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AK · Find someone in custody

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

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

State locator
Alaska DOC offender search via VINE
VINELink
Covers Alaska
Last verified
2026-07-23
Jurisdiction
Alaska

Which system is holding them in Alaska?

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

Because Alaska is a unified system, a person arrested anywhere in the state is booked into a state DOC correctional facility (pretrial), not a county jail, so the SAME VINE search and DOC facilities apply to a recent arrest and to a sentenced person.

There are no county-run jail rosters to check.

Alaska DOC does contract with about 15 small local 'community jails' (run by some city police departments) for short-term holds; those are still part of the state system.

Use VINE, or call the specific DOC facility, to confirm a recent booking.

No county jail rosters exist in Alaska because there are no county jails; the state DOC (searchable through VINE) holds everyone, including pretrial detainees.

Search VINELink (choose Alaska)

If they were sentenced to prison

Use the state prison locator

Alaska runs a 'unified' correctional system: the Alaska Department of Corrections operates ALL of the state's correctional facilities, holding people in both pretrial (just-arrested) and sentenced status, so there are no traditional county jails.

Alaska does not host a separate homegrown inmate database; its official public offender search is VINE.

Select Alaska on VINE (vinelink.com) and search by name to see custody location and status for people held by the Alaska DOC.

The Alaska DOC's own page describes VINE as its offender search and free notification tool.

Open the Alaska 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 Alaska 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

Find your county in Alaska

A recent arrest is handled at the county jail. Open the county where the arrest happened for its facilities, phone numbers, and the exact locators to search — all 30 Alaska jurisdictions are here.

30 counties

Finding your person in Alaska, 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

    Understand Alaska's unified system

    Unlike most states, Alaska has no county jails. Whether a person was just arrested (pretrial) or has been sentenced, they are held in an Alaska Department of Corrections facility. That means one system and one search covers both situations.

    Official source

  2. Step 2

    Search for the person on VINE (Alaska)

    Go to VINE at vinelink.com, choose Alaska, and search by full name. VINE shows near-real-time custody status and facility for people held by the Alaska DOC and lets you register free for alerts when custody status changes. You can also call VINE's 24/7 line at 1-800-247-9763 for help.

    Official source

  3. Step 3

    If the charge is federal, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator

    Federal cases are handled separately. The federal BOP inmate locator at bop.gov covers people in federal custody and is not part of the Alaska state system.

    Official source

  4. Step 4

    If VINE does not show them yet, call the DOC facility

    Someone booked in the last few hours may not appear online immediately. Contact the Alaska DOC or the specific correctional facility's booking/records line to confirm a booking, booking number, bail amount, and next court date. Court information is on the Alaska Court System site.

    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 middle name or alias and spelling variations.
  • Their date of birth, to distinguish people with similar names.
  • If you have it, the assigned offender/DOC number for the most exact match, though a name search is enough to start.

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

  • Use only official sources: VINE at vinelink.com (Alaska's official offender search) and, for federal cases, the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Both are free.
  • Be wary of paid 'Alaska inmate search' and mugshot websites that rank high in results. They often charge fees for information VINE provides free and may show stale or incomplete records.
  • Custody information changes constantly, and a very recent booking may not appear online right away; if you cannot find the person, call the DOC facility's booking or records line.

If you need to bail them out in Alaska

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

Commercial bail available

In Alaska, 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.

Alaska sets pretrial release conditions under state law (Alaska Statutes Title 12, Chapter 30).

At arraignment, a judicial officer chooses conditions such as release on your own recognizance, an unsecured appearance bond, a cash or performance bond posted with the court, an appearance bond secured by a qualified third-party custodian, or a corporate surety bond posted through a licensed bail bond agent.

Commercial bail bonding is legal in Alaska, but the commercial bail-bond industry is small and Alaska relies heavily on recognizance, cash/performance bonds, and the third-party custodian model rather than commercial bondsmen.

The Alaska Department of Corrections' Pretrial Enforcement Division supervises many people released before trial.

If a corporate surety (bail) bond is used, the licensed bail agent charges a non-refundable fee (premium). Cash or performance bonds posted directly with the court are returned, less any costs, once release conditions are met. Because the industry is small, a commercial bail bond may not be readily available in every location.

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 Alaska 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 Alaska

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

Because Alaska is a unified system, a person arrested anywhere in the state is booked into a state DOC correctional facility (pretrial), not a county jail, so the SAME VINE search and DOC facilities apply to a recent arrest and to a sentenced person. There are no county-run jail rosters to check. Alaska DOC does contract with about 15 small local 'community jails' (run by some city police departments) for short-term holds; those are still part of the state system. Use VINE, or call the specific DOC facility, to confirm a recent booking.

How do I find someone in state prison in Alaska?

Alaska runs a 'unified' correctional system: the Alaska Department of Corrections operates ALL of the state's correctional facilities, holding people in both pretrial (just-arrested) and sentenced status, so there are no traditional county jails. Alaska does not host a separate homegrown inmate database; its official public offender search is VINE. Select Alaska on VINE (vinelink.com) and search by name to see custody location and status for people held by the Alaska DOC. The Alaska DOC's own page describes VINE as its offender search and free notification tool.

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

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

The person's full legal name, plus any middle name or alias and spelling variations. Their date of birth, to distinguish people with similar names. If you have it, the assigned offender/DOC number for the most exact match, though a name search is enough to start.

Does Alaska have commercial bail bondsmen?

Yes. Commercial bail exists in Alaska: 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 · 8 sources