inmate.solutions

MI · Find someone in custody

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

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

State locator
Michigan DOC Offender Tracking Information System
VINELink
Covers Michigan
Last verified
2026-07-23
Jurisdiction
Michigan

Which system is holding them in Michigan?

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

In Michigan, someone who was just arrested and not released is held in the COUNTY JAIL run by the county sheriff, not a state prison, so OTIS will not show a brand-new arrest.

Michigan participates in the national VINE system (Michigan VINE), a free way to search custody status and register for alerts, and it covers county jails and state facilities.

Many Michigan county sheriffs also post an online jail roster / 'who's in jail' inmate lookup.

For a very recent booking or bail details, call the county jail's booking or records line.

County jails are run by the sheriff in each of Michigan's 83 counties; many post an online jail roster. Use the county sheriff's roster or Michigan VINE, and call the jail's booking/records line for recent bookings and bail amounts.

Search VINELink for Michigan

If they were sentenced to prison

Use the state prison locator

The Michigan Department of Corrections runs OTIS, the official Offender Tracking Information System (page title 'OTIS Offender Search').

It shows anyone currently or previously under MDOC jurisdiction — in a Michigan state prison, on parole or probation supervised by MDOC, transferred in or out under the Interstate Compact, or who has escaped/absconded — for the last three years (records older than three years are not shown).

Search by last name or offender number.

MDOC assistance line: 517-335-1426.

Because OTIS is state-prison / MDOC supervision only, someone just arrested and held in a county jail will generally NOT appear here.

Open the Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan, 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 the person is likely held

    If they were arrested recently and not released, they are almost certainly in the COUNTY JAIL run by the sheriff where the arrest happened. If they were already sentenced to state prison or are on MDOC parole/probation, they are in the MDOC system. If the charge is federal, they are in federal custody (use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator).

    Official source

  2. Step 2

    For a recent arrest, check the county sheriff's jail roster or Michigan VINE

    Look up the sheriff's online jail roster for the county where the arrest happened, or search Michigan VINE by name. VINE also lets you register for free custody-status alerts. If nothing shows yet, call the county jail's booking/records line to confirm custody and bail.

    Official source

  3. Step 3

    For a sentenced or MDOC-supervised person, search OTIS

    Use the Michigan DOC OTIS Offender Search and enter the last name or offender number. OTIS covers people in state prison or under MDOC parole/probation within the last three years.

    Official source

  4. Step 4

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

    If the charge is federal, search the BOP inmate locator by name or register number 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, nickname, or maiden name.
  • Date of birth, which helps confirm the right person when names match.
  • An MDOC offender number or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required to search).

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

  • Use only official sources: OTIS for state prison / MDOC supervision, the county sheriff's jail roster or Michigan VINE for county jails, or a call to the county jail. Confirm a match by full name and date of birth, since name-only matches are common.
  • OTIS only shows people who have been under MDOC jurisdiction within the last three years, so it is not the tool for a brand-new county arrest.
  • Be wary of paid data-broker 'inmate search' and mugshot sites. They are not official, often charge fees, and may show stale, incomplete, or expunged records.
  • Custody data can lag. Someone booked within the last few hours may not appear online yet; if an official source shows nothing, call the county jail's booking or records line.
  • 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 Michigan

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

Commercial bail available

In Michigan, 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.

Michigan uses money bail alongside non-monetary release.

Under the court rule governing pretrial release (MCR 6.106), a court may release a person on personal recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond, or set a bond that requires money.

Where money is required, Michigan offers a distinctive set of options: the person may post the full amount in cash or property, or deposit 10% of the bond amount with the court (a '10% bond'), which is refundable at the end of the case (less any fees) if conditions are met, or post a surety bond through a licensed commercial bail-bond agent for a non-refundable fee.

Commercial bail bondsmen legally operate statewide and are licensed by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services.

A surety bond through a bail agent carries a non-refundable premium, commonly around 10% of the bond amount. Michigan's separate '10% cash bond' is different: it is 10% of the bond posted directly with the court and refunded at the end of the case (less any fees) if you make all appearances. Full cash bail posted with the court is likewise returned, less fees, if conditions are met.

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 Michigan 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 Michigan

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

In Michigan, someone who was just arrested and not released is held in the COUNTY JAIL run by the county sheriff, not a state prison, so OTIS will not show a brand-new arrest. Michigan participates in the national VINE system (Michigan VINE), a free way to search custody status and register for alerts, and it covers county jails and state facilities. Many Michigan county sheriffs also post an online jail roster / 'who's in jail' inmate lookup. For a very recent booking or bail details, call the county jail's booking or records line.

How do I find someone in state prison in Michigan?

The Michigan Department of Corrections runs OTIS, the official Offender Tracking Information System (page title 'OTIS Offender Search'). It shows anyone currently or previously under MDOC jurisdiction — in a Michigan state prison, on parole or probation supervised by MDOC, transferred in or out under the Interstate Compact, or who has escaped/absconded — for the last three years (records older than three years are not shown). Search by last name or offender number. MDOC assistance line: 517-335-1426. Because OTIS is state-prison / MDOC supervision only, someone just arrested and held in a county jail will generally NOT appear here.

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

Yes. VINELink (the free national custody service) covers Michigan. 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 Michigan?

The person's full legal name, plus any aliases, nickname, or maiden name. Date of birth, which helps confirm the right person when names match. An MDOC offender number or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required to search).

Does Michigan have commercial bail bondsmen?

Yes. Commercial bail exists in Michigan: 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