Indiana statewide guide · County jail, IDOC and federal custody
Indiana Inmate Lookup: Find the Correct Jail, Prison, Case and Release Status
An Indiana inmate search fails when the wrong custody system is used. A recent arrestee may be in a county jail, a sentenced prisoner may be in an Indiana Department of Correction facility, and a federal defendant may be held through the Federal Bureau of Prisons or a contracted jail.
This guide explains how to identify the correct system, search with fewer errors, decode custody results, check bond and court status, register for release alerts, prepare for IDOC mail and visitation, and resolve a record that cannot be found.
CUSTODY SYSTEM FOUND
COUNTY
JAIL
INDIANA
DOC
FEDERAL
BOP
INMATE MATCH
Do not identify a person from a name alone. Match the date of birth, booking number, DOC number, arrest date, county, facility or court case number. A custody listing documents detention or incarceration; it does not by itself prove guilt or conviction.
County inmate
Search the responsible sheriff’s jail roster.
State prisoner
Use the IDOC Incarcerated Locator.
Federal inmate
Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator.
Court outcome
Verify charges and disposition through MyCase.
Custody alerts
Indiana SAVIN is free and available statewide.
Start with custody type
Which Indiana inmate-search system should you use?
COUNTY SHERIFF
Arrested recently or awaiting trial
Start with the sheriff in the county where the arrest occurred. County jail rosters commonly show current booking information, charges, bond entries and release status.
Best for: recent arrest, local warrant, pretrial detention, county sentence and bond questions.
INDIANA DOC
Serving an Indiana state sentence
Use the IDOC Incarcerated Locator to find the person’s DOC number and current state facility. The DOC number is the key identifier for mail, money, calls, visits and records requests.
Best for: state prison, IDOC intake, transfer, facility location and state release information.
FEDERAL BOP
Federal charge or federal sentence
Use the Bureau of Prisons locator for federal inmates from 1982 to the present. Search by federal register number or by legal name, age, race and sex.
Best for: federal prison location, federal register number and projected release information.
Fastest decision: Search the county where the arrest happened first when the event was recent. Use IDOC only after a state commitment or transfer, and use the federal locator when the case was prosecuted in federal court.
County jail lookup
How to find someone in an Indiana county jail
County jails are operated locally. There is no single county-jail roster with identical booking details and family rules for every Indiana county. The responsible sheriff controls the jail roster, booking desk, bond instructions, visitation, mail, deposits and release procedures.
Identify the county of arrest
Search the county where the arrest occurred, not automatically the county where the person lives. A traffic stop, warrant service or incident near a county line may result in booking elsewhere.
Open the official Indiana Sheriff Directory
Select the county from the state map or drop-down list. The directory identifies the elected sheriff and connects users to the sheriff’s official website.
Look for the jail or inmate-roster section
The link may be labeled Inmate Search, Jail Roster, Current Inmates, Detention Center, Bookings or Jail Division.
Search the surname first
Start with the legal last name. Add the first name only when many possible matches appear.
Try name variations
Test a maiden name, former surname, hyphenated version, suffix, alternate spelling or shortened first name.
Open each plausible booking
Compare the birth date or age, booking date, arresting agency, booking number, charges, bond entries and custody status.
Save the identifying numbers
Record the booking number, inmate ID, arrest number and every court case number shown.
Call the jail before paying or traveling
Confirm that the person is still held, verify the approved provider and ask whether another charge or agency hold prevents release.
County rules are not interchangeable. An address, visitation schedule, deposit vendor or bond method used by one Indiana jail may be rejected by another. Follow the exact county’s current instructions.
State prison lookup
How to use the Indiana DOC Incarcerated Locator
The IDOC locator is designed for people in Indiana state correctional custody. It should not be the first search for someone arrested a few hours ago and still held by a county.
Open the IDOC Incarcerated Locator
Use the live search when the person is believed to be committed to Indiana state custody.
Search the legal last name
Begin broadly. Avoid adding uncertain details that may exclude the correct record.
Compare all possible matches
Confirm identity using the full displayed name, DOC number and other available identifying information.
