Kent, Washington • city jail and King County custody routing
Kent Jail Roster: Search the City Jail First, Then Check MRJC When Needed
The official Kent Jail roster is the City of Kent Jail Inmate Lookup Service (JILS) for people booked into the City of Kent Corrections Facility. Kent also contains the King County Maleng Regional Justice Center, so a person arrested in or near Kent may appear in a different official custody system depending on the booking agency, charge and court.
Quick Answer: Where to Search the Kent Jail Roster
For Kent City Jail
Use the City of Kent Jail Inmate Lookup Service. JILS requires at least the first two letters of a last name and also provides optional first-name, year-of-birth and gender filters.
The lookup is designed to show current jail custody plus available booking details such as charges, bail, visiting information and release information. The City’s corrections page describes the lookup as updating every 15 minutes, while JILS describes the register as real-time; both pages warn that intake and release processing can delay what you see.
If the person is not in the City roster
Check King County Subject Lookup when the person may be at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) or King County Correctional Facility. King County specifically lists Kent City Jail as a separate regional custody system.
For a time-sensitive City Jail status, bail or visit question, call 253-856-5960.
Which Kent Jail Should You Search?
Kent is unusual because a city jail and a King County jail are both physically located in Kent. The arresting agency does not always tell you the final custodian, so use the facility or booking record whenever possible.
1230 Central Ave. S, Kent
Use City JILS for people booked into the City of Kent Corrections Facility, especially many Kent Municipal Court misdemeanor matters.
620 W. James St, Kent
Use King County Subject Lookup for county custody. King County says its jails handle felony bookings from across the county plus misdemeanor bookings for many jurisdictions.
Des Moines / SeaTac-area entrance
SCORE is a separate multi-jurisdictional jail. Search it only when an official record, arresting agency or transfer information points there.
Official Source Router: Custody, Court, Warrant, Records or State Prison
| What you need | Official route | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Current Kent City Jail custody | Kent JILS | Current City Jail roster, custody/booking information, bail, visiting and release fields where available. |
| Current King County custody in Kent | King County Subject Lookup | Facility, booking number and current King County custody, including MRJC. |
| Kent municipal misdemeanor case | Kent Municipal Court | Municipal case, court date, bench-warrant process, records and public-defender screening. |
| Felony / King County Superior Court matter | King County Superior Court at MRJC | Superior Court matters handled at the Kent regional justice center. |
| Kent Police / City public record | City of Kent Public Records Center | City-held public-record requests subject to Washington law and exemptions. |
| Washington state prison custody | Washington DOC Incarcerated Search | Current DOC incarceration by DOC number or name. |
| Federal custody | Federal Bureau of Prisons | Federal inmate locator records from 1982 to the present. |
How to Search the City of Kent Jail Roster
Open the City’s JILS register
Start with the official City of Kent lookup rather than a private jail directory. The service is specifically for people booked into the City of Kent Corrections Facility.
Enter at least two letters of the last name
JILS requires a last-name search of at least two letters. First name is optional; year of birth and gender can also be used to narrow the result.
Compare the full booking information
Where shown, compare custody status, charge information, bail, visiting information and release information. Do not rely on a same-name match alone when identity matters.
Read release information carefully
JILS warns that a blank release field may not always mean the person remains in custody. Intake and release processing can temporarily lag behind real-world changes.
Call before taking an immediate action
If you are posting bail, driving to visit, arranging pickup or handling medication/property, confirm the current status with Kent Corrections at 253-856-5960.
How to Interpret a Kent JILS Result
Custody status
Use this for the City Jail’s current booking status, but verify by phone when a release, transfer or court order may have just occurred.
Charges
These are booking-related allegations or charges associated with the custody record. A listed charge is not proof of conviction.
Bail
A displayed bail amount is a starting point for verification. Confirm the amount, payment route and any additional hold before paying.
Visiting information
The individual result may help route the visit, but the current City visitation application and last-name schedule still control the practical visit process.
Release information
Use it with caution. The City warns that release processing and application updates can take time.
Court information
The jail roster is not the official court record. Use Kent Municipal Court or King County courts depending on the case.
