Search the Pierce County Jail Roster

Pierce County Jail Roster Overview

The Pierce County Sheriff's Corrections Bureau runs the county jail and publishes a live roster of people currently in custody. The roster is part of LINX, the Legal Information Network Exchange. LINX is the same system the county uses for court case records, calendars, and dockets. The jail roster function within LINX pulls from the same jail management database that staff use for bookings, classification, and daily operations. That means the roster reflects real-time custody status rather than a delayed snapshot.

The roster only covers the county jail on the law-and-justice campus in Tacoma. It does not include people held at the Washington State Department of Corrections, federal Bureau of Prisons facilities, immigration detention, or any other agency. If you search and find no result, the person may have been released, transferred to state or federal custody, or booked under a different name than you entered. LINX itself says the name list will not include persons who have been released. A missing result is not proof that someone was never arrested.

The Pierce County Corrections Bureau page is the starting point for jail services, roster access, and visiting information.

The Corrections Bureau page links directly to the roster, visiting rules, mail service, commissary, and medical and mental-health services, so it is the best single landing point for anyone looking up a Pierce County inmate.

How to Use the Pierce County Inmate Roster

The roster is reached through the LINX search page at linxonline.piercecountywa.gov. The page offers court record searches for Superior Court and District Court as well as the jail roster link. The roster endpoint uses reCAPTCHA, so you need a current browser with JavaScript enabled. The process is short once you are on the right page.

1. Go to the LINX Search page and locate the button or link labeled "Display Current Pierce County Corrections Jail Roster."
2. Complete the reCAPTCHA challenge to confirm you are not a bot. The live roster is protected this way on the public-facing endpoint.
3. Once the roster loads, enter a last name in the Name field to filter results. You can also enter first name to narrow the list further. Enter the name as last name, first name.
4. Review the results list. Each row shows the inmate name and key booking fields. Click a name to see the full set of public fields for that person.
5. Note that the list does not include people who have been released. If a search returns no results, the person is either not currently in Pierce County custody or was booked under a different name spelling.

Note: The Name field is optional. You can load the full roster without entering a name, but the list may be long. Entering a last name first is the fastest way to find a specific person.

LINX Jail Roster Search Fields

The LINX jail roster search is simple. There are only two inputs on the roster interface, which keeps the process fast. The live endpoint requires passing a reCAPTCHA before the roster data loads. Below are the fields the portal accepts.

The roster covers only current county jail custody. If you need to look up someone who may be in state prison, use the Washington DOC incarcerated individual search. For federal custody, use the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

The sheriff's public records page explains which jail record fields are available to the public and which are confidential under state law, including the important limits on booking photos and personal details.

What the Pierce County Inmate Roster Shows

Washington law limits what jail records the county may release to the public. The sheriff's office relies on RCW 70.48.100, the state jail register and records statute, to define what is and is not public. The public jail roster is limited to the fields listed below. Booking photos, date of birth, height, weight, housing pod assignment, medical flags, and mental-health information are not public roster fields. Do not expect to see them on the live roster.

These ten fields are what the sheriff has confirmed as the public-facing jail roster inventory. If a field is blank, it may not yet be set or may not apply to the current booking. The live roster endpoint will be the best source for current values. For court case details beyond these fields, search the underlying case in LINX using the cause number or party name on the Pierce County court records search.

Jail Record Confidentiality in Pierce County

Beyond the ten public roster fields, most inmate jail records in Pierce County are confidential. The sheriff's public records page says all other inmate records are confidential under RCW 70.48.100 and may only be released directly to the inmate, to a third party with the inmate's signed release, or by court order. This covers booking photos, personal details not on the roster, classification records, internal incident records, and similar files.

To request confidential inmate records, you must complete the Authorization for Release of Inmate Records form. The inmate must sign the form authorizing release to the third party. Healthcare records require a separate Authorization for Release of Inmate Healthcare Records, also signed by the inmate. Submit completed forms by mail or fax to Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Attn: Public Disclosure Unit. The form is available from the sheriff's public records page at piercecountywa.gov/5243.

