Philadelphia runs one locator for all 4 of its prisons, PICC included. Search by name to confirm someone is at PICC and start sending letters, photos, and money.
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The most common reason at PICC isn’t an empty result at all, it’s a result naming one of Philadelphia’s other 3 prisons, because the Philadelphia Department of Prisons moves people between its facilities and the locator follows them. A true blank usually means the arrest is too recent for city records to catch up, the person made bail, or the name and date of birth you typed don’t match what was entered at booking. There’s also the case where someone leaves the city system entirely: a state sentence moves them to a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) prison, and a federal case moves them into Bureau of Prisons (BOP) custody, and Philadelphia’s locator carries neither.
Call the help line at (215) 685-8394, (215) 685-8395, or (215) 685-8396. It’s staffed 24 hours, which matters when someone gets picked up overnight, and (215) 685-8692 handles calls in Spanish. If you have court paperwork, search by the police identification number instead of the name, since a PID skips the spelling problems that trip up common names. For someone who’s already left the city system, PA DOC’s statewide locator covers state prisons and bop.gov/inmateloc/ covers federal ones. Recheck close to a visit, a deposit, or a mailing, since a move to another Philadelphia facility changes the rules you’re following.
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Search Philadelphia's Incarcerated Person Locator at inmate-locator.phila.gov with a full name and date of birth, then read the facility on the result. Philadelphia's other prisons come up in the same search, so the record has to say PICC for this guide to apply.
Inmate SearchProbably not. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons runs 4 facilities and moves people among them, so the locator can show a transfer you hadn't heard about. Visiting, mail, and money rules follow the building, so use the facility named on the result and call (215) 685-8394 if it doesn't look right.
Inmate SearchNo, a full name and date of birth is enough. A police identification number helps when the name is common or spelled several ways, and you'll find one on arrest paperwork or court documents if the family has them.
Inmate SearchPhiladelphia's help line runs 24 hours at (215) 685-8394, (215) 685-8395, and (215) 685-8396, so an overnight arrest doesn't mean waiting until morning. Callers who'd rather speak Spanish can use (215) 685-8692.
Inmate SearchPICC holds people awaiting trial and people serving short city sentences. A state sentence moves someone to a PA DOC prison and a federal case moves them to BOP custody, and Philadelphia's locator stops carrying them either way. Check PA DOC's statewide locator or bop.gov/inmateloc/ depending on the case.
Inmate SearchOnce you've confirmed their location, schedule a visit online.
View ArticleConfirm the correct facility before setting up a deposit.
View ArticleSet up an account once you've confirmed their location.
View ArticleGet the mailing address right the first time.
View ArticleSearch for your loved one and start sending photos, letters, and messages today.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified August 18, 2026.