Save the DOC number
This is the most useful IDOC identifier and is required for general mail, provider accounts, facility questions and records requests.
Confirm the current facility
An incarcerated person may move after intake, classification, medical review, security reassignment or program placement.
Read facility-specific instructions
Visitation schedules, permitted property, delivery procedures and local operational notices vary by institution.
Do not treat a projected date as guaranteed
Credit time, court orders, parole decisions, holds and recalculation can affect a projected release date.
IDOC intake assignments: Adult males are initially assigned through Reception Diagnostic Center, adult females through Rockville Correctional Facility, juvenile males through Logansport Juvenile Correctional Facility and juvenile females through LaPorte Juvenile Correctional Facility.
Intake restrictions: IDOC describes intake as temporary. Ordinary programs and visitation are not initiated during the diagnostic process. Written correspondence and certain approved legal calls may be available while classification and placement are completed.
Federal custody
How to search for a federal inmate in Indiana
The Bureau of Prisons locator contains federal inmate information from 1982 to the present. A federal defendant may temporarily be housed in a county or contract facility before reaching a BOP institution.
Search by number
Use a BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number or INS number. The BOP register format is generally five digits, a hyphen and three digits.
Search by name
Enter the first, middle and last name. Race, age and sex can narrow a common-name result.
How to read a federal locator result
| Field |
Meaning |
Important limitation |
| Register number |
The primary federal custody identifier. |
Use the complete number for mail and BOP inquiries. |
| Location |
The institution or status presently displayed by BOP. |
A person may be in transit or temporarily housed elsewhere. |
| Release date |
The currently calculated federal release information. |
The BOP warns that sentence and federal time-credit recalculations can change this date. |
| Released |
The person is no longer in BOP custody. |
The person may still be under supervision or held by another justice agency. |
Result decoder
What an Indiana inmate-search result means
Common county and state custody fields
| Field |
What it identifies |
Practical next action |
| Booking number |
The identifier for a particular county jail intake. |
Use it for local jail questions, mail, deposits and booking verification. |
| DOC number |
The person’s permanent or primary identifier within IDOC. |
Use it for IDOC mail, visits, money, calls and records requests. |
| Booking date |
When the person entered the county intake process. |
Compare it with the known arrest date and distinguish older bookings. |
| Arresting agency |
The police department, sheriff or other agency responsible for the arrest. |
Request the incident or arrest report from that agency. |
| Charge |
The allegation recorded during booking or court processing. |
Check MyCase because the filed charge or final result may differ. |
| Bond amount |
The bond presently associated with a charge or court case. |
Confirm every charge, warrant and hold before paying. |
| No bond |
Release may require a judge’s order or resolution of another legal matter. |
Review the court docket and contact the responsible court or attorney. |
| Facility |
The jail or prison location currently associated with the person. |
Confirm before sending mail, scheduling a visit or traveling. |
| Release date |
A recorded or projected end of the custody period. |
Treat future dates as estimates until release is confirmed. |
| Case number |
The identifier used by the Indiana court. |
Use it in MyCase for filings, hearings, bond orders and disposition. |
One booking can contain several legal matters. A person may have multiple charges, court cases, county warrants, probation holds or another agency detainer. One payable bond does not guarantee release.
Troubleshooting
No Indiana inmate record found? Follow this order
The arrest happened within the last few hours
The person may still be completing identification, medical screening, fingerprinting, property inventory or initial court processing.
The wrong county was searched
Search the location of arrest, warrant service or traffic stop rather than the person’s residence.
The name is entered differently
Search the last name alone and test a former surname, maiden name, suffix, alias, compound name or spelling variation.
The person is in a city lockup
Some arrestees remain briefly with the arresting police department before county transfer.
The county booking disappeared
The person may have bonded out, completed release, transferred to another county or entered IDOC or federal custody.
The person is in IDOC intake
A new state commitment may be undergoing diagnostic classification before the permanent facility is displayed.
A court case appears but no custody record exists
The defendant may be out on bond, summoned to court, released, serving probation or connected with an older case.
The record is legally restricted
Juvenile, sealed, expunged, medical, victim-related and other confidential information may not be publicly available.
