Madison County Sheriff Office: Jail, Records & Services
The Madison County Sheriff’s Department in Anderson does much more than patrol and operate the county jail. Residents may need the office for inmate information, reports, crash records, background checks, warrants, civil process, Sheriff sales, victim services, handgun-license processing, sex-offender information or animal-control help.
The important local detail is that these services are not all handled at the same counter. The Sheriff Records/Jail operation is at 720 Central Avenue, while the Civil Division is inside the Madison County Government Center at 16 E 9th Street, Suite 305. Using the correct office first can save a wasted trip.
Which Madison County Sheriff’s Office Service Do You Need?
Madison County splits jail, records, civil process and court-related services among different divisions. Calling the correct number is usually faster than starting with the general dispatch line.
If you need… |
Start here |
Telephone |
Important local detail |
|---|---|---|---|
Current inmate / jail question |
Madison County Jail |
765-646-9285 |
Use the jail rather than Records for live custody questions. |
Non-emergency police dispatch |
Sheriff Dispatch |
765-642-0221 |
Call 911 instead when there is an active emergency. |
Incident / case report |
Records Division |
765-646-9290 |
Requests can be submitted by approved form, with ID requirements. |
Civil paper service |
Civil Division |
765-641-9620 |
The Civil Division is at 16 E 9th Street, not the jail building. |
Investigative follow-up |
Investigations Division |
765-646-4025 |
Use the case/report number when available. |
Crime-victim assistance |
Victim Advocates |
765-646-4079 |
Advocates help victims navigate the criminal-justice process. |
Madison County Sheriff Phone Directory
Division |
Phone |
Use it for |
|---|---|---|
Emergency |
911 |
Immediate police, fire or medical emergency. |
Dispatch |
Non-emergency law-enforcement calls and Sheriff dispatch. |
|
Jail |
Current inmates, custody and jail-service questions. |
|
Records |
Case reports, crash reports, background checks and Records business. |
|
Investigations |
Investigative-division matters. |
|
Victim Advocates |
Crime-victim support and criminal-justice guidance. |
|
Chaplain |
Chaplain program information. |
|
Civil / Tax Warrant |
Civil papers, Sheriff sales and tax-warrant matters. |
- Identify the division that handles your task.
- Use the direct number rather than calling several offices.
- Have the case, report or inmate identifier ready when applicable.
- Use 911 only for an active emergency.
Madison County Jail and Inmate Information
The Madison County Jail is at 720 Central Avenue in Anderson. The jail handles adult offenders held in county custody and provides separate official pages for inmate inquiry, visitation, commissary, communication and programs.
The Sheriff’s jail page occasionally posts temporary maintenance notices for the online inmate inquiry. If the inmate-search page is unavailable and the information is time-sensitive, call the jail directly instead of assuming the person is not in custody.
- Choose Inmate Inquiry for current custody.
- Use Inmate Visitation for visit scheduling and rules.
- Use Inmate Commissary for deposit instructions.
- Use Inmate Communication for calls, voicemail, tablets and messages.
- Call 765-646-9285 when the live inquiry is down or the arrest is too recent to verify online.
Madison County Jail Visitation: Onsite and Remote
Madison County currently offers video visitation through visitation terminals and the Inmate Sales system. Visits must be scheduled at least two hours in advance.
Visit type |
Duration |
Current published price |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
Onsite friends & family |
20 minutes |
Free |
Daily, 9–11 a.m. and 1–4 p.m. |
Remote friends & family |
20 minutes |
$0.20 per minute plus applicable taxes |
Daily, including 7–11 p.m. remote window |
Onsite attorney |
20 minutes |
Free |
Subject to jail scheduling |
Remote attorney |
20 minutes |
$0.20 per minute plus applicable taxes |
Subject to jail scheduling |
- Use the linked Inmate Sales scheduling system.
- Create your own visitor account.
- Match the correct Madison County inmate.
