Search Missouri Jail Roster Records
Missouri jail roster records are held by each county sheriff across the state. The state has 114 counties plus the independent City of St. Louis, and every one runs its own jail with a current inmate list. You can look up who is in custody right now through local sheriff websites or use statewide tools like VINE and the Missouri Department of Corrections offender search. Most county jails post their jail roster on a public web page. Some update it every few hours. Others refresh it once a day. This guide walks through how to find jail roster data for any county or city in Missouri, what those records show, and what laws give you the right to see them.
Missouri Jail Roster Quick Facts
Missouri Jail Roster and Offender Search
The Missouri Department of Corrections runs a free offender search tool at web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb. It covers all state prison inmates, plus people on probation and parole. You can search by name or DOC ID number. The system pulls up the person's full name, aliases, date of birth, race, physical traits, mugshot, assigned facility, offense details, and sentence dates. Data gets refreshed each night. This is the go-to tool for finding anyone in state custody in Missouri.
The MODOC search does not include people held in county jails. County jail rosters are run by each sheriff. That means if you want to find someone who was just arrested in Jackson County or Greene County, you need to check that county's jail roster page or use the VINE system. The state search only shows active offenders. It will not show someone who finished their sentence and left the system. If no charges were filed within 30 days of an arrest, the jail roster entry may also be removed under Mo. Rev. Stat. 610.100.
You can reach the DOC Constituent Services Office for help with searches. They respond within 24 hours on business days. The media line is 573-522-1118. Victim Services can be reached at 573-526-6516. The Board of Probation and Parole number is 573-751-8488.
Missouri Jail Roster Public Access Laws
Missouri's Sunshine Law is what gives you the right to see jail roster records. It sits in Chapter 610 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. The law says all public records must be open unless a specific exception applies. Jail rosters fall squarely into the category of open records. The law has been in place since 1973.
Section 610.100 deals with arrest records specifically. It says the date, time, and location of an arrest are public. The name of the person arrested is public too. So are the immediate facts around the arrest and the charges filed. Mugshots are generally considered part of the arrest report under this law. If someone is not charged within 30 days of arrest, those records may be closed. But while a person sits in jail, their booking data is open to the public under Missouri law.
The Attorney General's office at ago.mo.gov/missouri-law/sunshine-law handles complaints if a jail or sheriff denies your request to see roster data. You can email sunshinerequest@ago.mo.gov. Penalties for violating the Sunshine Law run up to $1,000 per incident, and $5,000 for purposeful violations. Courts can also order the agency to pay your legal fees if a violation was knowing or purposeful.
Note: Social Security numbers are always redacted from jail roster records under Mo. Rev. Stat. 610.035, even when the rest of the booking data is public.
Missouri Jail Roster Lookup Through VINE
VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is the largest inmate tracking system in America and covers 48 states. Missouri uses it through a state program called MOVANS, the Missouri Victim Automated Notification System. Both county jails and state prisons in Missouri feed data into VINE. County jails update every 15 minutes. State prisons update twice daily.
You can search vinelink.com by name, offender ID, or date of birth. Pick Missouri as your state and then choose the county. Results show the person's name, date of birth, age, custody status, location, and the agency that reported the data. You do not need to create an account just to search. But if you want alerts when someone's custody status changes, you can register for free. Notifications come by phone, email, or text at any hour of the day.
MOVANS adds a layer on top of VINE. It handles court event notifications too. You can get alerts about upcoming hearings, not just jail status changes. The MOVANS Coordinator can be reached at 573-526-1929. Crime Victim Services is at 573-526-1464. You can also email MOVANS@dps.mo.gov to register or cancel alerts. Victim rights in Missouri are guaranteed under Mo. Rev. Stat. 595.209 and the Missouri Constitution Article I, Section 32.
Missouri Corrections Jail Roster Data File
The Missouri Department of Corrections publishes a complete offender data file under the Sunshine Law. This file at doc.mo.gov/media-center/sunshine-law lists every person who has been under MODOC supervision going back to 1974. It gets updated nightly. The file includes both incarcerated individuals and those on probation or parole.
Each record in the file contains the DOC ID, full name, race, sex, date of birth, assigned location, offense county, sentencing county, charge codes, sentence length, and release dates. Special date codes exist in the file. A value of 99999999 means a life sentence. A value of 88888888 means an indeterminate or interstate sentence. The code 66666666 flags a court-ordered assessment. Sunshine Law data requests go to OD.SunshineRequest@doc.mo.gov. Parole Board requests go to ParoleBoard.SunshineRequest@doc.mo.gov.