The person is federally detained
Search BOP and contact the federal court or U.S. Marshals-related case source when the prosecution is federal.
The person is outside Indiana
Search the state or jurisdiction where the person was arrested or transferred.
Useful jail call script
“I am trying to confirm whether [full legal name], date of birth [date], is in your custody. The arrest may have occurred on [date] through [agency]. I have [booking, DOC or case number]. Can you confirm whether the person is being booked, currently held, released or transferred?”
Custody timeline
What happens after an Indiana arrest?
Arrest and transport
The arresting agency transports the person to a city holding area, county jail or another authorized detention site.
Identity and booking
Staff record the person’s identity, charges, arresting agency, property, fingerprints and booking identifiers.
Medical and safety screening
The jail assesses urgent health, medication, withdrawal, mental-health, suicide-risk and separation needs.
Initial court process
A judge may address probable cause, appointment of counsel, bond, release conditions and the next hearing.
Pretrial custody or release
The person may remain held, post bond, receive another release condition or remain because of another warrant or detainer.
Case disposition
Charges may be dismissed, amended or resolved by plea, trial, diversion, sentencing or another court action.
County sentence or IDOC commitment
A sentenced person may remain locally, enter community corrections or transfer into Indiana DOC custody depending on the judgment.
Release, supervision or transfer
The person may be discharged, placed on probation or parole, enter a transition program or transfer to another jurisdiction.
Indiana MyCase
How to check charges, bond orders and court outcomes
Indiana MyCase contains public information from courts using the Odyssey case-management system, which includes most courts in the state. Public cases that are not confidential, sealed or expunged can generally be searched without creating an account.
Search by case number first
Enter the case number, citation number or cross-reference number by itself. Hyphens and leading zeroes are not required.
Use party search when no case number is known
Enter the last name and add at least a first name, middle name or date of birth.
Confirm the court and county
A common name may return several criminal, civil, traffic or family cases from different counties.
Review the chronological case summary
Read filings and events in date order. Locate charging documents, bond orders, warrants, hearings, judgments and sentencing entries.
Check the exact charge level
Determine whether the filed matter is a felony, misdemeanor, infraction or another case type.
Locate the final disposition
Do not describe a person as convicted from the booking charge. Identify the judgment, dismissal, plea or final order.
Request the document when the docket is unclear
Some documents are available online free of charge, while older or restricted public documents may require a clerk request.
Common MyCase terms
| Term |
Plain-language meaning |
What to verify |
| Initial hearing |
An early hearing addressing rights, counsel, charges and scheduling. |
Check the bond and next-hearing entry. |
| Bond set |
The court entered release-security or release-condition terms. |
Confirm whether another case or hold exists. |
| Warrant issued |
The court authorized arrest or action under the warrant. |
Confirm active status with the responsible law-enforcement agency. |
| Dismissed |
The court or prosecution ended the listed charge or case. |
Check whether every count was dismissed. |
| Judgment |
The court entered a formal case result. |
Read the judgment and sentencing entry. |
| Converted event |
Information transferred from a court’s previous electronic system. |
Older converted data may contain less online detail. |
Online-document limits: MyCase provides many public documents without charge, but document availability is not always retroactive. Some older documents remain available only through the court clerk.
Bond and release
What families should confirm before paying an Indiana bond
Exact legal name and date of birth
County jail and booking number
Every active court case number
Bond type and amount for each charge
Whether cash, surety or another method is required
Whether another county or agency has a hold
Accepted payment location and business hours
Whether fees are refundable or nonrefundable
Required identification for the payer
Expected release-processing procedure
Do not assume one payment causes release. A person may have a no-bond case, probation hold, another county warrant, federal detainer, immigration matter or additional charge.
Common bond and release situations
Cash bond
Confirm the exact payee, accepted form of payment, amount and refund procedure with the county.
Surety bond
A licensed bond agent may guarantee the bond under the local court’s rules. Fees paid to the agent are generally separate from court security.
Release on recognizance
The court may permit release without a traditional cash payment, subject to appearance and conduct conditions.
No bond or judicial hold
Release generally requires further court action or resolution of the controlling legal matter.
