Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Inmate Visitation

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility

Address:
150 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110

Phone:

408-299-2305

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility VISITATION SCHEDULE, POLICIES & GUIDELINES

150 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110

Visitation Questions: Monday-Friday (8am-5pm) 408-299-3438

REGISTRATION and APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Everyone wishing to visit a Santa Clara Main Jail Facility inmate must first register and apply for permission.
  • If you are unable to register online, you must print out, and fill in this form, them mail it in to:
    Department of Correction Main Jail Facility
    Attn: Visiting Office
    150 W. Hedding Street
    San Jose, CA 95110
  • The Online Visitor Registration (OVR) system approval process may take up to seven business days to complete. A valid email address must be provided in order for you to receive notification of your application’s approval status.   
    If you do not have a valid email address, call 408-808-2804, after a seven-day waiting period, to check on your application status. Responses by telephone may be delayed.  
  • Scoll down for the section that is titled Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Visitation Application Process for further instructions, as well as reasons for denial, and the appeal process.
  • If you are already registered at one facility, even if it was at a previous time, you can use the same registration to schedule visits here.

INMATE VISITS - Read carefully!

  • Inmates are allowed two 60-minute visits per week.
  • Up to two (2) adults may visit. Each adult will receive a 30-minute visits.
  • Check in is 30 minutes before the scheduled visit. 
  • Adult visitors must have a government picture ID.
  • Children who are 18 years or older will be counted as adults and must have their own account/register in the OVR system.
  • Children must be biologically related to the Adult visitor or the inmate.
    A reasonable number of children may visit as long as they are constantly supervised and remain well behaved.  
    An original and/or notarized birth certificate is required for each child at the time of each visit. 
  • Visitors may bring in one car key, and if with infant – one diaper, a reasonable amount of wipes and one pre-mixed formula/white milk bottle per child. 
  • Don't wear jewelry, a bra with a metal wire, or any metal, as you have to pass through a metal detector.
DAY STARTING TIMES
SUNDAY 7:00 am, 8:10 am, 9:20 am
10:30 am, 2:00 pm
3:10 pm, 4:20 pm
MONDAY 8:10 am, 9:20 am
10:30 am, 2:00 pm
3:10 pm, 4:20 pm
TUESDAY 8:10 am, 9:20 am
10:30 am, 2:00 pm
3:10 pm, 4:20 pm
WEDNESDAY NO VISITS
THURSDAY 8:10 am, 9:20 am
10:30 am, 2:00 pm
3:10 pm, 4:20 pm
FRIDAY 8:10 am, 9:20 am
10:30 am, 2:00 pm
3:10 pm, 4:20 pm
SATURDAY 7:00 am, 8:10 am, 9:20 am
10:30 am, 2:00 pm
3:10 pm, 4:20 pm

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility requires all visitors to register prior to visiting an inmate. 

Your application, meaning you, will be reviewed by staff, who will ether approve you or deny you the right to visit an inmate.

Reasons for denial to visit an inmate in the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility:

  • You were in our custody within the past 60 days.
  • You have an open or pending court case.
  • You have been convicted of a felony and served time in state prison. It is a felony to be on jail grounds without written consent from the Commander (California Penal Code 4571).
  • You were convicted of a misdemeanor within the past 3 years.
  • You have a No Contact Restraining Order involving the inmate you wish to visit.
  • You are on probation or parole.
  • You have an active warrant.
  • You are currently out on bail for an open or pending court case.
  • You have previous convictions for violence, assaultive behavior, sexual offenses or offenses committed while in custody.
  • Any other factor that causes the Sheriff’s Office to deem granting visitation a risk to facility and staff safety and security.
  • Approval or denial of any visitor is at the discretion of jail administration.

The Santa Clara County Jail Staff can't give you the reason you were denied, but if any of the reasons apply to you but believe you should be given special consideration, you can request reconsideration by writing a letter with explanation to:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Jail Commander
County of Santa Clara | Office of the Sheriff | Custody Bureau
150 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, California 95110

In your letter please include your full name, date of birth, driver’s license / ID#, your current address, telephone number. These are the instructions for writing a letter to the Facility Commander 


 

Can I visit an inmate in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility custody?

