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ND · Find someone in custody

How do I find someone in jail or prison in North Dakota?

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

State locator
ND DOCR Resident Lookup
VINELink
Covers North Dakota
Last verified
2026-07-23
Jurisdiction
North Dakota

Which system is holding them in North Dakota?

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 North Dakota, someone who was just arrested and not released is held in the COUNTY JAIL or a regional correctional/detention center run at the county level, not a state prison, so the DOCR Resident Lookup will not show a brand-new arrest.

Several North Dakota sheriff's offices and detention centers (for example Burleigh, Stark, and the Bismarck area) direct the public to VINELink.

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

County jails and regional detention centers in North Dakota are run at the county level; some post an online roster, and several sheriffs point the public to VINELink (ND SAVIN) for custody status. Use ND SAVIN/VINE, and call the jail's booking/records line for recent bookings and bail amounts.

Search VINELink (choose North Dakota)

If they were sentenced to prison

Use the state prison locator

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) runs the official Resident Lookup (page title 'Resident Lookup | North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation').

Search by DOC number or by name (full last name or the starting letters); results show the resident's ID, name, and date of birth, and you can open a row for more detail.

It lists only individuals CURRENTLY incarcerated in a North Dakota state correctional facility - a person sentenced to the ND DOCR but held in an out-of-state facility will not appear, and it does not include county-jail detainees or very recent arrests.

DOCR Inmate Identification Unit: (701) 328-6390.

Open the North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota

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 53 North Dakota jurisdictions are here.

53 counties

Finding your person in North Dakota, 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 or regional detention center where the arrest happened. If they were already sentenced to a North Dakota state prison, they are in the ND DOCR 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, use ND SAVIN / VINE or the county jail

    Search VINELink (ND SAVIN) by name and register for free custody-status alerts, or call 1-866-631-8463. If nothing shows yet, call the county jail or regional detention center's booking or records line to confirm custody and bail.

    Official source

  3. Step 3

    For a sentenced state-prison inmate, use the ND DOCR Resident Lookup

    Use the North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup and enter the DOC number or the name to confirm the person is currently in a North Dakota state facility. Note that someone held out of state on a ND sentence will not appear.

    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.
  • A DOCR DOC 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: the ND DOCR Resident Lookup for state prison, ND SAVIN/VINE for custody status, or a call to the county jail or detention center. Confirm a match by full name and date of birth, since name-only matches are common.
  • The DOCR Resident Lookup shows only people currently in a North Dakota state facility, so it will not show a brand-new county arrest and will not show someone held out of state on a ND sentence.
  • 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 North Dakota

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

Commercial bail available

In North Dakota, 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.

North Dakota uses money bail alongside non-monetary release.

Under North Dakota Rule of Criminal Procedure 46 and related statutes, a court may release a person on their own recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond, or set a secured bond.

Where a secured bond is required, a person may post cash bail with the clerk of court, or post a surety bond through a licensed commercial bail bond agent for a fee.

Commercial bail bond agents legally operate in North Dakota and are licensed as surety bail bond producers by the North Dakota Insurance Department.

In practice, many North Dakota courts rely on cash bonds posted directly with the court or on recognizance release, and commercial bondsmen are less prevalent here than in some states.

A commercial surety bond carries a non-refundable premium, commonly around 10% of the bond amount. Cash bail posted directly with the clerk of court is refundable (less any fees) if you make all required appearances. Ask the clerk whether the court will accept a cash bond instead of a surety bond.

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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota

How do I find someone who was just arrested in North Dakota?

In North Dakota, someone who was just arrested and not released is held in the COUNTY JAIL or a regional correctional/detention center run at the county level, not a state prison, so the DOCR Resident Lookup will not show a brand-new arrest. Several North Dakota sheriff's offices and detention centers (for example Burleigh, Stark, and the Bismarck area) direct the public to VINELink. For a very recent booking or bail details, call the county jail or detention center's booking or records line.

How do I find someone in state prison in North Dakota?

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) runs the official Resident Lookup (page title 'Resident Lookup | North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation'). Search by DOC number or by name (full last name or the starting letters); results show the resident's ID, name, and date of birth, and you can open a row for more detail. It lists only individuals CURRENTLY incarcerated in a North Dakota state correctional facility - a person sentenced to the ND DOCR but held in an out-of-state facility will not appear, and it does not include county-jail detainees or very recent arrests. DOCR Inmate Identification Unit: (701) 328-6390.

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

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

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. A DOCR DOC number or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required to search).

Does North Dakota have commercial bail bondsmen?

Yes. Commercial bail exists in North Dakota: 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 · 11 sources