Choose the Right Roster Lane Before You Search
Houston County’s official inmate portal separates people currently confined from recent admissions and releases, helping you answer the right custody question before calling or paying.
This guide explains every search view, booking identifiers, court divisions, bond questions, visitation, published phone and video rates, commissary, strict mail rules and court-clothing delivery.
Start With Current Confinements Unless You Know the Person Was Released
Use Current Confinements to check present custody. Use Admits by Date Range for recent bookings and Releases by Date Range when someone recently disappeared from the current list.
What This Guide Can Do
It can route you to official jail, court and provider sources; explain public roster fields; prevent wrong-state searches; and help you prepare accurate questions before calling.
What It Cannot Do
It cannot confirm guilt, guarantee a release time, give legal advice, post bond, schedule a visit or update faster than the live jail and court systems.
No inmate names are hosted here. Enter real names, birth information and case numbers only on the official roster or court website.
Find the Exact Help You Need
This Page Is for Houston County, Alabama
The correct facility is in Dothan. Houston County also exists in Texas, Georgia, Minnesota and Tennessee, each with a separate Sheriff and roster.
| Clue in the result | Likely jurisdiction | Correct action |
|---|---|---|
| Dothan, HCSO or Southern Software | Houston County, Alabama | Use this article and the Alabama confinement portal. |
| Crockett | Houston County, Texas | Use the Texas Sheriff’s inmate list. |
| Perry or Warner Robins | Houston County, Georgia | Use the Georgia inmate portal. |
| Caledonia | Houston County, Minnesota | Use the Minnesota custody roster. |
| Erin or Highway 149 | Houston County, Tennessee | Use the Tennessee booking source. |
Use the Jail Roster search index when the county or state is still uncertain.
Choose Current Custody, Admissions or Releases
Which Official Search View Should You Use?
Custom date rule: keep the selected admission or release period to 31 days or less.
Check Whether You Have Enough Details to Avoid a False Match
Search-Readiness Checker
Do not type real names here. Check only the categories of information you already know.
How to Search the Houston County Jail Roster
Confirm Houston County, Alabama
The correct result should connect to Dothan, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office or the Southern Software Citizen Connect system.
Select the Correct Roster View
Choose Current Confinements for active custody, Admits for booking research or Releases for recent release research.
Search the Legal Name
Try the last name first, followed by the full legal name, middle name, former surname, hyphenated surname or spelling variation.
Compare Booking Details
Use the inmate or booking number, admission date, charge, arresting agency, bond and housing information when available.
Verify Before You Pay, Visit or Mail
Refresh the live roster, then confirm court, bond, release, visitation, pod and account details through the matching official source.
After reviewing these steps, open the official Houston County Inmate Confinements portal.
Understand Every Houston County Search Filter
| Search option | Best use | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Current Confinements | Check whether a person appears in present county custody. | A missing name means the person was never booked. |
| Admits by Date Range | Review people admitted during a recent period. | Every admitted person remains in custody. |
| Releases by Date Range | Check a recent release event. | A listed release time is a guaranteed pickup time. |
| Name | Search first, middle and last-name fields. | One common name identifies the correct person. |
| Charge | Find records associated with a charge label. | The booking charge is the final filed charge. |
| Arresting Agency | Narrow records by the agency connected to intake. | That agency controls the court case or release. |
| Last 24 Hours | Quickly check very recent admissions or releases. | An arrest still being processed must already appear. |
| Last 7 Days | Review a broader recent period. | It is a full historical archive. |
What Booking Fields Can and Cannot Prove
| Possible field | What it can help confirm | What needs another source |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | The public identity attached to the jail record. | A complete identity match when names are similar. |
| Inmate or booking number | The jail record used for mail and account matching. | The separate criminal court case number. |
| Admission date | When confinement was recorded. | The exact arrest time or future release time. |
| Charge | The allegation or hold listed with the booking. | Filed charge, dismissal, plea, conviction or sentence. |
| Arresting agency | Which agency delivered or processed the arrest. | The full incident report or court jurisdiction. |
| Bond | A possible bond amount or status at the time shown. | Current amount, method, court and outside holds. |
| Pod or housing location | The information needed for mail or visit questions. | Whether housing has changed since the search. |
Arrest is not conviction: do not use a confinement entry, charge, bond or booking image as proof that someone committed an offense.
