Milwaukee County Jail Inmate Search & Roster

Find a Milwaukee County Jail Occupant and Check Current Custody

If you are trying to find someone who was arrested in Milwaukee County, start with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office In Custody Locator. It is the county’s official public search rather than a third-party jail directory.

The Sheriff’s Office generally uses the terms occupant or person in our care for someone held in the Milwaukee County Jail. If you searched for a Milwaukee County inmate, jail roster, booking search or custody lookup, this is still the system you need.

How to Search the Milwaukee County Jail Roster

1. Open the official Milwaukee County In Custody Locator using the button above.
2. Enter the person’s last name. Add the first name when you know it.
3. If several people have similar names, use the available gender and birth-year/DOB information to narrow the search.
4. Run the search and open the record that appears to match.
5. Compare identifying information carefully before assuming you found the right person.
6. Review the custody, bail/fine and court information shown in the occupant record.
7. If available, open the case details for additional case information.

What the Milwaukee County In Custody Search Can Show

The current public locator can display identifying and custody-related information such as:

A jail record answers a custody question. It is not a complete criminal-history report and does not prove that the person was convicted. An arrest or booking alone is not a finding of guilt.

If You Cannot Find the Person

Do not assume a blank search means the person was never arrested. Work through these possibilities first:

• Booking is still in progress: try again after processing has had time to finish.
• Name mismatch: check spelling, middle names, suffixes and alternate legal names.
• The person was released: someone may post bail or otherwise leave custody before you search.
• The person was transferred: custody may have moved to another county, the Community Reintegration Center, Wisconsin DOC or a federal facility.
• You are searching a court record instead of a custody record: use Wisconsin Circuit Court Access for filed cases and court events.
• The record is restricted: juvenile, sealed, expunged or otherwise confidential information may not be publicly available.

Milwaukee County Jail Location and Useful Phone Numbers

How to Check Milwaukee County Charges and Court Records

Jail custody and court records are two different things. The Sheriff’s locator tells you about custody. For filed criminal cases, court dates, docket activity and case disposition, use Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA).

1. First identify the person through the Milwaukee County In Custody Locator.
2. Note the person’s correct legal name and any available case or court information.
3. Open the Wisconsin Court System’s public case search.
4. Select the circuit-court search option.
5. Search the person’s name or case number.
6. Make sure the case belongs to Milwaukee County and to the correct person.
7. Review the public case summary, charges, court events and disposition information that is available.

The Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court Criminal Division is in Room 117 of the Safety Building, 821 W. State Street. Its current public page lists criminal-court service hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Need Copies of a Criminal Court Record?

Milwaukee County’s criminal-court page currently lists copies at $1.25 per page and an additional $5 certification fee when certification is requested.

The county’s posted Criminal Records Request Form also instructs requesters to provide the person’s full name, DOB when known, case number when available, contact information and the specific documents needed. The posted form states that requests can take up to 3–5 business days and lists additional search, fax or postage costs where applicable. Because fees and procedures can change, verify the current amount before submitting a paid request.

Milwaukee County Jail Bail: What to Know Before Paying

Bail may be posted at the Criminal Justice Facility, 949 N. 9th Street. The Jail Records office and bail processing are on the ground/G level.

• Bail may be posted there 24 hours a day.
• A person paying bail must have a current valid photo ID.
• Bail payments under $10,000 are processed through the Level G kiosk under the county’s current instructions.
• The kiosk accepts cash without a kiosk fee; credit-card payments can involve fees.
• Other published payment methods include cash, cashier’s check, money order and qualifying credit cards.
• Cashier’s checks and money orders have to be verified and should be payable to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
• For bail of $10,000 or more, the county states that federal Form 8300 requirements apply.

Bail Refunds

Bail refunds are handled through the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court rather than the jail. The county advises that eligible refunds generally follow the closing of the case and court processing. For criminal misdemeanor or felony refund questions, the listed contact is (414) 278-4538.

