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Yellowstone County, Montana · Billings Inmate Information
Yellowstone County Billings Jail Roster: Inmate Search, Bookings & Mugshots
Trying to find someone recently arrested in Billings, Montana? The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office operates an official online roster for the Yellowstone County Detention Facility. You can search for people currently held at the jail by name or booking date, or open the full jail roster without knowing a specific inmate’s name.
The search is free and available through the county government website. This guide explains how to locate inmates, review available booking details, verify charges and bond amounts, request booking photographs, arrange video visits, send money and use the correct mailing address.
Independent informational guide. Not affiliated with Yellowstone County, its Sheriff’s Office or the Montana Department of Corrections.
How to Search the Yellowstone County Jail Roster
The official Yellowstone County Detention Facility Inmate Search provides three practical ways to look up inmates: search by name, search by booking date, or view the complete current roster.
Search an inmate by name
- Open the official search page. Use the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office detention search.
- Enter the inmate’s name. The county recommends typing the full last name, followed by a comma and first name, such as “Doe, John”.
- Complete the verification question. The page asks a simple math question to prevent automated searches.
- Choose Search. Review the matching results returned by the system.
- Compare identifying information. Check the name, booking date or available detention identifiers.
- Open available details. Review any displayed booking, housing, bond or charge information.
- Verify important information. Call detention booking at 406-256-6881 before relying on the result for bail or release.
Browse the full jail roster
- Open the same official inmate-search page.
- Select View Full Jail Roster.
- Browse the current inmate listing.
- Use the available inmate links or details to examine the matching entry.
- Contact booking staff if you need clarification.
Yellowstone County Jail Recent Bookings and Arrest Records
The detention facility serves Billings and Yellowstone County and may house people arrested by local law-enforcement authorities, people awaiting court hearings, sentenced detainees and individuals held for other agencies.
New bookings may not appear immediately because intake includes identification, property inventory, paperwork and initial detention processing.
How to find recent bookings
- Open the official inmate search.
- Use the Booking Date field if you know the approximate admission date.
- Enter the date in the format shown by the search page.
- Complete the verification question.
- Submit the search and review matching records.
- Check the booking information and any available details.
- If the arrest happened very recently, call the 24-hour booking number.
The full roster is useful for browsing current inmates, but it does not necessarily sort everyone by the newest booking date. Searching by a known date is more useful when the arrest time matters.
How to Find Yellowstone County Jail Mugshots
Yellowstone County documents booking photography as part of jail intake operations. However, the official online search does not guarantee a publicly displayed mugshot for every inmate.
Check or request a booking photograph
- Search the official jail roster for the person.
- Open any available inmate-detail or charge information.
- Check whether a photograph is displayed.
- If no image is available, contact the Sheriff’s Office Records Division.
- Provide the inmate’s name and approximate booking date.
- Ask whether the booking image is publicly releasable and what request procedures or fees apply.
The Sheriff’s Office lists 406-256-2935 for records inquiries, with published Records Division business hours of Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Some records may be withheld or redacted under applicable confidentiality, privacy or criminal justice information rules. A mugshot is not proof of criminal guilt.
Understanding Yellowstone County Inmate Booking Records
The public roster and individual charge pages may provide several types of detention information. The exact fields displayed depend on the record and search result.
| Record field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Inmate name | The name associated with the detention booking. |
| Jacket number | An inmate identifier used by the facility, including for deposits and mail. |
| Booking date | The recorded date of jail admission. |
| Housing unit | The person’s assigned detention housing location when disclosed. |
| Charge information | Recorded allegations or legal reasons for detention. |
| Bond information | A reported amount or release condition, subject to verification. |
| Custody status | Whether a person is recorded as currently detained. |
| Booking photograph | An identification photograph, if made publicly accessible. |
One person can have multiple charges, warrants or agency holds. A listed total bond may not establish that payment will resolve all detention restrictions.
For an official legal case outcome, use the relevant Montana court records rather than treating the jail roster as a judgment.
What If Someone Is Not on the Billings Jail Roster?
A missing name may mean the person was released, transferred, processed under another name, held elsewhere or not yet entered into the public search.
- Search again. Use the recommended last-name, first-name format.
- Check booking dates. Search a relevant date if a name search fails.
- Browse the full roster. Look for spelling variations or a different name.
- Contact the facility. Call 406-256-6881 for custody or booking questions.
- Check state corrections. Consult the Montana Department of Corrections if the person may have transferred into state correctional custody.
- Check federal custody. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator for applicable federal records.
- Check court information. Search Montana’s official court portals if you need case proceedings rather than live custody.
The Yellowstone County Detention Facility and Montana’s state prison system maintain different records. A county inmate may not appear in a state correctional search.
