New York Inmate Search
DOCCS, NYC DOC and All 62 New York Counties (2026)New York operates three completely separate inmate systems: DOCCS for state prisons, NYC DOC for New York City jails, and 57 county sheriff jails outside the city. Each requires a different search tool. If you are not sure which applies, see the county jail vs state prison guide. Searching the wrong system will typically return no results at all. This guide covers all three and explains the New York-specific rules that trips up most searches.
New York has three separate inmate databases. For state prisons, use the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup at nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov. For New York City jails (Rikers Island and borough facilities), use the NYC DOC Inmate Lookup. For county jails outside NYC, contact the relevant county sheriff. All three tools are free.
DOCCS Central Files phone: (518) 457-5000.
Why Your New York Search Returned Nothing
| What Happened | Why It Happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Searched DOCCS but person is in an NYC jail | NYC DOC is completely separate from DOCCS. Rikers Island and all borough jails are not in the state prison database. | Search the NYC DOC Inmate Lookup at a073-ils-web.nyc.gov/inmatelookup for any NYC arrest. |
| Searched DOCCS but person is in a county jail outside NYC | County jails are run by local sheriffs and are not in the DOCCS system. DOCCS only covers state prisons. | Search the sheriff’s website for the county where the arrest occurred. |
| Non-violent offender record removed from public database | Correction Law Section 9 requires DOCCS to remove records for certain non-violent offenders five years after they complete their sentence and parole. | Call DOCCS Central Files at (518) 457-5000 for records removed under this law. The record reappears if the person is re-committed. |
| Name search returns too many results or no results | Common names in DOCCS return long lists. Rare names sometimes return nothing if the spelling entered differs from the court record. | Add birth year to narrow results. Search by DIN if you have it from court documents. Try alternate spellings. |
| Recently sentenced, not yet in DOCCS system | After sentencing, a person goes through reception before appearing in DOCCS. During this period neither the county nor DOCCS may show a result. | Check both systems. Call (518) 457-5000 if both are empty after a few weeks. |
| Youthful offender records not visible | Youthful offender adjudications are sealed under Criminal Procedure Law Section 720.35. These records are not in any public database. | Contact the relevant court or facility directly for youthful offender information, as the public database cannot display these records. |
Which New York System Should You Search?
| Your Situation | Where to Search | Database |
|---|---|---|
| Arrested in any of the five NYC boroughs | NYC DOC | NYC DOC Inmate Lookup at nyc.gov (not DOCCS) |
| Arrested in any county outside NYC | County Jail | County sheriff website for the arrest county |
| Sentenced to state prison, felony conviction | State Prison | DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup |
| Released from prison, checking supervision status | DOCCS | DOCCS lookup also shows released and paroled individuals |
| Recently sentenced, not in either database yet | County + DOCCS | Check both. Call (518) 457-5000 if both empty after a few weeks. |
| Federal crime (federal charges, federal court) | Federal BOP | bop.gov federal inmate locator |
New York’s Three Inmate Systems Explained
New York DOCCS State Prison Search
What DOCCS Lookup Shows
- DIN (Department Identification Number)
- Full name and date of birth
- Current facility and security level
- Custody status (incarcerated, released, paroled)
- Crimes of conviction and county of commitment
- Admission date and sentence details
- Parole eligibility and conditional release dates
What DOCCS Lookup Does Not Show
- NYC DOC inmates (separate system)
- County jail inmates outside NYC
- Youthful offender records (sealed by law)
- Records removed under Correction Law Section 9
- Federal prison inmates (BOP system)
- $27 Sentence Report (ordered separately)
New York Inmate Search by Name and DIN
Searching DOCCS by Name
Enter the last name. Adding birth year significantly narrows results for common names, which can return dozens of matches. You can also search by partial last name, which returns a broader list. DOCCS also shows released individuals, so results may include people no longer in custody. Check the custody status field carefully to confirm current location.
Searching by DIN (Most Reliable)
The DIN (Department Identification Number) is the most reliable way to find a specific person in DOCCS. It follows a specific format: two-digit year, a letter, and a four-digit number (for example, 19-A-0001). You can find the DIN on commitment papers, court documents, or by calling (518) 457-5000. The DIN stays with the person for their entire sentence regardless of transfers between facilities.