Yes, Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, as well as all jails, allow you to visit an inmate.

By federal law, every jail must make provisions for offenders in custody, whether they are pretrial or convicted and sentenced, to receive visits from friends or family. 

Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.   Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.

Before visiting, your inmate will have to have put you on an ‘inmate visitor’s list.' Jails can limit this approved list to as few as five people to as many as twenty.

The jail will most likely run a targeted background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.

There are three different types of visitation:

•    Video visitation 
•    In-person non-contact visitation
•    Contact visitation

For security and staffing reasons, many jails have switched to video visitation only. Video visitation, also referred to as remote visitation, is monitored and recorded by the facility. Video visits can either take place using kiosks in the jail’s lobby, from your computer at home, or using an app on your phone.

Most jails, now that the COVID pandemic is behind us, have gone back to ‘in-person non-contact visitation’ even if they have also retained the video visitation programs. In-person visitation takes place in a booth of sorts, with a thick plastic shield separating the inmate and their visitor. Communication is done using old-fashioned telephone receivers like you see in phone booths.

Contact visitation between inmates and visitors in jails is rare. New York is one state that allows this. In a few other states, inmates who have been sentenced for non-violent offenses and are close to being released, may sometimes be allowed contact visits with special permission. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit.

Contact visits are also often allowed between inmates and their lawyer, law enforcement officials, and clergy. The downside of any contact visit is that before returning to their units, inmates must undergo a full strip search, which is demoralizing and invasive.

Can I visit an inmate in state prison custody?

Yes, prisons allow you to visit an inmate. Every state has their own limits on the minimum amount of time an inmate is allowed to have for visits from friends or family, however in federal prison, inmates are allowed a minimum of four hours per month.

Once an offender is sentenced to prison, your inmate will have to fill out a document listing you as an approved visitor. If you are not on this list you will not be allowed to visit.

The prison will then run a background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.

Most prisons allow anywhere from ten to twenty approved visitors per inmate, however each visit is limited to no more than four visitors at a time, children included. The list is compiled by the inmate.

Prisons have always allowed contact visits. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit. Some state prisons allow inmates and their visitor to hold hands, as long as the hands are on the table where the guards can see them.

However, given the ongoing problem of contraband - namely drugs and tobacco - being smuggled into the prisons by visitors, even the state prisons are moving to non-contact and video visitation. One way the visitors pass drugs to inmates is when they kiss. The drugs, wrapped in a small balloon, are then swallowed by the inmate who passes them through their digestive system later in the privacy of their cell.

What are the scheduled Inmate visitation times at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility?

The jail visitation times change often.  It is advisable to contact the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility before planning your visit by calling 408-299-2305.

If the visit is taking place at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, whether in-person or by video, you will have to schedule the day and time with the jail.

Video visitation times from your home are much more flexible, often because you are not utilizing on of the few terminals in the jail lobby, and because the companies that handle the video visitation for the jail are providing inmates with hand-held computers, in addition to the video terminals they have in their units. 

We try to keep up with the visitation schedules for Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the schedule, you will find it on the top of this page.

How often can an inmate get visits?

Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility, including Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.   

Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.

Some jails require you to make an appointment one week in advance. Others require no appointment and work off the principle of ‘first come, first served’.

Every jail is different, and schedules can change; sometimes due to an emergency, the visit can be cancelled without notice, the moment you arrive at the jail.

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Visitation

We try to keep up with the visitation policies and schedules for Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on the top of this page.

How long is a typical jail inmate’s visit?

An inmate visit can range from 15 minutes to an hour in length. We try to keep up with the visitation information for Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on this page.

Typically, even though an inmate’s visit has a time limit, if you are visiting remotely from your home computer or cell phone, visits can be scheduled led back-to-back, so that even though your visit may have to start and stop every 15-30 minutes, you could visit with each other for hours at a time.