Note: The DOC states that offender information is based on self-reporting and has gone through multiple system conversions, so no representation is made about the file's completeness or accuracy.
County Jail Roster vs State Prison Search
Missouri jail rosters split into two systems. County jails are run by the sheriff in each of the 114 counties. These hold people who were just arrested, people waiting for trial, and those serving short sentences of under one year. The state prison system is run by MODOC and holds people serving longer sentences. If you need to find someone who was recently booked, check the county jail roster first.
Many counties in Missouri now post their jail roster online. Some use a tool called JailTracker. Others run their own systems or post a simple list on the sheriff's website. A few smaller counties do not have an online roster at all, and you need to call the jail or sheriff's office directly. The VINE system fills in the gaps for most of those counties since nearly all Missouri jails report custody data to VINE.
Missouri has 21 state prisons. Nineteen house men. Two serve women. The largest is the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre with about 2,700 beds. The state also runs over 43 probation and parole field offices and community release centers in Kansas City and St. Louis. All state inmates show up in the MODOC search tool. County inmates show up on the local jail roster and in VINE.
Missouri Jail Roster and Court Records
Missouri Case.net is the statewide court records system. It covers all circuit courts. You can search by case number, party name, filing date, or attorney. Results include docket entries, charges, judgments, and court dates. Case.net can help you find the charges behind a jail roster booking. Visit courts.mo.gov/cnet to search. The system is free for basic lookups.
Juvenile court records are handled differently. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 211.321, juvenile records are generally not open to the public. An exception exists for juveniles charged with Class A felonies, capital murder, or first or second degree murder. Any identifying information about juveniles must be removed from otherwise open records.
How to Search a Missouri Jail Roster
Start with the county. Figure out where the arrest happened or which county jail the person is in. Then go to that county's sheriff website and look for their jail roster or inmate search page. Most will let you search by first and last name. Some also let you search by booking number. If the county does not have an online jail roster, call the sheriff's office or check VINE at vinelink.com.
For state inmates, go straight to the MODOC offender search at web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb. Enter the person's name or DOC ID. You will get their current status, facility, charges, and sentence details. For criminal history checks beyond what is on the jail roster, the Missouri State Highway Patrol runs the MACHS system. That requires fingerprints or a name-based check and carries a fee.
The sex offender registry is another tool tied to jail roster data. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 43.650, the Missouri State Highway Patrol must keep a public web page with a searchable registry. Offenders must register with chief local law enforcement in their county under Mo. Rev. Stat. 589.400. The registry shows names, photos, addresses, and places of work.
Fees for Missouri Jail Roster Records
Online jail roster searches are free at most county websites. VINE is also free. The MODOC offender search is free. You only pay fees when you request paper copies of records through a formal Sunshine Law request.
Under the Sunshine Law, agencies cannot charge more than 10 cents per page for paper copies on standard paper. They may charge for staff time at the average hourly rate of clerical staff. Research time is billed at actual cost but must be done to produce the lowest cost to the requester. Electronic copies may be charged at the cost of the medium plus staff time. Fee waivers are available if the request serves the public interest. Contact the specific sheriff's office or agency to ask about current rates before you submit a records request for jail roster data in Missouri.
Missouri Victim Rights and Jail Roster Notifications
Crime victims in Missouri have broad rights under Mo. Rev. Stat. 595.209. These rights are called "absolute and paramount." Victims can attend all criminal justice proceedings. They have a right to be told about bail hearings, sentencing, and parole decisions. They can get information about the release, escape, or death of a defendant. Missouri law requires that these notifications happen through the statewide automated system, which is MOVANS.
Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 595.200, each prosecuting attorney must create a program to give victims their rights and services. Victims of dangerous felonies automatically get all rights. Victims of other felonies or misdemeanors must file a written request. The Department of Public Safety's Office for Victims of Crime can be reached at P.O. Box 749, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Crime Victims' Compensation is at 573-526-6006.
Browse Missouri Jail Roster by County
Each county sheriff in Missouri keeps the jail roster for their facility. Pick a county below to find local inmate search tools, contact details, and booking information.
View All 114 Missouri Counties
Missouri Jail Roster in Major Cities
Cities in Missouri do not run their own jails. Arrests go to the county jail. Pick a city to learn which county handles its jail roster and how to search for inmates.