Idaho Missing Children

A missing child in Idaho is reported to the local police or county sheriff, and the Idaho State Police runs the state's Missing Persons Clearinghouse and its AMBER Alert plan. Idaho's alerts are coordinated with Washington, Oregon, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Nevada because the state's population sits near its borders, and the Idaho State Police can issue an Endangered Missing Person Alert for a child who does not meet AMBER criteria.

Idaho has no waiting period to report a missing child, and federal law requires the national database entry within two hours.

Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.

• NCMEC missing child searchNational search of missing child posters
• Missing children from Idaho, NCMECNCMEC case search for children missing from Idaho
• Idaho Missing Children ClearinghouseMissing Children Hotline
• Family Advocacy ServicesAssistance for Families
• Idaho Amber Alert SystemIdaho Amber Alert Plan
• What To Do If Your Child Is MissingMissing Children Assistance
• Child Abduction PreventionAbduction Prevention Tips
• Missing Kids in IdahoIdaho Missing Kids

Idaho's AMBER Alert is activated by the Idaho State Police at the request of the investigating agency when a child under 18 has been abducted, is in danger of serious harm or death, and there is enough information about the child, the suspect or a vehicle to broadcast. The State Police send the alert to broadcasters through the Idaho State Broadcasters Association, the wireless emergency alert system, Idaho Transportation Department highway signs, the lottery network and social media.

• Idaho State Police AMBER AlertIdaho's AMBER Alert plan and active alerts

The Idaho Missing Persons Clearinghouse within the Idaho State Police maintains the statewide list of missing children and adults with photos, coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on child cases and with NamUs, and distributes alerts. In Idaho, make the report to the local police or the county sheriff and write down the case number. Confirm the entry into the Idaho Law Enforcement Telecommunications System and the National Crime Information Center, then call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which can assign a case manager and produce posters. Boise Police and the Ada County Sheriff run missing persons units for the Treasure Valley.

• Idaho Missing Persons ClearinghouseStatewide clearinghouse listings and alert programs
• Idaho Police DepartmentsCity police departments that take missing child reports
• Idaho County Sheriff DirectorySheriff offices for all 44 counties
• Idaho Most WantedFugitives and outstanding warrants

Idaho's Endangered Missing Person Alert covers children and adults in danger without evidence of abduction, including seniors with dementia, and the State Police broadcast it to media and online. Blue Alerts cover suspects who have harmed an officer in Idaho. Case files stay with the investigating agency and can be withheld while the investigation is active under the Idaho Public Records Act, while the clearinghouse listing is public, and a case that stays open can go into NamUs when the investigating agency enters it and approves the public listing.

• NamUsNational database of missing and unidentified persons
• Idaho Criminal RecordsCriminal history and court records in Idaho

• National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenMissing child posters, reports and the CyberTipline
• AMBER Alert, U.S. Department of JusticeHow AMBER Alerts work and who issues them
• NISMART, national studies of missing childrenDepartment of Justice research on missing children