Access Whatcom County Jail Roster
The Whatcom County jail roster is the public list of people held in the Whatcom County Jail in Bellingham. You can search the roster online by name or browse by date. Whatcom County runs two facilities and posts a live roster that updates throughout the day. The jail roster shows who is in custody, when they were booked, and what the charges are. This page explains how to search the Whatcom County jail roster, how to get records beyond the public list, and which tools to use for state and federal inmates.
Whatcom County Jail Roster Overview
Search the Whatcom County Jail Roster Online
The main tool is the Whatcom County Jail Roster Search. This is the official county portal for finding people currently held in custody. Click on an inmate name to see more detail. The roster shows the booking date, the facility location, the floor and cell assignment, and the name ID number. It updates throughout the day as people are booked and released.
Whatcom County also runs several other inmate databases. You can search jail bookings by date, pull a list of recent releases, or browse the full current roster. The Jail Bookings by Date database lets you look at historical bookings. The jail releases database shows who has left custody and when.
The Whatcom County Jail is at 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, WA 98225. Phone is 360-778-6500. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. After hours, use the button to speak to the control room.
Whatcom County Jail Roster Facilities
The Whatcom County Corrections Bureau runs two facilities. The first is the Whatcom County Jail, a maximum-security facility in Bellingham that holds about 245 people on a typical day. The second is the Interim Work Center at 2030 Division St., Bellingham, WA 98226, phone 360-778-6450. The work center averages 130 inmates at minimum or low-medium custody levels. About 30 people a day serve time on electronic home detention through the Corrections Bureau.
Correction deputies at the Whatcom County Jail handle booking, population control, meals, medical care, prisoner transports, and court security. The Corrections Bureau also runs part of a statewide transport chain. Deputies make daily trips to Skagit and Snohomish County jails for prisoner transfers and court appearances.
Alternative sentencing programs are available through the Whatcom County Corrections Bureau. These include home detention with electronic monitoring, work crew assignments, and work release that lets some inmates keep a job while serving time.
What the Whatcom County Jail Roster Shows
Under RCW 70.48.100, the Whatcom County Jail must keep a jail register open to the public. The register logs the name, the booking date and time, the cause of the booking, and the release date and time. This is the legal minimum for every Washington jail. The Whatcom County jail roster adds floor and cell assignment, facility name, and name ID.
The full inmate file is not public. Medical data, mental health records, and security classifications are confidential under state law. Booking photos can be used for investigations and shared with other agencies. The rest of the detailed inmate record stays locked unless you have the right authority or the inmate gives written consent.
Whatcom County Jail Roster Records Requests
For records that are not on the Whatcom County jail roster, file a public records request. Under RCW 42.56, the Washington Public Records Act, the county must respond within five business days. You do not need to give a reason. You do not need to live in the county. The request should include the inmate name, dates, and what records you want.
Basic roster data (name, booking date, charges, bail) is public without a formal request. It is on the roster website. The formal request is for things like visitor logs, call data, housing histories, or incident reports. Medical records need a signed authorization from the inmate or a court order.
Note: Bail bonding companies should call the Whatcom County Jail at 360-778-6500 before coming to the facility to post a bond.
Court Records for Whatcom County
Connect a Whatcom County jail roster entry to a court case with the Odyssey court portal. The portal covers Washington district and municipal court cases. Search by name to find the case number, the charges, and the next hearing date. Whatcom County Superior Court handles felony cases. District court covers misdemeanors.
The Whatcom County Corrections Bureau provides an Inmate Orientation Handbook on its website. The handbook covers mail rules, visitation, commissary, phone services, and facility rules. This is useful for families of people on the Whatcom County jail roster who need to know how the jail works day to day.
Whatcom County Jail Roster Vendor Services
The Whatcom County Jail uses third-party vendors for inmate services. Commissary orders go through JAILATM.COM at 1-870-627-5476. Tablet entertainment and credit go through GETTINGOUT.COM at 1-866-516-0115. Pre-paid phone service runs through ICSOLUTIONS.COM at 1-888-506-8407. These vendors are listed on the Corrections Bureau page and serve people on the Whatcom County jail roster.
Families often need to add money to an inmate account or set up phone access. Start with the vendor contact info above. The jail website has links to each service along with instructions for setting up accounts.
Whatcom County Jail Roster Screenshot
The Whatcom County Jail Roster Search is the official portal for finding current inmates in the county.
Click on any inmate name to see booking details, facility location, and housing assignment. The roster updates throughout the day.
State and Federal Inmate Tools
People sentenced to more than a year leave the Whatcom County jail roster and go to a state prison. The DOC runs the Incarcerated Search for state inmates. The DOC was set up under RCW 72.09 and manages all state prisons and adult supervision. Use the DOC Search Resources page for links to federal tools as well.
The VINE service covers Whatcom County. VINE sends free custody alerts by phone, text, or email. It works for both jail and prison inmates. Sign up to get a notification the moment someone's custody status changes. VINE is run with help from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
Cities in Whatcom County
People arrested in Bellingham and other Whatcom County cities are booked into the county jail.