How do I find an inmate or search a jail roster?

Montana Department of Corrections - MDOC (state prisons) / County Sheriff's Office or County Detention Center (county level - 56 counties)

Details

What you need to know

Fee

Online searches free; certified records requests may involve fees ONLINE OPTION: Yes - MDOC Offender Search at cor.mt.gov; county Sheriff websites for county jails WHERE TO GO: MDOC (state prisons); County Sheriff's Office or County Detention Center (county inmates)

Online Option

Yes - MDOC Offender Search at cor.mt.gov; county Sheriff websites for county jails

Where to Go

MDOC (state prisons); County Sheriff's Office or County Detention Center (county inmates)

County-specific variations apply

Montana's 56 county Sheriffs each operate their own detention facility. Online search capabilities vary - Yellowstone County (Billings), Cascade County (Great Falls), Missoula County, Gallatin County (Bozeman), and Flathead County (Kalispell) have the best online inmate search tools. Many rural eastern Montana counties have very limited online access - a direct phone call to the Sheriff's Office is typically needed. Some small counties contract with neighboring counties for detention.

Montana Notes

Important state-specific details

Montana Department of Corrections (MDOC) manages all state prisons including Montana State Prison (Deer Lodge), Montana Women's Prison (Billings), and various regional facilities; Offender Search at cor.mt.gov covers currently incarcerated state inmates and those on active supervision.
County jails operated by County Sheriffs - separate from MDOC; recent arrests will NOT appear in MDOC database.
Montana Sexual or Violent Offender Registry: doj.mt.gov/enforcement/svor - searchable online by name or location.
For visitation, phone calls, sending money, commissary, or mailing to a Montana inmate: inmateaid.com has MDOC and county jail facility details.

Official Source

State office contact

State Office

Montana Department of Corrections - cor.mt.gov | (406) 444-3930; Offender Search: cor.mt.gov (look for "Offender Search")