inmate.solutions

DE · Find someone in custody

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

DE statewide custody instructions and contacts

Official resources can help you check custody in Delaware. Use the paths below and confirm a missing or uncertain result with the responsible agency.

State locator
Delaware DOC Inmate Locator
Service coverage
Participating agencies; verify scope
Guidance reviewed
2026-07-23
Jurisdiction
Delaware

Which system is holding them in Delaware?

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 statewide custody system

Unified Delaware DOC custody; agency endorses VINE. Police, rural or pre-transfer bookings may not yet be included; ask the arresting agency.

DE statewide custody instructions and contacts

Use the agency’s published search instructions or contact options. This is not a separate person-search tool.

Find the responsible local agency

Official local-agency navigation. Directory access does not verify a custody roster.

Choose your county or local agency and locate its jail/corrections assistance.

Search Delaware participating-agency custody — VINE name-search fields reached without signing in; participating-agency coverage must be verified

Service instructions reviewed 2026-10-05. This is an agency information or participation route; a working local person-search form is not confirmed.

If nothing appears, contact the arresting agency or the responsible jail to ask how to confirm booking. A missing record does not prove release, and an agency may limit what it can disclose.

If they were sentenced to prison

Use the correctional locator

For a state-prison sentence, use the Delaware correctional locator.

A short jail sentence may still be served in a local or regional jail, or in the unified state system.

A sentence alone does not establish the housing location; confirm with the responsible agency.

Unified Delaware DOC custody; agency endorses VINE

Official agency instructions and assistance

DOC landing page links VINE; actual state-specific search needs its own route

Search form availability was not confirmed in this review. An access restriction, CAPTCHA, or unavailable application may require a normal browser or agency assistance; missing records do not establish release.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Search availability is unconfirmed or this is an instructions/phone route.

If the charge is federal

Search the Federal Bureau of Prisons

A federal charge does not tell you which building holds the person. The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for federal pretrial detention and may use local, state, private, or federal facilities. Check the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator, but a missing result does not establish that the person is not detained. For a recent federal arrest, contact the arresting agency or the relevant U.S. Marshals district office to ask about the appropriate custody-information process. USMS is a contact route, not a public person locator, and disclosure of a location is not guaranteed.

Search the Federal BOP locator U.S. Marshals district directory

Other kinds of custody

Immigration detention has a separate official ICE detainee locator. It does not search for people under 18, and a missing result does not prove release; use the official ICE field-office contacts. Search by A-number and country of birth, or the name/country/date-of-birth information requested by the service. Access and disclosure can be restricted.

Juvenile and tribal custody may have different agencies, privacy rules, and search limits. This guide does not provide a comprehensive juvenile or tribal locator. Contact the arresting agency or responsible juvenile or tribal authority to confirm the correct process.

For federal pretrial detention, use the U.S. Marshals district directory. Federal responsibility can include housing in a local jail.

City and municipal custody assistance

Use the contact matching the agency that made the arrest. These researched municipal holding and transfer paths are separate from the county routes.

Bethany Beach town custody assistance

For an arrest handled by Bethany Beach Police, use its published non-emergency contact to confirm actual custody. Charter sections 16.2–16.3 describe conditional presentment, holding and delivery to a Sussex County correctional institution; the charter does not name the initial booking facility.

Bethany Beach Police non-emergency assistance — 302-539-1000

Ask Bethany Beach Police where the person is actually held and whether there has been a transfer. If local judicial officials are unavailable, the charter allows appropriate holding or a Sussex County correctional institution; confirm the destination with Police. For an arrest by another agency, contact that agency. The number was not called.

Published Police assistance, not a dedicated booking or inmate-status line. No particular holding facility, automatic transfer or SCI initial intake was confirmed. State, federal and other arresting-agency branches remain separate.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

Bridgeville town custody assistance

For an arrest in Bridgeville town, contact the published municipal Police Department for general agency assistance. Ask which agency has custody and where to direct follow-up. This is not a booking or inmate-status hotline; no holding location or transfer is established.

Bridgeville Police Department administrative office — 302-337-8302

For an arrest by this department, ask which agency currently holds the person, whether there was a local hold or transfer, and which detention contact to use. For arrests by another agency, begin with that agency. The published number was not called.

