The Hennepin County jail roster is a public resource that lists individuals currently held in the Hennepin County Jail in Minnesota. HennepinCourt.us can help you find publicly available information about current and recent inmates. You can also access jail roster data through the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office website, by calling the jail directly, or by visiting in person. A jail roster search lets the public confirm whether someone is in custody, view current charges, and find booking details. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office maintains the roster as required by Minnesota Statute 641.05 and updates it regularly on its online jail roster portal.
Search Current Inmates in Hennepin Jail
There are several ways to look up someone currently held in the Hennepin County Jail.
Online Search
- Visit the official Hennepin County Jail Roster hosted by the Sheriff's Office.
- The roster displays a browsable list of current inmates. You can scroll through the list or use your browser's built-in find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to search for a specific name.
- Click on an individual's name to view additional details such as charges, booking date, and housing location.
You can also search for publicly available court record information through HennepinCourt.us.
To begin a search, you will need:
- The individual's full legal name (first and last name)
- A booking number, if known
Juvenile offenders are not listed on the public jail roster.
By Phone
Call the Hennepin County Jail directly to ask whether a specific person is currently in custody. Staff can confirm custody status and provide general booking information for adult inmates.
In Person
You can visit the jail's public lobby to inquire about an inmate's custody status.
For booking photo requests, the City of Minneapolis notes that you can contact the jail for details on someone who is currently held.
Find Hennepin Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created each time an individual is processed into the Hennepin County Jail. This happens after an arrest, when the person is formally received into custody.
Information generated at booking typically includes:
- Booking number
- Date and time of booking
- Charges at the time of booking
- Arresting agency (e.g., Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, or another local agency)
- Demographic information (name, date of birth)
Current booking records for individuals still in custody are viewable on the Hennepin County Jail Roster. If you need court case records connected to a booking — such as criminal complaints, hearing dates, or case dispositions — you can search Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), which provides public access to many state district court records.
For older booking records or records of individuals no longer in custody, you may need to submit a data request to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act governs what jail data is public. Adult arrest and booking data is generally public, but some information — such as victim details or certain investigative data — may be restricted.
If you need certified copies of court documents related to a criminal case in Hennepin County, contact the Hennepin County District Court Records Center.
Search the Hennepin Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The Hennepin County Jail Roster supports two primary ways to find an inmate:
Search by Last Name
- Browse the alphabetical roster list on the jail roster page.
- Use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and type the person's last name.
- If you know the first name, include it to narrow results — this is especially helpful with common surnames.
- Use the individual's full legal name. Nicknames and aliases may not appear in the roster.
Search by Booking Number
- If you have a booking number (sometimes provided by the arresting agency or through a prior lookup), you can use the browser find function to locate that number on the roster page.
Tips If Your Search Returns No Results
- Double-check the spelling of the name. Even a small error can prevent a match.
- The person may have been released, transferred, or not yet fully booked into the system.
- If the individual was arrested by a city police department, there may be a short delay before they appear on the county roster.
- For individuals sentenced to state prison, search the Minnesota Department of Corrections database instead.
- Call the jail at 612-348-5550 to verify whether someone is in custody if the online roster does not show them.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Hennepin
The Hennepin County Jail Roster is updated frequently, though it is not instantaneous. There can be a lag between the time someone is physically booked and when their record appears online. This delay is typically short — often a matter of hours — but can vary depending on intake volume and processing times.
Key limitations to keep in mind:
- Current custody only. The roster shows people who are currently in the jail. Once someone is released, transferred, or bonded out, their record is generally removed from the roster. It is not an archive of all past bookings.
- Data entry delays. During high-volume booking periods, there may be a longer gap before new entries appear.
- Charge updates. Initial charges listed at booking may change as the case progresses through the court system. The roster may not always reflect the most current charges.
- No juvenile records. Individuals under 18 are not listed on the public roster. Access to juvenile court records in Hennepin County requires a specific affidavit for access.
- Federal holds. Individuals held on federal charges or immigration detainers may not always appear on the county roster.
For court case information beyond what the roster provides, use Minnesota Court Records Online or contact the Hennepin County District Court directly. If you need historical booking data, submit a written data request to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office citing the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13).