Austin, Minnesota • Mower County custody guide
Austin MN Jail Roster: Start With the Mower County Jail, Not an “Austin County” Jail
If you are searching for an Austin MN jail roster, the local county custody system is Mower County. The Mower County Jail in Austin publishes an official roster route; use that roster for custody and booking information, then use Minnesota court records for the legal case and final disposition.
Quick Answer: Where to Search for an Inmate in Austin, Minnesota
For current local custody
Start with the official Mower County Jail page and its Jail Roster link. The jail is at 201 2nd Avenue NE, Suite 4, Austin, MN 55912. The published jail phone is 507-437-9562.
If the roster result matters for pickup, bail, a visit, medication, mail, or another time-sensitive action, call the jail to confirm the person is still there.
For the criminal court case
Use the Mower County District Court and Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO). Jail records show custody information; the court record controls filings, hearings and the eventual legal outcome.
Minnesota-specific search trap: MCRO does not return a pending criminal case from a defendant-name search before conviction. See the court section below for the correct workaround.
Which Official Source Answers Your Question?
A custody roster, court file, warrant desk and police report are separate records. Use the source that owns the information instead of assuming one search covers everything.
| What you need | Best official route | What it can answer |
|---|---|---|
| Current Austin-area county custody | Mower County Jail | Official roster route, jail policies, jail contact information and custody follow-up. |
| Booking / roster entry | Mower County Jail roster PDF | Roster fields such as booking identifiers, booking/release times, custody status, arresting agency, listed charges, bail and status when included in the current report. |
| Criminal case or hearing | Minnesota Court Records Online / Mower County District Court | Available court cases, hearings, documents and court administration help; online access has important pending-case limits. |
| Warrant question | Mower County Warrant Desk | Local warrant follow-up. A warrant does not by itself prove the person is currently jailed. |
| Austin Police report / incident record | Austin Police Department | City police matters and police-record routing; this is not the county jail custody roster. |
| County data request | Mower County data request payment guidance | County instructions for paying an assessed data-request charge after responsive data has been compiled. |
| Minnesota state prison / supervision | Minnesota DOC individual search | People committed to the Commissioner of Corrections who remain under DOC jurisdiction, including prison or qualifying supervision status. |
| County-jail release notifications | Minnesota notification guidance | Minnesota DOC explains that Minnesota VINE handles county-jail custody/release notifications; Haven is for DOC custody and supervision. |
| Federal custody | Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator | Federal inmate records from 1982 to the present, subject to BOP record limitations. |
How to Search the Austin MN / Mower County Jail Roster
Start from Mower County’s jail page
Use the county page first so you can reach the roster through the responsible local authority rather than a cached PDF, mugshot site or directory that may have mixed the Sheriff’s Office address with the jail address.
Open the roster and check its “Updated” line
The Mower County report itself prints an update timestamp. If the displayed timestamp is older than expected, do not assume the entries are live; call the jail at 507-437-9562 for a time-sensitive custody check.
Search the legal name carefully
Try the last name first, then first and middle names, hyphenated or former surnames and reasonable spelling variations. Do not use a same-name match by itself as proof of identity.
Compare the full roster entry
Use available identifiers and context such as booking number, age, city of residence, booking date, arresting agency, custody status and listed charge information. Save the booking number if you need to call the jail about that entry.
Move to the court or another custody system when needed
Use Mower County District Court for case status, Minnesota DOC for state custody, Minnesota VINE for county-jail notifications, and BOP for federal custody. Do not force every question through the jail roster.
What the Mower County Roster Fields Mean
The official roster format reviewed for this article included the fields below. The exact layout can change, so read the current report rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Booking #
A jail booking identifier for that custody record. It is useful when calling the jail, but it is not the same thing as a criminal court case number.
CID / MNI #
An identifying number shown in the jail report. Treat it as a custody-system identifier, not a court disposition or sentence.
Booking date and time
When the jail record says the person was booked. It does not tell you when the arrest occurred in every circumstance or when a court hearing will happen.
Release date and time
If populated, it reflects a release recorded in the report. If blank, verify current custody before assuming the person remains physically at the jail.
