New York Jail Inmate Search & Inmate Lookup

Choose the Correct New York Inmate Search First

The most common mistake is searching the right name in the wrong correctional system. Use the arrest location and custody type before entering any personal information.

If you need a general explanation of how local detention databases work, see our county jail inmate search and roster guide.

New York City Jail and Rikers Island Inmate Lookup

NYC DOC manages local jail custody for all five boroughs. That means you do not search separate sheriff jail rosters for Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

How to search NYC DOC step by step

1. Open the official Person in Custody Lookup.
2. Use the person’s NYSID or Book and Case Number if you know it. These identifiers reduce confusion between people with similar names.
3. If you do not have an identifier, search with the legal first and last name and other requested identifying information.
4. Open the correct result and confirm more than the name before relying on it.
5. Write down the current holding location, NYSID, Book and Case Number, court information, bail information and mailing address if displayed.
6. Recheck the record before traveling, mailing anything or paying money because a person can be transferred or released.

What the NYC lookup can show

NYC311 states that the city lookup may provide charges, court date and location, Book and Case Number, jail mailing address, NYSID, holding location, release date, and bail or bond amount.

DOC says most release information is updated quickly after entry, while some other information can take longer to display. The DOC lookup also warns that jail intake and release processing can create a delay before a record becomes visible.

If the arrest just happened

A recently arrested person may still be in NYPD or other police custody and may not yet have entered NYC DOC. NYC provides a separate Find an Arrested Person service for this stage.

NYC DOC’s VINE information also warns that a substantial delay can occur between arrest, arraignment, DOC housing and entry into the city custody system. A blank search immediately after an arrest therefore does not prove that the person was released.

County Jail Inmate Search Outside New York City

For a local arrest outside the five NYC boroughs, use the county-jail path rather than DOCCS. The New York State Commission of Correction maintains an official locator page and directs people looking for county-jail custody outside NYC to the New York VINE search.

Micro steps for a New York county jail search

1. Confirm the county where the arrest occurred. Do not rely only on the city name if the arrest happened close to a county line.
2. Open the NYS Commission of Correction Incarcerated Individual Locators page.
3. Select the county-jail option for facilities outside New York City.
4. Search the person using the available name or identifying information.
5. Confirm the county or facility shown in the result.
6. Save any inmate ID, booking identifier or custody details before moving to visitation, mail, deposits or court information.
7. If no record appears, check the county sheriff or corrections department because local update practices and record availability can differ.

For a practical example of how one New York county publishes its roster, census, booking and release information, see our Monroe County Jail inmate search guide for Rochester, NY.

New York State Prison Inmate Search Through DOCCS

If the person has entered New York State prison custody, use the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision rather than NYC DOC or a county jail roster.

Information that works best for a DOCCS search

• DIN: Department Identification Number assigned to a person in DOCCS custody.
• NYSID: New York State Identification Number, when known.
• Name: first and last name.
• Birth year: useful with a name search to narrow similar matches.

DOCCS lookup steps

1. Open the NYS DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup.
2. If you know the DIN or NYSID, use that identifier first.
3. Otherwise search the person’s name and use birth-year information when requested.
4. Open the matching record and verify identity carefully.
5. Record the current correctional facility and DIN.
6. Before visiting, check the location again because prison transfers can occur.

The state’s current family guidance specifically recommends confirming an incarcerated person’s location shortly before a visit because an unscheduled transfer can leave an older facility address out of date.

New York’s official service page currently lists routine lookup availability as approximately midnight to 11:45 p.m. on weekdays and 12:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekends, leaving short scheduled maintenance periods.

What to Do When the Inmate Does Not Appear

For NYC DOC custody notifications, the city publishes the free VINE line at 888-846-3469. Registered users can receive notifications about qualifying release or transfer events.

Charges, Court Dates, Bail and Booking Information

A jail lookup and a criminal court record answer different questions. The custody record tells you where a person is held. The court record is the better place to verify filed criminal proceedings, future appearances and later case outcomes.

NYC bail: what to know before you travel

NYC DOC currently states that online bail payment is unavailable and directs sureties to pay bail in person. Before going to a bail window, obtain the person’s NYSID or Book and Case Number and bring personal identification.

NYC DOC lists U.S. cash, qualifying cashier’s/teller’s checks, qualifying money orders, and credit/debit cards among accepted payment methods. Personal checks are not accepted. Because bail status and window hours can change, confirm the current NYC DOC bail instructions immediately before payment.

After You Find the Person: Visits, Money, Mail and Calls

NYC DOC visitation

NYC DOC currently publishes in-person visits on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with Friday used for scheduled televisits. The department’s monthly schedule is based on the first letter of the person’s last name, so checking the current calendar before traveling is essential.

• Wednesday-Thursday in-person registration: 1 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Saturday-Sunday in-person registration: 7 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Standard visits are listed as one hour.
• Visitors age 16 and older need current acceptable identification.
• Visit eligibility depends on the current last-name schedule.

Check the current NYC DOC visit schedule before leaving home.

Sending money to someone in NYC DOC custody

First obtain the person’s first and last name plus Book and Case Number. NYC DOC provides deposit options through authorized transfer agents and DOC cashier locations. Transfer-agent fees can apply; deposits made directly at a DOC cashier window are listed without a DOC deposit fee.

Review NYC DOC money-deposit instructions.

DOCCS state-prison phone calls

NYS DOCCS states that calls from state correctional facilities became free effective August 1, 2025. Each incarcerated individual receives three calls per week of up to 15 minutes, and after those calls, additional calls remain subject to the department’s time limits. DOCCS says a Securus funding account is no longer required for these calls.

• Up to 15 telephone numbers may be kept on the approved call list.
• The incarcerated individual requests additions or removals.
• Calls are generally permitted daily, including holidays, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
• DOCCS states calls are subject to monitoring and/or recording.

Read the current DOCCS telephone rules.

Mail to a New York State prison

DOCCS requires incoming correspondence to clearly show the incarcerated person’s name and DIN and the sender’s return address. Current guidance allows ordinary personal letters and photographs but prohibits items such as nude photographs, Polaroid photographs and postage stamps. DOCCS also limits printed or photocopied material enclosed with ordinary correspondence.

Always use the person’s current facility address, not an old saved address, because a transfer may have occurred.

Check current DOCCS mail and package rules.

DOCCS packages

The current DOCCS visitor guidance states that packages and articles are to be received directly from vendors through approved delivery channels and are no longer to be brought during visits or mailed directly by family or friends. Directive 4911 contains the detailed package policy and item restrictions.

Money for a person in DOCCS custody

DOCCS provides several deposit routes, including facility visitor deposit lockboxes, JPay online/mobile/phone options, mail-in checks or money orders using the required JPay process, and MoneyGram. Fees depend on the method; the department currently lists no fee for the conventional facility visitor lockbox or qualifying mailed JPay check/money-order deposits.

Check current DOCCS account-deposit options and fees.