How to Locate a Federal Prison Using the BOP Website (bop.gov)

Updated

You can find a federal prison on bop.gov in two ways: use the "Locate a Federal Prison" tool on the homepage and pick a state from the dropdown, or go to Locations → Map of our Locations to browse facilities geographically. Both paths lead to the same facility listings, which include the institution's address and contact details. This works for anyone — family members, attorneys, media, or researchers — and requires no account or login.

Step-by-step: Locate a Federal Prison

  1. Go to bop.gov.
  2. Find the "Locate a Federal Prison" section on the homepage.
  3. Open the "Select a state" dropdown. It defaults to All Locations, or you can choose a specific state (Alabama through Wyoming, plus Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and the Marshall Islands).
  4. Select a state to narrow the list, or leave it on All Locations to see everything.
  5. Open a facility from the results to view its details.

Expected result: A filtered list of federal facilities in that state, each linking to a page with the institution's information.

Alternative: Browse by map

If you'd rather search visually, use Locations → Map of our Locations in the main navigation. This shows facilities on a map so you can browse by region instead of by state name. Use this when you know roughly where the facility is but not the exact state listing, or when you want to see how facilities cluster in an area.

What each facility listing gives you

The BOP organizes facility information under Locations, which splits into:

  • List of our Facilities — a text-based index of institutions
  • Map of our Locations — a geographic view
  • Search for a Facility — a direct lookup

Facility pages generally provide the institution's address and contact information, which is what you need for mailing, directions, or calling ahead. The BOP also publishes visiting procedures and Support Coordinators under Inmates → Custody & Care, so check those before traveling — visiting rules, hours, and approval requirements vary by facility and are set at the institution level.

Common pitfalls

  • Don't confuse locating a prison with finding an inmate. "Locate a Federal Prison" finds facilities. To find a specific person, use Inmates → Find an Inmate instead.
  • State selection is not the same as facility type. The dropdown filters by state, not by security level or gender. If you need a specific type of institution, open individual facility pages rather than relying on the state list alone.
  • "All Locations" is the default. If you skip the dropdown, you'll get the full national list, which is long — pick a state first if you already know it.
  • Contact details change. Confirm the address and phone number on the facility page close to your visit or mailing date rather than relying on a saved copy.

Related resources on bop.gov

  • Find an Inmate — for locating a specific person in custody
  • Visiting and Support Coordinators — under Inmates, for visit rules and help
  • Report a Concern — for issues related to an inmate or facility
  • Policy & Forms — for official BOP policy documents and forms

For anything beyond facility location — inmate status, visiting approval, or policy questions — start from the relevant section above rather than the prison locator, since each serves a different purpose.