Keep in mind that video visits of this type do have a fee, as you are paying a third-party company. Prices fluctuate, based both on the company and the jail’s policy, but they typically cost about $0.30+- per minute.

How many people can visit an inmate at a jail or prison at one time?

Every jail makes its own policies regarding how many people can visit an inmate at one time. 

The factors that decide on the number of visitors are:

1.    How many people can fit into the visitation area comfortably.
2.    How many staff can oversee the visitation area.
3.    The more people visiting an inmate the more likely that if there is an argument, it is harder to control.

Most jails limit the number of visitors to no more than three or four, with a maximum of two of them being adults.

When doing a video visit from home, there is no limit on how many people can take part in a visit.

What are the inmate visitation rules for Santa Clara Main Jail Facility?

Every jail and every prison have their own unique set of rules that must be followed when visiting an inmate, but in general, these are the guidelines:

Most important, you must first be on the inmate's approved visitation list that they create.

•    Expect to have a background check done.
•    Expect to be searched, go through a metal detector or pass a drug sniffing dog.
•    You must be at least 18 years of age. 
•    You must have a valid, government issued photo ID.
•    Recently released inmates are either not allowed or must wait 6-12 months before being approved.
•    Felons must get special permission.
•    Children are allowed but must be with parent(s) or legal guardian. Birth certificate(s) or other legal proof is mandatory.
•    Often babies are not allowed, but if they are, you will be allowed one diaper, one bottle and one teething ring, and maybe a baby carrier.
•    Parents must be always in control of children.
•    You must stay seated at all times.
•    You cannot be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
•    No arguments, loud voices or fighting allowed.
•    No cell phones or any electronic equipment allowed.
•    No cigarettes, drugs, lighters allowed.
•    No purses, handbags or backpacks allowed.
•    No weapons allowed.
•    It is likely that your ID and your car key will be the only things allowed on the visit.

What are the inmate visitation dress codes for Santa Clara Main Jail Facility?

In general, all jails and prisons are the same when it comes to dress codes and what you are NOT allowed to wear to a visit. The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility is no different.

Jails and prisons don’t want you wearing anything too revealing or too gangster. Here are some of the other types of clothing NOT allowed:

•    Shorts
•    Short skirts or dresses
•    Long skirts or wrap around skirts
•    Sleeveless clothing
•    Low cut shirts or dresses.
•    Underwire bras
•    Skirts or dresses with slits.
•    Sweats or leggings.
•    Tank tops or wife beater shirts.
•    Excess jewelry
•    Hats or headbands
•    See-through clothing
•    Pajamas
•    Sunglasses
•    Wigs or toupees
•    Uniforms or scrubs
•    Heels over 1”

What can I bring to visit an inmate in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility?

In general, the only thing you can bring into an inmate in a jail is either your ID and your car key, or if they have lockers, you can bring in the locker key. 

Prisons are a different story. Typically, prisons have vending machines in the visitation area and allow visitors to bring in a clear plastic purse with coins in it, usually totaling no more than $40.00.

What do I have to wear when visiting an inmate?

Refer to the answer above that explains the dress codes, but in general, if want to know what to wear to visit someone in jail, imagine you are visiting someone’s grandmother for the first time… wear that outfit.

Can we hold hands, hug or kiss during inmate visits?

There are no jails in the United States that allow contact visits as a matter of regular policy, except for jails in the state of New York. Thus, the concept of holding hands, kissing or hugging is not relevant.

On the other hand, prisons do allow contact visitors from friends and family. When this is the case, a brief kiss or hug (or handshake) is allowed at the start of the visit and the end of the visit. Holding hands above the table is sometimes allowed in prisons, but not in jails.

Can friends visit inmates in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, or just family?

By law, every inmate is entitled to a visitor, whether family or friend. The only exception to that is youths that are being held in secure juvenile detention centers. The only people allowed to visit them are parents, grandparents, legal guardians, and in some cases, siblings.

In addition, they are also allowed visits from probation officers, lawyers and their caseworkers.

What is a video visit?

