You may reach the Sheriff's Office by phone and be assisted by an operator at 713-755-5300. 

Jail Visitation Inquiry

In order to process your inquiry, please have the inmate’s SPN number or last name available.  
You may also need the inmate’s full name and date of birth.

To access inmate information for visitation: Click HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I make a cash bond?
  
  
• How do I make bond with a bail bond (surety) company?
  
  
• What are pre-trial and personal bonds?
  
  
• What can I mail to an inmate?
  
  
• What is Allowable to be Mailed?
  
  
• What are the Mailing Addresses for Inmates?
  
  
• What do I use for a mailing address to an inmate?
  
  
• How do I pay on fines and court costs for someone in jail?
  
  
• How do I pay fines and court costs after release from jail?
  
  
• How do I pay fines and courts costs for someone who was never in jail?
  
  
• How do I deposit money in an inmate’s account?
  
  
• What do I need to know about bringing property to an inmate?
  
  
• What do I need to do to picking up clothing and valuable property of an inmate?
  
  
• How do I get prescription glasses to an inmate?
  
  
• What medical care is available to inmates?
  
  
• What happens when a person in jail is sentenced to a Texas prison?
  
  
• How do I find out if a person is in jail?
  
  
• How do I find out the date of a court setting?
  
  
• When can I visit someone in jail? 
  
  
• What are the rules about jail visits?

General Information

How do I find out if a person is in jail?

Click Here to perform the Jail Visitation Inquiry to obtain this information
or call 713-755-5300.

How do I find out the date of a court setting?

Click Here to perform the Jail Visitation Inquiry to obtain this information
or call 713-755-5300.

Cash Bonds

• Cash bonds may be posted at the bonding window located on the first floor of the 49 North San Jacinto building.
  
  
• You may post a cash bond by paying the full amount of the bond in cash, by cashier’s check, or money order.
  
  
• You must have proper identification consisting of a valid state, or federal, ID card or driver’s license. All identification must bear depositor’s photo.
  
  
• If a defendant appears in court as scheduled, and the case is disposed of, the court will issue a refund order. All cash refunds are processed through the Harris County Auditor’s Office and take approximately ten to twelve weeks.
  
  
• The Harris County Sheriff’s Office will accept ALL nationally recognized money orders and cashier’s checks for the payment of fines and posting of bonds.
  
  
• Cashiers checks and money orders must be made payable to the “Harris County Sheriff’s Office”.
  
  
• Out-of-County Cash Bonds may be posted for another County’s charges. You will need a money order for the full amount of the Bond. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Bonding Division will instruct you on who to make the money order payable to at the time the bond is posted.
  
  
• No personal checks will be accepted.
  
  
• No change will be given.
  

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Surety Bonds

• You may post a surety bond with a bonding company.
  
  
• The bonding company will then post the bond for you.
  
  
• The bonding company will charge you a fee for this service.
  
  

• You may use any approved Harris County licensed bondsman for this service.
  
  

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Personal and Pre-Trial Bonds

• Release on a Pre-Trial bond means that the defendant is released from custody on his promise to appear on his court date.
  
  
• A judge is the only person who may grant a Pre-Trial or a defendant’s eligibility for a Pre-Trial bond.
  
  
• Pre-Trial Services is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It is located in the Criminal Justice Center, 1201 Franklin Street, Suite 1062. If you would like more information regarding a Pre-Trial bond, call 713-755-5175.
  

Inmate Mail and Mailing Addresses

Allowable through mail

• All inmate mail is searched upon receipt by the Sheriff’s Office.
  
  
• With prior permission, inmates may receive 3 magazine subscriptions and books directly from the publisher.
  
  
• Legal paperwork from attorneys may be received.
  
  
• No religious items, food, medicines, greeting cards, pens, pencils, markers, newspapers, envelopes, stamps, stickers, packages, or cash will be accepted through the mail.
  
  
• Religious items may be requested by the inmate through the chaplain’s department.
  
  
• Photographs will only be accepted if they are deemed not to be offensive, are not of a sexual nature, do not contain any gang references, and do not display guns, drugs or drug paraphernalia. Photographs shall not be larger that 5” X 7”.
  

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Mailing addresses

All correspondence addressed to inmates must include their SPN number and cellblock location.

