Pierce County Jail Custody Records
Pierce County inmate population records are available through the LINX online system, which is operated jointly by the Pierce County Sheriff's Office and the Pierce County Clerk. The Pierce County Jail in Tacoma is one of the larger county jails in Washington, and the LINX roster lets you view the entire current inmate list or search by last name. Results include booking charges and direct links to related Superior Court cases, making it one of the more integrated public records systems in the state. This page explains how to use LINX, how to request records under state law, and how to use visitation and victim notification services.
Pierce County Jail Overview
Pierce County Jail Inmate Records
The Pierce County Jail is located at 910 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98402. The main jail line is (253) 798-4590. The facility is operated by the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and handles bookings from multiple law enforcement agencies across Pierce County, including the Tacoma Police Department, Lakewood Police, and numerous other city and county agencies. Pierce County is one of Washington's most populous counties, and the jail regularly holds a large inmate population.
What sets Pierce County apart from many Washington counties is its LINX system. LINX stands for Law Enforcement Information Exchange Network. It is a joint system used by the Sheriff's Office, the County Clerk, and other agencies to share booking and court data. The public-facing portion of LINX lets you view the jail roster and see how each booking charge connects to a related Superior Court case. That court link takes you directly to the case docket, which is a significant improvement over systems that show booking charges only without any court connection.
| Facility | Pierce County Jail |
|---|---|
| Address | 910 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98402 |
| Phone | (253) 798-4590 |
| Sheriff Department | piercesheriff.org |
| LINX Jail Roster | linxonline.co.pierce.wa.us - Jail Roster |
| Inmate Search | piercesheriff.org/inmate-search |
| Jail Info Page | piercecountywa.gov - Jail |
| County Clerk | piercecountywa.gov - County Clerk |
| LINX Help Desk | 253-798-7757 or pcclerk@piercecountywa.gov |
| Public Records Email | SHRpublicrecords@piercecountywa.gov |
Keep in mind that most individual inmate records at Pierce County Jail are not public under RCW 70.48.100. Detailed records beyond what appears in the public roster generally require either a signed release from the inmate or a court order. The public roster shows who is in custody and what charges were filed. More detailed records require a formal request.
How to Search the Pierce County Jail Roster via LINX
There are two ways to access the Pierce County jail roster online. The first is through the LINX system directly at linxonline.co.pierce.wa.us. The second is through the Sheriff's website at piercesheriff.org/inmate-search. Both lead to the same underlying booking data.
On the LINX roster page, you can view the entire current roster or narrow it by searching for a specific last name. The results display each booking entry with charge descriptions. The key feature is that each charge links out to the related Pierce County Superior Court case, if one exists. This lets you click directly from the jail booking to the court docket and see what has happened with the case since arrest. That kind of integration is not common in smaller county systems.
The public LINX jail roster is shown in the screenshot below, taken from the Pierce County LINX system.
The Pierce County Jail's official page provides additional context about the facility and how it handles inmate records. The screenshot below is from that page on the Pierce County government website.
If someone is not on the current roster, they may have been released, transferred, or sentenced and moved to state custody. Check the DOC search tool at the state level for anyone who may have left county custody.
Note: Most detailed inmate records at Pierce County Jail are not public without a signed inmate release form or court order, per RCW 70.48.100.
Visiting Inmates at Pierce County Jail
Pierce County Jail allows both in-person and video visitation. In-person visits are scheduled during specific windows. On weekdays, visits are available from 6 to 7 PM and from 7 to 8 PM. On weekends and holidays, you can visit during the 9 to 10 AM, 10 to 11 AM, 6 to 7 PM, or 7 to 8 PM windows. Each visit is 30 minutes long. Inmates are allowed up to three visits per week.
Video visitation is available through GettingOut.com. This lets you connect with an inmate remotely if you cannot travel to the facility in person. Video visits are a practical option for family members who live far from Tacoma or who cannot make it during in-person visitation hours.
Mail sent to inmates should go to the facility at 910 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98402. Money orders for inmate accounts can also be sent to this address. Cash is not accepted by mail. Confirm current mailing and visitation policies by calling the jail at (253) 798-4590 before your visit, since schedules can change.
Note: Visitation schedules can change based on facility conditions, and individual inmate visiting privileges may be suspended depending on their status or conduct.
Public Records Requests in Pierce County
Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 gives the public broad access to government records. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office must respond to records requests within five business days. That response can fulfill the request, give a timeline for production, or ask for more information about the scope of the request. Public records requests for the Sheriff's Office can be submitted by email to SHRpublicrecords@piercecountywa.gov.
Under RCW 70.48.100, jails must maintain records of all confined persons and make those records available to the public. The public roster on LINX is published under this requirement. However, Pierce County notes that most individual inmate records beyond the basic roster are not public. Detailed records require either a signed release from the inmate or a court order before the county will produce them.
For court records, contact the Pierce County Clerk at piercecountywa.gov/167/County-Clerk. The LINX Help Desk can assist with questions about the system at 253-798-7757 or by email at pcclerk@piercecountywa.gov. Jail records and court records are maintained by separate offices and need separate requests.
VINE Victim Notification for Pierce County
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free automated notification service that tracks inmate custody status and sends alerts when something changes. For Pierce County, this covers the main jail in Tacoma as well as any transfers to state facilities. You can register to receive notifications by phone, text, or email when an inmate is released, transferred, or has a court event. The service is anonymous and there is no cost to use it.
Register or check inmate status through VINELink.com. Given that Pierce County is a large county with a significant inmate population that moves in and out regularly, VINE is especially valuable for victims and concerned family members who cannot monitor the LINX roster on a daily basis. VINE covers the full statewide network of county and state facilities in Washington.
Note: VINE is especially useful in Pierce County given the volume of daily releases and transfers through the jail system.
Pierce County Court and Criminal Case Records
Criminal case records for people booked at Pierce County Jail go through the Pierce County Superior Court and District Court. The LINX system already links some booking charges directly to Superior Court case dockets, which makes it easier to track a case from arrest to court without using two separate systems. But the full case file, including all filings, hearings, and orders, is in the court record, not the jail booking.
The Washington Courts public access portal at courts.wa.gov lets you search statewide court records by name or case number at no cost. For certified copies, older files, or in-person assistance, contact the Pierce County Clerk at piercecountywa.gov/167/County-Clerk. Pierce County handles a high volume of criminal cases, and the clerk's office is the best resource for anything not available through the online systems.
State-Level Inmate Search Resources
When a person is not found in the Pierce County LINX roster, they may have been transferred to state custody. The Washington State Department of Corrections maintains an incarcerated person search at doc.wa.gov. This covers people serving sentences at state prisons across Washington, including those transferred from county jails after conviction. Pierce County sends a significant number of sentenced individuals into the state DOC system each year, so this is a common next step.
The WATCH system at watch.wsp.wa.gov provides access to Washington criminal history records and is maintained by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. WATCH is a paid search that goes beyond current custody to show prior arrests and convictions statewide. The Washington Courts portal at courts.wa.gov also provides case records for Pierce County Superior and District Court.
Note: The LINX system links booking charges to Superior Court cases, but for the full case record or District Court cases, use the courts.wa.gov portal or contact the Pierce County Clerk.
Cities in Pierce County
Pierce County is one of the most populous counties in Washington State, with several large cities. All bookings are processed through the Pierce County Jail in Tacoma, regardless of which city the arrest occurred in.
Nearby Counties
Pierce County borders several other counties in western Washington. If someone is not in the Pierce County system, they may be held in a nearby county facility.