How to find someone in prison
To find someone in prison, you ask the Prisoner Location Service. There's no list you can search. It's free.
Checked against GOV.UK.
The short answer
The service asks them first. If they say yes, you’re told where they are.
- Fill in the form. It’s free.
- They ask the person. It takes weeks, not days.
- If they say yes, you’re told where they are.
The request
What you need to give them
The request goes to the Prisoner Location Service on GOV.UK.
- Their full nameInclude any other names they've used.
- Their date of birthOr a rough age if you don't know it.
- How you know themAnd why you want to get in touch.
- Your own name and addressSo the service can reply to you.
There's no charge. No one can make it go faster. A company that charges is selling you a form you can send yourself.
Before you wait
Why an answer can come back empty
The service needs their consent. Families are often not told this.
Where someone is held is their own personal data. So the service asks them before it tells you.[8]
They may not agree. The letter may never reach them. Either way, you only hear that the request couldn't be completed.
You aren't told if they're in prison, or where. That isn't usually a mistake. It isn't usually something to appeal.
People sometimes agree later, once they've settled. So asking again months later isn't a waste.
Questions
Common questions
How long does it take?
GOV.UK says a few weeks, not days. The service has to write to the person and wait for a reply. If they were sentenced or moved a short time ago, allow longer. The letter may have to follow them.
What if I already know the prison?
Then you don't need this service. Contact the prison directly. Look it up on PrisonCheck to check the address, visits and phone rules.
Can I find someone held in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
Not through this service. It covers England and Wales only. Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own prison services. We haven't read their rules closely enough to describe them.
Can I find out when someone is being released?
Not through this service. Release dates aren't published. The public isn't usually told. Victims of some crimes can sign up to the Victim Contact Scheme. That's a different route with its own rules.
Anything else? Email us. A person replies.
Check us
- Find a prisoner. GOV.UK, current guidance. Read 30 August 2026. The Prisoner Location Service. It needs their consent before it tells you where they are. So a request can come back with nothing. Read it yourself