Search Maryland Jail Roster
The Maryland jail roster is a public record that tracks who is held in county jails and state prisons. You can look up inmates through the DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator or by calling county detention centers. Maryland has 23 counties and Baltimore City, each one running its own jail with its own roster of current inmates. VINELink covers all Maryland jails and lets you track custody status at no cost. This page covers the best ways to search the Maryland jail roster by name, by phone, or with free online tools. Some counties post their jail roster online while others take calls around the clock.
Maryland Jail Roster Overview
How to Find Maryland Jail Roster Records
The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) is the main state agency for jail and prison records in Maryland. DPSCS runs state prisons and sets standards for county jails. Their main office is at 300 East Joppa Road, Suite 1000, Towson, Maryland 21286. Call (410) 339-5000 for help. Under Corr. Serv. § 2-101 et seq., DPSCS holds broad power over state corrections in Maryland. The agency also works with each county to make sure local jails meet state rules.
The DPSCS website is where you start a statewide jail roster search in Maryland.
From the DPSCS site, you can reach the Incarcerated Individual Locator. This tool covers inmates committed to the Commissioner of Correction in Maryland. It includes Division of Correction facilities and Patuxent Institution. Short-term inmates at the Division of Pretrial and Detention Services may not appear. The system does not list released or escaped inmates, and juvenile records are kept private under Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-8A-27.
You can access the Incarcerated Individual Locator to search the Maryland jail roster by first and last name.
Both name fields are required. You type in a first name and last name, then hit search. Results show the housing location of inmates in Maryland state custody. This tool is free to use. Keep in mind it only covers state-level inmates. For county jail rosters in Maryland, you need to check with the local detention center or use VINELink.
Note: The DPSCS locator only covers state prison inmates in Maryland. For county jail rosters, contact the local detention center or use VINELink.
Maryland Jail Roster Search Tools
DPSCS also provides a direct link to the search form. This skips the info page and takes you right to the Maryland jail roster search fields.
Visit the direct search page to start your Maryland jail roster lookup right away.
That form gets you results fast. But for county jail rosters across Maryland, VINELink is the best single tool. VINELink stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It covers all 24 Maryland jurisdictions including Baltimore City. The service is free and runs around the clock.
Search for inmates across Maryland at vinelink.com, which tracks custody status in all county jails and state prisons.
VINELink lets you search by name, ID number, or case number. You can also sign up for alerts when an inmate's custody status changes in Maryland. Pick phone, email, or text alerts. The system assigns a PIN for secure access. Under Crim. Proc. § 11-104, Maryland law requires victim notification about custody changes. VINELink fills that role for the state. It is run by DPSCS and covers Patuxent Institution too.
The Maryland VINE page explains how the state notification system works and how to sign up.
Call 1-866-MD4VINE (1-866-634-8463) to use VINE by phone. The TTY line is 1-866-847-1298. The system works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone, app, and web. Delays can happen, and federal inmates are not included in the Maryland jail roster through VINE.
Court Records and Maryland Jail Roster
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is another free tool that helps with jail roster lookups. This service from the state courts lets you search by name or case number. You can look for notations like "detained" or "in custody" in the case records. It covers all district and circuit courts in Maryland.
Use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search to look up criminal cases and find custody status notes for Maryland inmates.
Case Search shows court dates, charges, and case outcomes. It does not show which jail holds someone. But it confirms arrests and charges. Under Crim. Proc. § 10-201 et seq., Maryland's Criminal Justice Information System tracks criminal records across the state. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number. The database is free and open to anyone looking at public court records in Maryland.
Maryland Inmate Records Access
Maryland law gives the public a right to see government records. The Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), at Gen. Prov. § 4-101 et seq., sets the rules for getting jail roster records. You can request booking photos, charge info, and other inmate data from any county or state agency in Maryland. Under Gen. Prov. § 4-201, any person may inspect public records held by a custodian.
To get records from DPSCS, send a request to 6776 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. Call (410) 585-3300 for details. You need the inmate's full name and date of birth. Having the DPSCS State ID number helps speed things up. Under COMAR 12.02.24.07, each facility keeps a case record for every inmate. That record includes a photo, physical description, charges, sentence, and criminal history. Certified copies cost 50 cents per page plus postage. No charge applies if the total is $1 or less.
Maryland jail roster records typically include the following details:
- Full name and physical description of the inmate
- Current photograph and booking number
- Charges and offense details
- Bond or bail amount
- Court dates and housing location
- Sentence length and projected release date
Agencies must respond within 30 days. If more than 10 working days are needed, they have to notify you. The Public Access Ombudsman mediates disputes about Maryland records requests. You must contact them before filing a complaint with the PIA Compliance Board. That rule has been in effect since July 1, 2022. Fees for the first 2 hours of search time are typically waived.
Note: Medical records, mental health info, and juvenile records are not part of the public Maryland jail roster under state privacy laws.
Historical Maryland Jail Records
DPSCS records go back to the 1970s. For older jail records in Maryland, the State Archives is the place to look.
The Maryland State Archives at msa.maryland.gov holds historical records going back centuries.
The archives are at 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401. Call (410) 260-6400 or toll-free at (800) 235-4045. Email them at msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov. Staff can help you find old jail records, court files, and other historical documents from Maryland. Under COMAR 12.02.07.04, inmates may review their own base file once every six months.
Federal Inmates in Maryland
The state jail roster will not show federal prisoners. If someone is in a federal facility in Maryland, use the Bureau of Prisons locator.
The BOP inmate locator at bop.gov/inmateloc covers all federal prisons, including facilities in Maryland.
The BOP search is free. Type in a name or register number. Federal facilities in Maryland include FCI Cumberland and several others. State and federal systems do not share jail roster data. Check both if you are not sure where someone is held in Maryland.
Sending Money to Maryland Inmates
Families often need to send money to inmates in Maryland jails and prisons. Several services handle this across the state.
JPay at jpay.com is one of the main services for money transfers to inmates in Maryland state prisons.
JPay works with Western Correctional Institution and other Maryland state facilities. You can send money, email, and set up video visits through the platform. Access Corrections at accesscorrections.com serves many county jails in Maryland. Their toll-free number is 1-866-345-1884. Some counties use GTL for video calls and communication. Check with the specific facility to find which service they use. Each Maryland county jail may use a different provider, and fees vary by amount and method.
Counties that handle jail roster searches by phone are available 24 hours a day in most cases. Here are the main ways to search across Maryland:
- Online through DPSCS, VINELink, or county portals
- By phone at the county detention center
- In person at the jail or sheriff's office
- Through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search
- By written MPIA request for formal records
Browse Maryland Jail Roster by County
Each county in Maryland runs its own jail and keeps its own inmate roster. Pick a county below to find local contact info, search tools, and jail roster resources.
Maryland Jail Roster by City
Most Maryland cities do not run their own jails. Arrests go through the county detention center. Pick a city below to find which county handles jail roster records for that area.