Find the Right Federal Inmate or Detainee Before You Search the Wrong System
Start with the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator when the person may be in BOP custody. If the person is a federal pretrial detainee, recently arrested, in transport or not yet designated to a BOP prison, the U.S. Marshals Service, a local contract jail and the federal court record may matter more.
This guide separates BOP custody, U.S. Marshals pretrial detention, PACER federal court records, local contract jail rules, ICE detention and state/local custody so you can verify the right system before sending money, mail or planning a visit.
Federal Source Board
Fast Answer: BOP Is the Starting Point, Not Every Federal Detainee
The official BOP Inmate Locator covers federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present. It can show the name, BOP Register Number, age, race, sex, release-date field and location for matching records. BOP states that locator data is extracted from its main inmate database and updated daily.
A missing BOP result does not rule out federal detention. The U.S. Marshals Service manages court-ordered pretrial federal custody and currently says most of its pre-sentenced prisoners are physically housed in state, local or private detention facilities. Use PACER and the actual holding facility when BOP is not the right system.
Jump to the task you need
- Choose the correct system
- Search the BOP locator
- Read BOP result fields
- No-result troubleshooting
- U.S. Marshals pretrial custody
- PACER federal court records
- Federal detention and release
- Federal facility types
- BOP visits
- Mail and packages
- Phone and TRULINCS
- Send money
- Medical / welfare concern
- ICE is separate
- Pre-1982 records
- FAQs
Which Federal Custody Source Should You Use?
This helper does not search BOP, PACER, USMS, ICE or a jail database. It routes you to the official source that matches the question.
Select a task above
The recommended official source will appear here.
How to Search the BOP Inmate Locator
BOP is the correct starting point for people currently or formerly recorded in BOP custody from 1982 to the present. The locator supports name searches and number searches. The displayed BOP Register Number format is #####-###.
- Open the official BOP Inmate Locator. Do not begin with a commercial people-search or copied federal-inmate directory.
- Use a number when you have one. A BOP Register Number is more precise than a common name. The locator also provides a number-type selector for supported federal identifiers.
- Otherwise search by name. BOP requires first and last name; middle name, age, race and sex can help narrow duplicates.
- Compare the full result. Check Register Number, age, sex, location and release-date field rather than matching on name alone.
- Open the facility page. If a BOP institution is shown, use the official BOP location directory for the current mailing address, phone and local visiting rules.
- Verify the court separately when needed. The inmate locator is a custody tool; PACER is the federal court-record tool.
How to Read BOP Locator Results
| Field / status | What it means | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Register No. | The BOP Register Number shown for the record, even if another supported number type was used to search. | Use it to reduce same-name errors. |
| Age | Current age calculated from date of birth. | For an old released record, this is not the age at release. |
| Release Date | A future date is generally BOP’s projected release date; a past date with no facility indicates release from BOP custody. | Projected dates can change; release from BOP does not rule out other custody or supervision. |
| UNKNOWN | BOP says the confinement term is not determined, which can occur in pretrial status, before sentencing or in some civil-commitment situations. | Do not invent a projected date. |
| Regional Office | BOP says this can indicate a concurrent state sentence being served in a state prison. | The person may not physically be inside that regional office. |
| CCM | Community Corrections Management can indicate placement in a contract halfway house. | The person is not physically housed at the CCM office itself. |
| IN TRANSIT | The person has moved from a BOP facility and may or may not return. | Do not mail or travel until the physical location is reconfirmed. |
| RELEASED / Not in BOP Custody | The person is no longer in BOP custody. | They may still be under supervised release, parole or another correctional/law-enforcement system. |
Why a Federal Detainee May Not Appear in BOP
USMS Custody
A federal defendant can be remanded to U.S. Marshals custody and physically housed in a local, state, private or BOP facility.
Too Early for BOP
A recent federal arrest may still be moving through initial appearance, detention proceedings, booking or temporary housing.
State or Local Case
BOP does not hold ordinary state or county records. Use the relevant state DOC or county jail if the case is not federal.
Pre-1982 Record
Older federal records may be held by the National Archives rather than appearing in the modern BOP locator.