Visiting Someone in Milwaukee County Jail

The Sheriff’s current Milwaukee County Jail instructions direct friends and family to offsite video visitation. Scheduling is handled through the jail’s approved video-visitation service.

1. Search the occupant first and confirm the person remains in Milwaukee County Jail custody.
2. Have the person’s correct name and booking information ready.
3. Create an account with the current visitation provider linked by the Sheriff’s Office.
4. Add or locate the occupant.
5. Select an available video-visitation time.
6. Review the current fee and system requirements before completing the reservation.

All visits are monitored and recorded. The Sheriff’s Office also states that visitors may not personally record a visit; doing so can result in permanent loss of visiting privileges for the occupant.

How to Put Money on a Milwaukee County Jail Account

A commissary account is created when an occupant is booked into the Milwaukee County Jail. Funds can be used for approved commissary purchases, certain expenses and self-bail.

Current county instructions provide several deposit methods:

• Online: through Access Corrections.
• Telephone: (866) 345-1884, available 24/7 for commissary deposits.
• Jail kiosk: Criminal Justice Facility, 949 N. 9th Street, lobby and G level.
• Cash retail deposit: CashPayToday participating retailers after obtaining the required barcode.

The county currently lists a $300 daily commissary deposit limit and advises that a deposit can take up to 24 hours to appear in the occupant’s account.

Before sending money, verify the person’s identity and current custody status. A same-name mistake can send money to the wrong account.

How to Send Mail to a Milwaukee County Jail Occupant

Before mailing anything, use the custody search to obtain the person’s correct booking and housing information.

The Sheriff’s current mail rules include the following:

• Letters are permitted.
• Non-Polaroid photographs must be 4 × 6 inches or smaller.
• The sender must provide a complete return address, including full name and apartment number when applicable.
• Books, newspapers and magazines must come directly from a publisher, distributor or other accepted commercial source.
• Books and periodicals must be softcover.
• Greeting cards are not permitted. Under the published policy, the occupant receives a copy while the original card is secured with property.
• Incoming mail is screened for contraband.
• Mail received for someone who is no longer in custody is returned to the sender.

Milwaukee County Jail Phone Calls

Occupants can make outgoing calls only; incoming calls to occupants are not accepted.

Friends and family may place money on the occupant’s account for prepaid calling privileges. Other calls may be placed as collect calls, subject to the telephone system’s prompts, rates and acceptance process.

If you receive a jail call, listen to the automated instructions before accepting charges. Do not send money or disclose financial information based only on an unexpected call without first independently verifying the person’s custody through the official locator.

Occupant Property and Release of Property

An occupant can authorize property to be released to another person. Under the county’s current procedure:

• The person picking up property must be at least 18 years old.
• They must have valid photo identification such as a driver’s license, state ID or passport.
• They must be named on the Property Release form completed by the occupant.
• The occupant must request the property-release form at least 24 hours before release.
• Only property specifically authorized by the occupant will be released.

For property questions call (414) 226-7171. Money-related inquiries are handled by the jail cashier at (414) 226-7172.

Medical, Dental and Mental Health Care

Milwaukee County states that people in the jail have access to medical, dental and mental-health services. The Sheriff’s telephone directory lists Inmate Health Services at (414) 226-7134.

Health information is protected, so staff may be limited in what they can disclose to family or friends. If there is an immediate life-threatening emergency outside the jail, use emergency services rather than relying on a general jail information line.

How to Request Milwaukee County Jail Records

If you need an official record rather than current custody information, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Public Records Division maintains and distributes Sheriff’s Office records, including Milwaukee County Jail records.

Requests may involve records such as incident reports, photographs and other Sheriff’s Office material where publicly releasable. A public-record request is different from simply checking whether someone is currently in jail.

County Jail, Wisconsin DOC or Federal Custody?

The Wisconsin DOC locator specifically covers people within the state corrections system. Wisconsin DOC warns that its database does not cover people sentenced only to a county jail. That distinction is important when a Milwaukee County jail search returns no match.

