Portland, Oregon • Multnomah County custody guide
Portland Jail Roster: Search the County System, Not a City Jail
Quick answer: Portland does not operate a separate city jail roster for the adult-custody search most people mean. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office operates the county jail system, including the Multnomah County Detention Center in downtown Portland and Inverness Jail in Northeast Portland. The Detention Center is the county’s booking and release location. Use the official MCSO Adult in Custody search for local jail custody, then use the court, records or Oregon DOC system for questions the jail roster cannot answer.
Resolve jurisdiction before searching a name
Which Portland Jail Search Should You Use?
The dominant Portland, Oregon jail-search intent is Multnomah County custody, but “Portland” by itself is not enough to answer every case. The City of Portland extends into Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, and state or federal custody uses separate systems. Start with the agency and custody level that actually control the record.
Multnomah County Sheriff
Use the MCSO Adult in Custody system when you are checking local adult jail custody in Multnomah County. MCSO operates both downtown MCDC and Inverness Jail.
Washington or Clackamas County
Portland municipal boundaries include small areas outside Multnomah County. If an incident or address belongs to Washington or Clackamas County, use that county’s official custody system instead of assuming MCSO holds the person.
Oregon DOC
If the person has moved into Oregon state-corrections jurisdiction, use Oregon Offender Search. County jail custody and DOC custody are different systems and can change after sentencing or transfer.
Oregon VISOR
VISOR is Oregon’s statewide custody-information and notification service. It can search by full or partial name, State SID or County ID and allows notification registration for custody changes.
One task → one official source
Official Portland Jail and Records Router
| Task | Official source | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Current Multnomah custody | MCSO Adult in Custody search | Whether an adult is listed in Multnomah County Sheriff custody and the available custody/booking information. |
| Jail rules, bail, mail, phone, funds | MCSO Jails | Current jail procedures for MCDC and Inverness Jail. |
| Release/transfer notifications | Oregon VISOR | Statewide custody search plus opt-in status notifications. |
| State prison / DOC | Oregon Offender Search | People in Oregon DOC jurisdiction rather than county jail alone. |
| Criminal case / hearing | Multnomah County Circuit Court | Court-controlled case, hearing and records information. |
| Court date or warrant question | Criminal Calendaring | Official court instructions and the criminal calendaring phone route. |
| Sheriff corrections records / booking photo request | MCSO Public Records | Sheriff-held records subject to Oregon disclosure law and exemptions. |
| Portland Police report | PPB Records Division | Police Bureau records; the city says public-record requests generally must be filed through its request system and require payment. |
Current-custody workflow
How to Search the Portland Jail Roster
MCSO’s public corrections pages link directly to its Adult in Custody application. Because the search application can change independently of the informational page, use the county’s current link rather than relying on copied interface instructions from a third-party directory.
Confirm the county first
For most Portland jail searches, begin with Multnomah County. If the arrest, address or agency points to Washington or Clackamas County, switch to that county’s official roster.
Open the official MCSO Adult in Custody search
Follow the MCSO link to the county application. Avoid entering personal identifiers into unrelated people-search, advertising or “mugshot” forms.
Match more than a name
Compare all available identity and booking details before treating a result as the correct person. A common name alone is not enough.
Save the custody identifiers
When the record provides a SWIS or other jail identifier, keep it with the booking information. MCSO requires the booked name and SWIS ID for inmate mail.
Verify court status separately
Use the Oregon Judicial Department for the criminal case, hearing or legal disposition. A jail entry documents custody information; it does not decide guilt or the final case result.
Refresh before paying, visiting or mailing
Housing and custody can change. Confirm the facility and current rules immediately before taking an action tied to a specific jail.
When the search comes back empty
Why Someone May Not Appear in the Portland Jail Search
Booking is still processing
Possible explanation: a very recent arrest may not yet be reflected in the public system.
Next action: retry the official search and call MCDC at 503-988-3689 when immediate custody confirmation matters.
The person was released
Possible explanation: current custody ended after a court decision, bail, release process or other change.
Next action: use VISOR for custody-status information and the court for the continuing case.
Moved between MCDC and Inverness
Possible explanation: MCDC is the booking/release location, while Inverness is a separate MCSO housing facility.
Next action: use the same MCSO custody system, then confirm the current housing facility before visiting or handling property.
Wrong county
Possible explanation: a Portland address or incident may be associated with Washington or Clackamas County.
Next action: use the relevant county’s official jail search rather than checking random jurisdictions.