Bond paid but person remains held
Another charge, warrant or agency detainer may still prevent release.
Release shown as pending
Paperwork, property return, transport and record checks may still be underway. Confirm physical release before arranging pickup.
Scam warning: Do not pay a supposed deputy, court employee or jail worker through gift cards, cryptocurrency or a personal payment account. Verify the payment path using the county’s published phone number.
Free statewide notifications
Indiana SAVIN custody searches and release alerts
Indiana SAVIN provides real-time custody information for offenders in all 92 counties. The service is available to crime victims, family members and the general public.
Coverage
Custody information across all 92 Indiana counties.
Cost
No charge to search or register.
Availability
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Support
Live operators are available by telephone.
Privacy
Victim notification registration is confidential.
Changes SAVIN can help track
Initial custody or placement
Release from custody
Transfer to another facility
Other qualifying custody-status changes
State correctional release information
Public-safety alerts associated with correctional emergencies
IDOC victim notification: The Victim Services Division reports that registered victims and witnesses are generally notified 45 days before an IDOC offender’s pending release. A staff member is on call around the clock for emergency notification.
Community Transition Program: Victims can submit release concerns to the court of conviction. When CTP participation is approved, IDOC states that victims are notified approximately five to seven days before the transition release.
Effective July 1, 2026
New Indiana DOC inmate mailing address and scanning rules
IDOC now uses a centralized processing address for general personal correspondence to most state inmates. The change does not apply in the same way to Reception Diagnostic Center, legal mail or packages.
General personal mail format
Incarcerated Individual’s Full Name, DOC Number
Facility Name
P.O. Box 460
Phoenix, MD 21131
Use the current facility name. The DOC number identifies the person, but IDOC also instructs senders to include the person’s current facility. Confirm location immediately before mailing.
How centralized IDOC mail is delivered
The processing center receives the letter
The sender must include the incarcerated person’s full name, DOC number and assigned facility.
General correspondence is scanned in full color
The digital copy is uploaded for delivery through the incarcerated person’s tablet.
Alternative access is available
A person without a tablet may use a facility kiosk or loaner tablet. Mail can be printed when needed, including for some restricted-housing situations.
The original is held temporarily
IDOC states that originals are stored for 30 days so missing-page or upload problems can be addressed.
The original is discarded
After the temporary retention period, the physical correspondence is destroyed.
Transition deadline: IDOC states that after July 31, 2026, personal correspondence sent to an incorrect address will be returned to the sender.
Mail that should continue directly to the facility
Legal mail
Mail from courts, attorneys and recognized legal organizations must be clearly identified as legal mail and continues through the facility’s legal-mail process.
Attorney-client privileged mail
Privileged legal correspondence should not be sent through the ordinary centralized personal-mail address.
Packages and parcels
Packages remain subject to IDOC property, vendor and facility requirements and continue to go through the approved direct process.
Publication and package restrictions explained
- Publications may be inspected for alterations, annotations, obscene material or security risks.
- Used books containing writing, modifications or inserted materials may be rejected.
- Third-party fulfillment shipments may be rejected.
- Amazon items must be sold by Amazon and shipped by Amazon when the facility’s policy requires direct publisher or approved seller fulfillment.
- Pictures and videograms must comply with IDOC printed-material and correspondence rules.
Correspondence with another confined person
Prior approval is required when the other correspondent is incarcerated, on parole, assigned to community corrections, held in a county jail, on county probation after IDOC release, participating in CTP or assigned to work release.
The incarcerated person must request approval
State Form 11985 is used
The request goes to the warden or designee
The correspondence must serve the interests of both people and facilities
Approval may be suspended during restrictive status
A denial may be challenged through the grievance process
IDOC visiting process
How to become an approved Indiana DOC visitor
Register for a ViaPath account
Every visitor must register and receive approval before scheduling an in-person or online visit.
Complete supplemental documentation
Submit any documentation requested by the visitation coordinator. Missing documents can delay or cause rejection of the application.
Wait for visitor approval
Creating an account does not automatically place the visitor on an approved list.
Confirm the correct facility
Search the IDOC locator again because the incarcerated person may have transferred after the visitor applied.
