How to Find Out If Someone Is in Jail in West Virginia (Regional Jail Inmate Search)

Craven Bail Bonds

Sep 21

3 min read

Updated: Oct 19

When you get the call that someone was arrested, or you simply have not heard from them and are worried, the first step is confirming where they are. West Virginia makes this easier than most states because all of the regional jails are run by one agency and share one public inmate search.

Start with the WV DCR inmate search

The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) operates every regional jail in the state. Their website, dcr.wv.gov, has a free inmate search that covers all of them. Here is how to use it:

Go to dcr.wv.gov and open the inmate search (sometimes called the offender search or daily incarcerations list).
Enter the person's last name. Add the first name if you have it, but start with less rather than more, since a misspelling will return nothing.
Review the results. Each listing shows the person's name, the facility holding them, the booking date, and usually the charges, the county, and the bond amount.
Click into the record to see the full detail, including whether bail has been set and what type of bond is allowed.

The search is available 24 hours a day and you do not need an account. Keep in mind it can take several hours after an arrest for a new booking to appear.

What information you need

You will get the best results with the person's full legal name, spelled the way it appears on their ID. Nicknames and middle names used as first names are a common reason a search comes back empty. A date of birth helps you tell apart two people with the same name. Knowing the county where the arrest happened also helps, because it tells you which regional jail to expect.

If they do not show up in the search

Do not panic. There are a few common reasons a person does not appear right away:

Booking is not finished yet. New arrests can take a few hours to post, especially overnight and on weekends.
They are in a city or county holding facility, not a regional jail. Some police departments hold people briefly before transport.
The name is spelled differently in the system, or they were booked under a maiden name or a former name.
They were released already, on a personal recognizance bond or after posting bail.

If you still cannot find them after a few hours, call the sheriff's office in the county of arrest or the regional jail that serves that county. And you can always call us. We look people up every day and know where to check.

What the listing tells you

Record the listed facility and bond information, then confirm current requirements with the facility or court. A displayed amount does not guarantee eligibility for release or rule out other holds. If the listing is unclear, ask the facility or an attorney what it means.

What to do next

Write down the facility, bond information and the person's full name. Call (304) 980-6650 to discuss requirements and next steps. No particular posting or release time is guaranteed.

Call (304) 980-6650 to confirm availability, requirements and next steps.

Frequently asked questions

How soon after an arrest will someone show up in the DCR search?

Online listings may not update immediately. If the person is not listed, contact the relevant facility or arresting agency to ask how to confirm their location.

Can I just call the jail to ask if someone is there?

Yes, but jail phone lines are often busy and staff can only share limited information. The online search is faster and shows the bond amount, which the phone staff may not give you.

The listing says no bond has been set. What now?

An absent amount or a no-bond entry can have different explanations. Confirm the current court order and any holds with the facility or court; an attorney can advise about bail eligibility.

Bail bonds near you

Found them at the Central Regional Jail or another central West Virginia facility? See our local pages for Buckhannon, Weston, Sutton, Glenville and Grantsville, or browse our West Virginia county guides.