Official Durham County Jail Roster
The official jail roster is the Durham County Sheriff's Inmate Population Search. It is free, public, and does not require a login. The sheriff's public-information page links to it as the county inmate search channel. On the researched inspection date, the roster displayed a last-updated timestamp and a public table rather than a typed name-search form. It is the main source for Durham County Detention Facility custody, recent bookings, recent releases, bond fields, and court docket bridges.
The roster is only one slice of Durham County inmate records. It covers local jail custody, not NCDAC state prison records, BOP custody at Butner, ICE detention, or full criminal court files. If a person was sentenced to state prison after a Durham County case, use the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction locator. If the person is in one of the Butner federal institutions, use the BOP locator. If a local booking has moved into court, the Court Docket field should be checked through Durham County court records.
Durham County Roster Screen
The official roster screen shows the Durham-specific controls and charge-row format used for current inmate records.
The screenshot supports the key point for users: Durham's roster uses listing filters and a name dropdown, then sends name clicks to VINE rather than to a deep local profile page.
Use the Durham County Inmate Roster
Durham's roster is dropdown-driven. It does not work like a normal search box where a last name is typed and submitted. First choose the record-listing scope, then use the name index if needed. The name link is most useful for VINE notification registration, while the row itself carries the jail and charge facts.
- Open the official Durham County Sheriff's roster, not a third-party inmate-search site.
- Check the Last Updated line before relying on the result.
- Choose Last 24 Hours, Last 30 Days, or Incarcerated from the current records-list dropdown.
- Use the name-index dropdown or leave it at All to scan the selected list.
- Read all charge rows under the inmate's name, including date confined, release status, bond, and docket.
- Click the name only if VINE custody-status notification is the goal.
- Call the detention facility or use the Records Division if the person should be listed but does not appear.
Durham County Roster Search Fields
The roster's field set is a strong Durham-specific detail. The user selects a listing period or status and then filters by an index of names generated from that selected list. The page also displays the number of records found, which helps confirm whether the selected scope is broad enough.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Inmate Records List | Dropdown | Unspecified | Options observed: Last 24 Hours, Last 30 Days, Incarcerated. |
| Records Found | Display label | No | Shows the count for the selected listing. |
| Name index dropdown | Dropdown | Optional | All plus names in the selected list, using local offender ID values behind the scenes. |
| Inmate name link | Hyperlink | Optional | Routes to VINELink SubjectSearch with county agency and offender ID values. |
| Buttons | None visible | Not applicable | No separate Search, Submit, Reset, or Advanced Search button was visible. |
What Durham Inmate Records Show
Durham's public jail record is a charge-and-custody table. It does not expose every booking field that a jail keeps internally. The inspected table omitted mugshots, date of birth, address, physical descriptors, housing location, arresting officer, narrative, and warrant affidavit detail. The fields that do appear are still enough to confirm custody and move to the court system.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Inmate name | Full name in last, first, middle style, linked to VINE. |
| Date Confined | Date the person was confined in the facility for the listing. |
| Date Charged | Date tied to the listed charge. |
| Date Released | Release date, or [incarcerated] if still held. |
| Statute Description | Plain-language charge text, without a separate statute-code column. |
| Bond Type and Amount | Values such as NO BOND, SECURED, UNSECURED, [N/A], and dollar amount per row. |
| Court Docket | Case number that can be used in eCourts or clerk channels. |
| Days In Jail/Charge | Count showing how long that charge row has been associated with custody. |
Why Durham Names Link to VINE
Each inmate name link on the researched roster routed to VINE/VINELink, not to a local detail page. VINE is a victim-notification and custody-status service. It can help users register for notice of custody changes, but it should not be confused with a county mugshot profile or a complete court file.
If the goal is to know whether someone is still in the jail, first read the Date Released field on the roster. If it says [incarcerated], call the Durham County Detention Facility at (919) 560-0912 when timing is critical. If the goal is court status, use the docket in the court system.
Request Durham Sheriff Records
Records not shown online go through the Durham County Sheriff's Records Division when they are sheriff records and are not confidential or otherwise restricted. The Records Division is on the first floor of the courthouse at 510 South Dillard Street, Durham. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The records phones are 919-560-0899 and 919-560-0898.
The sheriff's records page lists report copies at $3 cash or $6.09 by credit card. It also warns that general public criminal background checks should go through the Clerk of Court or the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, not the sheriff's Records Division. For a jail record request, bring the full name, date confined, date charged, court docket, and any release status from the roster.
Durham Visitation After Lookup
After a Durham County inmate record confirms custody, visitation is handled through SmartInmate account steps and the Durham County GTL/VisitMe portal. Visitors must create an account, keep the visitor ID and password, and schedule in-person visits at least two days and no more than seven days ahead. Visitors age 18 or older need valid ID, and late arrival cancels the visit.
| Visit Type | Days | Times | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual visit through SmartInmate | Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4 p.m.-9 p.m. | Connection request must be approved before scheduling. |
| In-person pods A and B | Tuesday | 4:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. | Schedule 2-7 days ahead and arrive 30 minutes early. |
| In-person pods C and D | Thursday | 4:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. | Excludes 3C North and South per sheriff schedule. |
Mail, Phone, and Money
Durham County has separate channels for mail, phone, and money. Personal mail changed on June 9, 2026, to Smart Communications mail-scan processing at C/O Mail Processing Center, P.O. Box 9173, Seminole, FL 33775-9173. Legal mail, books, and packages still go to P.O. Box 771, Durham, NC 27702. Money orders go to Durham County Detention Facility, P.O. Box 544, Durham, NC 27702, and should include the full name and inmate number.
| Channel | Durham Detail |
|---|---|
| Phone | Smart Communications PrePaid Account or PIN Account. |
| Commissary funds | TouchPay online, by phone, or in person. Facility ID 227701 and inmate number are needed. |
| Gift packages | iCare packages by name or inmate number. |
| Mail warning | Do not send cash, checks, or money orders with personal mail to the scan center. |
State, Federal, and ICE Custody
The NCDAC Offender Public Information search covers North Carolina state prisoners, probationers, and parolees. NCDAC says the database includes current and historical information back to 1972 and does not include county jail information. That means a person in Durham County Detention Facility belongs in the sheriff roster, while a sentenced state prisoner belongs in NCDAC.
The BOP Inmate Locator covers federal inmates from 1982 to present, including people at FCI Butner Low, FCI Butner Medium I, FCI Butner Medium II, and FMC Butner. ICE custody uses ICE's Online Detainee Locator System. These federal and immigration systems are not Durham jail records.
Lookup rule: local jail custody uses the sheriff roster, state prison uses NCDAC, federal prison uses BOP, and immigration detention uses ICE ODLS.
Durham Roster Terms
Several Durham roster terms have a specific meaning in custody and court use. These short definitions help prevent common mistakes when reading charge rows.
- Bond
- A court or magistrate release condition while a criminal case is pending.
- Secured bond
- Release requires cash, property, or a surety bond.
- No bond
- The person is not releasable on that charge or hold at that moment.
- Detainer
- A hold or request from another authority that can block release.
- Classification
- Jail process assigning housing and custody level based on risk, behavior, and needs.