The Ontario County Jail inmate registry is a public resource that allows anyone to check if a specific individual is in custody at the county jail in the state of New York. Publicly accessible information about current and recent inmates can be found on the OntarioCourt.us website. Additionally, data is available through the official website of the Ontario County Department of Corrections, by phone, or during a personal visit to the facility. A search in the registry allows you to find out the custody status of a person, the charges brought against them, and the date of admission. The registry is maintained by the Ontario County Office of the Sheriff and is regularly updated on the county's official website.
Search Current Inmates in Ontario Jail
There are several ways to check if a person is currently held in Ontario County Jail.
Online Search
- Go to the Incarcerated Individual Locator page on the official Ontario County website. This page provides links to a search system that covers county jails, New York City jails, and state correctional facilities.
- To search for individuals in state correctional facilities, use the Incarcerated Lookup tool from New York State DOCCS.
- Enter the full legal first and last name of the person. If the booking number is known, it can also be used.
- To search for court cases and county clerk records, visit the online record search page.
Additionally, OntarioCourt.us helps search for publicly accessible court records related to individuals in custody.
By Phone
Call Ontario County Jail directly. The operator can confirm if a specific person is held if you provide their full name and date of birth.
Personal Visit
You can visit the facility's reception in person. Address and contact information:
Ontario County Jail
Note: Records of juvenile offenders are not included in the public registry. Reception hours may vary — it is recommended to call before visiting.
Find Ontario Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created every time a person is brought to jail and undergoes the booking process. This is a standard procedure that records key information about the detained individual.
During booking, the following information is generated:
- Unique booking number
- Date and time of admission
- Charges brought
- Arresting agency (e.g., Ontario County Sheriff or one of the local law enforcement agencies)
- Personal information of the detainee — name, date of birth, physical description
Access to these records online depends on whether the person is still in custody. Current records are usually displayed in the county's inmate registry. If the person has been released or transferred to a state correctional facility, the record may not be available through the registry — in such cases, it is advisable to use the state DOCCS search system or submit a records request to the sheriff's records department.
For archived records not displayed in the online registry, a written request may be required under New York State's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).
Search the Ontario Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The inmate registry supports two main search methods.
Search by Last Name
Enter the person's last name in the appropriate field. Optionally, add the first name to narrow down the results. A few tips:
- Ensure correct spelling — even one mistake can result in no results
- Try a shortened version of the name if the full name yields no matches (e.g., "Rob" instead of "Robert")
- If the system displays the roster as a list without a search field, use the browser's search function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to quickly find the desired last name
Search by Booking Number
If you know the booking number, enter it directly. This is the most accurate way to find a specific record, as each number is unique.
If the Search Yields No Results
A lack of results does not always mean the person is not in custody. Possible reasons:
- The person has just been brought in, and the record has not yet been entered into the system
- The person has already been released or transferred
- The name is entered incorrectly or differs from the legal name
- The person is held in another state facility — check through the state inmate search portal
If in doubt, contact the jail by phone.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Ontario
The Ontario County Jail roster is updated periodically, but not in real-time. There may be a delay of several hours to one business day between actual admission and the appearance of the record in the online registry. This is due to the booking process: jail staff complete all booking steps first, and only then do the data enter the public system.
Main limitations to consider:
- Publication delay. Recently detained individuals may not appear for several hours after arrest
- Record disappearance after release. The roster only displays individuals in custody at the time of the request. After release, transfer, or posting bail, the record is usually removed
- Not an archive. The roster is not a database of all past detentions. For historical records, a separate request must be submitted
- Data entry errors. Sometimes last names are entered with errors or in abbreviated form, complicating the search
If the person has been transferred to a state-level facility, information about them can be found through the DOCCS search system. For individuals under supervision after release, there is a separate parolee lookup tool.
For official copies of records or information beyond the online registry, contact the Ontario County Office of the Sheriff with a written request.