Review facility-specific rules
Visiting days, duration, visitor limits, clothing, permitted items and unit restrictions vary.
Schedule through ViaPath
Choose an available appointment for the assigned facility and housing unit.
Use Eastern Time
IDOC states that ViaPath scheduling is displayed in Eastern Time even when a facility is physically located in Indiana’s Central Time Zone.
Bring accepted identification
Visitors age 16 and older must present valid photo identification each time they visit.
Accepted ID for visitors age 16 and older
Valid driver’s license from the state of residence
Valid state-issued photo identification
Valid military photo identification
Valid passport
Valid government photo identification
Qualifying foreign-government identification
IDOC visitation-list rules
Statewide visitor-list rules
| Rule |
Published IDOC requirement |
Practical effect |
| Maximum requested visitors |
An incarcerated person may request no more than 12 visitors. |
Approval is required before scheduling. |
| List updates |
The visitation list is updated at least twice each year. |
Name additions or removals may not be immediate. |
| Removing yourself |
A visitor may request removal in writing to the superintendent or designee. |
The visitor generally must wait six months before applying to visit the same or another incarcerated person, subject to immediate-family exceptions. |
| Visitor searches |
Visitors must submit to search of their person and property. |
Refusal results in denial of the visit. |
| Trafficking |
Drugs, tobacco, electronic devices, weapons and trafficking are prohibited. |
Evidence may be referred to Indiana State Police, and a trafficking visitor may be permanently banned. |
Scheduling is not a guarantee of entry. Lockdown, medical movement, facility emergency, disciplinary restriction, incorrect identification, prohibited clothing or failed search procedures can cancel or deny a visit.
Funds and support
How to send money to an Indiana DOC inmate
IDOC does not accept money orders delivered directly to state correctional facilities. Electronic and approved lockbox transactions are handled through the designated communications and payment provider.
Confirm the inmate’s DOC number
Match the exact legal name and DOC number in the state locator before creating a transaction.
Confirm current facility location
A transfer may affect available services even when the DOC number remains the same.
Create the approved provider account
IDOC currently directs friends and family to ViaPath or ConnectNetwork services for communication and financial support.
Select the correct account type
Trust, commissary, phone and tablet accounts may serve different purposes. Read the transaction label before paying.
Review the fee before submission
Provider fees depend on the payment type and amount and must be displayed before the transaction is finalized.
Save the receipt
Keep the confirmation number, amount, date, account type and inmate identifiers.
Do not mail a money order directly to an IDOC facility. Use the approved electronic or lockbox process and verify that the recipient is permitted to receive funds from the sender.
Approved-list issue: Indiana guidance states that money may be accepted only from people permitted under the inmate’s approved-list rules. Resolve eligibility before repeatedly attempting payment.
Calls and tablets
How Indiana inmate calls and communication accounts work
County jail calls
County jails select their own provider and calling schedule. Inmates generally cannot receive ordinary incoming calls.
IDOC communication
IDOC uses ViaPath services for approved calls, tablets, messaging and visitation-related communication.
Emergency message
Contact the facility directly when there is a verified death, serious illness or urgent family matter. Staff decide whether and how to deliver the message.
Before funding a phone account
Confirm whether the person is in county or state custody
Use the correct booking or DOC number
Verify the facility-selected provider
Choose the correct prepaid or recipient account
Check whether the telephone number is blocked
Save the payment and account confirmation
Monitoring warning: Non-privileged jail and prison calls, messages and video sessions can be recorded, monitored or reviewed. Do not discuss criminal allegations, witnesses, evidence or legal strategy on an ordinary account.