Custody status
A jail-side status such as in custody or released. It can change after a new order, transfer, hold or release processing.
Arresting agency
The agency shown as connected to the arrest or booking. It is not automatically the agency that operates the jail or owns the court case.
Charges
Allegations or charge descriptions associated with the custody entry. A booking charge is not proof of conviction.
Bail
A roster may display a bail figure or no amount. Verify with the jail and court before anyone pays because another case, hold or order may affect release.
Status
The report may include phrases connected with court, bond, sentence or hold status. Do not interpret a shorthand label as a complete court order; verify the case record.
If the Name Is Not on the Austin MN Jail Roster
A missing name does not prove there was no arrest. Use a short troubleshooting path instead of searching random counties.
Bail, Bond and Release: Verify Before Paying or Driving to the Jail
What Minnesota Courts says about bail
Minnesota Judicial Branch guidance says bail and bonds may be posted at the jail or at a criminal court location where the case will be heard. The jail accepts authorized bonds from state-approved bond agents, and the statewide court guidance says cash bail is paid in cash.
That statewide rule does not tell you whether this particular person is immediately release-eligible. A hold, another case, court order or processing step can still matter.
Before anyone pays
- Confirm the person is still in Mower County custody.
- Confirm the current bail amount and the case it belongs to.
- Ask whether another hold, warrant or case affects release.
- Confirm the accepted payment route at the time of payment.
- Ask which court controls the case.
- Do not promise a pickup time until the jail confirms release.
Minnesota Courts also states that only a judge can order a bail refund. When a refund is ordered, it is issued by check to the named defendant, generally by mail; court administration handles the request.
Mower County Court Records: The MCRO Rule That Causes Many “No Result” Searches
Mower County District Court is part of Minnesota’s Third Judicial District and has original jurisdiction over civil, family, probate, juvenile, criminal and traffic cases filed in Mower County. The courthouse is at 201 Second Avenue NE, Suite 3, Austin, MN 55912; the published phone is 507-509-7013.
Pending criminal case?
MCRO says a pending criminal case will not appear when you search by the defendant’s name before a conviction has been entered. For a pending criminal case, MCRO says you need the case number, citation number, attorney name or attorney bar number.
Name search after a case becomes searchable
MCRO says its name searches are exact. If a searchable matter is not appearing, try a wildcard *, the Sounds Like option, and searches with or without a middle name or initial.
MCRO does not issue certified copies. Contact local court administration when you need a certified court document or when the online record is incomplete.
Mower County daily court calendar
The Mower County court page says the next day’s calendar is posted at 7:00 p.m. and updated hourly beginning at 7:00 a.m. It also warns that confidential and other remotely inaccessible matters may not appear, so a missing calendar entry does not automatically mean a hearing was cancelled or rescheduled.
Warrant Search vs Jail Custody: Do Not Treat Them as the Same Record
The Mower County Warrant Desk is listed at 201 1st Street NE, Suite 3, Austin, MN 55912, phone 507-437-9404. Use it for local warrant follow-up rather than assuming a jail-roster search can answer every warrant question.
Minnesota Judicial Branch guidance says the sheriff’s office in the county where a warrant may have been issued can help with warrant questions. It also warns that a person may be taken into custody if they appear in person while an active arrest warrant exists. For legal strategy about a warrant, obtain advice from a qualified attorney.
Mower County Jail Visitation: Use the Live County Page Before You Travel
The current Mower County Jail page links a Rules of Visitor Conduct document and displays an Inmate Visitation Hours image. In this research session, the current hours were not exposed as machine-readable text on the official page, while private directories showed conflicting or outdated schedules.
Best current practice
Open the official County Jail page immediately before the visit and call 507-437-9562 to confirm the current session, whether an appointment or approved-list status is required, identification rules, minor-child rules and any temporary restriction that could affect the visit.
The county’s still-linked visitor-conduct policy contains rules about visitor approval, minors, electronic devices, dress and security. Because the linked policy is an older document, use it for background only and confirm current requirements with the jail before travel.
Do not copy an all-week visitation schedule from an inmate directory. Search results reviewed for this article included a private page with a jail address and phone that conflict with the county’s current jail contact information, which is exactly why the county page should control.
