Story County, Iowa Inmate Search

To find an inmate in Story County, go to the Story County Sheriff’s Office jail information page. The county does not publish a standalone online roster with live name-search functionality; custody status is confirmed by calling the Story County Sheriff’s Office directly. For court filings on any case, use Iowa Courts Online Search, Iowa’s free statewide docket portal.

Looking for someone booked tonight? See If someone was just booked tonight for phone-first contact info.

How to find an inmate in Story County

Story County does not maintain a publicly searchable online jail roster. The Story County Sheriff’s Office holds the county jail and is the authoritative source for current custody status. Reach the Sheriff’s Office through the Sheriff’s Office page on the county website, or call the Story County Courthouse at (515) 382-6581 to be directed to the jail. The jail information page on the Story County website lists current procedures and contacts.

For a phone inquiry, have the person’s full legal name and approximate date of birth ready. Jail staff can confirm whether someone is in custody and provide booking details. The Story County Justice Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding state holidays. Outside those hours, call the main line and follow prompts for after-hours jail contact.

What the roster does (and doesn’t) show

Story County’s jail information page reflects records as the Sheriff’s Office updates them. A new booking can take time to appear online, and the page does not function as a real-time name-search tool. Calling the jail directly is the most reliable way to confirm custody for a recent arrest. The page covers people held in the Story County jail; it does not reflect individuals held in other Iowa counties, state prison facilities, or federal custody.

Juvenile records, sealed cases, and federal detainees do not appear in county jail records. Story County’s jail holds people awaiting trial or serving short sentences; anyone transferred to an Iowa Department of Corrections facility drops off the county record entirely. A booking that occurred late in the evening may not yet be reflected when you check — the gap between physical booking and a record appearing online is a normal part of the process, not a sign the person wasn’t booked.

If someone was just booked tonight

A first court appearance follows booking, and that’s where a judge decides release conditions. Call the Story County Sheriff’s Office — reachable through the Story County Courthouse at (515) 382-6581 — to confirm the person is in custody and to ask when the first appearance is scheduled. That’s the question that matters most right now. The Clerk of District Court can confirm the scheduled court time once a case number is assigned; the Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Bond is set at the first appearance before a magistrate, not before. Iowa law starts from a presumption of release — a magistrate decides whether conditions such as a cash deposit or supervision are needed to secure the person’s return to court. That’s hard to sit with, but calling tonight won’t produce a bond amount. What calling does accomplish: confirming custody, getting the name of the facility, and finding out when the first appearance is scheduled.

Visitation at the Story County jail is not available the night of booking. Check the jail’s visitation information page for current hours and procedures before planning a visit. The jail uses HomeWAV for video visitation and messaging, which can be set up in advance. Money can be added to an inmate account through the kiosk in the jail lobby during regular business hours, or by certified money order through the mail — do not send cash, personal checks, or gift cards.

Tomorrow morning, call the Story County Clerk of District Court at (515) 382-6581 to get the case number and confirm the first appearance time. Attend that hearing if you can. If the person needs an attorney and cannot afford one, ask the court about the State Public Defender. An attorney can also be found through the Iowa State Bar Association lawyer search. Verify hearing status before traveling — court dates can change without advance notice.

If the person isn’t on the Story County roster

The most common reason a name doesn’t appear is timing. A booking made late at night or during a shift change may not yet be reflected on the county’s page. Call the Sheriff’s Office to confirm before drawing any conclusions from an absent record.

• Transferred to Iowa DOC: If the person is serving a sentence rather than awaiting trial, they may be in a state prison. Search the Iowa Department of Corrections offender search.
• Released: Bond may have been posted or the person released on their own recognizance before you searched. Call the Sheriff’s Office to confirm.
• Held in a neighboring county: Arrests by Ames city police or Iowa State University Police may involve booking at the Story County jail, but charges originating in an adjacent county could mean custody elsewhere. Check Hamilton, Boone, Marshall, Jasper, Polk, or Dallas county jails if the arrest location is unclear.
• Federal custody: Federal charges result in transfer to a federal facility. County rosters never reflect federal detainees.
• IowaVINE notification: Sign up for automated custody alerts through IowaVINE at https://www.vinelink.com, which tracks both county jail and Iowa DOC custody statewide.

Nationwide inmate lookup

When a person may be held outside Story County — in another Iowa county, a different state, or federal custody that local rosters never display — a third-party nationwide search may help fill gaps that local portals often leave. This tool is designed to search across multiple jurisdictions and may surface records not visible here.

Sponsored: Nationwide Records Search (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

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.

Story County inmate search resources