Public records
How to request Indiana inmate, jail or correctional records
Send the request to the office that created the record
| Record needed |
Likely custodian |
Identifiers to provide |
| County booking record |
County sheriff or jail |
Full name, birth date, booking number and booking date. |
| Police incident or arrest report |
Arresting police or sheriff’s agency |
Report number, incident date, location and involved names. |
| Criminal court documents |
County clerk or court |
Case number, defendant name and document title. |
| IDOC incarceration record |
Indiana Department of Correction |
Full name, DOC number, facility and requested record type. |
| Medical or mental-health record |
Facility health-record process |
Signed authorization and identity documentation may be required. |
| State criminal history |
Indiana State Police |
Name, birth date, race, gender and other search information. |
Write a narrow, processable IDOC request
Copy-ready records-request wording
I request an electronic copy of the following publicly releasable records concerning [full legal name], DOC number [number], currently or previously assigned to [facility]: [identify the exact document, report or date range]. The relevant period is [start date] through [end date]. Please provide a written cost estimate before processing if the charge will exceed $[amount].
Use the person’s full legal name
Include the DOC or booking number
Identify the exact document or report
Provide a narrow date range
Request electronic delivery when practical
Set a cost-notification limit
Not every inmate record is public. Medical, mental-health, security, victim, personnel, juvenile, investigative and legally confidential information may be redacted or withheld.
Indiana State Police
When an inmate lookup is not a criminal-history check
A jail or prison locator answers where a person is held. It does not provide a complete statewide or nationwide background report.
Indiana Limited Criminal History
A name-and-date-of-birth search of qualifying Indiana records. Completeness depends on county participation.
Indiana Full Criminal History
A fingerprint-based Indiana report containing reported arrests, charges and dispositions within Indiana. It does not include federal or out-of-state arrests.
National Full Criminal History
A fingerprint-based report containing reported state and federal arrests, charges and dispositions across the United States.
Indiana Limited Criminal History service
| Item |
Current published detail |
What users should know |
| Non-subscriber online cost |
$16.32 per search |
The fee applies to each completed search. |
| IN.gov subscriber cost |
$15 per search |
A subscriber account is required for this rate. |
| Government-agency cost |
$7 per search |
Applicable authorized government use rules still apply. |
| Possible result |
On File |
A matching Indiana criminal record was found. |
| Possible result |
Inconclusive Results |
Indiana recommends a fingerprint-based check for stronger identity resolution. |
| Possible result |
No Records Found |
This is an official search result, but it does not guarantee no record exists outside the search’s scope. |
Information returned by the Limited Criminal History service
- Qualifying misdemeanor and felony arrests less than one year old.
- Older qualifying arrests when a court disposition has been reported.
- Names and aliases associated with the matching record.
- Arrest dates, charges and reported dispositions.
- Indiana records only; other states and federal jurisdictions are excluded.
A fee is charged even when no record is found. Confirm the required search type with the employer, licensing board, housing provider or requesting organization before paying.
Saving the online result
Enable temporary browser cookies
Allow the result or PDF window to open
Have a working printer or PDF-save option ready
Save the result immediately after the search
The search PDF expires after 14 days
No paper copy is automatically mailed after an online search
Mail request option
Incorrect records
How to correct or expunge Indiana custody and criminal records
Correct the information at its source
| Problem |
Office to contact |
Evidence to prepare |
| Wrong county booking identity |
County sheriff or jail records unit |
Government ID, booking number and proof of the mismatch. |
| Wrong arrest-report information |
Arresting law-enforcement agency |
Report number and official supporting documentation. |
| Incorrect court docket entry |
Court clerk or issuing court |
Case number and signed order or filed document. |
| Incorrect IDOC identity or custody data |
Indiana Department of Correction |
DOC number, identity documents and controlling court records. |
| Incorrect State Police criminal history |
ISP criminal-history challenge process |
Fingerprint-based Indiana Full Criminal History and certified court documents. |
Indiana criminal-history challenge
Indiana State Police uses a fingerprint-based Indiana Full Criminal History for the Criminal Record Review Challenge. The report includes reported Indiana arrests, charges and dispositions but excludes federal and out-of-state records.
Register for electronic fingerprinting
Use the Indiana INkless process and choose the appropriate criminal-record review or challenge service.
Complete fingerprint capture
Visit the selected IDEMIA enrollment center with the required identity documents.
Review the Indiana report
Identify the exact arrest, charge, disposition or identity field that is incomplete or incorrect.
Collect certified proof
Obtain certified dismissal, judgment, correction or other controlling documents from the court or agency.
