The Dakota County jail roster is a public resource that allows anyone to look up individuals currently held in the Dakota County Jail in Minnesota. DakotaCourt.us can help you find publicly available information about current and recent inmates, including booking details and charges. You can also access jail roster information through the Dakota County official website, which hosts an online inmate search tool maintained by the Dakota County Sheriff's Office. In-person inquiries at the jail lobby and phone calls to the facility are additional options. The roster serves as a transparency tool, showing who is currently in custody. It is updated regularly and displays only individuals presently held at the facility.
Search Current Inmates in Dakota County Jail
There are several ways to search for someone currently held in the Dakota County Jail.
Online Search
- Visit DakotaCourt.us to search for publicly available court record information tied to current or recent inmates.
- Go to the Dakota County website and select the "Jail Inmate Search" link listed under popular services. The search tool displays only people currently in custody.
- Enter the individual's last name, first name, or both. If you have a booking number, you can use that instead.
- Review the results. Each listing typically shows the inmate's name, date of birth, booking date, charges, and custody status.
The county's online roster uses a searchable interface — enter a name in the search field and results will populate if a match exists. Juvenile offenders are excluded from the public roster.
By Phone
Call the Dakota County Jail directly to ask whether a specific person is in custody. You can also reach Dakota 911 for non-emergency dispatch inquiries.
In Person
Visit the jail lobby during regular business hours to request inmate information at the public information window.
Dakota County Jail
To begin a search, you will need at minimum the individual's full legal name. A booking number, if known, can speed up the process. The roster does not include individuals who have been released or transferred to another facility.
Find Dakota County Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created each time an individual is processed into the Dakota County Jail. During booking, jail staff record key details that become part of the inmate's file:
- Booking number (a unique identifier assigned at intake)
- Date and time of booking
- Charges at the time of arrest
- Arresting agency (e.g., local police department, Dakota County Sheriff's Office)
- Personal identifiers such as name, date of birth, and physical description
You can view current booking information through the jail's online inmate search on the Dakota County website. The search results show active bookings only — once a person is released, their record is typically removed from the public-facing roster.
For criminal complaint records tied to a booking, Dakota County maintains a separate Criminal Complaint Search tool. Complaints are posted for 12 months and exclude certain sensitive charges such as criminal sexual conduct or child pornography cases.
If you need court case records associated with a booking — such as hearing dates, case status, or judgment information — use Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), which provides public access to district court records statewide, including Dakota County cases. For older or more detailed booking records not available online, contact the jail directly or submit a records request to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office.
Search the Dakota County Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The Dakota County inmate search supports two primary methods:
Search by Last Name
- Enter the person's last name in the search field. Adding a first name will narrow results.
- Use the correct legal spelling. Nicknames and aliases may not return results.
- If you are unsure of the exact spelling, try a partial last name — some search tools will return partial matches.
Search by Booking Number
- If you have the booking number (often provided by the arresting agency or included in court documents), enter it directly for an exact match.
- This method is faster and avoids issues with common names returning multiple results.
What to Do If No Results Appear
If your search returns no results, consider these possibilities:
- The person may have already been released or transferred. The roster shows current custody only.
- Double-check the spelling of the name. Try alternate spellings or remove the first name and search by last name alone.
- The person may have been booked very recently and the record may not yet appear online.
- Call the jail at (651) 438-4700 to confirm whether the individual is in custody.
- If the person has been transferred to state custody, search the Minnesota Department of Corrections offender search instead.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Dakota County
The Dakota County Jail roster is updated on a regular basis, though there is typically a short delay between when a person is booked and when their record appears online. The county's inmate search tool notes that it displays only people currently in custody, and the information should not be relied upon for legal action.
Key Limitations
| Limitation | Details |
|---|---|
| Update frequency | Records generally appear within hours of booking, but brief delays can occur during high-volume intake periods. |
| Release removal | Once an inmate is released, their record is removed from the public roster. The tool is not an archive. |
| Data entry lags | Charges or personal details may be updated after initial booking as more information becomes available. |
| Restricted records | Juvenile records, certain sealed cases, and charges involving sensitive offenses may not appear. |
| Scope | The roster covers the Dakota County Jail only — it does not include individuals held in other facilities or under state or federal custody. |
For court-related records beyond what the jail roster provides, use MCRO case search to look up case filings, hearing schedules, and dispositions in Dakota County District Court. If a record has been expunged, it will not appear in any public search — more information on that process is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch expungement guide.
If you cannot find the information you need through online tools, contact the Dakota County Jail or the Sheriff's Office directly to request records or verify an individual's custody status.