Search Minnesota Released Inmates
Minnesota released inmates can be searched through several free state tools and county-level jail rosters. The Minnesota Department of Corrections Offender Locator lets anyone look up adults under state supervision, including those released from prison who have not yet completed their sentence. County sheriffs across all 87 counties publish online jail rosters showing who is currently in custody and who has been recently released. VINE provides custody status notifications to victims and family members statewide. Use this page to find the right tool for your released inmate search in Minnesota.
Minnesota Released Inmates Overview
Minnesota DOC Released Inmate Locator
The Minnesota Department of Corrections Offender Locator is the main state tool for finding released inmates. It searches adults committed to the Commissioner of Corrections who are still under the department's jurisdiction. That includes people in prison and those released from prison who remain on supervised release. If someone completed their full sentence and is no longer under supervision, they will not appear in this system.
Search options include name, offender ID number, and date of birth. The system supports partial name searches, which helps when you are not sure of the exact spelling. Results show the offender's full legal name, current custody status, location if still incarcerated, conviction offense, sentence dates, supervised release expiration, and physical description. When available, a photograph is included. It may take several business days for newly sentenced individuals to appear in the locator after they are received by the department.
For questions about a specific record or to verify information, contact DOC Records Management at (651) 361-7330 or by email at CO-Records.DOC@state.mn.us. The DOC mailing address is 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200, Saint Paul, MN 55108. Records fax: (612) 473-5006.
The Minnesota DOC Public Viewer at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer is free to use and requires no account or registration.
Note: The DOC Locator does not cover county jail inmates. For county jails, use VINE or contact the specific county sheriff's office directly.
VINE Victim and Inmate Notification
VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is a free nationwide network that covers more than 2,900 jails and prisons across 48 states. In Minnesota, VINE covers most county jails and state correctional facilities. Anyone can use it to look up custody status or sign up for release notifications.
You can reach Minnesota VINE by phone at 877-664-8463 or through the website at vinelink.com. Registration is free and can be done anonymously. Once registered, you choose how you want to receive alerts: phone call, email, text message, or TTY. Notifications go out when an offender is released, transferred, or when any custody status changes. The service runs 24 hours a day, every day.
VINE covers county jails that the DOC Locator does not. Use VINE when you need to track an inmate held at the county level or when you want release alerts from both county and state facilities.
Minnesota Haven for Victims
Minnesota Haven is a free service run by the DOC Victim Assistance Program. It focuses on DOC-supervised offenders, meaning those in state prison or on supervised release. Victims of crime and concerned citizens can register to get notified when an offender's custody status changes.
Haven covers a wide range of events. These include incarceration custody changes, 60-day advance release notifications, conditional release events, early release programs like Challenge Incarceration, supervision custody changes, and escape or apprehension alerts. To sign up, download the registration form from the DOC website and email it to victimassistance.doc@state.mn.us. You can also mail it to Victim Assistance Program, 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200, Saint Paul, MN 55108. The toll-free phone is 1-800-657-3830.
Note: Minnesota Haven only covers DOC-supervised offenders. For county jail releases, register with VINE at vinelink.com or call 877-664-8463.
Minnesota Court Records and Criminal History
The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system gives free public access to state district court records. You can search by name, case number, citation, or attorney name. The system covers all 87 counties. It shows case status, party names, docket entries, and hearing dates. Documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are available electronically. For older cases, contact the local court administration office.
Guest access is free and needs no registration. You can search case summaries and view basic docket entries without signing up. A free registered account gives you more features including saved searches and the ability to order documents online. Certified copies of documents cost $10 per document plus copy fees. Viewing basic register of actions is free.
You can also access the Minnesota Judicial Branch MNCIS system to find court case information tied to inmate records. Criminal court filings, sentencing details, and supervision orders are part of the public case record.
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Criminal Records
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the state's central criminal history records. The BCA provides public criminal history searches for a fee of $15 per search. You need a name and date of birth to run a search. Results come back right away online.
