Burleigh County — How to Look Up an Inmate

To find an inmate currently held at the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center, start at the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center page on the county’s official site. The facility serves both Burleigh and Morton counties and is operated by the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Office. For phone-based inquiries, call (701) 222-6651. New bookings may not appear on the roster immediately after arrest.

Looking for someone booked tonight? See Burleigh section 3 — If someone was booked tonight for phone-first contact info.

Searching the Burleigh County jail roster

94,000-plus residents make Burleigh the most populous county in North Dakota, and the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center handles bookings from both county law enforcement and the Bismarck Police Department. Newly booked inmates typically appear on the roster within a few hours of processing, though the window can extend depending on booking volume and shift changes at the facility.

1. Go to the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center page on the county website.
2. Use the site’s search function at burleigh.gov/search to query by inmate name.
3. Search by last name first. If no result appears, try a partial last name to account for spelling variations.
4. If the online search returns nothing, call the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Office directly at (701) 222-6651 to confirm custody status by phone.

The detention center is a joint facility serving both Burleigh and Morton counties. An arrest made anywhere in Burleigh County — including by the Bismarck Police Department — will route to this facility. If you need to reach Bismarck PD directly, call (701) 223-1212.

What the roster does (and doesn’t) show

Juvenile detainees are not listed on the public roster. Sealed records, federal holds, and individuals held under immigration detainers also do not appear. The roster reflects current county-jail custody only — it will not show someone who has been transferred to state prison or is held in a neighboring county under a separate jurisdiction agreement.

The roster shows booking date, charges as entered at intake, and current custody status. Bond amounts, if set, may appear but are not guaranteed to update in real time. Court case details — including hearing dates and formal charges — are separate from the jail roster and require a search through the North Dakota Court System Burleigh County portal. The Sheriff’s Records Request page covers formal document requests beyond what the roster displays.

If you’re reading this because someone was just booked tonight, the section below is for you.

If someone was just booked tonight

Call the (701) 222-6651 — that’s the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and it’s the fastest way to confirm custody right now. The line is staffed around the clock for custody questions, so the hour doesn’t matter. That’s the one number to start with tonight.

Booking is not instant. After an arrest, the person is transported to the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center in Bismarck for processing — fingerprinting, photographing, property inventory, and medical screening. That process takes time, and the online roster may not reflect the booking for several hours. That’s normal, not a sign something went wrong.

Bond is set at first appearance, which typically happens within the first day or two after booking — not tonight. Calling the Sheriff now will confirm that the person is in custody and may give you a general sense of timing, but bond information won’t be available until the court sets it. The North Dakota Court System Burleigh County page lists licensed bail bondsmen once a bond amount is established. That part comes later.

Visitation is not available on the night of booking. It’s a long night, and waiting is the only option right now. Visitation scheduling at the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center begins after the person is fully processed and placed in a housing unit — call the facility the next morning to ask about current visitation hours and procedures. To put money on an inmate’s account, the facility uses the JailATM deposit portal, which is available online.

Tomorrow morning, call the Burleigh County Courthouse at (701) 355-1350 to ask about the first appearance date and any case information on file. Courthouse hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you’re considering hiring an attorney, that call is worth making before the first appearance.

If someone isn’t on the Burleigh County roster

A name missing from the roster at the time you search is most often a timing issue — bookings at the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center may not post to the public-facing page for several hours after processing completes. Check again after a few hours before drawing conclusions.

• Neighboring county jails: Arrests near county lines sometimes result in transport to Morton County or Emmons County facilities. Call the respective sheriff’s office to check if the person was booked there instead.
• State DOC transfer: Individuals serving sentences may have been transferred to state custody. Search the North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup to check for a state prison placement.
• Released before roster update: Short-hold arrests can result in release before the name ever appears publicly. Call the Sheriff to confirm.
• Federal custody: Federal charges route to federal detention facilities not reflected in the county roster. Contact the U.S. Marshals Service for federal holds.
• VINELink notification: Register at VINELink to receive automated alerts if custody status changes — useful if you want ongoing notification rather than repeated manual checks.

Nationwide inmate lookup

The Burleigh County roster covers only current county-jail custody. If the person may be held in another state, a different North Dakota county, or a federal facility, a multi-jurisdiction search tool can check records the local roster cannot reach.

Sponsored: Nationwide Records Search (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).