General court records tied to a criminal case, such as charges filed, hearing dates, and dispositions, are separate from jail records. Those are court records and are accessed through the Clerk of the Superior Court or through LINX. Court records are governed by Washington General Rule 31, not by RCW 70.48.100. See court records for how to access the underlying case file once you have a cause number from the jail roster.

If a person was transferred from the Pierce County Jail to state prison, the Washington DOC incarcerated individual search is the right tool to check current custody status.

Pierce County Jail Facilities and Contact

Pierce County operates two jail facilities on the law-and-justice campus in downtown Tacoma. The Main Jail at 910 Tacoma Avenue South has a reported current capacity of 706 beds. The New Jail is on the same campus adjacent to the County-City Building. Both facilities share custody and administrative phone lines. The visiting-hours page lists separate schedules for each facility, which means the inmate's unit assignment matters when you plan a visit.

The Sheriff's Office main contact line is at the County-City Building, First Floor, 930 Tacoma Ave S, phone 253-798-7530. For custody questions, use the custody line above. For historical release-date questions, call jail administration at 253-798-4668, since historical release dates are not available through the online roster.

Booking and Medical Screening at Pierce County Jail

When someone is arrested and brought to the Pierce County Jail, health services begin at booking. A booking nurse screens all new arrivals who may have a health problem to determine whether they are appropriate for housing. The nurse also sees anyone who is under outside medical treatment at the time of arrest. This initial screening is part of the intake process and happens before the person is assigned to a housing unit.

Routine health care is available through sick call five days per week after booking. Inmates request care through a medical request form, sometimes called a kite. Kites are collected from medical boxes and prioritized within 24 hours under medical protocol. Medication passes happen three times per day for inmates receiving prescription medication. Medical staff are on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and they coordinate emergency transportation to hospitals when needed.

The jail's mental-health program serves a large number of mentally ill individuals, which the county acknowledges is a significant portion of the jail population. The program's goal is mental-health stability during custody and connection to community services when indicated. The program values continuity of care, public safety, and individual well-being. Both the General Health Services page and the Mental Health Services page on the county website provide more detail on care available to incarcerated people.

Pierce County Jail Visitation Status and Schedule

The Jail Visitation page on the county website carries the most current status notice. Check it before making any plans to visit. The older visiting-hour schedule below reflects the schedule that was in place before current restrictions and is preserved here for reference when normal visiting resumes.

The visitation page is the official source for current rules and status. Always check it first, since policies can change with staffing levels or security conditions.

General visiting rules, when visits are available, include the following. Inmates schedule their own visits and must give the jail the visitor's complete name and date of birth up to seven days in advance. Visitors need an approved photo ID such as a valid driver's license or state-issued ID. Visiting sessions are one hour long. Sign-up opens 45 minutes before the visit and closes 15 minutes before it starts. Late arrivals and walk-ins without appointments are turned away. No sign-up is accepted on the day of visiting. The same visitor may not see the same inmate more than once per day. Visitors are checked for active warrants and no-contact orders. Anyone with a warrant will be arrested when they arrive.

The visiting-hours page carries the unit-by-unit schedule for both the Main Jail and the New Jail, which is important because different units visit on different days and at different times.

The schedule below shows the older Main Jail unit visiting schedule. Verify current availability before traveling, since in-person visitation is presently suspended.

The New Jail operates a different schedule. When visits are available, the New Jail offers ten visiting windows Monday through Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Each window is one hour long. Unit visiting days at the New Jail vary by pod. Unit assignments determine which day a visitor can come. The official Visiting Hours page has the complete New Jail unit-day assignment list alongside the Main Jail schedule.

Sending Mail to Pierce County Jail Inmates

Mail is one of the primary ways to stay in contact with someone held at the Pierce County Jail. The jail processes incoming mail, but the rules are strict and items that do not follow them are rejected. Read the requirements before sending anything. The Jail Mail Service page is the official source.

The mail service page explains the scan-and-shred process that has been in place since April 2020, along with address format, booking number requirements, and what items are accepted or rejected.

Since April 15, 2020, the jail scans all incoming mail and forwards the scanned copy to the inmate. The original is shredded after scanning. This means the inmate receives a copy, not the original letter or card. Legal mail clearly identified as communication between a client and their attorney or related to a court case is the exception and is handled separately.