Calls, Messages, Mail, Money, Property and Medication
Leave an inmate message
Mower County publishes 507-481-3131 as the “Inmate Contact Phone Number (to leave messages).” Do not assume this is a direct incoming-call line to an inmate.
The live jail page also links a dedicated Inmate Phone Cards and Texting Devices policy. Because provider names, device availability and fees can change, use the county-linked policy or call the jail instead of relying on a private site’s quoted rate.
Money and canteen
The live jail page links Inmate Vending and Canteen instructions. Use that county route to verify the current deposit method and any provider, fee or cutoff before paying.
An older county-linked mail policy refers to a Turnkey canteen account. Treat that as historical policy context rather than proof that every current payment channel or fee is unchanged.
Mailing address
Mower County Jail
C/O [Inmate’s Name]
201 2nd Avenue NE, Suite 4
Austin, MN 55912
The county-linked inmate-mail policy says mail is inspected for contraband and describes limits on photos and publications. It says approved photos are 4 × 6 inches and that books/newspapers must come through the mail from a publisher. Because the PDF policy is dated, confirm unusual items with the jail before mailing them.
The same county-linked policy says money sent through the mail was placed on the canteen account and described cash and money orders as accepted while personal/third-party checks were not. Do not mail money based only on that older PDF: call the jail first to confirm the current approved funding method.
Property and prescription medication
The county continues to link a Property and Medications policy. That document says certain property releases require a Property Release Form and government-issued identification, and it describes time-sensitive rules for bringing daily prescription medication in the original container. Because that policy document is older and medication procedures are safety-sensitive, call 507-437-9562 before delivering medication or property and follow current jail instructions.
Booking Records, Police Reports and Mower County Data Requests
Different agencies own different records. The jail/sheriff is the correct starting point for jail custody and many jail records; the Minnesota Judicial Branch owns court records; Austin Police owns its police records; and Mower County has a broader data-request process for county data.
Austin Police Department
The City of Austin lists the Police Department at 201 1st Street NE, Suite 2, Austin, MN 55912 with phone 507-355-0150. Use the police department for Austin Police matters or records, not as a substitute for the Mower County Jail roster.
The city changed the police phone number in 2026, another reason to avoid old jail directories that still repeat the former shared law-enforcement number.
Mower County data requests
Mower County’s payment page says that when payment is due for data compiled in response to a request, a credit-card payment carries a 2.5% transaction fee with a $1.50 minimum, or payment can be made by check payable to Mower County. The data/report is emailed after successful payment.
That payment page does not mean every jail or sheriff record request costs the same amount. Ask the record custodian about the specific record, access status and any charge before paying.
For a narrow records request, identify the person or incident only as much as necessary, give an approximate date, provide a report/case/booking number if known, and name the exact record you want. This reduces the chance of receiving the wrong record or an unnecessarily broad fee estimate.
Booking photos / mugshots
Do not assume a private “mugshot lookup” is the official source or that a booking photo proves the outcome of a case. If a current roster displays a photo, treat it as part of that custody report. For a separate copy or historical record, ask the responsible agency what is public under current Minnesota law and local policy.
If Mower County Is Not the Custodian
Minnesota DOC
Use the DOC individual search when the person has been committed to the Commissioner of Corrections and remains under DOC jurisdiction. DOC’s search can include people in prison or released from prison but still under qualifying supervision.
Minnesota VINE vs Haven
For county-jail custody and release notifications, Minnesota DOC directs users to Minnesota VINE: 1-877-664-8463. For people sentenced to DOC and under DOC custody/supervision, Minnesota Haven is the DOC notification system. These systems serve different custody levels.
Federal BOP
Use the BOP Inmate Locator for federal custody. BOP covers federal inmate records from 1982 to the present and warns that some release dates may change as sentence calculations are updated.
If an official record shows that the person was transferred to a named county, use that county’s official jail source. Do not search neighboring counties at random solely because Austin is near another county line.