- Choose onsite or remote visitation.
- Schedule at least two hours ahead.
- Review the current price and rules before confirming.
- Keep your valid state or federal photo ID ready for onsite visitation.
Rules that can end a visit
- Visitors must follow dress requirements.
- Nudity, sexual activity or sexually explicit behavior is prohibited.
- Illegal or gang-related activity is prohibited.
- Visitors appearing under the influence of drugs or alcohol can lose privileges.
- The registered account holder must remain present during the visit.
- Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an approved parent or guardian.
- Photography, videotaping and alternate recording devices are prohibited.
Madison County Jail Commissary Deposits
The Sheriff’s current commissary page identifies Access Corrections for online inmate deposits. The jail also provides an in-person kiosk in the lobby at 720 Central Avenue.
- Use the county’s Access Corrections link rather than a search advertisement.
- Create or sign in to the deposit account.
- Select the correct Madison County, Indiana facility.
- Match the inmate carefully.
- Review the deposit amount and provider fee.
- Save the transaction confirmation.
Madison County Inmate Phone Calls, Voicemail and Chirper Messages
The jail publishes telephone availability from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., except during lockdowns or when privileges are restricted.
Service |
Published information |
Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
Inmate telephone |
Available 7:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m. outside lockdown periods |
Telephone access is a privilege and can be restricted |
Calling account |
Combined Public Communications / 1-877-998-5678 |
Confirm provider information on the county page before funding |
Jail voicemail |
1-877-998-5678 |
Not a private legal-communication channel |
Chirper message |
$0.10 per message plus applicable taxes |
Privilege may be restricted |
Tablet |
Phone, education, law library, ebooks and other approved functions |
Availability can depend on jail status and discipline |
- Confirm the current telephone provider.
- Use the county-provided account link or telephone number.
- Choose the correct inmate and facility.
- Check current fees before adding money.
- Do not treat ordinary inmate calls or messages as confidential legal communication.
Mail restrictions noted by the jail
The inmate-communication page says inmate mail is inspected for contraband. Greeting cards are not accepted, and items that can be purchased through commissary—such as stamps and envelopes—may not be mailed into the facility.
Because the current public page does not clearly publish a complete incoming personal-mail address format, confirm the current mailing address with the jail before sending important correspondence.
Madison County Sheriff Records Division
The Records Division maintains Sheriff deputy reports, including crime and crash reports, and handles several other public-facing services.
Hours have an important 3:30 p.m. cutoff
The Records Division publishes office hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., but says visitors must arrive before 3:30 p.m. for gun permits, background checks, records requests and Sex/Violent Offender Registry business.
That half-hour difference matters if you are driving to Anderson late in the afternoon.
Payment methods
When a fee applies, Records currently accepts cash, money order, cashier’s check or credit/debit card. Card transactions carry a $1.75 service charge and identification is required. Personal checks are not accepted, and Records says payments cannot be accepted online or by telephone.
- Identify whether you need a case report, crash report or background check.
- Download the records-request form when requesting a public record.
- Prepare a copy of the requester’s state identification when required.
- Submit the form by the current approved route.
- Call Records before travelling if the request is unusual or time-sensitive.
Madison County Sheriff Crash Reports: $8 In Person or $12 Online
Crash reports completed by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department are currently available from Records for $8. The Sheriff’s official page also links an online purchase option priced at $12.
Method |
Published cost |
Best when… |
|---|---|---|
Records Division |
$8 |
You can use the local Records process and want the lower published fee. |
Online purchase |
$12 |
You prefer online access and the report is available through the linked service. |
Madison County Sheriff Adult Background Checks Cost $3
The Records Division currently offers adult background checks in person for a published fee of $3.
- A state ID or driver’s license is required.
- The service is performed during approved Records hours.
- The Sheriff does not accept third-party background-check requests through this local process.
- This local service should not automatically be treated as a complete state or federal criminal-history report.
