Three separate systems hold people in custody in North Dakota, and they don't share one search. State prison inmates are in North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation custody. People awaiting trial or serving short sentences sit in county jails. Federal defendants are a third system entirely. Here's how to check each, free.
- State custody: start with the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation locator (docr.nd.gov) — name or ID number searches, current facility, and in most cases projected release dates.
- County jails: 12 North Dakota counties post their own jail rosters, linked below — that's where you'll find anyone arrested recently or serving under a year.
- Federal custody: the Bureau of Prisons locator (bop.gov) covers federal defendants and anyone sentenced in US District Court — a separate population people forget to check.
- Stay notified: VINELink sends automatic alerts when someone's custody status changes — transfer, release, or escape — in nearly every state.
DOCR posts a resident lookup; with a small system, calling a facility directly often works faster than any database. Content reviewed July 29, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.
Official North Dakota Custody Lookups
North Dakota Counties With Online Jail Rosters
These counties publish their own booking or in-custody lists — click through for each county records page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related North Dakota Records
Custody is one piece: the North Dakota criminal records page covers official background checks, wants & warrants lists who's being looked for, and North Dakota court records hold the cases behind every custody entry.