Guide
West Virginia Inmate Search at a Glance
West Virginia runs both its prisons and its jails through the state. The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation holds sentenced prisoners at Mount Olive, Huttonsville, Saint Marys, Northern, Lakin for women, Pruntytown, Salem, Stevens in Welch, Beckley, Denmar and Ohio County, and it also runs the ten regional jails, such as South Central in Charleston, North Central in Greenwood, Eastern in Martinsburg, Western in Barboursville and Southern in Beaver, that hold pretrial detainees and misdemeanor sentences for every county. There are no county run jails.
The Division's offender search has two parts: one for state prisons and one for the regional jails, both keyed to the name.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
Guide
West Virginia state prison and regional jail search
| State prison inmates | Yes, DCR prison search |
|---|---|
| County jail inmates | Yes, DCR regional jail search |
| Parole and probation | No |
| Released inmates | No |
| Photographs | No |
| Release dates | Yes, projected release and parole eligibility |
| Best search key | Full name |
The West Virginia offender search returns the offender number, name, date of birth, race and sex, the facility, the status, each offense with the county and sentence, the parole eligibility date and the projected release date for prison inmates, and the booking date, charges and bond for regional jail inmates. Because the state runs both systems, the two searches together cover everyone in custody the day after arrest. Sentenced prisoners often wait in a regional jail for a prison bed and appear in the jail search until the transfer.
- West Virginia DCR prison offender searchSearch West Virginia state prison inmates by name
- West Virginia DCR regional jail searchSearch the ten regional jails for pretrial and sentenced inmates
- West Virginia Division of Corrections and RehabilitationPrisons, regional jails, visiting, mail and money deposits
- VINELink West VirginiaCustody alerts for West Virginia regional jails and prisons
Guide
Police holds and local records in West Virginia
Charleston Police, Huntington Police, Morgantown Police, the West Virginia State Police and the 55 county sheriffs book arrestees directly into the regional jail for their area, so the regional jail search is the record within hours. Sheriffs in West Virginia serve process and run courthouse security rather than jails. Police departments and the State Police keep arrest logs, and magistrate courts hold the initial charging documents.
- West Virginia County Sheriff DirectorySheriff offices for all 55 counties and the regional jail that serves each
- West Virginia Police DepartmentsCity police and State Police records
- West Virginia Criminal RecordsCriminal history through the West Virginia State Police
- West Virginia Most WantedFugitives and outstanding warrants
Guide
What West Virginia inmate records show, and what stays private
The West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, W. Va. Code section 29B-1-1 and following, makes the custody record public, and the offender search posts offenses, sentences, bond and release dates. The Division does not publish photographs. Medical and mental health records, the pre-sentence investigation, classification and disciplinary files and Parole Board case files are exempt. Criminal history from the West Virginia State Police requires fingerprints and goes to the subject or authorized employers; the public uses the circuit and magistrate court records held by each county clerk.
Guide
Parole, probation and release in West Virginia
The West Virginia Parole Board hears prisoners once a quarter of the sentence is served for most offenses and posts hearing schedules and decisions. Parole officers of the Division supervise releases from regional offices, while probation is run by the circuit courts and their probation officers, so probationers appear in court records. The judgment sits with the circuit clerk of the convicting county, and many circuit clerks post case indexes online.
Guide
When the search shows nothing
If neither West Virginia search returns the person, the person was released on bond from the regional jail or cited without booking: check the magistrate or circuit clerk for the pending case. A probationer is supervised by circuit court probation officers and appears in court records. Check the federal Bureau of Prisons locator for a federal case, including the federal prisons in Beckley, Gilmer, Hazelton and Alderson, and VINELink for a recent release.
Straight answers
West Virginia Inmate Search, questions
Does West Virginia have county jails?
No. The state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs ten regional jails that serve all 55 counties, and county sheriffs do not hold prisoners.
Which West Virginia search do I use the day after an arrest?
The regional jail search. Everyone booked in West Virginia goes to a regional jail, and the search lists the booking date, charges and bond.
Why is a sentenced West Virginia prisoner still in a regional jail?
Sentenced prisoners wait in the regional jail until a state prison bed opens. The person appears in the regional jail search until the transfer and in the prison search after it.
Does the West Virginia search show photos?
No. It lists the offender number, facility, status, offenses, sentence and release or bond information.