How Miami-Dade Releases Inmates
The county's Inmate Release page lists several ways a person can be released: posting bond, qualifying for pretrial release, release from a court hearing, and other processes. If charges are bondable, the person can bond out at any time. For bond amount or release status, the county says to call inmate information at 786-263-7000. The corrections department does not recommend or solicit for a bondsman.
To check whether someone is still held, use the Miami-Dade inmate records search. A name that no longer appears usually signals a release, but the roster is the live custody source, not a released-persons archive. For confirmation of a specific release, the inmate information line is the direct route.
The TGK Release Center
All completed releases happen at one place. Inmates are released from Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, the designated release center, between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., whether or not the person has a ride. Even after bond is posted or charges are satisfied in court, the actual release can take several hours while paperwork and property are processed.
TGK Property Room
Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center
7000 NW 41st Street, Miami, FL 33166
786-263-5341 facility / 786-263-5355 offsite property
Mon-Fri 7 AM-2:30 PM and 3-5 PM
Important: A posted bond does not mean an instant release. Plan for several hours between bond or court order and the actual walk-out at TGK.
Pretrial Release Programs
Pretrial release in Miami-Dade involves several entities, and each handles a different path. Courts grant release on own recognizance. The jail performs promise-to-appear releases. Police agencies can issue street citation releases. Cash bail or a bond agency is another route. Pretrial Services releases qualifying people free of charge before trial and monitors their promise to appear.
- ROR: release on own recognizance, ordered by a court with no cash bond.
- PTA: promise to appear, handled by the jail.
- Citation release: issued in the field by a police agency.
- Bail or bond: cash bail or a licensed bond agency.
- Pretrial Services: free supervised release with monitoring.
Property Return After Release
Personal property taken at booking is held for pickup. Property collected at booking is usually available from the TGK Property Room for up to 30 days. While in custody, an inmate may authorize a representative to pick up property. After 30 days, property is moved to offsite storage, and arrangements must be made by calling 786-263-5355. Property not picked up within 72 hours after offsite arrangements is returned to offsite storage. Under Miami-Dade Implementing Order 7-20, inmate property unclaimed for 30 days or more after release is scheduled for destruction.
Setting Up Release Notifications via VINELink
VINELink is a victim notification service that can alert you when a custody status changes. Availability depends on the agency and the record. Registration needs a phone number, email, or text contact so the system can send the alert.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| State / agency | Search | Yes | Select Florida and the agency |
| Offender name / ID | Text | Optional | Search by name or ID |
| Registration info | Contact | Conditional | Phone, email, or SMS for alerts |
- Open VINELink and select Florida.
- Search by the person's name or ID.
- Register a phone, email, or text contact to receive release and custody alerts.
Florida DOC Offender Search for State Custody
People sentenced to state prison are not in county jail. The Florida Department of Corrections offender search covers state-sentenced inmates and is separate from the Miami-Dade roster.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC Number | Text | Optional | State prison identifier |
| Name | Text | Optional | First and last name |
| Race / Sex / Birth date | Filters | Optional | Used to narrow results |
| Result fields | Result | n/a | Custody status, facility, sentence and offense info |
BOP Inmate Locator for Federal Custody
People in federal custody appear in the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. The BOP does not show detailed local charges. A county jail inmate with a federal hold can appear in local custody, but sentenced federal-prison custody is checked through the BOP.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find by Number | Tab | Optional | BOP Register, DCDC, FBI, or INS number |
| Find by Name | Tab | Optional | First, middle, last, race, sex, age |
| Result fields | Result | n/a | Name, register number, age, race, sex, release date, location |
Florida Sex Offender and Predator Registry
The Florida sex offender and predator registry is run by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It offers name search and map or neighborhood tools, which many people check after a release.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Optional | Search by offender or predator name |
| Address / city / county / ZIP | Text | Optional | Geographic search |
| Map / neighborhood | Tool | Optional | Location-based search |
| Result fields | Result | n/a | Photo, status, addresses, qualifying offense, physical descriptors |
The image below opens the official Florida registry.
Registry data is updated by the state and is separate from the county jail roster.
Reentry Resources in Miami-Dade County
Several official programs help people after release. The corrections department's Reentry Services Bureau offers counseling, case management, and community support. The Boot Camp Program adds education, vocational training, financial literacy, and job placement help. The Public Defender's office helps former clients with work, sealing or expunging records, and restoring civil rights.
- MDCR Reentry Services Bureau: counseling, case management, and community support.
- MDCR Boot Camp Program: education, vocational, and placement support.
- Miami-Dade Public Defender: job help, sealing and expunction, and civil-rights restoration for former clients.
Civil Rights and Driver License Restoration
After a felony, Florida voting rights restoration depends on state constitutional and statutory rules, including completion of the sentence and payment of obligations. Use official state election and court documents for an individual case. Driver license issues vary too. The Clerk notes that non-immigrant CDL and CLP reinstatement is handled by the Miami-Dade Tax Collector, while ordinary license status can be checked through the FLHSMV driver license check. For sealing or expunction after release, the criminal records page covers the FDLE certificate process.