Searching NYC DOC by Name
The NYC DOC Inmate Lookup accepts a last name or booking number for city jail searches. It covers all facilities operated by the New York City Department of Correction, including Rikers Island facilities and the borough detention centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Do not use DOCCS for NYC arrests.
Searching County Jails by Name
Each of the 57 counties outside NYC runs its own roster. Most accept last name and first name. Some also accept booking number or date of birth. Use the county grid below to find the right county sheriff website. For very small counties, a phone call to the sheriff’s booking desk may be necessary if no online roster exists.
How New York Custody Works
Arrest
In NYC: booked by NYPD or other city agency, transferred to NYC DOC. Outside NYC: booked by local police, held at county jail.
NYC DOC or CountyPre-Trial
Arraignment, bail hearings, and trial. NYC: stays in NYC DOC. Outside NYC: stays in county sheriff custody throughout this period.
NYC DOC or CountyReception
After sentencing to state prison, typically processed through a DOCCS reception center. During this period they may not appear in DOCCS Lookup yet.
TransitionalState Prison
Classified and assigned to a permanent DOCCS facility. DIN is assigned and the person appears in the Incarcerated Lookup.
DOCCS LookupStep-by-Step: How to Find an Inmate in New York
Determine which of New York’s three systems applies
Was the arrest in New York City (any of the five boroughs)? Use NYC DOC. Was it in a county outside NYC? Use the county sheriff. Was the person sentenced to state prison? Use DOCCS. These three systems use separate databases, so a person held in one may not appear in another. Using the wrong system will typically return no results.
Search NYC DOC for any New York City arrest
Go to the NYC DOC Inmate Lookup. Enter the last name or booking number. This covers all NYC facilities including Rikers Island (Anna M. Kross Center, Eric M. Taylor Center, West Facility) and the borough detention centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.
Search DOCCS for state prison inmates
Go to nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov. Enter last name and birth year for better results, or enter a DIN from court documents for an exact match. Results show custody status, current facility, sentence details, and parole eligibility. The system also shows released and paroled individuals.
Add birth year or use DIN if name search fails
Common New York names can return dozens of results. Adding the birth year narrows the list significantly. If you have a DIN from court papers or previous searches, use it for an exact match. If no result appears and the person was recently sentenced, they may still be in the reception or classification process. Call DOCCS Central Files at (518) 457-5000 for manual confirmation.
Check federal custody if all three systems return nothing
If DOCCS, NYC DOC, and county searches all return nothing, the person may be in federal custody. Use the Bureau of Prisons locator at bop.gov to search by name or register number. New York has several federal facilities including the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and FCI Otisville in Orange County.
What Information New York Inmate Records Show
DOCCS State Prison Records
- DIN and full legal name
- Date of birth and physical description
- Current facility and security level
- Custody status (in custody, released, paroled)
- County of commitment
- Crimes of conviction
- Sentence dates and parole eligibility
- Conditional release date
NYC DOC and County Jail Records
- Full name and booking number
- Booking date and charges
- Bail or bond amount
- Current custody status
- Facility location
- Court date information (where available)
- Mugshot (where published)
New York Mugshot and Booking Records
DOCCS state prison records include a photo for current inmates through the Incarcerated Lookup. This is typically the most recent DOCCS photo, not the original booking photo from the county or city arrest.
For NYC arrests, mugshots are handled by the New York City Department of Correction. Availability in the public NYC DOC Inmate Lookup varies. For county arrests outside NYC, each county sheriff system handles booking photos differently. Many upstate county jails publish booking photos as part of the public roster. Some do not publish photos at all online.
Important: DOCCS maintains a Sex Offender Registry separately from the inmate search. The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) maintains the New York State Sex Offender Registry at criminaljustice.ny.gov. These are separate databases from the general inmate lookup tools.
New York County and NYC Search by Location
Blue-highlighted counties are NYC boroughs using the NYC DOC system. All other counties use county sheriff rosters. Click a county for the official search tool.
Blue-highlighted cards use the NYC DOC system, not DOCCS or county sheriff. Always verify at the official county website. External links verified August 2026.
Major DOCCS Facilities
Key New York state correctional facilities. Verify current status and visiting hours at doccs.ny.gov/list-facilities before travel.
