Texas Inmate Search

Find detailed records of inmates serving their sentences in Texas state prisons using Inmate Lookup. Records are maintained by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

Inmate Lookup is designed to make it easy for you to find information about people who are incarcerated. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains a centralized database of inmates that anyone can search. This database covers inmates in facilities administered by TDCJ only, however. This includes state prisons and state jails but does not include city jails, county jails, or other detention facilities.

County jails, police jails, and city jails in Texas individually maintain all the records about the inmates they currently hold. Inmate Lookup provides you with a list of these facilities below. Each has a link to a page with more detailed information, like phone numbers, location, and procedures for visiting inmates.

Each facility’s page here at Inmate Lookup provides a link to its website. There, you may be able to find information about inmates they are currently holding along with details like their projected release date. However, not all facilities have the same level of information available online. You may need to call some of them on the phone to find the information you’re looking for.

Detailed instructions are given below so that you can look up inmate information from the TDCJ database. Further down on this page we provide a listing of city jails, county jails, and other facilities in Texas along with contact information. Again, with each listing, Inmate Lookup also provides a link to their website.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Inmate Lookup:

The Department of Corrections operates and manages all the state prisons and state jails in Texas. If the offender you are looking for is not in a Texas prison, you will need to seek out information from particular jails on the list put together by Inmate Lookup further down this page.

To use the service and search for an inmate in Texas DOC custody, follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit the Texas DOC inmate lookup website.

Step 2: Enter the inmate's name, TDCJ or SID number, age, gender, and DOB in the required fields. (Note: you don't have to include everything, but you do need at least one of the identification numbers or last name and first initial.)

Step 3: Click on the 'Submit' button.

On the results page, you can see the list of all inmates matching the specified criteria.

You can also find out information about a TDCJ inmate by contacting the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division, at: PO Box 99, Huntsville, Texas 77342-0099. If you discover the person you’re looking for is not in a state facility, Inmate Lookup has assembled a comprehensive listing of other facilities lower down on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions about Performing an Inmate Search

What is the difference between jail and prison?

This is a common question. Though both types of facilities have to do with the forced confinement of persons for reasons of public safety, the main differences have to do with the length of confinement and who runs them. Generally speaking, jails are used to hold persons who have been arrested and are awaiting trial in court or to detain offenders who have been convicted for minor crimes. They are operated by local governments on the city or county level. Inmate Lookup provides you with an accurate list of these kinds of facilities in Texas (see below).

Prisons, on the other hand, house offenders who have been convicted of more serious offenses and who have a projected release date farther in the future. They are typically run by the state or the federal government. Examples in Texas include the James V. Allred Unit and the O.B. Ellis Unit. Inmate Lookup walks you through the process of finding someone in a state facility at the top of this page.

How do I look up a TDCJ number?

The TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) number is assigned to each inmate who is in TDCJ custody following a conviction. It is used as a way to catalog all information about a felon during their entire time in the criminal justice system. If you know the number, you can use it to look up an inmate in the system. You can find the number on the TDCJ website listed above by Inmate Lookup. You will need to have either the name or SID number of the person you are looking for.

What is a SID number?

An SID number is an abbreviation for State Identification Number. Individuals who are arrested for a crime are assigned an SID number, which is used for record-keeping and identification purposes. You can use the State Identification Number to look up a Texas inmate in the TDCJ inmate database. Inmate Lookup has provided easy instructions for how to do this near the top of this page.

What kinds of information can I find out about inmates in an inmate search?

Inmate Lookup provides you with simple instructions for searching the TDCJ database near the top of this page. When you look up an offender, you'll be provided with the following information collected in the system:

SID number (State Identification Number)
TDCJ number (Texas Department of Criminal Justice number)
Name
Race
Gender
Age
Maximum sentence date
Current facility
Projected release date
Parole eligibility date
Inmate visitation eligible
Offense history

If available, you will also see information about the scheduled release date, type, and location. A space near the bottom includes the offense history, which gives you details about the prisoner’s initial conviction and any additional convictions. Data includes the sentencing date and Texas county locations where offenses were committed. You'll also see the case number and the length of each sentence. The current facility listed links to another page where you can find the address and phone number for that facility if you need to find out about how to contact or visit an inmate.

You won't find photos (mugshots) or their date of birth.

You can also find out information about a TDCJ inmate by writing to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, PO Box 99, Huntsville, Texas 77342-0099.

Information obtained from the database about a TDCJ inmate is only to be used for permitted purposes.

If you need to find out about a prisoner who is not in the state system but rather in a local facility, Inmate Lookup has pulled together a comprehensive list below.

Texas DOC Information:

Authority	Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)
Website	http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/
Texas Inmate Search	https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/index.jsp
Address	P.O. Box 13084. Austin, Texas 78711
Phone	512-475-3250
Fax	512-305-9398