- Recheck the exact spelling and the BOP number format.
- Search PACER or the PACER Case Locator for a federal criminal case.
- If a federal case exists but there is no BOP placement, consider U.S. Marshals pretrial custody.
- Identify the U.S. District Court and likely local holding facility near the prosecution district.
- Check the actual county/local jail roster if USMS contract housing is plausible.
- Contact the attorney of record, federal public defender or appropriate USMS district office when location clarification is urgent and publicly releasable.
- Use ICE only when immigration detention is actually relevant.
U.S. Marshals Custody: The Main Reason BOP-Only Searches Fail
The U.S. Marshals Service assumes responsibility for people remanded to federal custody by a U.S. District Court and manages custody, housing and transportation during the federal court process. USMS does not operate a nationwide public inmate locator comparable to BOP.
USMS currently states that it houses more than 63,000 prisoners in federal, state, local and private jails, contracts with roughly 1,200 state and local governments for jail space, and that about 75% of prisoners in its custody are held in state, local or private facilities rather than BOP facilities.
Case Can Be Federal
The person may be prosecuted in U.S. District Court even while the physical housing facility is a county jail.
Building Controls Daily Services
If the person is physically in a local contract jail, that jail’s current mail, phone, visitation and commissary rules apply—not BOP’s standard account instructions.
Location Can Change
Federal detainees move for court, medical treatment, sentencing, designation and transport. Reconfirm the facility before travel or mailing.
Open U.S. Marshals Prisoner Information ↗
PACER: Federal Court Records Are Separate From BOP Custody
PACER provides electronic public access to federal appellate, district and bankruptcy court records. For a criminal case, use PACER when you need the case number, docket entries, detention or release orders, plea proceedings, sentencing, judgment, revocation activity or other public court filings.
Search the Specific Federal Court
If you know the U.S. District Court, search that court’s PACER docket. This is the most direct route to case-specific filings.
Use PACER Case Locator
If you do not know which federal court has the case, use the nationwide PACER Case Locator. U.S. Courts says the national locator index updates at midnight each day.
Current PACER Pricing
- Account registration itself is free.
- Online case information currently costs $0.10 per page.
- A single document is generally capped at $3.00, equivalent to 30 pages.
- The cap does not apply to some name searches, non-case-specific reports or transcripts.
- Quarterly PACER charges of $30 or less are waived.
- Court opinions and viewing at courthouse public-access terminals can be available without an online PACER document charge.
Federal Detention, Bond and Release
Federal release is controlled by the federal court, not by a generic county bond schedule. After an initial appearance, a federal judge or magistrate judge may release the defendant under conditions or order detention under federal law.
- A local jail balance or commissary payment does not post federal bond.
- A state/county bond schedule does not automatically apply to a federal charge.
- Release conditions can include supervision, location monitoring, travel restrictions, third-party custodians, testing, firearm restrictions, passport surrender or no-contact orders.
- Another federal, state, immigration or supervised-release hold can affect actual release.
- Use the public court order and attorney/court channels for case-specific release questions.
Federal Prison and Detention Facility Types
BOP currently describes five security categories: minimum, low, medium, high and administrative. Do not assume the acronym alone tells you whether someone is pretrial or sentenced; always verify the individual record and facility mission.
| Acronym / type | General BOP meaning | Typical role |
|---|---|---|
| FPC / SCP | Federal Prison Camp / Satellite Prison Camp | Minimum-security, program- and work-oriented settings. |
| FCI | Federal Correctional Institution | Low or medium security depending on institution. |
| USP | U.S. Penitentiary | High security, though some USPs can have different designated missions. |
| FCC | Federal Correctional Complex | Multiple institutions/security missions in close proximity. |
| FDC / MDC / MCC | Federal/Metropolitan detention or correctional center | Administrative facilities; can include pretrial detention missions. |
| FMC / MCFP | Federal Medical Center / Medical Center for Federal Prisoners | Administrative medical-care missions. |
| FTC | Federal Transfer Center | Administrative transfer/holdover mission. |
| ADX | Administrative-Maximum U.S. Penitentiary | Special administrative/high-security mission. |
BOP currently lists 118 prisons and provides a national location directory filtered by state, facility type, security level and region.