Video visitation, also known as remote visitation, is quickly becoming the preferred method for visiting an inmate in jail or prison for the following reasons:

•    It requires little to no staff, versus the staff required to move inmates to and from the visit and watch over the visit. It saves the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility money.
•    It removes any opportunity for contraband (drugs) to enter the facility.
•    It can become a profit center for the facility, given that the revenue generated by visits is shared with the jail.
•    While inmates prefer to see family and friends in person, video visitation allows them to visit with them more often, and on a whim.
•    Video visitation gives the inmates and their visitors the feeling of more privacy.

Video visitation from the perspective of the visitor allows them to visit from their home, their car, at work, and even allows them to take their device to a family or religious gathering. It allows them to give their inmate the feeling of belonging and not being forgotten.

Video visitation can take place on a computer, a tablet or a phone. 

Video visitation saves time. Instead of spending hours driving to the jail, checking in, filling out paperwork, potentially being searched, waiting, and then having a 15–30-minute visit, if it isn’t cancelled at the last minute, the visit can be done from anywhere during a short break in the visitor’s day.

If the visitor does not have access to a phone or computer, they can make an appointment ahead of time and use terminals in the lobby of the jail.

You must also be on the inmate's approved list, even for a video visit.

What are the companies that work with the jails and prisons that allow video visits?

There are several different companies that contract with all the jails and prisons that allow video visitation:

These are the companies in alphabetical order:

CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Correct Solutions Group
Correct Pay
Ctel
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
IC Solutions
Inmate Canteen
Inmate Sales
iwebvisits
JailATM
Jpay
Gettingintouch (netvisit)
NCIC
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tiger Services
Visitel
In addition, some jails use Microsoft Meeting and Zoom.

What is a conjugal visit?

A conjugal visit is a visit where the inmate is allowed to spend anywhere from several hours to a full weekend with their spouse. These visits are private, not recorded, and take place in a building, and an area of the prison away from the general population.

The purpose of the conjugal visit is to keep the inmate’s relationship with their spouse strong. Some conjugal visits also include the inmate’s children. A swing set and other recreational activities are available for the children to keep occupied.

There are no jails in the United States where conjugal visits are allowed, however the state prisons in California, Connecticut, Washington and New York all allow conjugal visits.

To be eligible, you need to be married, in good standing with the prison, have taken courses that prepare the inmates for these type of visits, and other requirements.

What jails or prisons allow conjugal visits?

Only California, Connecticut, Washington and New York state prisons allow conjugal visits. There are no jails in the United States that allow conjugal visits.

Other countries are much more liberal and some even allow prostitutes to visit the inmates on a weekly basis.

What can I do to appeal if my inmate visits are suspended?

An inmate can get their visitation privileges suspended for their behavior both because of their interactions with staff and inmates, or disobeying policy, or because of their behavior during visitation.

A visitor can get their visitation privileges suspended due to their behavior during an inmate visit or if they violate any of the rules and regulations of inmate visits and/or other jail policies such as mail, phone, email, etc.

If either the inmate or their visitor disagrees with the suspension of their visitation privileges, they need to write a letter explaining their position to the Jail Warden, County Sheriff or the Captain in charge of the facility’s visitation.

Address the letter to:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility
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The letter should contain the following:

•    Inmate’s full name they were booked under and their Inmate ID# (booking #, etc.). If you know the Unit # and cell #, write that as well.
•    The visitor’s (you) full name, Identification Card number (driver's license, state ID, passport, etc.), home address, telephone number and email address.
•    Explanation of what occurred that led to the suspension, including the date, time, who was the staff member present, whether it was a face-to-face visit or video visit.
•    Why do you believe the suspension was unwarranted.
•    A full-blown apology if it was accidental.
•    Why it’s important to the inmate to continue visitation.
•    What type of suspension you agree to if it happens again.

You should also offer to come to the jail and present your case face-to-face if they are open to the request. It is harder to turn down a person when they are directly in front of you, asking for your help.

In situations like this it is always best to keep the correspondence cordial, professional and detailed. Do not attack the staff member personally. It is always possible that the staff member was having a bad day or was still feeling anxiety or anger from dealing with a previous issue.

