Tennessee inmate search

County sheriff's offices operate Tennessee's local jails. For people arrested in that county, each sheriff oversees intake and release, plus daily custody.

Confirm which facility holds your person, because bigger counties run more than 1 building. Two facilities, the Downtown Detention Center and the Correctional Development Center, are both run by the Nashville and Davidson County Sheriff's Office. Within the eastern part of Tennessee, the Knox County Sheriff's Office runs 3 jails; Knox County Jail and Knox County Work Release Center are among them. A Youth Justice and Education Center and the Shelby County Jail both fall under the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Jail Division. About 56,000 bookings a year move through its jail system, which holds around 2,800 inmates in 2 facilities.

Every county sheriff builds the local lookup tool a different way. Search the roster for Shelby County Jail by first and last name. A booking number, a permanent number, or a state ID also works, and released inmates can be included. Check Shelby County Inmate Records for county prison records there.

Bond type, bond amount, charges, and holds all appear on the Knox County Jail roster. When another court or agency wants the person kept in custody, that's a hold. A separate 24-hour arrest page is also posted by Knox County.

Call the jail directly after a very recent arrest, because new bookings need time to post online.

State prisons are run by TDOC, formally the Tennessee Department of Correction. The Tennessee Felony Offender Information tool lets you search its online database.

This lookup covers people with a felony conviction who are in TDOC custody or on state supervision now, or were in the past. After sentencing, a serious criminal offense known as a felony places a person under state authority.

Skip the TDOC search when the arrest happened last night. While awaiting court dates, anyone just arrested remains in a local county jail. For help sorting out local and state custody, read about finding someone in jail.

You can track an offender's custody status for free through Tennessee VINE. To register for custody alerts, follow the direct link on the TDOC offender search page. With an active registration, refreshing a jail roster all night isn't necessary.

If you need help right away, call the toll-free support line at 1-888-868-4631. Phone support is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. An operator can help you locate an offender or register for notifications. You can also ask them to connect you with victim services in your area.

In Tennessee, two options can get someone released: a professional bondsman, or paying the full bond yourself. The court receives a financial guarantee through a bail bond. You pay a fee, called the premium, for a bonding agent or an insurance company agent to write that bond.

The fee limits come from rules that took effect July 1, 2025 under T.C.A. § 40-11-151, § 40-11-316, § 40-11-304, § 40-11-126, § 40-11-132, § 67-4-803, and § 67-4-806:

• Tennessee residents pay a $12 bail tax, a $25 initiation fee, and 10% of the face amount.
• Out-of-state residents pay 10% to 15% of the bond; the $25 fee and $12 tax apply too.
• Choose a payment plan and you must pay at least 50% toward the premium at signing, with the rest due within 12 months.

A standard written notice must be provided to you by the bondsman. Knox County accepts cash at the jail; the Criminal Court Clerk's counter takes a money order, a cashier's check, or cash.