To send mail, use this format:

• Inmate full name and booking ID number on the address line
• 910 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98402
• Your return address must appear on the envelope

Mail that does not include a booking number may not reach the inmate. Cash, checks, and money orders found in mail are intercepted. All mail may be opened to check for contraband. Sending prohibited items can result in the mail being rejected or the sender losing sending privileges.

The acceptable and rejected items page details which materials are allowed and which are not, including the book policy that took effect June 1, 2024.

Book rules changed on June 1, 2024. Inmates may now receive up to three books per month. Books must be new paperback books or magazines sent directly from a publisher, distributor, bookstore, or internet bookseller. The jail does not accept hardback books, photobooks, used books, spiral-bound books, or most other literature. Level 1 and Level 2 classification inmates are not allowed outside books, magazines, newspapers, or clipped articles unless they are directly related to the inmate's case.

Commissary and Inmate Funds

Inmates can use commissary to buy snacks, candy, beverages, cosmetics, writing materials, clothing, and miscellaneous items if they have money on their account. How many items an inmate can order depends on their classification level. Inmates with less than $1 on their account are considered indigent and can only receive hygiene and writing materials. The commissary vendor handles orders on a weekly basis.

All funds must be received by Sunday evening at 9 p.m. to apply to that week's commissary order. Deposits can be made online at www.touchpaydirect.com using a credit card. You can also deposit by calling the toll-free line at 1-866-232-1899. When using the phone or website, the Pierce County Jail facility locator number is 298402. Have the inmate's booking number ready when you make a deposit.

The commissary page on the county website covers the TouchPay deposit process, acceptable deposit methods, indigent-item rules, and the Sunday 9 p.m. funding deadline in one place.

Note: Deposits placed after the Sunday 9 p.m. deadline will not apply until the following week's commissary cycle. Plan deposits to arrive before that cutoff to ensure funds are available.

State and Federal Inmate Search Alternatives

The Pierce County jail roster only covers county custody. People who have been sentenced and transferred to state prison appear in a separate database. People held in federal facilities require a different search tool entirely. VINELink is a free notification service that can alert you when someone's custody status changes. These three tools cover most scenarios outside county jail.

The Washington DOC incarcerated individual search covers people currently in state prison or on community supervision through DOC. Search by first name, last name, or DOC number. Results show the DOC number, name, age, and current location. The page includes a "Register to be notified" option through WA VINE for custody-status alerts. Washington DOC publishes this data to improve public safety and notes that users may contact DOC directly for more information on current and former inmates and supervisees.

The BOP locator searches federal prison records by name or inmate number and is entirely separate from the Pierce County or Washington state systems.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator searches federal custody records. You can search by BOP register number, FBI number, DCDC number, INS number, or by name. The name search accepts first name, middle name, last name, race, age range, and sex. Federal charges including drug trafficking, firearms offenses, immigration violations, and fraud cases often result in federal sentences served in BOP facilities. The BOP locator is free to use. Cases filed in federal court are separate from Pierce County courts and are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Tacoma.

VINELink is a free victim notification and custody-status service. You can register for alerts when an inmate's custody status changes, such as when they are released, transferred, or escape. Select Washington as the state and enter the person's name or ID. Notification options include phone, email, text, and TDD depending on the data source. VINELink is maintained by Appriss and is used widely across Washington's county and state custody systems.

Related Pierce County Records and Searches

The jail roster is one piece of a broader picture. The underlying criminal case, active warrants, and broader criminal history each live in different places. The links below point to the most relevant pages for follow-up searches.

• For people recently released from custody, see released inmates to learn how to verify release status and sign up for VINELink notifications.
• For county-wide jail population data, capacity numbers, and background context, see inmate population.
• For active warrants that may be tied to a booking, see warrant records.
• For the underlying criminal case, charges filed, case history, and court dates beyond what the roster shows, see criminal records and arrest records.

If you need to look at the court case directly, the cause number on the jail roster can be entered into LINX to pull the full case record, docket entries, and any filed documents. The Clerk of the Superior Court handles certified copies of Superior Court case records. The Superior Court page covers how the trial court system works for Pierce County criminal and civil matters.