Transferred to Oregon DOC
Possible explanation: the person moved into state-corrections jurisdiction.
Next action: search Oregon Offender Search and VISOR.
Federal custody
Possible explanation: a federal case or transfer can move the person outside Oregon county-jail custody.
Next action: use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator only when federal custody is genuinely indicated.
Name or identity mismatch
Possible explanation: spelling, alias, hyphenation or another identifier may differ from what you entered.
Next action: broaden the official search and compare available identifiers before concluding there is no record.
Warrant or court case without custody
Possible explanation: a person can have a court matter or warrant without being physically incarcerated.
Next action: use the court’s warrant/date route separately from the jail roster.
Portland has two MCSO jail facilities
MCDC vs. Inverness Jail: Why the Facility Matters
| Facility | Address / phone | Role and practical difference |
|---|---|---|
| Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) | 1120 SW Third Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 503-988-3689 |
Located inside the downtown Justice Center. MCSO identifies MCDC as the county’s booking and release location. |
| Multnomah County Inverness Jail (MCIJ) | 11540 NE Inverness Drive, Portland, OR 97220 503-988-5060 |
Separate Northeast Portland jail. MCSO routes all personal inmate mail through this address even when the person is housed at MCDC. |
Verify the route before sending money
Portland Bail, Self-Bail and Release
MCSO instructs people to call 503-988-3689 for bail instructions. Its jail page says self-bail can be posted through the official TouchPay route using MCSO Facility #297204 and at the Inverness Jail lobby daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The same MCSO jail page says in-person bail is available at the Multnomah County Justice Center lobby, 1120 SW 3rd Ave., 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. However, MCSO’s currently linked MCDC lobby-hours notice says the public lobby is open 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily and closed on holidays. Because those two official pages do not align, call 503-988-3689 before traveling for after-hours or holiday bail.
- Confirm the person is still in MCSO custody.
- Confirm the bail instruction with MCSO before paying.
- Use only the official payment route linked by MCSO.
- Keep the receipt and case/custody identifiers.
- Do not assume payment guarantees immediate release; court orders, holds and processing can affect timing.
Jail custody and court status are separate
Multnomah County Court Search, Court Dates and Warrants
Multnomah County Circuit Court is Oregon’s Fourth Judicial District. The court lists several Portland locations, including the Multnomah County Courthouse at 1200 SW 1st Ave. and the Justice Center, Third Floor, at 1120 SW Third Avenue. Confirm the hearing location before traveling because different court functions use different locations.
For an upcoming criminal court date or a court warrant question, the Multnomah County Circuit Court instructs people to call 971-274-0545, option 5. The clerk may need the case number or the defendant’s first and last name and possibly date of birth.
Need a court date?
Use the court’s Records and Calendar Search or the criminal calendaring phone route. A jail booking date is not the same as the next hearing date.
Need the official case record?
OJCIN Online and court-record services provide court information, but OJD notes that online information does not itself constitute the official court record. The official record remains at the court where the case was filed.
Need court copies?
Multnomah court records can be ordered online, by email, mail, phone or at the courthouse. The court’s current records page lists regular, certified and exemplified copies and separate fee rules.
Need to act on a warrant?
The court advises contacting an attorney about options when possible. Do not treat a warrant result as proof that the person is already in jail.
Oregon law changes the usual mugshot workflow
Portland Mugshots and Booking Photos Are Not Automatically Public
Oregon’s booking-photo rule is stricter than many generic jail directories suggest. Under ORS 133.870, a law-enforcement agency generally may not release a booking photo except in the situations listed by the statute. Examples include release to the person depicted, certain criminal-case participants or victims, another law-enforcement agency for a law-enforcement purpose, public release for a qualifying law-enforcement purpose, a licensed investigator, or after a qualifying conviction tied to the arrest.
MCSO’s public-records page lists booking photos among corrections records that may be requested, but a request does not override ORS 133.870. The Sheriff’s Office must apply the current law and any other applicable exemptions before releasing a photo.
Facility-specific rules matter
Visitation at MCDC and Inverness Jail
MCSO offers social and professional visitation plus Securus video visiting. The current visitation page says video visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance and are recorded and electronically monitored. It also tells lobby-kiosk visitors to arrive at least 15 minutes early, check in with valid government-issued photo ID and follow the facility dress code.