If the Person Is Not on the Kent Jail Roster
Kent Jail Mugshots and Booking Photos
The official Kent JILS is a public jail register and booking-information service, but the current Washington jail-record law does not support treating booking photographs as a general public mugshot gallery.
What is public
Washington RCW 70.48.100 requires a public jail register containing the name of each person confined, the hour/date/cause of confinement, and the hour/date/manner of discharge. Kent provides its public booking register through JILS.
What is more restricted
The same statute generally keeps other records of a person confined in jail confidential except for specified exceptions. It separately authorizes law-enforcement use of booking photographs and particular statutory dissemination. A City public-record request therefore does not guarantee that a booking photo will be released.
If you need a specific City-held booking or police record, use the City of Kent Public Records Center and describe the exact record requested. Do not rely on a third-party “free mugshot” page as proof of identity, guilt or current custody.
Posting Bail or Bond at Kent City Jail
During Kent Municipal Court business hours
The City says bail can be processed at Kent Municipal Court, 1220 Central Ave. S using cash, cashier’s check, money order or credit card. The court then notifies the jail.
Effective January 2, 2026, the Municipal Court lists business hours as Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:00 PM. Call 253-856-5730 if timing or payment details matter.
After court hours
The City says the Kent Jail accepts a cashier’s check or money order after hours. The jail does not accept cash or credit cards for after-hours bail.
Licensed bonding agencies authorized by Kent Municipal Court must deliver bonds to the jail; the bondsman must present identification and a bonding card.
Release timing
The City says people completing a jail sentence are released at midnight on the release date; they may ask to be released the next morning, but early release is prohibited. Court-ordered or bail releases are processed as soon as possible after paperwork arrives, but peak periods can take longer.
Kent Municipal Court, Felony Cases and Bench Warrants
Kent Municipal Court
1220 Central Ave. S
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: 253-856-5730
Fax: 253-856-6730
Email: MunicipalCourt@KentWA.gov
Most people booked on Kent Municipal Court misdemeanor charges or warrants are scheduled for a 1:30 PM appearance on the next business day after arrest. Most of those proceedings occur within the correctional facility, with public viewing by closed-circuit television from Municipal Court courtrooms.
King County felony / Superior Court route
Felony cases are not Kent Municipal Court cases. King County Superior Court operates at the Maleng Regional Justice Center court complex at 401 Fourth Avenue N, Kent. The King County jail entrance is separately addressed at 620 W. James St.
If the person is booked into King County custody, use King County Subject Lookup rather than Kent JILS to find the listed county facility and booking number.
Kent Municipal Court bench warrant
The Municipal Court currently says a person with an outstanding Kent Municipal Court bench warrant may appear at the front counter Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:00 PM to complete bench-warrant paperwork. The paperwork goes to a judge for review; appearing does not guarantee that the warrant will be quashed or reset.
Kent City Jail Visitation: Approval Comes Before the Visit
Kent requires an online visitor application and says to allow at least 72 hours for officers to screen it. Visitors must be pre-approved before visiting.
Identification and minor visitors
- Visitors age 18+ must show government-issued photo ID.
- Accepted examples include state ID, driver’s license and government-issued passport.
- Visitors 17 or younger must be accompanied by an approved parent or legal guardian.
- A legal guardian must provide written proof of guardianship.
Important screening restrictions
- Visitors and possessions are subject to search.
- Cell phones must remain off inside the facility.
- Inappropriate dress can result in denial.
- Visitors with active warrants are not allowed.
- A non-immediate-family visitor who was confined in Kent Corrections within the last five years is not allowed to visit.
Current visiting schedule by inmate last-name initial
| Last initial | Day | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A–M | Wednesday | 6:00–8:30 PM |
| N–Z | Friday | 6:00–8:30 PM |
| A–M | Saturday | 9:00–11:00 AM |
| N–Z | Saturday | 6:00–8:30 PM |
Confirm the person’s current custody and visit eligibility before traveling. Facility operations can still affect an individual visit.
Phone Calls, Mail and Books
Inmate phone calls
Kent says inmates have access to collect-call phones only. Inmates cannot receive incoming phone calls and staff cannot pass personal messages.
The City directs users with a restricted line to Securus Technologies at 1-800-844-6591; Kent’s published site ID is 53070. Fees can change, so verify the provider’s current price before funding an account.