What to Do When the Person Is Not Listed
No-Result Helper
Urgent Same-Day Check
Call Houston County Jail at 334-712-0762 when medication, safety, bond or transportation depends on current custody.
Check Releases Before Assuming No Booking
Use the last-24-hours and last-seven-days release views when a person disappears from Current Confinements.
Use the Arresting Agency to Narrow a Wiregrass Search
The official portal includes many agencies. Local Houston County entries may involve the Sheriff’s Office or municipal departments rather than HCSO alone.
Dothan Area
Dothan Police Department and Dothan Regional Airport Police appear among the portal’s agency options.
Houston County Towns
Ashford, Cottonwood, Gordon, Kinsey, Taylor and Webb police agencies appear in the official agency list.
Outside Agencies
State agencies, neighboring sheriffs, probation authorities and U.S. Marshals may also appear.
Agency does not equal final location: an arresting agency can deliver someone to another jail, place a hold or transfer the person after processing.
Use the Court Record for the Legal Case
The roster describes confinement. Alabama court records and the Houston County Circuit Clerk are the better sources for settings, filings, rulings and final outcomes.
Which Houston County Court Number Should You Call?
| Division | Telephone | Typical reason to call |
|---|---|---|
| Main courthouse line | 334-677-4800 | Routing when the correct division is unknown. |
| Circuit Criminal | 334-677-4858 | Circuit-level felony proceedings and records. |
| District Criminal | 334-677-4869 | District criminal matters and initial proceedings. |
| Traffic | 334-677-4870 | State traffic cases and related records. |
Alacourt Access Is a Paid Service
Alacourt Access publishes name and case-number searches for Alabama state trial-court records. Its current page lists a $9.99 name search and a $9.99 case-number search, with stated limits and additional document-image charges.
No-match charge: the service states that a “No Matching Records on File” result still counts as a search. Confirm the county and spelling before paying.
114 North Oates Street
Dothan, AL 36303
Use the official Houston County Circuit Court website for local clerk information.
Use Alacourt Access only after confirming that a paid online search is the appropriate option.
Confirm Every Charge and Hold Before Paying
A bond amount can change after a court review. Another warrant, probation matter, municipal case or agency hold may prevent release even after one charge is satisfied.
Bond Verification Checklist
- Confirm the full legal name and inmate number.
- Confirm every active charge and court.
- Ask whether the displayed bond remains current.
- Ask whether any charge has no bond.
- Ask about probation, municipal and outside-agency holds.
- Confirm the permitted bond method and payment location.
- Ask whether payment creates release eligibility.
- Keep every receipt and transaction record.
Bond and Hold Call Script
“I am calling about [full legal name], inmate or booking number [number]. The roster showed [bond or status] at [time]. Please confirm every current charge, the controlling court, the accepted bond method and every outside hold.”
Why Release May Take Additional Time
Court Processing
A court order or bond transaction must be received and matched to the correct booking.
Facility Processing
Identification, paperwork, property return, medical clearance and hold review may occur before departure.
Pickup safety: confirm that the person is release-ready before sending a driver to the jail.
How Houston County Jail Visitation Is Published to Work
Call before travelling: the live page still uses an old 2016 effective-date notice. Confirm the current face-to-face process at 334-712-0762.
The Inmate Creates a Visitor List
The published rules say the list must be completed within 30 days of booking and is limited to eight names.
The Jail Reviews the Visitor Information
Children and clergy must also appear on the approved list with the requested identifying information.
Schedule by Friday at 3:00 p.m.
Weekend face-to-face visits must be scheduled by telephone no later than 3:00 p.m. on the preceding Friday. Walk-ins are not accepted under the published rule.
Bring the Required Identification
Visitors age 16 and older need current government-issued photo ID. Younger visitors need the documentation listed by the jail.