Madison County Warrant Search Has a Published Update Delay
The Sheriff’s Department publishes a searchable active-warrant list. The official page includes a significant caution: there may be a 23-hour delay in updates.
That means an online result should not be treated as proof that a warrant is still active at this exact moment—or that no warrant exists simply because a very recent change has not yet appeared.
- Use the page’s search field to locate the name.
- Open the expanded row for additional details such as charge or bond when displayed.
- Remember the Sheriff’s published 23-hour update delay.
- Do not attempt to detain or confront a wanted person.
- Use the official Sheriff contact route when confirmation is necessary.
Madison County Sheriff Civil Division Is at the Government Center
The Civil Division is not located at the jail counter. It operates from the Madison County Government Center, 16 E 9th Street, Suite 305, Anderson.
The division handles services including subpoenas, protective orders, other legal papers and court orders. It also performs evictions, writs of assistance and replevins, collects certain delinquent state income/business taxes and conducts Sheriff sales.
Out-of-state civil paper service
The Sheriff’s current instructions publish a $60 fee for each person and/or address to be served when papers originate outside Indiana. The Sheriff states that this fee is waived for protective orders.
What to provide for service
- Three copies of all papers to be served.
- A fourth copy and self-addressed stamped envelope if an attorney wants a return copy.
- The complete name and address of the person to be served.
- Payment to the Madison County Clerk or proof of payment of the Sheriff service fee, as applicable.
The Civil Division says it does not accept service papers by email or fax.
- Determine whether the filing originated in Indiana or another state.
- Prepare the required number of copies.
- Confirm the service address.
- Review the payment requirement.
- Put the papers in the order listed by the Sheriff’s Civil Division.
- Deliver or mail them to 16 E 9th Street, Suite 305.
Madison County Sheriff Sales Are Online Through SRI
A Madison County Sheriff sale is a court-ordered foreclosure sale. The Sheriff’s current guidance says these sales are generally scheduled once each month on a Friday at 10:00 a.m.
Current sales are handled online through SRI, rather than at the foreclosed property.
- Read the Sheriff’s current sale procedure.
- Follow the official link to SRI.
- Select Madison County.
- Review the specific foreclosure listing and legal description.
- Read SRI’s payment requirements before bidding.
- Do not assume tax-sale rules apply to a Sheriff foreclosure sale.
Madison County Handgun-License Processing Starts With Indiana State Police
Indiana has offered a permitless-carry option for qualifying people since July 1, 2022, but residents may still apply for an Indiana License to Carry a Handgun.
The current application process begins with Indiana State Police—not by walking into the Sheriff office first.
Do you use the Sheriff or a city police department?
The Madison County Sheriff says residents inside a city’s incorporated limits generally use that city’s police department or town marshal for local processing. Residents outside city limits use the county Sheriff.
- Complete the state application online.
- Save the application number.
- Schedule electronic fingerprinting.
- Identify the correct local law-enforcement agency based on your residence.
- Complete the local processing step within the state’s required period.
- Use the ISP portal to follow the application status.
Madison County Sex and Violent Offender Registry
The Madison County Sheriff’s Records Division administers local Sex and Violent Offender Registry responsibilities for offenders living and/or working in Madison County.
- Open the Sex and Violent Offender Registry.
- Search the name or area you need.
- Compare identifying information carefully.
- Use the address-alert option when ongoing neighborhood notification is useful.
- Send tips through the official route rather than confronting an offender yourself.
Madison County Sheriff Victim Advocates
The Sheriff’s Department says its victim-advocate staff communicates with victims of crime and helps them navigate identification of suspects and possible involvement in court proceedings.
For custody-change notification when a defendant or offender is in a participating correctional system, use the official Indiana VINE/SAVIN service rather than repeatedly refreshing a jail page.
Other Madison County Sheriff Services Worth Knowing
Animal control
The Sheriff’s services page directs Madison County residents to 765-642-0221 regarding domestic strays handled through the department’s animal-control resources.
