does not establish guilt.