Federal inmates are held in a completely separate system from Florida's state prisons and county jails. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) operates approximately 122 facilities nationwide, including several major institutions in Florida. This page explains how to search the BOP inmate locator, what each Florida federal facility does, and how federal custody differs from state custody.
Official BOP Inmate Locator, covers current federal inmates and many released inmates back to 1982.
Open BOP Inmate Locator →Or call our free 24/7 line: (786) 600-3533
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is free and covers all current federal inmates plus released inmates going back to 1982.
Visit bop.gov/inmateloc. You can search by BOP Register Number (most accurate) or by name. The register number is typically 8 digits with a suffix (example: 12345-678). For in-custody inmates, you can also search by DCDC number, FBI number, INS number, or state ID.
For name searches, include first and last name. The locator allows filtering by race, sex, age, and years/years range. If you have an exact birthdate, use it. Common names require more filters to narrow results.
Results show: BOP Register Number, name, age, race, sex, release date (actual or projected), and the current facility. Released inmates show "Released" with the release date. The facility name links to information about visiting, mailing, and phone access.
Each BOP facility has its own visiting procedures, approved-visitor application process, mail and phone rules. Start with the facility's page on bop.gov to find its address and policies.
Florida hosts several significant Bureau of Prisons facilities across the state, serving different security levels and populations.
Located in Sumter County near Wildwood, FCC Coleman is one of the largest federal correctional complexes in the country. It includes: USP Coleman I (high-security male penitentiary), USP Coleman II (high-security male penitentiary), FCI Coleman Low (low-security male), FCI Coleman Medium (medium-security male), and a federal camp. Total population across the complex typically exceeds 7,000 inmates.
Located in downtown Miami, FDC Miami is a high-rise federal detention center housing pretrial detainees and those serving short federal sentences. It holds both male and female inmates at various security levels. This is typically the first Florida federal facility where someone newly arrested on federal charges is held.
Located in Tallahassee, FCI Tallahassee is a low-security federal correctional institution housing female inmates. It also has an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp.
Located in Marianna (Jackson County), FCI Marianna is a medium-security federal correctional institution for male inmates, with an adjacent minimum-security camp.
Located in Miami (separate from FDC Miami), FCI Miami is a low-security federal correctional institution for male inmates, with an adjacent minimum-security camp.
BOP also contracts with private facilities (such as the D. Ray James Correctional Facility in Georgia, which receives overflow from southern Florida) and transfers between Florida and out-of-state institutions based on classification, program availability, and security needs. An inmate may start at one Florida facility and end up elsewhere during their sentence.
Charges filed by U.S. Attorney. Sentencing under federal guidelines. Minimum 85% of sentence served (no parole since 1987). Typical sentences: drug trafficking, weapons offenses, immigration violations, fraud, interstate crimes. Locator: bop.gov/inmateloc.
Charges filed by State Attorney. Sentencing under Florida sentencing guidelines. Minimum 85% of sentence for offenses after 1995. Typical sentences: most serious felonies under Florida law. Search: FDC inmate search.
County sheriff holds pretrial defendants and short-sentence inmates (364 days or less). Charges pending or sentence under one year. Search: our 67-county directory.
An inmate's journey through the federal system typically looks like: arrest by federal agents (FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI) → initial detention at FDC Miami or a contracted county jail → sentencing at federal court → transfer to assigned BOP facility (which may be out of Florida) → service of sentence → release to federal supervision.
Must be pre-approved. Fill out the BP-629 Visitor Information form sent by the inmate. Approval typically takes 4-8 weeks. Visiting rules, dress code, and hours vary by facility.
BOP contracts with one vendor nationally (TRULINCS). Inmates add up to 30 phone numbers to their approved list. Calls are monitored (except to approved attorneys). Limited to 300 minutes per month.
BOP's TRULINCS electronic messaging system allows inmates to email approved contacts. Not available at all facilities, but widely deployed. Both parties pay for access.
Letters, photos, and allowable items accepted. Address with full name, register number, and facility. No cash, checks, or contraband. Books and magazines must come from the publisher or approved retailer in most facilities.
BOP uses the Department of Treasury's processing system. Send money via:
Federal, state, county, and ICE are all separate systems. If you're not sure which one to search, call our free 24/7 line. We check all Florida systems simultaneously.
Call (786) 600-3533 →Calls may be answered by a licensed bail bond agent.