Yellowstone County Jail Bail, Bond and Release Information
The Sheriff’s Office instructs people to handle fines and bonds at the court where the offense occurred during regular business hours. After court hours, a fine or bond may be handled at the detention facility.
| Situation | Where to begin |
|---|---|
| During court business hours | Contact the responsible court for payment instructions. |
| After court business hours | Contact detention booking for the facility’s payment procedure. |
| Unsure about bond amount | Call 406-256-6881 before making a payment. |
| Looking for a bondsman | Use the county’s approved bondsmen information linked from the jail FAQ. |
Before posting a bond
- Search the inmate’s official custody record.
- Call the detention booking desk to confirm the current charge and bond information.
- Determine which court controls the case.
- Confirm all warrants, separate holds and release restrictions.
- Ask which payment methods and payees are authorized.
- Complete payment only through verified court or detention procedures.
- Keep the receipt and ask about release processing.
The county states that individuals leaving custody are released from the main lobby of the detention facility.
Yellowstone County Jail Video Visitation and Scheduling
Yellowstone County provides electronic video visitation through NCIC. The jail says that ordinary face-to-face visits are not currently planned because of staffing and security concerns.
How to arrange a video visit
- Open NCIC or follow the official county’s video visitation link.
- Create a visitor account.
- Find Yellowstone County Detention Facility.
- Locate the inmate and review available visiting options.
- Choose an available visiting session.
- Review any fees for additional sessions before payment.
- Follow the account’s instructions for the visit.
Inmates can receive visits after they are assigned to housing and have access to the facility’s kiosk or tablet system. Visit availability may depend on the inmate’s scheduled time outside the cell and facility operations.
The jail may cancel sessions because of emergencies, lockdowns or other detention needs. A fixed daily visiting timetable is not guaranteed by the current official visitation page.
See the official visitation instructions before scheduling.
How to Send Money to a Yellowstone County Jail Inmate
Yellowstone County distinguishes between an inmate’s Trust account and Communications account. Funds sent to one may not be freely transferable back to the other.
| Account | Purpose | Official provider |
|---|---|---|
| Trust / commissary | Snacks, hygiene items and permitted purchases | Inmate Canteen |
| Communications | Phone time, additional video visits and electronic messages | NCIC |
Make an online commissary deposit
- Verify the person’s full booked name and jacket number.
- Visit Inmate Canteen.
- Select the correct Yellowstone County detention facility.
- Find the inmate account.
- Review the amount, service fees and restrictions.
- Complete the payment and save the confirmation.
Other approved deposit methods
The county also lists a blue deposit kiosk in the facility lobby. For mailed deposits, it accepts money orders made payable to the inmate’s full name, not cash or personal checks.
Inmate Jacket Number: [Number]
ATTENTION MAIL OFFICER
3165 King Avenue East
Billings, MT 59101
The county specifically warns that a mailed money order without “ATTENTION MAIL OFFICER” in the address will be returned to the sender. This address is for approved money orders, not ordinary personal letters.
Inmates may transfer funds from their Trust account to their Communications account, subject to fees. Funds cannot be transferred from the Communications account back to the Trust account under the published policy.
Yellowstone County Jail Inmate Phone Calls and Messaging
The county identifies NCIC as its inmate communications provider. The Communications account can be used for supported phone, video and electronic messaging services.
Set up communication
- Verify the inmate is still held at Yellowstone County Detention Facility.
- Visit NCIC.
- Create an account and select the detention facility.
- Review the available inmate calling and messaging services.
- Fund the correct account after checking current rates.
- Follow the provider’s connection instructions.
The county lists 800-943-2189 for inmate phone billing questions.
Jail staff do not relay ordinary personal messages to inmates. The Sheriff’s Office may consider messages involving verified emergencies, such as a death in the family or emergency surgery.
Calls and electronic messages may be subject to monitoring and institutional rules. Confidential attorney communications require separate procedures.
How to Send Mail to Yellowstone County Jail Inmates
The county uses a third-party mail scanning service for ordinary personal correspondence. Do not send personal letters directly to the Billings jail.
Personal inmate-mail address
Inmate Jacket Number: [Number]
Yellowstone Co. Detention Facility
P.O. Box 591
Long View, TX 75606
Under the county’s published mail rules, personal letters are scanned and delivered electronically to the inmate. Original letters and enclosed items are destroyed rather than returned.
Important personal-mail limits
- Maximum five pages per letter.
- Write on the front of each page only.
- Maximum paper size: 8.5 × 11 inches.
- Maximum one photograph per letter.
- Do not send legal or medical correspondence to the scanning address.
- Books, magazines and packages are not accepted by the personal-mail scanning service.
- Do not send original sentimental or irreplaceable documents.
Privileged legal mail
Legal correspondence sent directly from an attorney or court uses the detention facility’s physical address rather than the third-party scanning center.