Follow the Time and Visitor Limit
The page publishes one 30-minute visit on the designated weekend with no more than two visitors, including children. Split visits are not allowed.
Visitor Restrictions to Check Before Scheduling
- The visitor appears on the approved list.
- The list has not changed outside the published January/July update process.
- The visitor has the correct current identification.
- The visitor has no active warrant.
- The visitor meets the published criminal-history restrictions.
- The inmate is not restricted by disciplinary status.
- The visitor follows the posted dress code.
- No electronic device is brought into the jail.
Warrant checks: the published rules state that visitors are checked for warrants and a visitor with an active warrant may be arrested.
Review the official Houston County visitation and telephone page immediately before scheduling.
Published Houston County Phone, Video and Messaging Rates
The Sheriff-hosted ICSolutions PDF identifies ICSolutions as the telephone and video-visitation provider and also lists voicemail, electronic messaging and video messaging.
Verify current checkout pricing: this table reproduces rates published in the Sheriff-hosted provider PDF. Provider rates and fees can change.
Published Telephone Rates
| Call type | Collect | Prepaid collect | Debit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local | $0.25 per minute | $0.21 per minute | $0.21 per minute |
| Non-local in-state | $0.25 per minute | $0.21 per minute | $0.21 per minute |
| Out-of-state | $0.25 per minute | $0.21 per minute | $0.21 per minute |
| Domestic international | $0.29 per minute | $0.29 per minute | $0.29 per minute |
| International | $0.29 per minute | $0.29 per minute | $0.29 per minute |
Published Remote Video and Messaging Rates
| Service | Published rate | Approximate 30-minute cost |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled remote video visit | $7.50 flat | $7.50 |
| On-demand video visit | $0.35 per minute | $10.50 |
| Electronic message | $0.25 per message | Not applicable |
| Video message | $1.00 per 30-second message | Not applicable |
Published Funding Fees
| Funding route | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Prepaid account by phone or website | $3.00 |
| Prepaid account through a live representative | $5.95 |
| Third-party funding such as MoneyGram or Western Union | $5.50 |
Telephone Conduct Rules
- One free two-minute call is published for initial booking.
- Ordinary calls may be monitored and recorded.
- Call forwarding is prohibited.
- Three-way calling is prohibited.
- The published maximum call length is 15 minutes.
- Do not discuss confidential case strategy on an ordinary jail call.
Review the official Sheriff-hosted ICSolutions rate PDF before comparing provider charges.
After confirming custody, use the official ICSolutions account portal or call 1-888-506-8407.
Add Money to the Correct Houston County Account
Houston County lists Team3 Inmate Canteen for commissary accounts. Online deposits are described as available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Information Needed for an Online Deposit
- Inmate’s full name
- Inmate’s number
- Location selected as Houston County Jail
- Supported credit or debit card
Lobby Kiosk Alternative
The Sheriff also lists a kiosk in the Houston County Jail lobby during normal business hours. The user must present a valid driver’s license or identification card.
Service fee: the official page states that each transaction has a service fee. Review the final total before submitting.
Wrong-account risk: phone money and commissary money are separate. Confirm the provider, inmate number and account type before paying.
After confirming the inmate, use the Team3 Inmate Canteen portal or call 1-706-298-4974.
How to Prepare Houston County Personal Mail
Houston County does not publish a normal envelope-and-letter process. The personal-mail page requires one sheet of card stock folded and taped in a specific manner.
[Inmate’s Full Legal Name]Inmate #[Number], Pod [Current Pod]
901 East Main Street
Dothan, AL 36301
Construct the Mailing Correctly
- Use one sheet of 8.5-by-11-inch card stock.
- Fold the card stock in half.
- Tape both side edges and the top.
- Do not completely seal the taped edges or top.
- Do not insert anything inside the folded card stock.
- Write by hand in ink or type the message.