Visiting a BOP Inmate
BOP requires visitors to be on the inmate’s approved visiting list and cleared before visiting. The inmate begins the process by sending a Visitor Information Form to the potential visitor, who completes it and returns it as directed.
- BOP may request additional background information and may contact law-enforcement databases/agencies during approval.
- Immediate family, relatives and certain friends/associates, clergy, attorneys and other approved categories can be considered.
- BOP says an inmate receives at least four hours of visiting time per month by law, though institutions often provide more.
- Actual visiting days, hours, ID rules, dress code and local restrictions vary by facility.
- BOP does not permit conjugal visits.
- Always verify the person’s current location immediately before travelling because transfers can occur.
Mail, Publications and Packages
For a BOP-managed facility, use the individual institution’s official mailing instructions and the inmate’s committed name and BOP Register Number. BOP classifies mail as general correspondence or special mail.
Opened and Inspected
BOP says general correspondence is opened and inspected for contraband and content that could threaten institution security or good order.
Different Handling
Properly marked qualifying special incoming mail can be opened only in the inmate’s presence and inspected for contraband and qualifying enclosures.
BOP permits qualifying publications that do not threaten safety, security, discipline or good order. Packages from home generally require prior written approval; BOP identifies release clothing and authorized medical devices as limited examples of home packages that may be approved.
Phone Calls, TRULINCS and CorrLinks
BOP provides inmate telephone privileges subject to correctional restrictions. Ordinary calls can be monitored; BOP notes that unmonitored attorney calls may be permitted in certain circumstances.
For electronic messaging, BOP uses TRULINCS inside BOP-operated facilities. All BOP-operated facilities have TRULINCS; contract facilities do not. The inmate must request the outside contact, staff must approve the contact, and CorrLinks sends the outside person an invitation to accept or block future correspondence.
- TRULINCS messages are text-only; attachments are not allowed.
- BOP’s current page lists a 13,000-character message limit.
- Contacts and inmates must consent to monitoring.
- CorrLinks invitation codes are currently valid for 10 days.
- Do not discuss confidential defense strategy through ordinary monitored communications.
How to Send Money to a BOP-Managed Inmate
BOP currently provides three deposit routes for people physically incarcerated at BOP-managed facilities: MoneyGram, Western Union and the centralized U.S. Postal Service lockbox. BOP specifically instructs users to wait until the person has physically arrived at a BOP-managed facility before sending money through these BOP methods.
ExpressPayment
BOP lists receive code 7932. The account identifier uses the inmate’s eight-digit Register Number without spaces/dash followed immediately by the last name. BOP’s current online instructions show transfers up to $300.
Quick Collect / Send2Corrections
Use the eight-digit Register Number followed by the last name, with code city FBOP, DC. Current options include online/app, agent locations and telephone.
Centralized Lockbox
BOP accepts money orders, U.S. government checks, certified/cashier’s checks or bank drafts through its central lockbox. Cash and personal checks are not accepted.
Verify BOP Communication & Money Rules ↗
Medical, Mental-Health or Welfare Concern
If the person is in a BOP facility, use BOP’s inmate-concern channel and the actual institution when appropriate. If the person is in U.S. Marshals custody at a local contract jail, USMS says non-emergency medical or mental-health concerns should be directed to the detention facility or the local USMS federal district office.
For a life-threatening emergency involving a USMS prisoner, USMS directs callers to 911 when calling from the same county/city as the prisoner, or the appropriate local emergency number for the area where the person is located, and to contact the detention facility directly.
ICE Immigration Detention Is a Separate System
Do not use the BOP locator as a substitute for ICE custody. ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System is for a person currently in ICE custody or someone who has been in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody for more than 48 hours.
ICE recommends A-number search when known. The A-number must be nine digits, and country of birth is required. Name search requires an exact first and last name plus country of birth. The public locator cannot search people under 18.
Federal Inmate Records From Before 1982
BOP explains that not all pre-1982 federal inmates were entered into its modern inmate-management system and that many older records are held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
For a historical request, BOP recommends providing the inmate’s name including middle name/initial, date of birth or approximate age at incarceration, race and approximate incarceration dates to help NARA determine whether records are available.