To block calls, the City says to call 253-856-5960 between 8 AM and 4 PM. It warns that the block permanently restricts calls from any Kent Corrections inmate.
Mailing address and limits
[Inmate’s Name]
Kent Correctional Facility
1230 Central Ave. S
Kent, WA 98032
Mail must fit a business-sized envelope with the current postage rate. Mail is opened and screened. The City says mail containing money, money orders, prohibited pictures, stationery, stickers or other prohibited items will be returned. Inmates may receive postage stamps.
Books require prior approval
Books require advance approval from Kent Jail Administration. If approved, the City says books must be sent directly from the publisher to the City of Kent Jail.
Inmate Property and Prescription Medication
Property pickup
Property is handled Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM. The inmate must first submit a written request identifying the person authorized to receive the property. The recipient must show valid government-issued ID.
The City recommends calling ahead so you do not travel before the release paperwork is complete.
Dropping items off
The jail does not generally accept property or money for people in general population. It does accept current prescription medication in the labeled prescription bottle and other prescribed medical items.
Call the jail before bringing medication so staff can confirm the current procedure and whether the item is appropriate for intake.
Kent Jail Alternatives: Work Release and Electronic Home Detention
Kent operates a separate Programs Office for court-sentenced alternatives available to qualifying non-violent offenders. These are not automatic alternatives to booking and require application/approval.
Programs Office
8323 S 259th St.
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: 253-856-5972
Fax: 253-856-6972
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7 AM–noon and 1–4 PM.
Applications must be picked up and returned in person, and the City requires a copy of court-ordered sentencing paperwork.
Published fees
- Electronic Home Detention application: $30 non-refundable
- Kent Work Release application: $30 non-refundable
- Outside Agency Work Release application: $40 non-refundable
- Electronic Home Detention: $20/day
- Kent Work Release: $35/day
- Outside Agency Work Release: $50/day
The City says a two-week payment is collected on the scheduled start date, with weekly payments thereafter until paid in full by release.
For Electronic Home Detention, the City says a participant must live and work in King County or North Pierce County and may be subject to GPS and breath-testing requirements. Eligibility depends on approval and court-sentencing conditions.
PREA and Sexual-Safety Reporting
Kent Corrections states a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse and sexual harassment in confinement. The City says staff must accept reports verbally, in writing, anonymously and from third parties.
Ways to report
- Tell a facility staff member.
- Tell a family member or friend who can contact police.
- Tell an attorney.
- Use the City’s online PREA reporting route.
For an immediate emergency, use emergency services rather than relying only on a web form or delayed third-party message.
Kent Jail, Police and Court Records
City public records
Use the City of Kent Public Records Center for City-held police or jail records that are subject to disclosure. The City lists Public Disclosure/Public Records at 253-856-5725.
Municipal Court records
Kent Municipal Court accepts case-record requests by mail, fax or email. It asks for the name, date of birth, case number and specific documents requested.
Current published costs: $5 per certified document, $10 per hearing audio CD, and no charge for uncertified copies.
King County jail records
If the person was booked into MRJC or another King County facility, use King County DAJD rather than the City of Kent records system. The custody agency determines which jail records it holds.
For a narrow request, identify the full legal name, approximate date, booking/case number if known and the exact record you need. Washington law does not make every record inside a jail file public merely because the public jail register is open.
Where to Search After Kent City Jail
King County MRJC / KCCF
King County operates the Maleng Regional Justice Center jail in Kent and King County Correctional Facility in Seattle. Use Subject Lookup to identify the listed county facility and booking number.
SCORE Regional Jail
SCORE is a separate regional jail used by multiple south King County jurisdictions and contract agencies. Search SCORE only when a transfer, arresting agency or other reliable source points there.
Washington DOC / federal
Use Washington DOC for current state-prison custody and BOP for federal custody. Neither system is a substitute for Kent JILS when the person is in municipal jail custody.
Washington DOC also links WA VINE for custody-status change notifications. Notification services can help with changes, but they should not replace direct facility verification for an immediate pickup, bail or safety decision.