Include Every Required Identifier
- Sender’s first and last name
- Sender’s complete return address
- Inmate’s full legal name—no nickname
- Inmate number
- Current pod location
Items the Published Policy Rejects
| Item or condition | Published restriction |
|---|---|
| Photographs | No photographs of any kind. |
| Photocopies | No photocopies of any sort. |
| Crayon or non-ink writing | Only ink handwriting or typed text is accepted. |
| Hand-delivered mail or packages | The page says these are not accepted. |
| Stained, scented or altered material | Foreign substances, aromas or possible contraband cause rejection. |
| Missing inmate number or pod | The published format requires both identifiers. |
Inspection notice: personal mail is documented, opened, inspected and may be read before delivery.
Mail Confirmation Script
“I want to mail a personal letter to [full legal name and inmate number]. Please confirm the current pod, mailing address, card-stock requirement and whether any content rule has changed.”
Use the official personal-mail policy and address illustration before preparing the mailing.
How to Deliver Court Clothing
The jail accepts one set of court clothing during the week before the inmate’s court date.
Published Delivery Window
Clothing may be delivered Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. during the week before the court date.
Trial-week rule: during the week of trial, clothing must be delivered by the inmate’s attorney or an attorney-office representative. The jail says it will not accept family-delivered clothing that week.
One Accepted Clothing Set
| Accepted item | Published restriction |
|---|---|
| One suit jacket | No extra outerwear. |
| One necktie | One tie only. |
| One shirt | No T-shirts. |
| One pair of pants | No holes or tears. |
| One pair of low-rise dress shoes | No tennis shoes or boots. |
| One pair of dress socks | No extra pair. |
| One belt | Subject to jail inspection. |
Receipt and Pickup Deadline
- The person delivering clothing must present identification.
- The jail issues a receipt.
- Clothing must be collected within two weeks after completion of the case for that court term.
- Pickup is published for Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- The jail will not store clothing for another court term.
- Uncollected clothing may be disposed of.
Review the official court-appearance clothing rules before travelling.
Prepare a Clear Welfare Call When Someone May Be at Risk
No detailed public family medical-request form was located on the jail pages reviewed for this update. Contact the jail directly and provide short, factual information.
Have These Details Ready
- Full legal name and inmate number
- Approximate booking date
- Specific symptom, medication or immediate concern
- When the concern began
- Known allergies or urgent treatment information
- Your relationship and callback number
Urgent Welfare Call Script
“I have an urgent welfare concern involving [full legal name and inmate number]. The concern is [brief factual description], it began around [time], and the immediate risk is [specific risk]. Please route this information to the appropriate detention or medical supervisor.”
Protect medical privacy: do not publish health information in comments, social posts or commercial inmate-search forms.
Call Houston County Jail at 334-712-0762. Use 911 for an immediate emergency occurring outside the facility.
Request the Record You Actually Need
The inmate system is not the complete incident report, probable-cause record, warrant file, investigative report or certified court disposition.
Criminal Investigations and Records
Call 334-677-4809 for routing related to Sheriff investigative or records questions.
Main Sheriff Directory
Call 334-677-4882 when you do not know which division controls the record.
Prepare a Narrow Request
- Identify the specific report or existing record.
- Provide the approximate date and location.
- Provide the legal name.
- Include an incident or case number when known.
- Ask whether identification is required.
- Ask about fees, redactions and pickup or delivery options.
Records Request Call Script
“I need information about obtaining the releasable [incident or arrest report] involving [name], approximately on [date] near [location]. The report number is [number if known]. What request method, identification and fee are required?”
Disclosure limits: active investigations, juvenile information, victim details, medical information and legally protected records may be withheld or redacted.
Use the official Sheriff contact directory after determining which division is most likely to hold the record.
Check Alabama State or Federal Custody
Alabama Department of Corrections
Use ADOC after sentencing or transfer into Alabama state-prison custody. Its online database covers currently incarcerated ADOC inmates rather than a complete historical archive.
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Use the federal locator when the person may be serving a federal sentence. A newly detained federal defendant may remain in local custody before appearing there.
Another Alabama County
Use a related county guide only after confirming the arresting agency, warrant court or transport destination.
