Federal Inmate Search
Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator for supported federal incarceration records from 1982 to present. Search by name or by BOP Register, DCDC, FBI, or INS number. State and county inmates are not included.
Federal search: quick answer
How to use the official locator
- Open the official BOP Inmate Locator.
- Choose Find By Name or Find By Number.
- Enter only fields you know accurately.
- Confirm the Register Number, age, status, and location.
- Check state or county custody if the federal result is missing.
What the BOP locator covers
The BOP states that its online locator covers federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present. A person listed as released or not in BOP custody may still be under another justice agency, parole, or supervision.
Name and number search
The name search supports name and demographic fields. Number search requires selecting the correct BOP Register, DCDC, FBI, or INS identifier type.
Release-date warning
BOP warns that projected release dates may change while sentences and federal time credits are reviewed or recalculated.
Information to prepare before searching
Have the person’s complete legal name, likely age or date of birth, and any document that shows a federal identifier. Do not guess demographic fields when the official form makes them optional. A wrong filter can remove the correct result, while a precise Register Number or correctly labeled agency number can reduce same-name matches.
How to confirm the correct federal record
Compare more than the displayed name. Review the BOP Register Number, age, status, facility, and projected release information together. If the facility is shown, open the current BOP facility page for contact and visitation details. A same-name result, an old screenshot, or a third-party profile is not enough to establish current federal custody.
When another custody search is more appropriate
The BOP locator does not replace state Department of Corrections or county jail systems. A person may be awaiting federal placement in a local facility, held by another federal agency, serving a state sentence, or recently transferred. Use the current housing agency first when reliable information identifies it, then search BOP after federal designation or transfer. Save the official identifier and recheck the current source instead of relying on an old screenshot.
Practical search note
Start with a BOP number when you have one because it is more precise than a name. When only a name is available, begin with the legal spelling and add demographic filters carefully. After a result appears, confirm the Register Number and status before using the facility name or projected release information.
Federal search limitations
- The online locator starts with records from 1982.
- A federal case does not guarantee current placement at a BOP facility.
- Projected release dates can change.
- A person no longer in BOP custody can remain under another agency or supervision.