Being a correctional officer in a jail or prison is a very difficult thing. They have be ‘on guard’ against physical attacks, manipulations, lies and really bad behavior at all times. They are ‘the enemy’ and they know it. By putting yourself in their shoes when writing or requesting a suspension be reconsidered, goes a long towards a final resolution that you will be pleased with.

Can I visit an inmate in the if I have a criminal record?

In most jails it is required that you fill out a visitation application prior to visiting an inmate. You also have to be approved to be a visitor by the inmate. Even when visiting by video, you will need to give your personal information which includes your driver’s license or state ID number. 

The jail will use this information to do a quick background check on you to see if you have a criminal history or have any outstanding active warrants.

It is most likely that you will also be asked on the application form if you have ever been arrested, been convicted, or spent time in the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility. If the answer is yes, they will want details, dates, etc.   If you lie about this and get caught, you will lose your right to visits for a period.  This is usually between one year and indefinitely.

If you are a convicted felon, you will have to apply directly to the sheriff. If you are a spouse, child or parent, you have a pretty good chance of getting approved than if you are just a friend. On the other hand, on rare occasions, some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow felons to visit.

If you recently did time in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, it is most likely that you will not be approved for a visit for a period of six to twelve months, starting on the day of your release. It is rare, but some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow previous inmates to visit, even if your previous conviction was for a misdemeanor.

What if I have a criminal record and the inmate is my child, can I still visit?

As explained in the previous answer, there are generally multiple hoops you must jump through in order to be approved to visit an inmate, if you have a criminal record, specifically if you are a convicted felon, or have recently spent time as an inmate in the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility.

However, if you are a parent of a child in jail, that is one of the rare times that the jail will make an exception and allow you to visit.

Can a juvenile in jail or detention get visits?

Juvenile visits are limited to parents, legal guardians and grandparents. Sometimes siblings are allowed, but this is not always the case. If the caseworker or staff of the facility believe that it's in the best interests of the resident to have siblings visit, it will be approved.

Can children visit inmates in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility?

Most jails will allow inmates to receive visits from their children, however if the child is under age 18, they will need to be accompanied by an adult. Further the adult must be able to legally prove their relationship to the child using either a valid birth certificate, adoption papers or paperwork that proves they are the legal guardian.

If there is a ‘no contact’ order in place in which the inmate has lost their parental rights, and this is not disclosed to the jail, then the inmate may lose visitation rights with other visitors or lose other privileges within the jail, as this is a violation of the law.

Because the presence of children can be a distraction for inmates during visitation, and children require a certain number of things (toys, etc.) to keep them busy, many jails are now setting apart certain days, usually on the weekends, for children to visit.

Children also have to be on the inmate's approved visitor list.

To confirm the visitation rules at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility regarding child visits, call 408-299-2305 to speak to a staff member.

Are babies allowed to visit inmates at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility?

Most jails do allow babies to visit. They will require a birth certificate. And given the baby’s needs, they allow the parent to bring in extra items to the visitation room; an extra diaper, a few wipes, a clear bottle with fluid, a pacifier and a baby carrier, for example.

There are some jails however that never allow babies in the visiting room. The cutoff age is usually about two years old.

To confirm the visitation rules at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility regarding baby or infant visits, call 408-299-2305 to speak to a staff member.

How do I check to see if I have a criminal record?

Most people already know if they have a criminal record. Sometimes they do, but it does not show up on a background check. This is usually because the person has undergone a name change at some point, or the name was misspelled when the data was entered by the court. 

The best place (and least expensive) for the most comprehensive nationwide website to find out if you have a criminal record is privaterecords.net, and they only cost $1.00 for 7-day trial.  

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Visitation Application Process

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility requires all visitors to register prior to visiting an inmate. 

Your application, meaning you, will be reviewed by staff, who will ether approve you or deny you the right to visit an inmate.