Kent Jail, Court and County Contacts
| Office | Contact | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| City of Kent Corrections Facility | 1230 Central Ave. S, Kent, WA 98032 253-856-5960 | Current City Jail status, bail/bond questions, visiting, property, mail and corrections information. |
| Kent Municipal Court | 1220 Central Ave. S, Kent, WA 98032 253-856-5730 | Kent municipal cases, court dates, bench-warrant paperwork, daytime bail processing and court records. |
| Kent Corrections Programs Office | 8323 S 259th St., Kent, WA 98032 253-856-5972 | Work release, electronic home detention and other jail-alternative program applications. |
| City of Kent Public Records | 253-856-5725 KentWA.gov/PRR | City-held public records subject to disclosure law and exemptions. |
| Maleng Regional Justice Center jail | 620 W. James St, Kent, WA 98032 206-296-1234 | King County jail custody in Kent, separate from Kent City Jail. |
| King County Superior Court at MRJC | 401 Fourth Avenue N, Kent, WA 98032 206-477-2600 | King County Superior Court matters handled at the Kent courthouse. |
Map: City of Kent Corrections Facility
Use Kent Jail Information Responsibly
- An arrest or jail booking is not a conviction.
- A booking charge is not the final court disposition.
- A warrant does not prove current incarceration.
- JILS can lag during intake or release processing.
- A blank or changing release field should be verified before an immediate decision.
- Kent City Jail, King County MRJC and SCORE are separate custody systems.
- Booking photos and other jail records are subject to Washington confidentiality rules and exceptions.
- Do not use public custody information for harassment, threats, stalking, intimidation or impersonation.
Kent Jail Roster FAQs
Where is the official Kent Jail roster?
The City of Kent operates the official Jail Inmate Lookup Service at JILS.KentWA.gov for people booked into the City of Kent Corrections Facility. The City also lists 253-856-5960 for current status, bail/bond and visiting questions.
Is Kent City Jail the same as the Maleng Regional Justice Center?
No. Kent City Jail is a municipal facility at 1230 Central Ave. S. King County’s Maleng Regional Justice Center jail is a separate county facility at 620 W. James St. Both are in Kent but use different inmate-search systems.
How often does the Kent jail roster update?
The City Corrections page describes the JILS lookup as updating every 15 minutes, while JILS describes the register as real-time. JILS also warns that intake, release and system processing can delay public changes, so call the jail when current status matters immediately.
What can I search by in Kent JILS?
JILS requires at least two letters of the last name. First name is optional, and the search also offers year-of-birth and gender filters.
Can I find Kent jail mugshots in the public roster?
Do not assume a public booking photo is available. Washington RCW 70.48.100 makes the jail register public but generally treats other inmate records as confidential except for specified exceptions. Use the City public-records process for a specific record, understanding that a request does not guarantee release.
How do I post bail for someone in Kent City Jail?
During current Kent Municipal Court business hours, the City says bail may be processed at the court using cash, cashier’s check, money order or credit card. After hours, Kent Jail accepts cashier’s checks or money orders but not cash or credit cards. Verify the current amount and instructions before paying.
What are Kent City Jail visitation hours?
After pre-approval, A–M visits are Wednesday 6–8:30 PM and Saturday 9–11 AM. N–Z visits are Friday 6–8:30 PM and Saturday 6–8:30 PM. The City asks applicants to allow at least 72 hours for visitor screening.
Can an inmate receive phone calls or messages?
No incoming inmate calls are allowed and staff do not pass personal messages. The City says inmates use collect-call phones, with Securus handling account setup for restricted phone lines.
How do I send mail or money to a Kent City Jail inmate?
Mail goes to the inmate at Kent Correctional Facility, 1230 Central Ave. S, Kent, WA 98032, in a business-sized envelope. The City says mail containing money or money orders will be returned, and it does not generally accept property or money drop-offs for general-population inmates.
Where should I search if the person is not in Kent City Jail?
Check King County Subject Lookup for MRJC or KCCF custody. Use SCORE only when reliable information points there, Washington DOC for state-prison custody and the Federal Bureau of Prisons for federal custody.
Official Sources Reviewed
Source review performed October 5, 2026. Recheck changeable custody, bail, visitation, provider, mail and program information immediately before acting.