How to find which prison someone is in

Just sentenced, or suddenly moved? Here is how to track someone down for free, using the official route.

The official way: Find a Prisoner (free)

The prison service runs a free service on GOV.UK called Find a Prisoner. You need:

• Their full name, plus any other names they might be recorded under
• Their date of birth, or rough age
• Your own name, date of birth and address

A reply normally comes within about 3 working days. Two things catch people out. First, the prisoner has to agree to their location being shared with you. Second, the name has to match, so include old names or nicknames they might be booked under. A "no information" reply often means no consent, not no record.

Faster ways

• The court (same day): the custody office at the court can often say which prison the van was going to.
• Their solicitor gets told where their client is and can usually confirm quickly.
• Wait for the call. Most people manage a first call within 1 to 3 days. See the first 48 hours.

When they are moved without warning

You usually find out about a move when a call comes from a new prison, or when the calls suddenly stop. After a move it takes a few days for phone credit, approved numbers and property to catch up, so a short silence is normal. If you had a visit booked, ring the old prison's visits line. Booked visits do not move with them.

If a week passes with no contact, use Find a Prisoner again, or ring the last known prison and ask if they are still there. They will usually confirm a simple yes or no to close family.

Once you know where they are

Get their prisoner number as soon as you can. Everything needs it: money, visits, emails. Then send a little money on GOV.UK, get your phone number approved, and if you are wondering how long they will actually be inside, try the release date tool.

Common questions