Reasons for denial to visit an inmate in the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility:

  • You were in our custody within the past 60 days.
  • You have an open or pending court case.
  • You have been convicted of a felony and served time in state prison. It is a felony to be on jail grounds without written consent from the Commander (California Penal Code 4571).
  • You were convicted of a misdemeanor within the past 3 years.
  • You have a No Contact Restraining Order involving the inmate you wish to visit.
  • You are on probation or parole.
  • You have an active warrant.
  • You are currently out on bail for an open or pending court case.
  • You have previous convictions for violence, assaultive behavior, sexual offenses or offenses committed while in custody.
  • Any other factor that causes the Sheriff’s Office to deem granting visitation a risk to facility and staff safety and security.
  • Approval or denial of any visitor is at the discretion of jail administration.

The Santa Clara County Jail Staff can't give you the reason you were denied, but if any of the reasons apply to you but believe you should be given special consideration, you can request reconsideration by writing a letter with explanation to:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Jail Commander
County of Santa Clara | Office of the Sheriff | Custody Bureau
150 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, California 95110

In your letter please include your full name, date of birth, driver’s license / ID#, your current address, telephone number. These are the instructions for writing a letter to the Facility Commander 


 

Who Can Visit an Inmate in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility

Anyone over the age of 18, who is not a convicted felon or on probation and can show a valid government-issued photo ID can be approved to visit an inmate.

Visitation applicants in Santa Clara County County will go undergo a background check based on the information provided during registration. It is a criminal offense for a convicted felon to be on penal facility property without written permission from the division commander.  

This jail allows up to two adults to visit during the visiting hour, but they must share the visit with each person getting 30 minutes.

A reasonable number of the inmate or visitor’s minor children are allowed to visit as long as the adult visitor is able to maintain control of the children during the visit.

Children under age 18 must be accompanied by the parent or legal guardian. You must bring an original or a notarized copy of each child’s birth certificate.

Call 408-299-3438 to ask specific questions about this policy or click here for any updates to this policy.

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility will deny visitation to anyone with a past felony conviction regardless of probation/parole status unless you get permission from the watch commander to be approved. Call 408-299-3438 prior to arriving for the specific jail guideline regarding your legal status.

If you are a co-defendant with the inmate in a pending case, your visit will be denied.

If you and the inmate are under a court order to have no contact with each other, your visit will be denied.

The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility reserves the right to deny any person the right to enter the jail it chooses and for any reason.

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Visitation Dress Code

The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility staff reserves the right to turn anyone away who is not dressed appropriately for a visit.
The best way to be sure the visit takes place is to dress as if you are meeting someone's grandmother for the first time. 

  • Wear clothes that are not revealing.
  • Don't wear see-through material.
  • Have all undergarments covered (males and females) and avoid a lot of cleavage.
  • Shorts and skirts should reach mid-thigh.
  • Sleeves should be at least half-way to your elbow.

The following types of clothing are also prohibited:

  • Clothing promoting gang affiliation.
  • Anything displaying drugs, weapons or profanity.
  • Clothing depicting anything obscene.

Call 408-299-3438 to ask specific questions about the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Visitation Dress Code guidelines.

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Visitation Tips, Rules and Guidelines

Jail visits are conducted in person behind plexi-glass.

Leave all personal belongings, except for your state ID in your vehicle or in a locker (if one is provided).

Children must be monitored at all times or jail staff will end the visit early.

You can schedule a visit from three days to one hour before your desired visitation time.

Staff will accommodate all jail visits on a first come – first served basis.

Call 408-299-3438 or click here to go to the jail's official website for additional Rules regarding Santa Clara Main Jail Facility visitation.

How do you Deposit Money in a Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Inmate's Account?

There are five ways to deposit money in an inmate's account in the Santa Clara County Jail system:

  • Mailing a payment - Money Orders or Cashiers Checks only.
  • Cash or Credit Card Deposit by Kiosk in Jail Facility Lobbies.
  • Online Deposits Using Touchpay.
  • Deposit by Phone Using Touchpay - Call 866-232-1899 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Depositing Money in a Touchpay Retail Location 

To use any of these methods, you need:

- Main Jail Facility Location Number: 295110
- Inmate’s name
- Inmate’s inmate's booking number (CEN#)

1.  Mailing a Payment
Sending an inmate a Money Order or Cashiers Check by mail... no government checks, personal checks, etc.

