King County Inmate Population Records
King County inmate population records are managed by the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, known as DAJD, which runs the county's two main jail facilities in Seattle and Kent. You can search the JILS inmate lookup tool online to find who is currently in custody, check booking dates and charges, view bail amounts, and get projected release information. King County is the most populous county in Washington, so its jail system is large and serves dozens of cities and law enforcement agencies. This page covers how to search current inmates, what the records contain, how to request records under state law, and where to look when someone may have transferred to a state facility.
King County Jail Overview
King County DAJD Jail Records
The King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention operates the county's jail system. DAJD runs two main facilities: the King County Correctional Facility at 500 5th Ave in Seattle, and the Maleng Regional Justice Center at 401 4th Ave N in Kent. Together these facilities handle bookings from law enforcement agencies across the county. The DAJD jail register covers people currently in custody as well as those booked and released within the last 24 hours.
The DAJD publishes custody information through the King County DAJD website. The public record includes custody status, bail amounts, and visiting schedules. The department's records are updated on a rolling basis. For individuals who were recently released or transferred, the 24-hour look-back window in the system helps searchers confirm whether a booking occurred even if the person is no longer in custody.
The screenshot below shows the King County DAJD page, which provides access to the jail register and related custody resources.
DAJD is distinct from the King County Sheriff's Office, though the two agencies work closely together. DAJD manages the physical jail operations and intake records. The Sheriff's Office handles field arrests and contracts with several cities for law enforcement services.
| Facility 1 | King County Correctional Facility, 500 5th Ave, Seattle, WA |
|---|---|
| Facility 2 | Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98032 |
| DAJD Website | kingcounty.gov/dept/dajd |
| JILS Inmate Lookup | dajd-jms.powerappsportals.us |
| Superior Court Clerk | 516 Third Avenue, Room E-609, Seattle, WA 98104-2363 |
| Clerk Phone | 206-296-9300 |
How to Use the JILS Inmate Lookup
The JILS (Jail Information and Lookup System) is King County's primary public tool for searching current jail inmates. You can access it at dajd-jms.powerappsportals.us. The system lets you search by name, booking number, or date of birth. Results include booking date, current charges, bail amount, housing location, and projected release date. The system updates every 15 minutes, so it reflects near-real-time custody status.
The JILS covers up to 365 days of history, which means you can look up someone who was in custody recently even if they have since been released. This is useful when you know an arrest happened but you are not sure of the outcome. The system draws from both the Seattle facility and the Kent facility, so you do not need to search each location separately.
Common search fields available in JILS:
- Last name and first name
- Booking number
- Date of birth
- Booking date range
- Charges and case details
- Bail and bond amounts
- Housing location within the facility
If a person is not found in JILS, they may have been transferred to a state facility or to the SCORE jail operated by South King County cities. Check the Washington State Department of Corrections search at doc.wa.gov for individuals who may have moved to state custody after sentencing.
Note: VINE does not cover King County Jail. Use JILS directly for King County custody status. VINE applies to state prison inmates held by the Washington Department of Corrections.
King County Sheriff and Contracted Cities
The King County Sheriff's Office is located at 500 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, and can be reached at 206-296-3311. The Sheriff's Office provides patrol and law enforcement services to unincorporated King County and contracts with several cities that do not have their own police departments. Cities currently under contract include Burien, Covington, Enumclaw, Maple Valley, Shoreline, Skykomish, and Snoqualmie. Arrests made by the Sheriff in those areas are processed through the same King County DAJD facilities.
The screenshot below shows the King County Sheriff's Office website, which is the field law enforcement agency responsible for arrests that feed into the county jail population.
The Sheriff's Office is separate from DAJD. The Sheriff makes arrests; DAJD manages custody once someone arrives at a jail facility. Both agencies contribute to the county's overall inmate population data.
SCORE Jail for South King County Cities
The South Correctional Entity, or SCORE, is a separate jail facility serving seven cities in south King County. Its address is 20817 17th Ave S in Des Moines. SCORE is an 802-bed facility owned jointly by the cities of Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Renton, SeaTac, and Tukwila. Misdemeanor cases from those cities are typically held at SCORE rather than at the King County Correctional Facility or the Maleng Regional Justice Center.
If you are searching for someone arrested in one of those south King County cities on a misdemeanor charge, check the SCORE facility directly at scorejail.org. The inmate population at SCORE is not part of the King County DAJD system, so JILS will not return results for individuals held there. Felony cases from those cities are typically sent to King County facilities rather than SCORE.
Note: SCORE handles misdemeanor cases from Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Renton, SeaTac, and Tukwila. For felony cases from those cities, check JILS at the King County DAJD portal.
Public Records Requests in King County
Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 gives the public broad access to government records. King County DAJD and the Sheriff's Office must respond to public records requests within five business days. That response can fulfill the request, provide an estimated timeline, or ask for clarification. Booking logs, jail rosters, and incident reports generally fall within the scope of disclosure, with some exceptions for active investigations or records protected by other laws.
Under RCW 70.48.100, local jails must maintain records of all confined persons and make those records available to the public. This statute is the legal basis for the published JILS online roster. Most routine booking records are available under this requirement without a formal written request.
For more detailed records such as incident reports, booking photos, or older records not in the online system, you may need to submit a formal public records request. Requests to the King County Sheriff can be directed to the main office at 500 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104. Court records tied to criminal cases are available through the King County Superior Court Clerk at 516 Third Avenue, Room E-609, Seattle, or at the Kent location at 401 4th Ave N. Copy fees at the clerk's office are $0.25 per page for online access, $0.50 per page at the counter, and $5 for the first page of a certified document.
King County Court and Criminal Case Records
Jail booking records show what charges someone was arrested on. They do not show what happened in court. To find out if a case went to trial, was dismissed, or resulted in a conviction, you need the court case records. The Washington Courts public access system at courts.wa.gov lets you search across Superior, District, and Municipal Court records statewide. King County Superior Court and District Court records are fully searchable through this tool.
If you need certified copies of court documents, contact the King County Superior Court Clerk. The main courthouse is at 516 Third Avenue, Seattle, and the south division is at 401 4th Ave N in Kent. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and vary for additional pages. The clerk can search cases by name or case number.
VINE for State-Level Custody Notifications
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free automated service available at VINELink.com. It sends alerts when an offender is released, transferred, or has a court event. VINE covers Washington State Department of Corrections facilities but does not include King County Jail. For King County custody notifications, use the JILS system directly or contact DAJD.
If someone was convicted in King County and sent to a state prison, VINE becomes the right tool to track their status. Registration is anonymous. You can sign up to receive notifications by phone, text, or email. The service is available around the clock without any cost to register.
State Inmate Search Resources
When a person is not found in JILS, state-level tools can help locate them. The Washington State Department of Corrections runs an incarcerated person search at doc.wa.gov. This covers all individuals currently held in state prisons. It also includes people who were transferred from a county jail after sentencing to serve a longer term.
The WATCH system at watch.wsp.wa.gov provides access to Washington criminal history records and is operated by the Washington State Patrol. WATCH is useful when you need to check the full arrest and conviction history for a person, not just their current custody status. A fee applies to WATCH searches.
Cities in King County
King County covers dozens of cities and communities. All felony arrests in these cities feed into the King County DAJD jail system. Misdemeanor arrests in some south King County cities go to the SCORE facility instead. The cities below have individual pages on this site with more detail about local inmate records resources.
Nearby Counties
King County borders several counties to the north, south, and west. If someone was arrested near a county line, they may be held in one of these neighboring jail systems instead.