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Inmate Medical Information

• A nurse medically screens all inmates at the time of being booked into jail. Those inmates requiring medication, or with injuries, will be sent to the clinic for evaluation and treatment prior to housing. A chest x-ray will be taken during the booking process to detect active Tuberculosis.
  
  
• After housing, the proper method for an inmate to access medical care is by completing an inmate request form and depositing it in the medical box provided for each cellblock. All inmates making such a request are evaluation within twenty-four hours of receipt of the request by a qualified health professional.
  
  
• An emergency condition, which threatens life, limb, or bodily functions, should be brought to the attention of the deputies. They will contact the clinic. The inmate will then be brought to the clinic by security personnel for evaluation and treatment.
  
  
• There are many specialty clinics held in the Medical Bureau of the jail directed by physicians from the University of Texas Medical School.
  
  
• However, some cases require referral to outside agencies for proper diagnosis and treatment. Appointment schedules are at the discretion of the referred agency.
  
  
• All medical information is confidential and will not be released over the telephone. A “release of information” form and signed “consent” forms are required to obtain any medical information.
  
  
• Medications brought to the jail are not usually accepted. However, methadone may be accepted from a methadone clinic under a court order for treatment of certain pregnant females.
  
  
• Prescription eyeglasses will be accepted at the Visitor Control Center of the jail where the inmate is housed. All property received at the Visitor Control Center -1200 Baker Street must be accompanied by an approved (approved by a Lieutenant or Sergeant) Inmate Request Form.
  

Fines, Court Costs, Inmate Accounts:

Fines, Costs for Persons in Jail

• To pay fines and court costs, go to the Central Records window #7, on the first floor of the 49 North San Jacinto Building. It is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week including holidays.
  
  
• Payment of the fines and/or court costs is required in cash, cashier’s checks, or money orders made payable to “Harris County Sheriff’s Office”.
  
  
• No personal checks are accepted.
  
  
• No change will be made.
  

Fines, Costs for Released Inmates

• Cashiers checks and money orders accepted for fines.
  
  
• The following cashier’s checks and money orders will be accepted for the payment of fines and the posting of bonds:
  
  
• The Harris County Sheriff’s Office will accept all nationally recognized money orders and cashier’s checks for the payment of fines or posting ofbonds.
  
  

• The cashier’s checks and money orders must be made payable to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. For out of county cash bond information, consult bonding information.
  
  

Fines, Cost for Persons Not in Jail

• Payments on monies owed are accepted 24 hours a day, seven days a week including holidays at the Central Records window #7 located on the first floor of the 49 North San Jacinto building.
  
  
• Payments are required in cash, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to “Harris County Sheriff’s Office”.
  
  
• No personal checks are accepted.
  
  

• No change will be made.
  

Inmate Trust Fund Deposits

• Information on the amount of money in an inmate’s trust fund account will not be given out.
  
  
• To deposit money by mail to the Inmate Trust Fund, follow these guidelines:
  
  
• No cash, personal items, or letters will be accepted with the deposit.
  
  
• All money orders and cashier’s checks sent for deposit must be filled out completely.
  
  
• The Inmate Trust Fund accepts the following financial instruments for deposit:
  
  

  Cashier’s checks drawn on any state or national bank.

  Western Union Quick Collects.

  U.S. Postal Money Orders and Western Union Money Orders

  
  
• Deposits should be made payable to the “Inmate Trust Fund”. The inmate’s name and SPN number should be noted on the money order or cashier’s check but, should not be placed on the “pay to the order of” line.
  
  
• Any cashier’s check or money order NOT made payable to the Inmate trust Fund will be returned to the sender.
  
  
• Mail Deposits to:




Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Inmate Trust Fund
1200 Baker Street
Houston, Texas 77002

Withdrawing Money

• If you wish to withdraw money from an inmate’s account, you must do so in person.
  
  
• The minimum withdrawal from the trust fund account of an inmate is $20.00.
  
  
• Money will be released only with the written consent of the inmate, and will be released only to immediate family members, the attorney of record, or a bondsman. You must have a valid sate or federal ID card or drivers license to withdraw money. The identification used must have a photograph of the person requesting the money.
  
  
• Money may be withdrawn 7 days a week during the following hours:
  

7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
11:00 PM - 5:00 AM

Picking Up or Dropping Off Inmate Property

Bringing property

• Court clothing for all inmates may be brought to the Inmate Processing Center at 1201 Commerce Street, Sunday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The inmate’s SPN number is required to drop off court clothing.
  