Published Police assistance only. This is not a dedicated jail or booking hotline; holding and receiving-facility arrangements remain under review.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

Dagsboro town custody assistance

Published Town Police Department contact for assistance identifying the actual arresting agency, holding or next custody step.

Dagsboro Police Department assistance — 302-732-3777

Ask whether Dagsboro Police is handling the arrest and which agency can confirm current holding or transfer. The phone is a general Police contact; the page directs emergencies to 911. The number was not called.

Not labeled a dedicated booking or non-emergency line. The charter authorizes a lock-up and conditional County facility use, but no operating town jail, actual receiving institution, answered call or exclusive provider was confirmed.

Delaware State Police Troop 4 administrative assistance — 302-856-5850

For a State Police matter in the Sussex County branch, ask the Troop administrative office which agency can assist. Current location phone is independently confirmed; a 2023 State Police article describes the Sussex patrol/investigation role. Identify the actual arresting agency and location. For a non-emergency State Police matter, ask Troop 4 which appropriate Troop or office can confirm holding or a transfer. The number was not called.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

Dewey Beach town custody assistance

For an arrest in Dewey Beach town, contact the published municipal Police Department for general agency assistance. Ask which agency has custody and where to direct follow-up. This is not a booking or inmate-status hotline; no holding location or transfer is established.

Dewey Beach Police Department general office — 302-227-1110

For an arrest by this department, ask which agency currently holds the person, whether there was a local hold or transfer, and which detention contact to use. For arrests by another agency, begin with that agency. The published number was not called.

Published Police assistance only. This is not a dedicated jail or booking hotline; holding and receiving-facility arrangements remain under review.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

Georgetown town custody assistance

Current Police directory lists a Detention Center extension. The Town charter documents conditional court presentment and delivery to a Sussex County correctional institution.

Georgetown Police Detention Center assistance — 302-856-6613 ext. 111

Call the Police Department and request Detention Center extension 111. Ask where the person is actually held and whether a transfer occurred. The charter describes conditional presentment or County correctional custody; ask Police to confirm the actual destination. For a different arresting agency, follow that agency’s custody branch. The number was not called.

Named Detention Center contact, not a verified booking/status hotline. Charter permission does not establish automatic initial intake or identify SCI as the routine receiver. No phone answer, individual record or exclusive provider was confirmed.

Delaware State Police Troop 4 administrative assistance — 302-856-5850

For a known State Police matter in the Sussex County branch, ask the Troop administrative office which agency can assist. Current location phone is independently confirmed; a 2023 State Police article describes the Sussex patrol/investigation role. Identify the actual arresting agency and location. For a non-emergency State Police matter, ask Troop 4 which appropriate Troop or office can confirm holding or a transfer. The number was not called.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

Ocean View town custody assistance

For an arrest in Ocean View town, contact the published municipal Police Department for general agency assistance. Ask which agency has custody and where to direct follow-up. This is not a booking or inmate-status hotline; no holding location or transfer is established.

Ocean View Police Department general office — 302-539-1111

For an arrest by this department, ask which agency currently holds the person, whether there was a local hold or transfer, and which detention contact to use. For arrests by another agency, begin with that agency. The published number was not called.

Published Police assistance only. This is not a dedicated jail or booking hotline; holding and receiving-facility arrangements remain under review.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

South Bethany town custody assistance

For an arrest in South Bethany town, contact the published municipal Police Department for general agency assistance. Ask which agency has custody and where to direct follow-up. This is not a booking or inmate-status hotline; no holding location or transfer is established.

South Bethany Police Department officer on duty — 302-539-3996

For an arrest by this department, ask which agency currently holds the person, whether there was a local hold or transfer, and which detention contact to use. For arrests by another agency, begin with that agency. The published number was not called.

Published Police assistance only. This is not a dedicated jail or booking hotline; holding and receiving-facility arrangements remain under review.

Delaware State Police non-emergency dispatch — 302-855-2980

South Bethany publishes State Police non-emergency dispatch as the fallback if its officer on duty does not respond. If the South Bethany officer-on-duty contact does not answer and this is not an emergency, use this published State Police fallback and ask which agency can confirm custody or a transfer. The number was not called.

