How to Find Someone in the Arlington City Jail or Tarrant County Jail (and What to Do Next)
For an Arlington arrest, check the City of Arlington jail detainee list first, because people are booked at 620 W. Division St. before any transfer. For everyone else, or anyone already moved downtown, use the Tarrant County inmate search or call 817-884-3000. If you cannot find the person, call A Way Out Bail Bonds at 817-261-2828 with their full name and date of birth. We search every Tarrant County jail for you, 24 hours a day.
Getting a call that someone you love was arrested, or not hearing from them at all, is stressful. The good news is that Tarrant County and its cities publish custody information, and once you know where to look, you can usually confirm an arrest within minutes. This guide explains where to search, why a person may not show up yet, what the record means and how to get them released. It is written by A Way Out Bail Bonds, a Tarrant County bail bond company (License #218) with an office directly across from the Arlington City Jail.
Why Can’t I Find Someone in the Tarrant County Jail Yet?
The most common reason is that the person is still at a city jail and has not been transferred to the county. In Tarrant County, most arrests start at the arresting agency’s own facility. Arlington, Mansfield, Grand Prairie and other cities book people locally, and the Fort Worth Police Department holds people temporarily before transfer. The county system at 100 N. Lamar St. often shows the person only after that transfer.
Other reasons a search comes up empty:
- Booking is not finished. Fingerprints, photographs and warrant checks commonly take several hours, and records appear afterward.
- The name is spelled differently in the jail record, or a middle name or suffix was used.
- The person was already released, on bond or on a citation.
- Another agency made the arrest, such as the Texas Department of Public Safety, a university police department or a neighboring county.
- The arrest happened outside Tarrant County, for example in the Dallas County part of Grand Prairie or the Denton County part of Fort Worth.
How Do I Search the Arlington City Jail?
Start with the City of Arlington’s own detainee information, because almost every Arlington Police arrest is booked at the Arlington City Jail, 620 W. Division St. The jail sits inside the Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center. The City of Arlington publishes jail and arrest information on its Arlington Police jail and arrests page, and the jail can be reached at 817-459-5648.
- Open the Arlington jail information page and find the current detainee list.
- Search by last name. If nothing appears, try variations and check again after an hour, since the list updates only after booking.
- Note the charge, the booking time and whether a bond is listed.
- If the person is not listed and several hours have passed, check the Tarrant County inmate search in case they were transferred.
Arrests by UTA police, Pantego police and Dalworthington Gardens officers are often booked at the Arlington City Jail too. Read more about Arlington arrests on our Arlington bail bonds page.
How Do I Use the Tarrant County Inmate Search?
The Tarrant County inmate search covers people in the county detention system, including the Tarrant County Corrections Center at 100 N. Lamar St. in Fort Worth. You can search online at the Tarrant County inmate search or call the county inmate information line at 817-884-3000, which the Sheriff’s Office lists on its official bond information page.
- Enter the last name and first name. Adding a date of birth narrows results.
- Open the matching record and confirm the date of birth.
- Write down the CID number, the booking date, each charge and each bond amount.
- Look for notes about holds or detainers.
Our Tarrant County Jail bail bonds guide explains the Corrections Center, the 24-hour Bond Desk and every county facility in detail.
Where Do Other Tarrant County Cities Hold People?
If the arrest happened outside Arlington, check the city that made the arrest. These are the facilities families ask us about most:
City of arrest | Where people are held | How to check |
Arlington, Pantego, Dalworthington Gardens | Arlington City Jail, 620 W. Division St. | City of Arlington jail page, 817-459-5648 |
Fort Worth | FWPD detention facility, then Tarrant County Corrections Center | Tarrant County inmate search, 817-884-3000 |
Mansfield and Kennedale | Mansfield Law Enforcement Center, 1601 Heritage Pkwy. | Mansfield jail portal, 817-804-5724 |
Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie Detention Center, 1525 Arkansas Ln. | 972-237-8951 |
Tarrant County Sheriff and unincorporated areas | Tarrant County Corrections Center, 100 N. Lamar St. |
You can also register with VINELink, the national victim and inmate notification service, to track custody status and get alerts about transfers or release.
Still can’t find them?
Call A Way Out Bail Bonds at 817-261-2828 or contact us online. Give us the full name and date of birth, and a licensed agent will search the Arlington jail, the Tarrant County system and nearby city jails for you, at any hour.
What Does the Jail Record Tell Me?
The record tells you whether release is possible right now and what it will take. Here is how to read the most common statuses:
What you see | What it means | Your next step |
Booked, no bond amount | Magistration has not happened yet | Texas law requires magistration within 48 hours; call a bondsman now to prepare paperwork |
Bond amount listed | A magistrate has set bail | A bondsman can post a surety bond right away |
Several charges, several bonds | Each charge has its own bond | All bonds must be posted before release |
Hold or detainer | Another agency has a claim | Release may not happen even after bond; ask before paying |
Released | The person is no longer in custody | Confirm how they were released and the first court date |
What Should I Write Down Before I Call a Bondsman?