Inverness Jail lobby and social-visitation hours
MCSO’s 2026 Inverness notice states that, effective February 2, 2026, the public lobby is open Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., with holidays closed. It lists social visitation Tuesday through Thursday at 9:30 a.m., and Saturday at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
MCDC lobby and social-visitation notice
MCSO currently links an MCDC notice effective February 6, 2023 that lists public lobby hours as 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday, holidays closed, and scheduled in-person social visiting Tuesday through Thursday at 9:30 a.m. plus several Saturday slots. Because this notice is older, recheck the linked MCSO schedule before traveling.
Portland-specific jail support rules
Mail, Calls, Money, Property and Safety Reporting
Mail goes through Inverness
MCSO says all personal inmate mail is routed through 11540 NE Inverness Drive, Portland, OR 97220, even when the person is housed downtown at MCDC. Put “Inmate Mail” at the top, use the first and last name the person was booked under plus the SWIS ID, and include a return address.
Books and magazines must come directly from a publisher or approved commercial retailer. The current rules limit qualifying publications to 9 × 13 inches and 3 inches thick, prohibit hardback/leather and spiral binding, and allow up to four publications/periodicals/calendars/notebooks per delivery.
Phone calls
Members of the public cannot call into the jail to speak directly with an adult in custody. MCSO says personal calls occur during scheduled walk time, are monitored and recorded, cannot use three-way calling, and each personal call is programmed for no more than 15 minutes.
MCSO currently directs phone-account and billing questions to Securus Technologies at 1-800-844-6591.
Trust-account money
MCSO uses TouchPay for deposits. The county lists kiosks at the Justice Center and Inverness Jail, the online TouchPay portal and toll-free phone deposits at 1-866-232-1899, using Facility #297204. Processing fees apply.
MCSO states that mailed cash, personal checks, cashier’s checks and money orders are not accepted for inmate accounts; government-issued, transfer and payroll checks use the Fiscal Unit mailing route published by MCSO.
Property release
An adult in custody may authorize release of all personal property in storage to someone in the community. MCSO says selected items are not released individually. The adult in custody must complete the property-release form before the recipient arrives, and the recipient must show government-issued photo ID.
Prescription glasses
MCSO says prescription eyeglasses are the routine property item that may be hand-delivered to either jail, regardless of housing location. The person dropping them off must provide government-issued ID and a valid mailing address.
PREA / sexual-safety report
MCSO’s data-reporting page says a family member or friend can make a PREA-related report for an adult in custody by calling 503-227-2010. For an immediate emergency or imminent threat, use emergency services rather than a routine records or jail-information channel.
Know which agency owns the record
Jail Records, Portland Police Reports and Court Records
After transfer or outside Multnomah County
Other Custody Systems to Check Only When the Facts Point There
| Situation | Official route | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Washington County custody | Washington County Custody and Releases | The arrest or jail jurisdiction is Washington County, Oregon. |
| Clackamas County custody | Clackamas Adults in Custody | The person is held by Clackamas County rather than MCSO. |
| Oregon state corrections | Oregon Offender Search | The person has entered Oregon DOC custody or supervision. |
| Custody-change notification | Oregon VISOR | You need statewide custody information or opt-in notifications for transfer/release changes. |
| Federal custody | Federal Bureau of Prisons Locator | A federal case or confirmed federal transfer makes BOP custody relevant. |
Use the contact matched to the task
Portland Jail, Court and Records Contacts
| Office / service | Contact | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Multnomah County Detention Center | 503-988-3689 1120 SW Third Ave., Portland, OR 97204 |
MCDC custody/facility questions and official bail instructions. |
| Inverness Jail | 503-988-5060 11540 NE Inverness Dr., Portland, OR 97220 |
Inverness facility questions, blocked/harassing jail-call issues and location-specific procedures. |
| MCSO Law Enforcement Records Unit | 503-988-7300 | Sheriff law-enforcement records questions; formal public requests use the county records portal. |
| Portland Police non-emergency | 503-823-3333 | Non-emergency police matters, not current jail-custody confirmation. |
| PPB Records automated information | 503-823-0041 | Information about submitting police public-record requests or obtaining a police report. |
| Multnomah criminal calendaring | 971-274-0545, option 5 | Upcoming criminal court date or court warrant questions. |
| Multnomah court records | 971-274-0570 | Court-copy and records questions during the records department’s published phone windows. |
| Oregon VISOR support | 855-691-6246 VISOR@doc.oregon.gov |
VISOR search, registration and notification support. |
Primary booking and release location
Multnomah County Detention Center Map
MCDC is inside the Justice Center at 1120 SW Third Avenue, Portland, OR 97204. MCSO identifies it as the county’s booking and release location. Confirm the person’s current housing facility and your reason for visiting before traveling.
