inmate.solutions

FL · Find someone in custody

How do I find someone in jail or prison in Florida?

Take a breath. You can find where your person is being held in Florida using official sources — here is exactly where to look and what to have ready.

State locator
Florida DOC Corrections Offender Network
VINELink
Covers Florida
Last verified
2026-07-23
Jurisdiction
Florida

Which system is holding them in Florida?

There is no single search that covers everyone. Match the situation to the right official locator — most families start with the first one.

If the arrest was recent

Start with the county jail

Someone just arrested in Florida is almost always in a COUNTY JAIL run by that county's sheriff, not in the state prison system.

Most Florida sheriffs publish an online jail roster or 'arrest inquiry / who's in custody' search for their own county, so pick the county where the arrest happened.

VINELink covers Florida statewide across participating jails and is the fastest single check when you don't know the county.

County jail rosters are fragmented across Florida's 67 county sheriffs; there is no single statewide county-jail search, so identify the arresting county's sheriff roster or use VINELink.

Search VINELink (choose Florida)

If they were sentenced to prison

Use the state prison locator

The Florida Department of Corrections runs the Corrections Offender Network inmate search, covering people in Florida STATE PRISON, plus released offenders, people on community supervision, absconders, and escapees.

Search by name or six-digit DC number.

It does NOT list people in county jails (the recently arrested / pretrial population) — for those, use the county sheriff's jail roster or VINELink.

FDC inmate-search help line: (850) 488-9859.

Open the Florida inmate locator

If the charge is federal

Search the Federal Bureau of Prisons

A federal charge means the person is in the federal system, not a Florida state or county facility. Search the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator by name or register number — it is separate from every state and county tool.

Search the Federal BOP locator

Finding your person in Florida, step by step

Work through these in order. Each step points to an official source — you do the searching there, on the government site.

  1. Step 1

    Figure out where they are likely held

    Recently arrested in Florida usually means a COUNTY JAIL run by the county sheriff. Someone sentenced to prison is with the state DOC. Someone arrested on a FEDERAL charge is in federal custody (use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator).

    Official source

  2. Step 2

    If just arrested, check the arresting county sheriff's jail roster or search VINELink statewide

    Go to the sheriff's website for the county of arrest and use its jail/inmate roster or 'arrest inquiry.' If you don't know the county, VINELink searches participating Florida jails statewide and lets you register for alerts.

    Official source

  3. Step 3

    If sentenced to state prison, search the Florida DOC Corrections Offender Network

    Use the FDC inmate search by name or DC number for people in Florida state prison.

    Official source

  4. Step 4

    If there is no online roster or you are unsure, call the county jail booking or records line

    The county sheriff's jail booking or records desk can confirm whether someone is in custody and their booking status.

    Official source

  5. Step 5

    For a federal arrest, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator

    If the charge is federal, search the BOP inmate locator instead of the state or county tools.

    Official source

What you’ll need to search

You can start with just a name, but these make a match faster and surer.

  • The person's full legal name (plus any aliases or maiden name).
  • Date of birth, which helps confirm the right person when names match.
  • A DC number (state prison) or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required).

Use official, free sources — and a few things to watch for

  • Use only official sources: the county sheriff's jail roster, VINELink, or the Florida DOC Corrections Offender Network. Confirm a match by full name and date of birth, since name-only matches are common.
  • Be wary of paid data-broker 'inmate search' and mugshot sites. They are not official, often charge fees, and may post stale, incomplete, or expunged records.
  • Custody data can lag. Someone booked into a county jail within the last few hours may not appear online yet; call the jail's booking or records line to confirm.
  • This tool only links to official sources. It does not store, search, or republish any inmate records itself.

If you need to bail them out in Florida

Finding the person comes first. Once you know where they are, this is how getting them out works in Florida.

Commercial bail available

In Florida, commercial bail exists. If a judge sets money bail, it can be posted in cash directly with the court or through a licensed bail bond agent for a fee. A judge may also release the person on their own recognizance or on set conditions, so ask the court or the jail what applies before paying anyone.

Florida has a large, legal commercial bail-bond industry.

Bail bond agents are licensed and regulated under Chapter 648 of the Florida Statutes (part of the insurance code), and a person can be released by posting a surety bond through a licensed bail bond agent, by posting the full cash bond with the court, or by being released on recognizance (ROR) without money in some cases.

After an arrest, bond is commonly set by a countywide bond schedule or by a judge at first appearance, which by rule happens within 24 hours of arrest.

Where a surety bail bond is used, the agent charges a non-refundable premium. Florida law (Fla. Stat. Sec. 648.33) makes it unlawful for an agent to charge more or less than the premium rate filed with and approved by the state Office of Insurance Regulation; the standard approved rate in Florida is 10% of the bond amount (a minimum premium applies).

The person’s rights. The person in custody has the right to talk to a lawyer about their case, and if they cannot afford one, the court can appoint a public defender.

Other official Florida contacts

County jails are run by the sheriff where the arrest happened — call that jail’s booking or records line for a very recent booking or the bail amount. These statewide sources can also help.

Common questions about finding someone in Florida

How do I find someone who was just arrested in Florida?

Someone just arrested in Florida is almost always in a COUNTY JAIL run by that county's sheriff, not in the state prison system. Most Florida sheriffs publish an online jail roster or 'arrest inquiry / who's in custody' search for their own county, so pick the county where the arrest happened. VINELink covers Florida statewide across participating jails and is the fastest single check when you don't know the county.

How do I find someone in state prison in Florida?

The Florida Department of Corrections runs the Corrections Offender Network inmate search, covering people in Florida STATE PRISON, plus released offenders, people on community supervision, absconders, and escapees. Search by name or six-digit DC number. It does NOT list people in county jails (the recently arrested / pretrial population) — for those, use the county sheriff's jail roster or VINELink. FDC inmate-search help line: (850) 488-9859.

Is there a free way to check if someone is in custody in Florida?

Yes. VINELink (the free national custody service) covers Florida. Search by name for custody status and register for free alerts. County jail rosters and the state locator are also free and official.

What do I need to look someone up in Florida?

The person's full legal name (plus any aliases or maiden name). Date of birth, which helps confirm the right person when names match. A DC number (state prison) or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required).

Does Florida have commercial bail bondsmen?

Yes. Commercial bail exists in Florida: if a judge sets money bail, it can be posted in cash with the court or through a licensed bail bond agent for a fee, and a judge may also grant own-recognizance or conditional release.

Sources & last verified

Everything here links out to official government or public-safety sources. We don’t store, search, or republish records.

Last verified 2026-07-23 · 10 sources