Submit the challenge
Follow Indiana State Police instructions for review and correction of the disputed record.
Expungement and sealing
A petition for expungement or sealing is filed with the Indiana court that has jurisdiction. A person may file without counsel or use a private attorney, but Indiana State Police cannot provide legal advice.
Identify every case and arrest involved
Use MyCase, certified court records and the Indiana criminal-history report.
Determine the correct court and legal eligibility
Waiting periods, offense type, disposition and prior history can affect relief.
File the required petition
Submit it to the proper local court and follow service, notice and hearing requirements.
Obtain the signed order
Filing alone does not seal or expunge the record.
The court forwards the order
Indiana State Police processes the verified petition and granted order received from the local court.
Verify implementation
Check the court, State Police and applicable agency records after processing is complete.
Family action plan
What to do in the first 24 hours after locating an inmate
1
Save the identity details
Record the full displayed name, birth date, booking or DOC number, facility, arrest date and case numbers.
2
Check every charge
List each charge and bond separately. Look for an outside warrant or hold.
3
Search the court case
Use MyCase to confirm the initial hearing, bond order, counsel and next court date.
4
Confirm the facility
Call before sending mail, paying a provider, arranging pickup or traveling for a visit.
5
Register for SAVIN
Set confidential custody-status notifications instead of repeatedly refreshing a roster.
6
Protect legal privacy
Do not discuss charges, evidence, witnesses or defense strategy over recorded calls or ordinary messages.
Frequently asked questions
Indiana inmate-search questions answered
How do I search for a recent Indiana arrest?
Identify the county where the arrest happened, select that county in the Indiana Sheriff Directory and use the sheriff’s current inmate roster. A recent arrestee may not yet appear in IDOC.
How do I find someone serving an Indiana prison sentence?
Use the IDOC Incarcerated Locator. Save the person’s DOC number and current facility because those details are required for mail, money, calls, visits and records requests.
Can Indiana SAVIN search all county jails?
Indiana states that SAVIN provides custody-status information for offenders in all 92 counties. Use the local sheriff for detailed bond, visitation, mail and release instructions.
Why is an Indiana inmate not appearing online?
The person may still be completing booking, may be listed under a different name, may have been released or transferred, or may be in a city, state, federal, juvenile or confidential custody setting.
How do I check an Indiana inmate’s charges and court date?
Use the case number in Indiana MyCase. Review the chronological case summary for charging documents, hearings, bond orders, warrants, judgments and disposition.
What address should I use for Indiana DOC inmate mail?
For most general personal mail, use the person’s full name and DOC number, facility name, P.O. Box 460, Phoenix, MD 21131. Reception Diagnostic Center, legal mail and packages follow separate procedures.
Do Indiana DOC visitors need approval?
Yes. Visitors must register with ViaPath, submit required supplemental documentation, receive approval and schedule an available visit. Facility-specific rules still apply.
What time zone does Indiana DOC visitation scheduling use?
ViaPath visitation appointments are displayed in Eastern Time, including appointments for facilities located in Indiana’s Central Time Zone.
How much is an Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History search?
The currently published online cost is $16.32 for a non-subscriber, $15 for an IN.gov subscriber and $7 for a government agency. Each completed search is charged even when no record is found.
Can an Indiana inmate or arrest record be corrected or expunged?
Incorrect data should be challenged through the agency that maintains it. Expungement or sealing requires a petition in the proper Indiana court and a granted order. The court then forwards the required documentation to Indiana State Police for processing.
Official-source verification
Primary Indiana systems used for this guide
County custody
The State of Indiana Sheriff Directory identifies every elected county sheriff and provides the route to each official county website.
State custody
IDOC provides the Incarcerated Locator, facility directory, mail rules, visitation procedures, communication guidance and records-request process.
Court records
Indiana MyCase provides searchable public case information and many public court documents from Odyssey courts.
Notifications
Indiana SAVIN provides statewide custody information and confidential notification registration.
Criminal history
Indiana State Police provides name-based, fingerprint-based, challenge and expungement-processing information.
Federal custody
The Federal Bureau of Prisons locator covers federal inmates from 1982 to the present.