Search Indiana Jail Roster
Indiana jail rosters are public records. They list everyone currently in custody at a county jail. Indiana has 92 counties. Each county runs its own jail. The sheriff manages booking records and makes them public. You can search rosters through the INjail public portal, through individual county sheriff websites, or through the Indiana Department of Correction offender locator for state prison inmates. This page covers how each tool works and links to search options for every Indiana county and qualifying city.
Indiana Jail Roster Quick Facts
Indiana Jail Roster Search Tools
Indiana has two main statewide tools for searching jail rosters. The first is the INjail Public Portal at public.indianajail.gov. It is free and open to anyone. Over 40 counties participate and that number keeps growing. Enter a last name in the search form to get started. First name and date of birth are optional but help narrow results when a name is common. A county dropdown lets you filter by a specific jail or search all participating counties at once. Results show the person's name, booking date, and the charges filed. This is the fastest way to check whether someone is currently in a county jail anywhere in Indiana.
The INjail portal above is the state's main free tool for searching Indiana jail rosters. Enter a last name to get started. You can filter by county or search all participating jails at once.
The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) runs a separate system called the Offender Locator. Visit offenderlocator.idoc.in.gov to use this search. It only covers state prison inmates, not county jail inmates. Use it if a person has been sentenced and moved to a state correctional facility. For county jail inmates, use the INjail portal or the specific county sheriff's website instead. You can search the IDOC system by last name alone or by both first and last name to narrow results.
The IDOC Offender Locator above is only for state prison inmates. If the person you are looking for is not in a county jail, they may have been transferred to a state facility. Use this tool to check IDOC facilities in Indiana.
Indiana County Jail Portal Roster
Not all 92 Indiana counties post their rosters to the INjail portal. Counties that don't participate often post rosters on their own sheriff's office website or use a private system like JailTracker, which is used by Adams, Boone, Crawford, Montgomery, Perry, Pulaski, and Tipton counties. Grant County uses its own web-based roster system. Jefferson County uses the Zuercher Portal. Allen County uses New World Inmate Inquiry. If a county doesn't appear in the INjail portal's dropdown list, check that county's sheriff's website directly or call the jail. Each county page on this site links directly to that county's roster tool.
The county list in the INjail portal shows which Indiana counties participate. Brown, Carroll, Elkhart, Fountain, Grant, Hendricks, and many others are included. Use the county dropdown to filter your Indiana jail roster search to one location.
Participating counties update their rosters on different schedules. Some update daily by 7 AM. Others update every four hours. Clay County's listing, for example, updates every four hours. Check the county's own website for details on how often the roster refreshes in that location.
VINE Victim Notification System
Indiana offers a free victim notification service called VINE. It stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Use VINE to check an offender's custody status and get alerts when that status changes. The service is online at vinelink.com. You can also call 1-866-959-VINE (1-866-959-8463) any time of day. The system runs around the clock. It costs nothing to use.
VINE was built for crime victims. It tells them where an offender is held and sends an alert when that person is released or transferred. Register online or by phone. VINE notifies you by email, phone, or text when the status changes. The system pulls data from Indiana county jails and the IDOC statewide.
To use VINE, open the site and select Indiana from the state list. Search by name and register for alerts. The service costs nothing. It is open to any crime victim in Indiana.
Marion County Indianapolis Jail Roster
Marion County runs its own inmate search system. It is not part of the INjail portal. The Marion County Sheriff's Office hosts a lookup tool at inmateinfo.indy.gov/IML. You can search by name and date of birth or by an identifier such as a booking number, state ID, county ID, or FBI number. The tool also lets you include archived records, which covers past jail stays in Marion County.
The Marion County inmate search portal above lets you pick between two methods. You can search by name and date of birth, or by a specific ID number. Both methods pull data from the Marion County Jail, which is located at 695 Justice Way in Indianapolis, Indiana.
You can also use the Indy.gov portal at indy.gov/activity/find-a-person-in-jail to find people in the Marion County Jail. The Marion County Sheriff's Office phone number is 317.327.1700 and the email is Contact.MCSO@indy.gov. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Indy.gov portal shown above is another way to reach the Marion County jail roster online. It connects to the same inmate lookup system through the official Indianapolis city website.
What Indiana Jail Rosters Show
Indiana law sets out what each county jail must record when a person is booked. Under 210 IAC 3-1-6, every inmate admitted to any county jail in Indiana must have specific information recorded at the time of booking, unless a statute says otherwise. These rules apply to all 92 county jails. The public roster is built from these booking records and updated as people are booked in and released.
Each booking entry in an Indiana jail roster must include the following items:
- Booking number, booking date, and booking time
- Full name and any aliases used by the person
- Home address or residence
- Sex, race, and date of birth
- Height, weight, hair color, and eye color
- Any scars, marks, or tattoos
Beyond the required fields, most county jails also list the charges filed against the inmate and the bond amount set by the court. Some jails show the arresting agency, next court date, and how long the person has been held. The roster is a public document under Indiana law. It does not include juvenile records, which are sealed under state law.
Note: A listing on the Indiana jail roster means a person was booked, not convicted, and all defendants are presumed innocent until a court rules otherwise.
Indiana Public Records Law
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (APRA) is found at Indiana Code Title 5, Article 14, Chapter 3. The law gives any person the right to inspect and copy public agency records. No explanation is required. The official policy of Indiana is that all persons are entitled to full and complete information about the affairs of government and the acts of public officials. County jail rosters are public records under this law.
Under IC 5-14-3-5, jails must create the booking record within 24 hours of an arrest or complaint. Agencies must respond to records requests within a reasonable time. Most give a 7-business-day window. Indiana county jails typically meet this standard by posting rosters online and updating them daily.
Some records are exempt. Under IC 5-14-3-4, exemptions cover records protected by federal or state law, law enforcement investigatory files, and medical records. When a record contains both public and protected information, the agency redacts the private parts and releases the rest. The right to inspect public records is open to all. You never need to say why you want them.
The Indiana Department of Correction operates under its own rules at IC Title 11. Under IC 11-10-4-9, all offender records at state facilities are subject to privacy laws enacted by the state or federal government. County jails are different. They follow the APRA framework and post their rosters online at no charge, with no reason required from the requester.
How to Find an Inmate in Indiana
Start with the INjail public portal at public.indianajail.gov. Enter the last name of the person and add a first name or date of birth if you have it. Select Indiana from the state, then pick a county from the dropdown or search all counties at once. If you find a match, the roster entry will show the booking date, charges, and bond amount set by the court.
If the county you are looking for does not appear in the INjail portal, go directly to that county's sheriff's office website. Each county page on this site lists the direct link to the county jail roster and other search tools. You can also call the county jail directly and ask staff to look up an inmate by name. Most jail booking windows answer calls around the clock.
For inmates transferred to a state prison, use the IDOC Offender Locator at offenderlocator.idoc.in.gov. Search by last name or full name to find sentenced inmates in Indiana state facilities. VINE at vinelink.com also lets you track an inmate and get alerts when their custody status changes. It covers both county jails and state prisons. Use it if you need ongoing updates.
Indiana Jail Roster by County
Every Indiana county maintains its own jail and jail roster. Select a county below to find the roster search link, sheriff's office contact info, and local policies for visitation and bonds.
Indiana City Jail Roster Search
Most Indiana cities do not run their own jails. Arrests made in a city are booked into the county jail for that area. Select a city to find which county jail holds its inmates and how to search the current roster.