Struck-through facilities are closed. DOCCS has closed 26 facilities since 2011. Use CIRIS to find where former inmates were transferred.
New York Inmate Search: Important Rules to Know
NYC DOC and DOCCS are Completely Separate Agencies
The New York City Department of Correction and the New York State DOCCS are separate government agencies with separate databases, separate facilities, and separate search tools. An arrest in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island goes into NYC DOC custody, not DOCCS. Families searching DOCCS for someone held at Rikers Island or a borough detention center will always get no results. The NYC DOC Inmate Lookup at nyc.gov is the correct tool for any city arrest, regardless of the charge or sentence length.
Correction Law Section 9 Removes Non-Violent Records After 5 Years
A 2010 New York law codified in Correction Law Section 9, updated in November 2024, requires DOCCS to remove from its public website the records of certain non-violent offenders five years after they complete their maximum sentence and parole. This means searching DOCCS for someone released more than five years ago may return nothing even though they were incarcerated. The record reappears automatically if the person is re-committed. For removed records, call DOCCS Central Files at (518) 457-5000 directly. Violent felony offenders, sex offenders, and certain A-1 felony offenders remain on the website indefinitely.
The DIN Format Helps Confirm You Have the Right Person
New York’s Department Identification Number follows a specific format: two-digit year of admission, a letter, and a four-digit number (for example, 19-A-0001). The letter in the middle advances as numbers within a year are exhausted (A through Z). Knowing the DIN format helps families confirm they have found the correct person, especially when searching for someone with a common name. The DIN can be found on court commitment papers. Using it instead of a name search eliminates all ambiguity and returns an exact match immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup at nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov. Enter the person’s last name and birth year, or their DIN (Department Identification Number). Results show current facility, custody status, DIN, and sentence information. The tool is free and generally available online, though brief maintenance outages may occur.
A DIN (Department Identification Number) is the unique identifier assigned by DOCCS to every person admitted to a New York state prison. It follows the format year-letter-number, for example 99-A-1234. The DIN stays with the person for their entire sentence regardless of transfers. It is the most reliable way to search and is found on court commitment papers.
Common reasons: the person may be in a county jail or NYC DOC facility, not DOCCS state prison. Non-violent offenders may have been removed under Correction Law Section 9, which removes certain records five years after release. The person may still be in local custody. Or the name entered does not exactly match DOCCS records. Try adding birth year to narrow common name searches.
NYC has its own separate system from DOCCS. Use the NYC DOC Inmate Lookup at a073-ils-web.nyc.gov/inmatelookup. This covers Rikers Island and all borough facilities in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. NYC DOC and DOCCS are completely separate agencies with separate databases.
Yes. The DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup is completely free and requires no registration. NYC DOC’s inmate lookup is also free. Most county jail rosters in New York are free through county sheriff websites. DOCCS does charge $27 for a written Sentence Report with projected release date details, but the basic lookup is free.
Correction Law Section 9 requires DOCCS to remove from its website information for certain non-violent offenders five years after they complete their maximum sentence or parole. If you search for a non-violent offender who was released more than five years ago, the record may no longer appear in the public database even though they were incarcerated. The record returns if they are re-committed.
After sentencing, a person is typically processed through a reception center before assignment to a permanent facility. During this intake period, they may not yet appear in the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup. Timing varies by case. If the person is not found, check the county jail system first, as they may still be in local custody awaiting transport.
The DOCCS lookup returns the person’s DIN, full name, date of birth, custody status, current facility, security level, admission date, county of commitment, crimes of conviction, and sentence details including parole eligibility dates. It also shows if a person has been released and when. Results are drawn live from the DOCCS main database at the moment of search.
Official New York Inmate Search Sources
Official New York state prison inmate search. Free. Search by name, birth year, or DIN. Available 24/7. Phone: (518) 457-5000.
Official New York City Department of Correction inmate search. Covers Rikers Island and all borough detention centers. Free.
Official page linking to state prison, NYC DOC, and county jail searches in one place.
Official guide to using the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup, including DIN format and search tips.
Official list of all New York state correctional facilities with addresses and contact information.
Register for automated release alerts for New York state inmates. Free and anonymous.