The Madison County Sheriff’s Office publishes a custody roster. That page lists people currently held in the Madison County Jail in Winterset. For a name not found online, call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office directly at (515) 462-3575. Iowa Courts Online covers every criminal case filed in Madison County’s Iowa District Court, Judicial District 5.
Looking for someone booked tonight? See Madison booking contacts for phone-first contact info.
Searching the Madison County jail roster
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office maintains an online custody page. The page is labeled “Madison Jail / Custody Information” and lists people currently in custody at the Winterset jail. No login is required.
- Go to the Madison County jail custody page.
- Scan or search the listed names. The roster displays names and booking information for current detainees.
- If the name you need is not listed, call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office at (515) 462-3575. Staff can confirm custody status for names not yet reflected online.
Note that the Sheriff’s civil office operates Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a midday break and closure on holidays. Custody inquiries by phone are handled separately from civil office hours — the jail line is staffed around the clock.
What the roster does (and doesn’t) show
The Madison County online roster reflects the jail’s current population, but it does not update in real time after every booking. A new booking can take time to appear on the page, so a name missing from the online list does not confirm the person is not in custody. Calling (515) 462-3575 gives you the most current answer.
The roster covers only people held in the Madison County Jail. It will not show juveniles, people held under seal, or anyone transferred to an Iowa Department of Corrections facility to serve a sentence. It also will not show federal detainees or anyone held in a neighboring county. Iowa Courts Online covers criminal case filings for Madison County’s Iowa District Court, but it is an index of proceedings — not a custody tool — and it does not show expunged or confidential records. A booking that has not yet generated a court filing will not appear there at all. For someone whose case has moved past the county jail stage, the Iowa DOC resident lookup is the right next check.
If someone was just booked tonight
Call the (515) 462-3575 — that’s the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and it’s the fastest way to confirm whether someone is in custody right now. That’s a hard call to make at 11 PM. The jail line runs around the clock, so you don’t have to wait until morning to get an answer on custody.
On the question of bond: Iowa uses money bail alongside a presumption of release, but how and when bond is set varies. In some situations a bond schedule allows release before a first court appearance; in others, a magistrate sets conditions at the initial hearing. The Sheriff’s Office or the Madison County Clerk of Court can tell you where things stand for this specific booking. Don’t assume a fixed amount applies — the actual terms depend on the charge and what a magistrate decides. That uncertainty is the hard part of tonight.
Visitation is not available the night of booking. Plan to confirm visiting hours the next morning by calling the Sheriff’s Office or checking the Madison County custody page. It’s a long night, and the morning brings more options.
Tomorrow morning, your action list: call the Clerk of Court for Madison County to get case information once a file is opened; find out when the first appearance is scheduled so you know when bond conditions will be addressed; and if you need legal help, the Iowa State Bar Association lawyer search and the Iowa State Public Defender office locator are the right places to look. The Madison County Courthouse is at 112 N. John Wayne Drive in Winterset — free parking is available in the historic courthouse square area nearby.
If someone isn’t on the Madison County roster
A missing name most often means the booking record hasn’t posted yet. New bookings can take time to appear on the online roster, and calling (515) 462-3575 will give you a real-time answer the page cannot. Beyond that timing gap, other situations can explain a missing name:
- Released after booking. Iowa law allows cite-and-release and signature release for some charges. A person can be processed and released before the roster updates — or before you check it.
- Transferred to Iowa DOC. Someone serving a sentence moves out of county custody. Search the Iowa Department of Corrections resident lookup for anyone who may have been sentenced.
- Held in a neighboring county. Charges filed in Madison County do not always mean the person is held in Winterset. Adair, Warren, Dallas, or Clarke County jails may hold someone on a Madison County matter.
- Federal custody. Federal charges route to federal detention facilities that county rosters never display.
- Statewide custody check via IowaVINE. VINELink tracks custody status across Iowa county jails and state prisons in one search and can surface a record the county page doesn’t show.
Nationwide inmate lookup
The Madison County roster covers only the Winterset jail. A nationwide search tool may help fill gaps that local portals often leave — including people who may be held in another Iowa county, another state, or federal custody. Results can surface across multiple jurisdictions, though per-jurisdiction completeness varies and the tool is one source among several.
This tool is not a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA and may not be used to screen anyone for employment, housing, credit, or any other purpose covered by that law.
Sponsored: Nationwide Records Search (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).
Madison County custody resources at a glance
| Resource | What it confirms | What it won’t show | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County jail custody page | Current detainees in the Winterset jail | Recent bookings not yet posted; released persons; DOC transfers | Check online; call if name is missing |
| Madison County Sheriff’s Office 📞 (515) 462-3575 |
Real-time custody status; booking details | State prison population; federal detainees | Call for any name not found on the roster |
| Iowa Courts Online case search | Criminal case filings in Madison County District Court | Custody status; expunged or confidential cases; cases not yet filed | Search by name; view docket index only (documents at courthouse) |
| Iowa DOC resident lookup | People serving sentences in Iowa state prisons | County jail detainees; federal detainees | Search if person may have been sentenced and transferred |
| VINELink | Custody status across Iowa county jails and state facilities | Federal custody; cases in other states | Search statewide when county roster and DOC both come up empty |
Sources
Sources verified 2026-10-28:
- Madison County Sheriff’s Office — jail custody page
- Madison County Sheriff’s Office — main page
- Iowa Judicial Branch — Madison County, Judicial District 5
- Iowa Courts Online case search
- Iowa Department of Corrections offender search
- VINELink
- the state bar lawyer directory
- Iowa State Public Defender
Found an error? Report it here. We review flagged pages within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn’t a name appear on the Madison County jail roster?
A name missing from the online roster at madisoncounty.iowa.gov/offices/inmate-roster/ does not mean the person was never booked. New bookings can take time to post. The person may also have been released on a cite-and-release or signature release, transferred to an Iowa DOC facility, or held in a neighboring county. Call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office at (515) 462-3575 for a real-time custody check. For a broader search, VINELink covers Iowa county jails and state prisons in one search.
Where do I search if someone from Madison County is no longer in the local jail?
If a person has been sentenced and transferred out of the Winterset jail, search the Iowa Department of Corrections resident lookup. That database covers people held in Iowa state prisons. For custody across multiple Iowa counties at once, IowaVINE at VINELink is the statewide notification service run through the Iowa Attorney General’s office. Federal charges route to federal detention facilities not covered by either tool.
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