What shows up on a BCA criminal history depends on the type of record. Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, conviction data is public for 15 years following discharge of sentence. The record includes the offense, court disposition, sentence information, and confinement details. Arrest data that did not result in conviction is not part of the public criminal history. The BCA also maintains a website with publicly available conviction data as required by law.
The BCA is located at 1430 Maryland Avenue East, St. Paul, MN 55106. General information: (651) 793-7000. Criminal History Unit: (651) 793-2400. Crime tip line: 1-877-996-6222.
Predatory Offender Registry
Minnesota maintains a public registry for predatory offenders under Minnesota Statute 243.166. Registration is required for individuals charged with or convicted of specified offenses including criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, and certain crimes against children. The minimum registration period is 10 years. Some offenders are required to register for life based on the offense and risk level.
The Public Registrant Search lets you search by name and see Level II and Level III offenders who are subject to public notification. Level I offenders carry lower risk and their information stays within law enforcement. Level II offenders have moderate risk and information is shared with agencies the offender may encounter. Level III offenders have the highest assessed risk, and their information is posted on the internet for community access.
Risk levels are set by End-of-Confinement Review Committees under Minnesota Statute 244.052. After release, law enforcement must make a good-faith effort to notify the community within 14 days of confirming an offender's address. Offenders assigned Level II or III have the right to seek administrative review within 14 days of that assignment.
The Community Notification Unit can be reached at (651) 361-7340 or toll-free at (866) 396-9953. Email: notification.doc@state.mn.us. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
What Minnesota Law Says About Inmate Records
Several Minnesota statutes control what released inmate information is public and what stays private. Understanding these laws helps you know what you can request and what to expect when searching records.
Minnesota Statute 13.82 governs law enforcement data. Under this law, certain arrest data is public. That includes the time, date, and place of arrest, the charge or legal basis for the arrest, and the name, age, sex, and last known address of an adult who was arrested. It also shows whether the person is being held or has been released. Booking photographs are public data under 13.82, though law enforcement may temporarily withhold a photo if releasing it would hurt an active investigation.
Minnesota Statute 13.85 covers corrections and detention data. This applies to data created or collected because of lawful confinement. Generally, corrections data is private, but booking summaries and arrest data are exceptions. Under Statute 13.87, criminal history data compiled by the BCA is private except for conviction data. Convictions stay public for 15 years after discharge of sentence. The full Minnesota Government Data Practices Act sets the overall framework for what government records are public and how to request them.
Note: Released inmate records are public at the point of booking and release. Medical records, mental health data, and juvenile records stay protected regardless of release status.
County Jail Rosters and Released Inmate Records
Each of Minnesota's 87 counties maintains its own jail operated by the county sheriff's office. County jails hold people who are awaiting trial or serving sentences of up to one year. Many county jails publish online rosters that show who is currently in custody and who has been recently released. Update schedules vary: some counties update every 30 minutes, others once or twice per day.
Public information on county jail rosters typically includes the inmate's name, age, booking date, arresting agency, charges, bail or bond status, and projected release date. Booking photographs, often called mugshots, are public data under Minnesota Statute 13.82. Some rosters also show case numbers and next court dates. All of this is provided as public data under Minnesota Statutes sections 13.82, 13.85, and 641.05.
Not every county has a direct online roster. For counties without a public-facing system, VINE covers most of them. You can search by name or offender ID through the VINE website or by calling 877-664-8463. For counties with limited online access, calling the sheriff's jail line directly is usually the fastest option.
Jail information is public data in Minnesota. An arrest does not mean conviction. All people listed on jail rosters are innocent until proven guilty. The charges shown may be initial booking charges that can change as a case moves through the courts. Always verify current status through official sources before taking action based on roster data.
Find Released Inmates by Minnesota County
Every county in Minnesota has its own sheriff's office and jail. Select a county below to find local inmate search tools, jail contact info, and release record resources for that area.
View All 87 Minnesota Counties
Released Inmate Records in Major Minnesota Cities
Residents of major Minnesota cities are booked into the county jail that serves their area. Select a city below to find which county handles inmate records and how to search released inmate data for that city.