Before Relying on a Milwaukee County Jail Record

• Confirm more than just the first and last name.
• Use age, DOB, physical details or case information where legally available.
• Remember that custody information can change after bond, court action, release or transfer.
• A listed charge can later be changed, dismissed or resolved differently in court.
• An arrest or jail booking is not proof of guilt.
• Use the Wisconsin court record when you need the case outcome rather than only the jail status.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s own locator cautions that information should not be relied on for legal action and that booking into the jail does not establish guilt or conviction.

Related Jail Search Guides

If your search expands outside Milwaukee County, these existing jail guides explain similar official custody systems:

• Cook County Jail Inmate Search & Roster — useful for searches across the Chicago/Cook County system south of Wisconsin.
• Lake County Jail Inmate Search & Roster — covers Lake County, Indiana and explains the difference between booking, court and state custody.
• Polk County Jail Inmate Search & Roster — another Midwest county guide covering current inmates, bookings, releases and court records.

Milwaukee County Jail Inmate Search FAQs

1. How do I search for someone in Milwaukee County Jail?

Use the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s official In Custody Locator. Search with the person’s last name and first name, then use additional identifying details such as gender or birth year when needed to narrow the results.

2. Is there an official Milwaukee County Jail roster?

The Sheriff’s In Custody Locator serves as the official public custody-search system. Milwaukee County does not require you to rely on a commercial third-party inmate roster to check current county jail custody.

3. What information can the Milwaukee County inmate search show?

The locator can display identifying information, a photograph when available, physical description, custody date, bail or fine amount, court date, court branch and additional case details available through the record.

4. Why can’t I find someone who was just arrested?

The person may still be going through arrest, transport or booking processing. Check the spelling, try again later and call Milwaukee County Jail Records at (414) 226-7070 if the arrest was recent and custody needs to be confirmed.

5. What is the Milwaukee County Jail address and phone number?

The Milwaukee County Jail is in the Criminal Justice Facility at 949 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233. The Jail Records and Information Line is (414) 226-7070.

6. How do I find an occupant’s Milwaukee County court date or criminal case?

Check the court information shown in the Sheriff’s custody record, then use Wisconsin Circuit Court Access for the public circuit-court case. Confirm that the case belongs to Milwaukee County and to the correct person.

7. Can I pay Milwaukee County Jail bail online?

No. Milwaukee County’s current instructions state that bail itself cannot be paid online because bail paperwork requires a surety signature. Bail can be posted through the Criminal Justice Facility under the county’s current payment procedures, or money may be added to an occupant’s commissary account for self-bail.

8. How do I visit someone in Milwaukee County Jail?

The Sheriff’s current jail page directs friends and family to offsite video visitation. Confirm the occupant remains in the jail, then use the visitation provider linked by Milwaukee County to create an account and schedule an available visit.

9. How do I send money or mail to a Milwaukee County Jail occupant?

Commissary deposits can be made through the county’s approved electronic service, by phone or through listed kiosks and participating retailers. Mail should include the occupant’s full name, booking number, housing unit and cell number and be addressed to 949 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233.

10. What should I search if the person is no longer in Milwaukee County Jail?

Check Wisconsin Circuit Court Access for the related case. If the person was transferred after sentencing, use the Wisconsin DOC locator. If federal custody is involved, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator. Also verify whether the person is housed at another Milwaukee County facility before assuming they have been released.

Official Milwaukee County Resources

• Milwaukee County Sheriff In Custody Locator
• Milwaukee County Sheriff Detention Services
• Official Milwaukee County Bail Instructions
• Milwaukee County Sheriff Telephone Directory
• Milwaukee County Sheriff Public Records
• Milwaukee County Criminal Court
• Wisconsin Circuit Court Case Search

Information-use note: Custody, bail, court and housing information can change quickly. Use this guide to understand the process and use the linked government system for the final live lookup or transaction. A booking, arrest or pending charge does not by itself establish guilt or conviction.