Chaplain program
Madison County’s chaplaincy program provides counseling and spiritual support to jail inmates and department personnel. The Sheriff says area churches also participate in jail and community outreach.
Inmate programs
Current jail programs listed by the Sheriff include HIP 2.0 enrollment assistance, faith-based services, recovery programming, Aspire Indiana services, Recovery Works and tablet-based education, legal research, books, self-help and employment resources.
Employment
The Sheriff publishes applications for positions including deputy sheriff, civilian jail officer, clerical staff, reserve deputy, special deputy and kitchen positions.
- Download the employment application.
- Complete it using the Sheriff’s instructions.
- Save the completed application for upload.
- Use the page’s official submission form.
- Use an active email address because the Sheriff requires email access for applicants.
Madison County Details That Are Easy to Miss
- Records and Civil are at different addresses. Records/Jail is at 720 Central Avenue; Civil is at 16 E 9th Street, Suite 305.
- Records closes at 4 p.m., but several walk-in services have a 3:30 p.m. arrival cutoff.
- Records does not accept personal checks.
- Records says it does not take payments online or by telephone.
- Crash-report prices differ by access method. The Sheriff’s page publishes $8 through Records versus $12 through the linked online service.
- The local adult background check is $3 and in person only. Third-party requests are not accepted.
- Warrant data can lag by up to 23 hours. Do not treat it as a real-time guarantee.
- Out-of-state civil service currently costs $60 per person/address. Protective-order service is fee-waived under the Sheriff’s published instructions.
- Onsite jail visits are free under the current schedule. Remote visits have a per-minute fee.
- Commissary and communication use different systems. Do not fund one account assuming it pays for the other.
Madison County Sheriff Office Locations and Map
Anderson, IN 46016
Dispatch: 765-642-0221
Jail: 765-646-9285
Records: 765-646-9290
Anderson, IN 46016
Phone: 765-646-9290
Fax: 765-646-9296
General hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
16 E 9th Street, Suite 305
Anderson, IN 46016
Phone: 765-641-9620
Civil paper contact: 765-641-9621
sheriff_recordsdivision@madisoncounty.in.gov
Do not email confidential personal, financial or medical information unless an official employee provides an approved secure method.
Madison County Sheriff Office FAQs
Where is the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Indiana?
The Madison County Sheriff’s Department, jail and Records Division are at 720 Central Avenue, Anderson, IN 46016. The Sheriff’s Civil Division is at the Madison County Government Center, 16 E 9th Street, Suite 305, Anderson.
What is the Madison County Sheriff non-emergency number?
The Sheriff’s non-emergency Dispatch number is 765-642-0221. Call 911 instead for an immediate police, fire or medical emergency.
How do I contact Madison County Jail?
Call Madison County Jail at 765-646-9285. Use the official Sheriff’s County Jail page for inmate inquiry, visitation, commissary, communication and program information.
How do I request a Madison County Sheriff incident report?
Use the Sheriff’s Records Division. The official page says public records and case-report requests may be submitted using the department request form by approved methods such as email, fax or in person, with a copy of the requester’s state ID when required. Records is at 720 Central Avenue and the telephone number is 765-646-9290.
How much is a Madison County Sheriff crash report?
The Sheriff’s current Records page publishes an $8 fee for a Madison County Sheriff crash report obtained from Records and $12 through the linked online purchase service.
How much is a Madison County Sheriff background check?
The Records Division currently publishes a $3 fee for an adult background check. The service is completed in person, photo identification is required and third-party requests are not accepted.
How do I search Madison County Indiana warrants?
Use the official Sheriff’s active-warrant page. The Sheriff warns that updates may be delayed by approximately 23 hours, so contact the responsible office when current legal status must be confirmed.
How do I schedule a Madison County Jail visit?
Use the Inmate Sales visitation route linked by the Sheriff. Visits must currently be scheduled at least two hours in advance. The county publishes both onsite and remote video-visitation options.