LEGAL MAIL
Yellowstone County Detention Facility
3165 King Avenue East
Billings, MT 59101
Legal mail must be clearly marked and include the sending attorney, law firm or court’s name, return address and telephone number for verification.
Review the official Yellowstone County inmate mail rules PDF before sending correspondence.
Yellowstone County Jail Address, Phone Numbers and Directions
Billings, MT 59101 406-256-6881
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Detention facility email: ycdfbc@yellowstonecountymt.gov
The facility is on King Avenue East. The Sheriff’s administrative headquarters at 2323 Second Avenue North is a separate location; do not use that address for jail visits or after-hours bond inquiries.
Search Yellowstone County Court Records and Hearing Dates
The inmate roster is a detention record. For court proceedings, formal charges, hearings and judgments, use Montana’s official judicial portals.
The Montana Judicial Branch provides separate public-access portals for District Courts and Courts of Limited Jurisdiction.
| Court or case type | Where to search |
|---|---|
| Yellowstone County District Court, including felony proceedings | Montana District Courts Public Access Portal |
| Yellowstone County Justice Court, Billings Municipal Court and other limited-jurisdiction matters | Montana Courts of Limited Jurisdiction Public Access Portal |
Find a court date by name
- Open the Montana Courts Public Access Portals.
- Select the appropriate District Court or Limited Jurisdiction portal.
- Choose the relevant Yellowstone County or Billings court.
- Use the party-name case search.
- Enter the person’s last name and first name.
- Open the matching case number.
- Review the hearing list for upcoming court dates.
The Yellowstone County Justice Court also publishes step-by-step instructions for finding court dates.
The county’s detention FAQ says City Court proceedings occur at the facility’s video courtroom Monday through Friday beginning at 8:30 AM, while Justice Court arraignments are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning at 3:00 PM. Confirm individual hearing details in the court system because schedules can change.
Public case-search portals are indexes, not substitutes for certified court records. Contact the court clerk for official document copies or records not provided online.
Yellowstone County Jail Roster: 10 Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where can I search the Yellowstone County Jail roster?
Use the official Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office inmate search at https://www.yellowstonecountymt.gov/sheriff/detention/dcsearch.asp. Search by name or booking date, or choose View Full Jail Roster.
2. Is the Yellowstone County inmate roster free?
Yes. The Sheriff’s Office provides its public jail roster without requiring a commercial inmate-search subscription. Separate records requests or inmate communication services may have fees.
3. How do I find recent jail bookings in Billings?
Open the official inmate search, enter a booking date, complete the verification question and review the results. Call the 24-hour booking desk if a recent arrest has not yet appeared.
4. Can I see Yellowstone County Jail mugshots online?
The county documents booking photography, but a public mugshot is not guaranteed for each inmate. Check the roster and ask the Sheriff’s Records Division about requesting an available photograph.
5. What is the Yellowstone County Jail phone number?
The detention booking desk is 406-256-6881 and operates 24 hours a day. Administration can be contacted at 406-256-6900 during published weekday business hours.
6. How do I find an inmate’s charges or bond amount?
Check the official roster and available charge details. For current bond or charge verification, call the detention booking desk at 406-256-6881.
7. How do I schedule a Yellowstone County Jail visit?
Register with NCIC to arrange electronic video visits. Each inmate receives two free video visits per week under the county’s published policy. Additional sessions may be purchased.
8. How can I send money to a Yellowstone County inmate?
Use Inmate Canteen for Trust account deposits, the approved lobby kiosk or a correctly addressed money order. Communications account funding is handled through NCIC. Fees may apply.
9. What is the Yellowstone County Jail inmate mailing address?
Ordinary personal letters go to the inmate’s full name and jacket number, Yellowstone Co. Detention Facility, P.O. Box 591, Long View, TX 75606. Legal mail uses the jail’s Billings address under separate rules.
10. Why is someone missing from the Yellowstone County Jail roster?
The person may not yet have completed booking, may have been released or transferred, or may be held elsewhere. Try the recommended name format or contact detention booking at 406-256-6881.
Official Yellowstone County Jail Resources
Use these official government resources and county-designated service providers for inmate searches and transactions.
- Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office — Inmate Search
- Yellowstone County Detention Facility
- Detention Facility Contacts
- Official Jail FAQs, Bonds and Commissary Rules
- Official Video Visitation Instructions
- Official Inmate Mail Rules PDF
- Inmate Services and Phone Support
- Inmate Canteen — Commissary Deposits
- NCIC — Video Visits and Communications
- Montana Courts Public Access Portals
- Yellowstone County — Find Your Court Date
Information reviewed October 31, 2026. Jail roster contents, inmate custody, visitation availability, release conditions and service fees may change. Confirm important decisions with Yellowstone County Detention Facility or the responsible court.