Reviewed 2026-10-06. Published phone assistance; the number was not called.

Find your area in Delaware

Find the area where the arrest happened. County and city matches identify geography; confirm custody using the responsible agency’s assistance. A place may span several areas.

City and town matches use the 2026 Census places and active municipal subdivisions, with exact county memberships. Custody arrangements are researched separately. Municipal police holding and jail transfers may differ from the county route.

3 counties

Finding your person in Delaware, 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

    Match the custody system

    Unified Delaware DOC custody; agency endorses VINE. Police cellblock or pre-transfer detention may not yet appear; ask the arresting agency. Select Name or ID Number and use the displayed criteria. Review the agency and current custody status on any result, and check service notices/offline agencies. If nothing appears, contact the responsible local agency.

    Official source

  2. Step 2

    Use the relevant state custody resource

    Unified Delaware DOC custody; agency endorses VINE DOC landing page links VINE; actual state-specific search needs its own route

    Official source

  3. Step 3

    Confirm missing or uncertain records

    Contact the arresting agency or responsible jail. New bookings, transfers, excluded populations and offline agencies may not appear online. A missing result does not establish release.

    Official source

  4. Step 4

    Check federal or immigration custody separately

    Use BOP for BOP records, a U.S. Marshals district contact for federal pretrial questions, and ICE ODLS/ERO contacts for immigration. These systems have different coverage and disclosure limits.

    Official source

What you’ll need to search

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

  • DOC landing page links VINE; actual state-specific search needs its own route
  • The exact name or agency identifier requested by that service. Date of birth is useful where the service offers it; it is not required by every tool.
  • The arrest location and responsible agency, if known. Check whether the roster is current custody or historical bookings.

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

  • Use free agency resources or an explicitly agency-endorsed public service. Do not pay a records broker to run these public searches.
  • A county filter in a state-prison search is not proof that it includes every county-jail booking.
  • Check participating agencies and outage notices. Use an agency contact when records are missing or unavailable.
  • Do not infer release or housing location from a missing record, a facility listing or geographic proximity.

If you need to bail them out in Delaware

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

Commercial bail available

Release depends on the court’s order. A payment is not required in every case. If a secured bond is ordered, ask the court which options are permitted; a private commercial bond service has separate fees and conditions. Confirm the process before paying anyone.

The court decides release and any conditions.

Ask the court or the responsible jail which forms of payment, if any, the order permits, how payments are made, and what refund or forfeiture conditions apply.

Fees for a private commercial service are separate from court deposits.

Do not assume that payment guarantees release.

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 Delaware contacts

Delaware uses a unified state correctional system rather than separate county sheriff jails. Start with the statewide custody locator or notification service linked here. A person arrested very recently may still be with the arresting police agency before transfer; contact that agency if no record appears. These statewide sources can also help.

Common questions about finding someone in Delaware

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

Unified Delaware DOC custody; agency endorses VINE. Police cellblock or pre-transfer detention may not yet appear; ask the arresting agency. Select Name or ID Number and use the displayed criteria. Review the agency and current custody status on any result, and check service notices/offline agencies. If nothing appears, contact the responsible local agency.

How do I find someone in state prison in Delaware?

Unified Delaware DOC custody; agency endorses VINE DOC landing page links VINE; actual state-specific search needs its own route

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

Public custody searches are free. VINE name-search fields reached without signing in; participating-agency coverage must be verified Check the responsible agency and its current participation. A missing record does not establish release. Avoid paid inmate-search and mugshot sites.

What do I need to look someone up in Delaware?

DOC landing page links VINE; actual state-specific search needs its own route The exact name or agency identifier requested by that service. Date of birth is useful where the service offers it; it is not required by every tool. The arrest location and responsible agency, if known. Check whether the roster is current custody or historical bookings.

How do I check release conditions and costs in Delaware?

Ask the court or responsible jail for the release order and permitted options. Court deposits and private service fees are different, conditions vary, and payment does not guarantee release.

Sources & review dates

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

Guidance research date 2026-07-23 · 13 sources · Custody-routing review 2026-10-05