Technical / Locator Correspondence
Federal Bureau of Prisons Attn: Inmate Locator 320 First St., N.W. Washington, DC 20534National Archives
Use NARA for older federal incarceration records when the BOP locator cannot cover the period.
Federal Jail Inmate Search FAQs
What is the official federal inmate search?
The official Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator is the primary public search for BOP records from 1982 to the present. It is free to use on BOP.gov.
Does the BOP locator include every federal detainee?
No. Some federal pretrial defendants are in U.S. Marshals custody and physically housed in state, local, private or BOP facilities. A person can therefore be federally detained without an ordinary BOP prison placement.
How often is BOP locator data updated?
BOP says locator data is extracted from its main inmate database and updated on the website daily.
Can I trust the projected BOP release date?
Treat it as a current BOP projection, not a guarantee. BOP warns that First Step Act sentence reviews and Federal Time Credit recalculations can cause release dates to change or temporarily be out of date.
What does “Released” or “Not in BOP Custody” mean?
It means the person is no longer in BOP custody. BOP specifically warns that the person may still be in another correctional or law-enforcement system, or on parole or supervised release.
What does “IN TRANSIT” mean in the BOP locator?
BOP says “IN TRANSIT” means the inmate has moved from a BOP facility and may or may not return. Confirm the physical location before mailing or travelling.
How do I find a recently arrested federal defendant?
Start with BOP, but if no result appears, search PACER for the federal case and consider U.S. Marshals pretrial custody. The person may be physically housed in a county, state, private or BOP detention facility.
How do I search a federal criminal court case?
Use PACER. Search the specific U.S. District Court when known, or use the PACER Case Locator when you do not know the filing court.
How much does PACER cost?
PACER currently charges $0.10 per page for online case information, generally caps a single document at $3, and waives quarterly charges when total usage is $30 or less. Some searches, reports and transcripts have different cap rules.
How do I visit a BOP inmate?
You must be placed on the inmate’s approved visiting list and cleared by BOP. Then verify the specific institution’s current visiting days, hours, ID requirements, dress code and local restrictions before travel.
How do I email a federal inmate?
At BOP-operated facilities, electronic messaging uses TRULINCS. The inmate requests the outside contact, staff approval is required, and CorrLinks sends the contact an invitation to accept or block correspondence. Contract facilities do not operate BOP TRULINCS.
How do I send money to a BOP inmate?
After confirming the person has physically arrived at a BOP-managed facility, follow current BOP instructions for MoneyGram, Western Union or the centralized USPS lockbox. Use the exact committed name and Register Number.
How do I find a federal inmate from before 1982?
Many older records are outside the modern BOP locator. BOP directs users seeking pre-1982 records to the National Archives and recommends providing identifying information and approximate incarceration dates.
Before You Send Money, Mail or Travel
- Confirm whether the person is in BOP, USMS, ICE, state or local custody.
- Save the exact BOP Register Number or local booking identifier.
- Do not use a projected release date as a guaranteed release date.
- Use PACER for federal court orders, not the inmate locator.
- If the person is in a local jail for USMS, follow that jail’s service rules.
- Verify the current physical facility immediately before mailing or visiting.
- Do not send BOP commissary money until BOP says the person has physically arrived at a BOP-managed facility.
- Do not treat an arrest, indictment, detention or inmate listing as proof of guilt.
Official Sources Reviewed
- Federal Bureau of Prisons — Inmate Locator
- BOP — About Federal Inmate Records
- BOP — Federal Prison Types and Security Levels
- BOP — Facility Directory
- BOP — Visiting
- BOP — Phone, Mail and Money
- BOP — TRULINCS
- BOP — Inmate Concerns
- U.S. Marshals Service — Custody of Prisoners
- U.S. Marshals Service — Custody and Detention
- PACER — Federal Court Records
- U.S. Courts — Find a Case with PACER
- ICE — Online Detainee Locator System
- U.S. Department of Justice — Locate a Federal Prison or Inmate