  
• Court Clothing will be accepted no more than two days before the inmate is scheduled to go to court. No tennis shoes underwear or t-shirts will be accepted as court clothes.
  
  
• Only one set of court clothes will be stored at one time. If a second set is brought for the inmate, the first must be picked up. To exchange the court clothes, you must have the white court clothes receipt along with a valid driver’s license. All identification must have the bearers photograph. Court clothing will only be released to the same person that dropped it off.
  
  
• We no longer accept tennis shoes for inmates at any of our facilities.

• If you are notified to pick up missing property such as, clothes, purses, etc., it may be reclaimed at the Inmate Processing Center located at 1201 Commerce Street from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday-within 30 days from date of the notification.
  
  
• To reclaim court clothes, you must have the white court clothing receipt along with a valid state or federal ID card or driver’s license. All identification must contain the bearer’s photograph. Court clothing will only be released to the same person who dropped it off. Court clothes may be picked up 7 days a week, 24 hours a day within 10 days from the last court date-except for females.
  
  
• To claim clothing for inmates that were transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, you must have the white notification card that was mailed to the person the inmate requested to claim his/her clothing. This clothing may be picked up 7 days a week 24 hours a day within 14 days from the date on the card.
  
  
• The person picking up the property must have a valid state identification or Driver’s License. All identification must contain the bearer’s photograph.
  
  
• Valuable Property and/or Bulk Property of prisoners/inmates incarcerated at one of the Harris County Jails may have his/her property released to whomever he/she requests. Valuable Property consists of such items as car keys, credit cards, wallets, jewelry and other small items of value. Bulk Property consists of large items such as purses, backpacks, etc. Property will be released only to the person the prisoner/inmate requests.
  
  
• To have property released, the prisoner/inmate must complete a request form, requesting to have his/her property released. This request form should be given to the night shift supervisor on the inmate’s housing floor and a property release card is then completed. Once the property release card is completed, the supervisor will make a photocopy of the release card and return the copy to the prisoner/inmate so he/she can mail it to the person they are requesting to retrieve their property. Once the person receives the photocopy of the release card in the mail, he/she may pick up the property from 1201 Commerce Street. This property may be claimed 7 days a week, 24 hours a day until 30 days from date on card.
  
  
• The person picking up the property must have a valid state, or federal identification card or a driver’s license. All identification must contain the bearer’s photograph.
  
  
• Shift change could affect time spent waiting for property. It is to your benefit not to come during the hours of 5:30 A.M.-6:00 A.M., 1:30 P.M.-2:00 P.M., and 9:30 P.M.-10:00 P.M.

Sentencing to the Texas Department of Corrections

• Any inmate sentenced to serve time in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division, will be transferred as soon as the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has notified this Department of bed space availability. The T.D.C.J. Main Information Line is
  936-437-8035.
  
  
• For information concerning an inmate parole status, telephone the Houston office of the Parole Division at 713-685-7100.
  

Visitation Hours and Rules

• Attorneys may visit any jail location 24 hours a day. No ministers visits at any jail location from 12:30 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. daily.
  

Visitation Rules

• Visitors must have valid state or federal ID card or drivers license. All identification must contain bearers photograph.
  
  
• Children sixteen years old, or younger, do not need identification when a parent or legal guardian accompanies them.
  
  
• People seventeen years old, or older, must have proper identification to visit.
  
  
• Children may not be left unattended at any time while visiting.
  
  
• No purses, bags, pocketknives, weapons, cellular phones, or recording devices of any kind are allowed.
  
  
• No items may be left unattended in the lobby area.
  
  
• Only one visit allowed per inmate per day.
  
  
• A visit may consist of up to two adults and two children.
  
  
• An inmate must be in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office for at least twenty-four hours before they can receive their first visit.
  
  
• Proper, modest dress: No tank or tube tops.
  
  
• Shorts no shorter than the knees. Peddle pushers or capri pants are acceptable. No revealing, see- through or suggestive type clothing. No revealing, sleeveless tops. Skirts/dresses must be knee length or longer. No spandex or tights unless covered to the knees.
  
  
• No food, packages, mail, cigarettes, nor photographs may be left for any inmate.
  
  
• Visits to inmates at hospitals must be Pre-approved by personnel at the Medical Division, phone number 713-755-9205.
  
  
• Click here to obtain jail visitation information.