Browse County Guides
Use the county archive when you know the state or neighboring county but not the final facility.
Houston County Jail Contact Information
Houston County Jail901 East Main Street
Dothan, AL 36301
Jail: 334-712-0762 Houston County Sheriff’s Office
411 North Foster Street
Dothan, AL 36303
Main directory: 334-677-4882
Communications: 334-677-4808
Criminal Investigations/Records: 334-677-4809
Court Security: 334-677-4876
Published office hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Use the correct address: personal inmate mail uses the jail address and inmate identifiers. Sheriff administrative business uses North Foster Street.
Use Confinement Information Responsibly
- Do not treat an arrest, charge or booking image as proof of guilt.
- Do not use an old screenshot as current-custody proof.
- Do not harass, threaten, shame or stalk a listed person.
- Do not expose victim, witness, child or medical information.
- Do not send money through an unsolicited caller or advertisement.
- Do not make employment, housing or credit decisions from a jail record alone.
- Use an Alabama-licensed attorney for legal advice.
Houston County Jail Roster FAQs
Where is the official Houston County Alabama jail roster?
Use the Inmate Confinements portal linked by the Houston County Sheriff’s Office. It provides current confinements, admission and release date searches, name, charge and arresting-agency filters.
Is this Houston County Alabama or Texas?
This guide covers Houston County Jail in Dothan, Alabama. Houston County in Texas, Georgia, Minnesota and Tennessee uses different sheriff offices and inmate systems.
Can I search Houston County bookings and releases?
Yes. The official system provides Admits by Date Range and Releases by Date Range with last-24-hours, last-seven-days and custom options. Custom ranges are limited to 31 days or less.
Why is someone missing from Current Confinements?
The booking may still be processing, the name may differ, the person may have been released or transferred, or another county, state or federal agency may have custody.
Does a Houston County booking record prove guilt?
No. An arrest, charge, bond amount or confinement record is not a conviction. Use the official court record for filed charges and outcomes.
How do I verify a Houston County court date?
Use Houston County Circuit Court or Alacourt Access and contact the correct criminal division when a hearing must be confirmed. Circuit Criminal is 334-677-4858 and District Criminal is 334-677-4869.
How do I schedule a Houston County Jail visit?
Call 334-712-0762. The published rules require scheduling by 3 p.m. on the Friday before weekend face-to-face visits and do not allow walk-ins. Confirm the current process because the page contains older effective-date language.
What are the published Houston County phone and video rates?
The Sheriff-hosted ICSolutions PDF lists local, in-state and out-of-state calls at 25 cents per minute for collect and 21 cents for prepaid collect or debit. It lists a scheduled 30-minute remote video visit at 7.50 dollars. Verify current pricing before funding.
How do I add commissary money?
Use Team3 Inmate Canteen or the jail lobby kiosk after confirming the inmate name and number. The official page says a service fee applies to each transaction.
How should Houston County inmate mail be prepared?
Use one 8.5-by-11-inch sheet of card stock folded in half and taped on both sides and the top without completely sealing it. Include the sender’s full name and address plus the inmate’s full legal name, number and pod. Photos and photocopies are prohibited.
Final Houston County Verification Checklist
- You confirmed Houston County, Alabama.
- You chose Current Confinements, Admits or Releases correctly.
- The name matches more than one identifying detail.
- The inmate number and pod are current.
- The admission or release date range is no longer than 31 days.
- The court case was checked separately.
- Every bond and outside hold was confirmed.
- Face-to-face visitation was confirmed before travel.
- The visitor appears on the approved list.
- Phone and video rates were rechecked before funding.
- The correct commissary account was selected.
- Personal mail follows the card-stock and taping instructions.
- No photograph, photocopy or inserted item is enclosed.
- Court clothing is delivered during the correct week.
- Release is confirmed before arranging pickup.
Independent guide: Jail-Roster.org does not operate Houston County Jail, Southern Software, Alabama courts, ICSolutions, Team3, ADOC or federal custody systems. Current official records and provider totals control whenever information differs.