Five details let a bondsman start immediately, and a good one can find anything you are missing.
- Full legal name and date of birth of the person arrested.
- Jail location (Arlington City Jail, Tarrant County Corrections Center, Mansfield or another city).
- CID or booking number, if the county search shows one.
- Charges and bond amounts, listed separately for each charge.
- Your relationship to the person and whether you plan to be the co-signer.
If you are going to co-sign, read our guide to co-signer rights and duties in Texas and our payment options page before the call.
How Do I Know a Bail Bondsman Is Legitimate?
In Tarrant County, every bondsman who writes bonds must be licensed by the Tarrant County Bail Bond Board. Before paying anyone, ask for the company’s Tarrant County license number and check it with the Tarrant County Bail Bond Board. Be cautious if someone contacts you first claiming to be from the jail or a bond company and asks for payment by gift card or app transfer. A legitimate bondsman will explain the bond agreement, give you a written contract and tell you the court date. Bail bonds in Texas are regulated under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1704.
What Happens After I Find Them?
Once you know where the person is and whether bond is set, release usually follows five steps.
- Call a licensed bondsman. A Way Out Bail Bonds answers 817-261-2828 live 24 hours a day.
- The co-signer completes the paperwork by phone, fax, email or in person. Our forms are on the bail bond forms page.
- The bond is posted at the city jail if the person was magistrated there, or at the 24-hour Bond Desk at 100 N. Lamar St.
- The jail processes the release, which usually takes several hours after posting.
- You receive the court date, and we send reminders before every setting.
If you just got a phone call from someone in jail, our guide on what to do when you get a call from jail walks through that conversation. For how bail works overall, see how bail bonds work.
Why Families Call A Way Out Bail Bonds
Our office at 633 W. Division St., Suite A, is directly across from the Arlington City Jail, and we post bonds at every Tarrant County facility. We hold Tarrant County Bail Bond License #218, bonds are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, and we have served Tarrant and Dallas County families for decades. We offer payment plans, no credit check, Spanish-speaking agents (pagina en espanol) and paperwork by phone, fax or email for out-of-town family. See what families say about us.
Finding Someone in Jail in Tarrant County: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out if someone is in the Tarrant County Jail?
Search the Tarrant County inmate search at inmatesearch.tarrantcounty.com or call the county inmate information line at 817-884-3000. If the person was arrested by a city police department, also check that city’s jail, because they may not appear in the county system until transfer.
How do I check the Arlington City Jail inmate list?
The City of Arlington publishes jail and detainee information on its Arlington Police jail and arrests page. You can also call the Arlington City Jail at 817-459-5648. People appear on the list after booking is complete.
How long after an arrest does someone show up in the inmate search?
Usually after booking is finished, which commonly takes several hours. For city jail arrests, the person may not appear in the Tarrant County system until they are transferred, which can take up to a day or two.
What is a CID number in Tarrant County?
A CID is the identification number Tarrant County assigns to a person in its criminal justice system. It appears in the inmate search record and helps a bondsman find the correct person quickly.
Why does the inmate search show no bond amount?
It usually means magistration has not happened yet. Texas law requires a magistrate to see the arrested person within 48 hours, and the bond amount appears after that hearing. A bondsman can prepare paperwork in the meantime.
Can a bail bondsman find someone in jail for me?
Yes. A Way Out Bail Bonds can search the Arlington City Jail, the Tarrant County system and nearby city jails with the person’s full name and date of birth. Call 817-261-2828 at any hour.
Where are Mansfield and Kennedale arrests held?
Mansfield Police arrests, and arrests by the City of Kennedale, are held at the Mansfield Law Enforcement Center, 1601 Heritage Pkwy., Mansfield. The Mansfield jail has an online inmate portal at p2c.mansfieldtexas.gov.
What does a hold or detainer on an inmate record mean?
A hold means another agency, such as another county, a parole office or immigration authorities, has a claim on the person. A hold can prevent release even after a Tarrant County bond is posted, so ask your bondsman about it before paying.
How can I get alerts when someone is transferred or released?
Register with VINELink at vinelink.com, the national inmate notification service. It can send alerts about changes in custody status, including transfer and release.
How do I verify a bail bond company is licensed in Tarrant County?
Ask for the company’s Tarrant County license number and confirm it with the Tarrant County Bail Bond Board. A Way Out Bail Bonds holds Tarrant County Bail Bond License #218.
Found Them? Let’s Get Them Home
Once you know where your loved one is, A Way Out Bail Bonds can take it from there. We are licensed in Tarrant County, sit across the street from the Arlington City Jail and answer live 24 hours a day. Call 817-261-2828 right now, or contact us online and an agent will call you back. For Dallas County arrests, call 214-760-9978. A Way Out Bail Bonds, 633 W. Division St., Suite A, Arlington, TX 76011. Tarrant County: 817-261-2828. Dallas County: 214-760-9978. Tarrant County Bail Bond License #218.