Search Pierce County Jail Mugshots
Pierce County jail mugshots and inmate booking records are kept by the Pierce County Sheriff's Corrections Bureau in Tacoma. The main tool for looking up who is in custody is LINX, the Legal Information Network Exchange. LINX is the local case management system for the county, and it lets you search the current jail roster by last name, pull up booking charges, and view linked Superior Court cases. This page shows you how to search Pierce County jail mugshots, which office holds the records, how the LINX system works, and where to file a public records request for a booking photo.
Pierce County Jail Overview
Pierce County Jail and Corrections Bureau
The Pierce County Jail is run by the Corrections Bureau of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. The bureau manages custody, control, and care of persons confined in the jail. The jail sits at 910 Tacoma Avenue South in Tacoma. The Corrections Bureau has three divisions: administration, operations, and program. It employs about 300 limited-commission deputies. The facilities can house up to 1,800 inmates, though staffing budgets allow housing around 1,296 inmates across two buildings.
The jail also contracts bed space to other agencies throughout Pierce County. Jail Booking can be reached at (253) 798-4590. The Inmate Programs contact is (253) 798-2960, and Chaplaincy Services is (253) 798-2187. The phone vendor for inmate calls at the jail is Securus. Most arrests inside Tacoma and nearby cities end up at this jail.
The Pierce County Jail Roster page is the official inmate lookup. The roster shows all current inmates and anyone released in the last 48 hours. Click on the booking ID to get details like facility, charge, court date, and bail. The roster also includes persons in the Yakima facility, the hospital, and on temporary release.
The roster gives the quickest look at who was just booked into the Pierce County Jail.
Note: The Pierce County Jail Roster keeps released inmates visible for 48 hours, so recent bookings stay up for that window.
Pierce County LINX Jail Mugshots Search
The Legal Information Network Exchange (LINX) is the case management system for Pierce County Superior Court. LINX gives instant access to court records and documents. Some features include searching criminal and civil cases by name or cause number, viewing attorneys, charges, and proceedings, viewing court calendars, and viewing the current Pierce County Jail roster. LINX is a locally developed system available only in Pierce County. For questions, call the Clerk's Records & Copies Division at (253) 798-7717.
The LINX search portal is the direct public search interface. You can display the current Pierce County Corrections Jail Roster, or list current jail inmates by name. The list will not include persons who have been released. Superior Court case search fields include name (as last name, first name), year range, and type: Criminal, Civil, Domestic, Probate/Guardianship, or Tax Warrant/Judgment. No login is required for basic public searches.
This is the search page most people use for Pierce County jail mugshots lookups.
The LINX main page ties together jail roster, court calendars, and case lookups.
Jail roster entries often link right to the Superior Court case file.
The LINX FAQ answers common questions. Visiting info is not on the LINX page. Call the Jail Reception Desk at 798-4590 for visiting times. Historical jail release dates are not online; contact the jail at (253) 798-4668. Concurrent means the bail or sentence runs at the same time as another charge. Consecutive is the opposite.
The LINX landing page also explains the subscription options.
Attorneys can subscribe for deeper document access while the public uses free searches.
Booking Photos and Public Records
Most inmate jail records in Pierce County, including booking photos, are not public and are exempt from disclosure. This is a key point. The Pierce County Public Records Request page spells out what gets released. Public release via the Jail Roster includes: Inmate name, Booking Date, Charge, Warrant Type, Charging Agency, Court Jurisdiction, Court Date, Sentence Date/Bail, Sentence/Fine, and Release Date.
All other inmate records are confidential under RCW 70.48.100. They can only be given directly to the inmate, a third-party with a signed release, or by court order. To request inmate records, fill out the Authorization for Release of Inmate Records form and submit by mail or fax to: Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Attn: Public Disclosure Unit, 3602 Pacific Avenue S. #100, Tacoma WA 98418, FAX 253-798-7366. Inmate Healthcare Records use a separate release form signed by the inmate.
Fees are low. Paper copies cost $0.15 per page. CD or DVD copies cost $1.15 per disk plus postage. Pay by check or money order made out to Pierce County. Under RCW 42.56, the state Public Records Act, the agency must respond to your request.
Note: Mugshots themselves are usually exempt in Pierce County, so expect to get name, charge, and booking data from the roster instead of the photo.
Related Court and Criminal Records
The Pierce County Criminal Records hub is a central page that links court records, jail rosters, police reports, and court dates. Court Records, Jail Rosters & Sentencing links include Pierce County Case Information, Pierce County Jail Rosters, South Sound 911 police reports, and Find My Court Date. South Sound 911 is the central records coordinator for many Pierce County police agencies.
Copies of court documents cost $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each extra page. Call Clerk's Records & Copies at (253) 798-7717. The Clerk of the Superior Court makes non-sealed records available for public review in Room 110 of the County-City Building at 930 Tacoma Avenue South. Victim and witness help comes from the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Justice Services Division, 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 946, Tacoma WA 98402, main (253) 798-6875.
For state-level arrest history, the Washington State Patrol WATCH system is the go-to. Pierce County law enforcement submits arrest fingerprints to the statewide database. Online name-based searches cost $11.00. Fingerprint checks cost $58.00. Results cover convictions and pending arrests from Pierce County.
The Washington Courts public case search covers Pierce County District and Municipal Courts.
This page is the front door to jail operations in Tacoma.
Municipal Police and South Sound 911
The Tacoma Police Department is the largest city police agency in the county. Arrests made by Tacoma Police are booked into the Pierce County Jail. The department is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Police reports and arrest records may be requested from the Tacoma Police Department Records Division.
South Sound 911 handles records for many Pierce County police agencies. Online Reporting Agencies include Edgewood Police, Fife Police, Lakewood Police, Milton Police, Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Roy Police, Ruston Police, Steilacoom Department of Public Safety, Sumner Police, Tacoma Police, and University Place Police. Non-emergency dispatch and records: 253-287-4455 or 800-562-9800. Collision reports for Pierce County are kept by Washington State Patrol, not South Sound 911.
Arrests without a warrant are governed by RCW 10.31.100, and non-conviction criminal history is limited under RCW 10.97, the Criminal Records Privacy Act.
Note: Most Pierce County police agencies route their reports through South Sound 911, so start there for arrest paperwork outside the jail itself.
Statewide Inmate Lookup Tools
The Washington Department of Corrections tracks inmates who moved from Pierce County Jail to state prison. You can search by name or DOC number. Results show the DOC number, full name, age, location, and a victim notification option.
For real-time custody alerts, VINELink Washington is free and anonymous. Register by phone at 1-877-846-3492, or online. You can get alerts by phone, email, or text message when an inmate is released or moved.
Pierce also contracts bed space with nearby agencies. Inmate info for other local jurisdictions links from LINX to King County Jail, Kitsap County Jail, Lewis County Jail, Snohomish County Jail, SCORE Jail, and Nisqually Jail.
Cities in Pierce County
Pierce County has many cities and communities. Most arrests from these cities end up at the Pierce County Jail in Tacoma.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Pierce County. Jail bookings and mugshots often cross county lines through contracts with SCORE Jail, King County, and Kitsap County.