Read public custody data carefully
What the Portland Jail Roster Can and Cannot Prove
- Arrest is not conviction. A person can be booked and later have charges changed, dismissed or resolved differently in court.
- A booking charge is not the final disposition. Use the court record for the legal outcome.
- A warrant is not proof of present incarceration. Verify jail custody separately.
- A housing location can change. Recheck before visiting, handling property or relying on facility-specific instructions.
- A release estimate is not guaranteed. Court orders, other holds and jail processing can affect timing.
- A stale screenshot is not current status. Return to MCSO, VISOR or the controlling court.
- Do not use public jail information to harass, threaten, stalk, shame or impersonate anyone.
Portland jail roster questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Portland, Oregon have a city jail roster?
For the adult-custody search most people mean, use Multnomah County Sheriff’s Adult in Custody system rather than looking for a separate Portland city jail roster. MCSO operates the Multnomah County Detention Center and Inverness Jail.
Where are people booked after a Portland arrest?
MCSO identifies the Multnomah County Detention Center at 1120 SW Third Avenue as the county’s booking and release location. A person may later be housed at Inverness Jail or moved to another custody system.
What is the difference between MCDC and Inverness Jail?
Both are operated by the Multnomah County Sheriff. MCDC is downtown inside the Justice Center and serves as the booking/release location. Inverness Jail is a separate facility in Northeast Portland at 11540 NE Inverness Drive.
Why is someone arrested in Portland not showing in the Multnomah County search?
Possible explanations include very recent booking, release, transfer, a name mismatch, state or federal custody, or an incident connected to Washington or Clackamas County. Use the jurisdiction and arresting agency to choose the next official search.
Can I look up Portland mugshots online?
Do not assume there is a public mugshot database. ORS 133.870 generally prohibits law-enforcement agencies from releasing booking photos except in listed statutory circumstances. MCSO can accept records requests, but release remains subject to that law and other exemptions.
How do I check a Portland criminal court date?
Use the Oregon Judicial Department’s Multnomah County court resources. For an upcoming criminal court date, the court instructs callers to use 971-274-0545, option 5, with the case number or identifying information.
How do I post bail for someone in Multnomah County Jail?
MCSO says to call 503-988-3689 for bail instructions. The Sheriff’s jail page links to official TouchPay self-bail using Facility #297204 and describes in-person jail payment routes. Verify the current location and hours before traveling or paying.
Where should I send inmate mail?
MCSO routes all personal inmate mail through 11540 NE Inverness Drive, Portland, OR 97220, even when the person is housed at MCDC. Use the name the person was booked under, include the SWIS ID, write “Inmate Mail” at the top and include a return address.
Can I call an adult in custody at a Multnomah County jail?
Members of the public cannot call into the jail to speak directly with someone in custody. Adults in custody may make calls during permitted times. MCSO currently uses Securus for phone-account and billing support.
How can I receive release or transfer notifications?
Oregon VISOR provides statewide custody information and opt-in notifications for custody-status changes. Registration is confidential, and VISOR offers phone, text, email and TTY notification options.
Official source review
Official Sources Used for This Portland Guide
Source review performed: October 6, 2026. Jail housing, visitation, vendor, bail and records procedures can change, so recheck the linked authority immediately before taking action.
- MCSO Corrections Division
- MCSO Jails
- MCSO Adult in Custody Search
- MCSO Visitation
- MCSO Public Records Requests
- MCSO Contact Information
- Multnomah County Circuit Court
- Multnomah Court Records
- Multnomah Criminal Calendaring
- Portland Police Records Division
- Oregon Revised Statutes 133.870
- Oregon Offender Search
- Oregon VISOR
- Washington County Custody and Releases
- Clackamas County Adults in Custody
Independent Publisher Notice
Jail-Roster.org is an independent informational publisher. It does not operate or represent the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Multnomah County Detention Center, Inverness Jail, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Department of Corrections, VISOR, Washington County, Clackamas County, Securus, TouchPay or any other government agency or vendor.
Official sources control when information changes. This page is general information, not legal advice. For an emergency, call 911. For legal advice about a warrant, bail, surrender, release condition, court deadline or criminal case, consult a qualified attorney.