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North Dakota · How-To Guide

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

North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - DOCR (state prisons) / County Sheriff's Office / County Correctional Center (county level - 53 counties)
Details

What you need to know

Fee
Online searches free; certified records requests may involve fees ONLINE OPTION: Yes - DOCR Resident Lookup at docr.nd.gov; county Sheriff websites (varies) WHERE TO GO: DOCR (state prisons); County Sheriff's Office or County Correctional Center (county inmates)
Online Option
Yes - DOCR Resident Lookup at docr.nd.gov; county Sheriff websites (varies)
Where to Go
DOCR (state prisons); County Sheriff's Office or County Correctional Center (county inmates)
County-specific variations apply

ND's 53 counties each have county detention or correctional facilities. Cass County (Fargo), Burleigh County (Bismarck), Grand Forks County, and Ward County (Minot) have the best online tools. Very rural ND counties (Slope, Billings, Adams, Hettinger, Mercer, Grant, Sioux) have small jails requiring direct phone contact. Williams County (Williston) has grown significantly due to the oil boom.

North Dakota Notes

Important state-specific details

  • DOCR manages North Dakota State Penitentiary (Bismarck), Missouri River Correctional Center, James River Correctional Center, and the North Dakota Youth Correctional Center; Resident Lookup at docr.nd.gov.
  • County jails/correctional centers operated by County Sheriffs - separate from DOCR; recent arrests will NOT appear in DOCR database.
  • ND Sex Offender Registry: sexoffender.nd.gov - searchable online.
  • TRIBAL CONSIDERATIONS: Multiple tribal nations in ND (Standing Rock, Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Three Affiliated Tribes/MHA Nation, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Trenton Indian Service Area) have their own tribal police and may hold individuals in tribal facilities not accessible through DOCR or county databases.
  • For visitation, phone calls, sending money, commissary, or mailing to a ND inmate: inmateaid.com has DOCR and county facility details.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
ND Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - docr.nd.gov | (701) 328-6390; Resident Lookup: docr.nd.gov