Where do I take civil papers for Madison County Sheriff service?
Take or mail service papers to Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Attn: Civil Process, 16 E 9th Street, Suite 305, Anderson, IN 46016. The Sheriff’s current instructions say civil service papers are not accepted by email or fax.
Are Madison County Sheriff sales the same as tax sales?
No. Madison County explains that Sheriff sales are court-ordered foreclosure sales, while tax sales involve unpaid real-estate taxes and are handled through the Treasurer’s process. Current Sheriff foreclosure sales are conducted online through SRI.
Primary Madison County and Indiana Resources
County-level Sheriff overview, locations and department information.
Open official county Sheriff pageJail, services, warrants, records, civil process and public-safety resources.
Open Sheriff Department websitePublic records, crash reports, background checks, gun-permit processing and offender-registry information.
Open Records DivisionCivil paper service, evictions, replevins, tax-warrant enforcement and related court-process work.
Open Civil DivisionState handgun-license application, fingerprints, permitless-carry information and application status.
Open Indiana firearms licensingEditorial review: official Madison County and Indiana sources were reviewed September 27, 2026. Telephone numbers, fees, office procedures, jail providers, visitation times, Sheriff-sale listings and warrant information can change.
Independent informational website: CountySheriffsOffice.org is privately operated and is not affiliated with Madison County, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police or another government agency.
Legal and privacy notice: arrest, jail and warrant information can contain allegations or temporary legal statuses rather than convictions. Juvenile, sealed, confidential, medical and otherwise protected information may not be publicly available.
Emergency notice: this website cannot contact law enforcement or emergency services for you. Call 911 when there is an immediate emergency.
Find Jail Info, Inmate Search Steps, Visitation Rules, Bond Help, Warrants and Official Sheriff Links
Use this free tool before calling a sheriff office, searching a jail roster, checking arrest records, visiting an inmate, asking about bond, requesting a report, or looking for official county sheriff resources. It does not collect names, case numbers, booking numbers, or personal information.
What sheriff office task do you need help with?
Choose your situation. The tool will suggest the safest next step, what to prepare, and which official resource to check first.
Start with the official sheriff or jail roster, confirm custody by phone only when needed, then check court records for hearings or case details.
Do not pay anyone who calls demanding gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or urgent warrant payment. Verify through official sheriff channels.
Inmate Search Step Helper
Use this before searching a jail roster or inmate lookup portal. It helps you choose the best search method and avoid wrong-person matches.
Bond, Release and Custody Status Helper
Use this to organize what to check before asking about bond, release timing, facility location or court status.
Visitation, Phone and Mail Checklist
Use this before planning a jail visit, video visit, inmate phone setup, commissary deposit, or mail delivery.
Warrant Information Safety Helper
Use this if you are trying to understand warrant information safely. This tool does not confirm warrants and does not provide legal advice.
Sheriff Report and Arrest Record Request Helper
Use this before requesting accident reports, incident reports, arrest records, jail records, public records or background-related information.
Sheriff Call / Warrant Payment Scam Checker
Use this if someone called, texted, emailed or messaged you claiming to be from a sheriff office, court, jail, deputy or warrant unit.
Official Sheriff Office Resource Finder
Enter county and state to create safe searches for official sheriff websites, jail rosters, inmate lookup, warrants, visitation, records requests, court records and this site’s guide.
Sheriff Office vs Court vs Jail
- Sheriff/Jail: custody, booking, jail roster, visitation, inmate mail, some warrants.
- Court/Clerk: case status, hearings, court records, fines, court dates.
- Attorney: legal advice, warrant risk, criminal charges, bond strategy.
Best sitewide placement
Add this tool after the first inmate-search or contact section, or before FAQs. It turns a normal guide into a practical action page.
Important safety note
This tool is educational only. It is not a sheriff office, jail, court, legal service, emergency service, or official records portal. For emergencies, call 911.