**Important Notes**
The money order must be payable to the Santa Clara County Department of Correction.
They must include the inmate’s name + PFN number and sender’s contact information (in case there is no record of the inmate or the inmate has been released).
Mail without a return address will be rejected.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department reserves the right to decline or return deposits that violate Department Policies.

Mailing Address:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility
885 North San Pedro Street
San Jose, CA 95110

2.  Dropping off a payment - Depositing money in the Jail Lobby Kiosk
When dropping off an inmate's money in person, the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility kiosk will only accept:

  • Cash (nothing smaller than $5 bill)
  • Visa, Mastercard

Location to drop off inmate money:
150 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110

  • To either deposit money into an Inmate’s Trust Account that is incarcerated in the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility or to pick-up money from an inmate’s account in person, you MUST bring a valid governmental issued ID with photo) with you.

3. Online Deposit Using Touchpay - Visa, Mastercard only.

4. Deposit over the phone using Touchpay by calling 866-232-1899 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

5. Depositing Money in a Touchpay Retail Machine (Machine Locator)

For complete information on depositing money in an Santa Clara County inmate's account using the phone, online, by mail or in person, check out our Inmate Money page.


 

Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.

Envelopes
The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility
885 North San Pedro Street
San Jose, CA 95110



Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility
885 North San Pedro Street
San Jose, CA 95110



Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.

Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.

Books
The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.


All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Santa Clara Main Jail Facility
885 North San Pedro Street
San Jose, CA 95110


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

How Inmates Can Use a Tablet to Access Services at Santa Clara Main Jail Facility

To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:

1.  First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL

2.  Purchase the services you want for your Santa Clara Main Jail Facility inmate.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Communicate with an Santa Clara Main Jail Facility Inmate by Mail and by Email

To mail or email an inmate in Santa Clara County follow these steps:

When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:

  • All mail sent to an inmate at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of the envelope or postcard.
  • All mail must include the facility's address, as well as the inmate's name and assigned number.
  • Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and your letter destroyed.
  • The Santa Clara Main Jail Facility has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations. 
  • All the information you need to understand mail and email policies can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.

Emailing Messages & Photos

Facility_name_1} contracts with GTL GettingOut, the same service that handles iInmate Phone Systems and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
 
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.

Then use the Facility Finder to:
1.  Select Santa Clara Main Jail Facility,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.

  • Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.  
  • After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message.  Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
  • You can also send your Santa Clara County inmate photos and videos.

Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call   866-516-0115

Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.

All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for Santa Clara County can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.


 

How to Deposit Money into an Inmate's Account in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility

To deposit money into the account of an inmate in Santa Clara County, follow these instructions:

  • Create an account with Touchpay Services, a GTL company.
  • Select California.
  • Select Santa Clara Main Jail Facility
  • Enter the Inmate ID of your inmate.  This can be found by calling 408-299-2305 or by looking up the inmate's name in the Inmate Search link.
  • Enter your billing information and send money.
  • You can also deposit cash using the kiosk at the Santa Clara Main Jail Facility.  To do this you need the Inmate's ID Number and the Facility Locator Number for Santa Clara County.

For all the information you need regarding making an inmate deposit, what it costs, how much you can send, how long it takes for your inmate to receive funds and more, and to get the Facility Locator Number, check out our Send Money Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Santa Clara County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility follow these steps:

  • Register here to create an account with icaregifts for Santa Clara County.
  • Choose California, then Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, and then the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Santa Clara County at any one time.
  • There are a total of fourteen (14) pre-determined icaregift packs available to choose from. 
  • The gift packs for inmates in Santa Clara County range in price from $10.49 for ten pre-stamped envelopes, 2 pens and a pad of writing paper, to $104.99 for a box of 85 snack and food items.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Santa Clara Main Jail Facility, as well as sending money to the inmate so that they can purchase their own items, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Santa Clara County.


 

Photos of this facility
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