Austin MN Jail, Sheriff, Court and Records Contacts
| Office | Contact | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Mower County Jail | 201 2nd Avenue NE, Suite 4, Austin, MN 55912 507-437-9562 Fax: 507-434-2644 | Current custody, roster follow-up, visitation, jail policies, mail/property questions and release verification. |
| Inmate message line | 507-481-3131 | County-published number to leave messages for inmates; not a general jail information line. |
| Mower County Sheriff’s Office | 201 1st Street NE, Suite 3, Austin, MN 55912 507-437-9400 | Sheriff matters and non-emergency law-enforcement contact. The Sheriff’s Office page lists Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. office hours. |
| Mower County Warrant Desk | 201 1st Street NE, Suite 3, Austin, MN 55912 507-437-9404 | Local warrant questions; a warrant check is separate from a live custody check. |
| Mower County District Court | 201 Second Avenue NE, Suite 3, Austin, MN 55912 507-509-7013 Fax: 507-434-2702 | Criminal case, hearing, certified court record and court-administration questions. Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Austin Police Department | 201 1st Street NE, Suite 2, Austin, MN 55912 507-355-0150 Emergency: 911 | Austin Police incidents, police records and city-police matters; not the county custody roster. |
| Minnesota VINE | 1-877-664-8463 VINELink.com | County jail/detention custody status and supported custody-change/release notifications. |
Map: Mower County Jail
Use Austin and Mower County Custody Records Responsibly
- An arrest or jail booking is not a conviction.
- A listed booking charge can be amended, dismissed or resolved differently in court.
- A warrant does not prove current incarceration.
- Roster information can change after release, transfer or a new court order.
- A screenshot or cached roster should not be treated as proof of current custody.
- Use court records for the legal outcome and the jail for current custody.
- Do not use public custody information to harass, threaten, stalk, shame or impersonate another person.
Austin MN Jail Roster FAQs
Is there an Austin County Jail in Austin, Minnesota?
For Austin, Minnesota, the local county jail is the Mower County Jail. Austin is the county seat of Mower County. “Austin County” is not the Minnesota county name, so use Mower County jail and court sources for Austin, MN custody questions.
Where is the official Austin MN jail roster?
Start at the official Mower County Jail page and use its Jail Roster link. The direct roster is a Mower County Jail “Inmates in Custody” PDF. Check the report’s own update timestamp before relying on it for a current-status decision.
What information can the Mower County roster show?
The roster format reviewed for this article included booking number, age, CID/MNI number, city of residence, booking and release date/time fields, custody status, bail, arresting agency, charges and a status field. The current report format can change.
Does a charge on the roster mean the person was convicted?
No. A jail charge is not proof of conviction and does not show the final court disposition. Use Mower County District Court / MCRO for available case information and final court outcomes.
Why can’t I find a pending Mower County criminal case by name in MCRO?
MCRO states that pending criminal cases do not return from a defendant-name search before conviction. For a pending case, use a case number, citation number, attorney name or attorney bar number, or contact Mower County District Court administration.
Who do I call to confirm someone is still in Mower County Jail?
Call Mower County Jail at 507-437-9562 for a time-sensitive custody confirmation. The county separately publishes 507-481-3131 as an inmate contact number to leave messages.
How do I verify bail for someone in Mower County Jail?
Confirm the current custody status, bail amount, case, payment route and any holds with the jail and the court before paying. Minnesota Courts says bail/bonds may be posted at the jail or a criminal court location where the case will be heard, but payment does not guarantee immediate release.
What are the current Mower County Jail visitation hours?
The live county jail page displays an Inmate Visitation Hours image and links visitor-conduct rules, but the current hours were not available as machine-readable official text during this review. Call 507-437-9562 and recheck the official jail page before traveling because private directories publish conflicting schedules.
How do I check a Mower County warrant?
Use the Mower County Warrant Desk at 507-437-9404 for local warrant questions. A warrant is not the same as current jail custody; check the jail separately if you need to know whether the person is incarcerated.
What if the person is not in Mower County Jail anymore?
If reliable information points to Minnesota state custody, use the Minnesota DOC individual search. Use Minnesota VINE for county-jail custody/release notifications and Minnesota Haven for DOC custody/supervision notifications. Use the BOP locator for federal custody.
Official Sources Checked
Source review performed October 5, 2026. Changeable jail procedures should be rechecked immediately before a visit, payment, mailing or release pickup.