Anyone seeking inmate information can call the 350-bed Santa Cruz County Main Jail 24 hours a day at 831-454-7800.
This facility takes in adults arrested in the county on misdemeanor and felony charges for booking and processing. Inmates stay in custody until they post bond, are released on their own recognizance, or until their trial is concluded, depending on the charges against them.
The inmate search tool displays the facility’s roster of people currently in custody.
Those convicted and sentenced to less than a year remain at the jail to serve their sentence. Those sentenced to more than a year are transferred to the California State Prison System or the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
This page includes details on the visitation schedule, funding an inmate’s account, sending mail, phone calls, voicemail, email and texting, tablet rentals, bail bond instructions, and commissary orders.
Get the inmate’s booking number or jail ID and keep it. You’ll need it for most correspondence. If it’s not online, Santa Cruz County Main Jail can provide it at 831-454-7800.
Phone: 831-454-7800
Physical Address:
259 Water Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & ID or S Number
Smart Communications-Santa Cruz County Jail-CA
P.O. Box 9143
Seminole, FL 33775-9143
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & ID or S Number
Santa Cruz County Jail
259 Water Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Other Jails and Prisons
An inmate’s charges, bond amount, visitation eligibility, and mugshot are all available through the Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Official Jail Inmate Roster. If you need more information, call the jail at 831-454-7800. You can also find courthouse locations for Santa Cruz County and the rest of California’s counties.
Santa Cruz County Main Jail Inmate Search
Want to find out whether there’s a warrant for your arrest in Santa Cruz County or anywhere in California? Need details on a court case involving a friend or relative? The California Superior Court is a good starting point.
The California Constitution gives most criminal defendants in Santa Cruz County and across the state a right to bail before trial, except in certain capital and violent felony cases. In a 2021 ruling, the California Supreme Court held that judges must take a defendant’s ability to pay into account and may not hold someone solely because they can’t afford bail unless no less restrictive alternative will protect the public or ensure they appear in court. Rule 4.101 also bars judges from considering whether the defendant has requested a jury trial.
Calling the Santa Cruz County Main Jail at 831-454-7800 is the quickest way to find out an inmate’s bail. As long as you know the crime they’re accused of, you can also look up the Santa Cruz County bail schedule yourself. This county accepts cash, surety bonds, and property bonds.
By the numbers, the Santa Cruz County Main Jail:
At most city and county jails in California, at least 35-40% of inmates turn over monthly, another 25-30% every 90 days, and another 15-20% every six months, while about 8-9% stay six to twelve months. Inmates held longer than twelve months are usually facing serious charges like rape or murder. Because those cases take longer to prepare for trial, offenders arrested in this county remain in custody at one of the Santa Cruz County facilities much longer.
Each year, Santa Cruz County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain approximately 14,960 offenders.
The Santa Cruz Main Jail, 259 Water Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, is the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office’s central jail and the place where people arrested anywhere in the county are booked. It sits beside the County Government Center and the Superior Court on Ocean Street, a few blocks from where Highway 1 and Highway 17 meet. The jail number is (831) 454-7800. It holds men and women awaiting trial as well as some who are serving sentences. People classified to medium or minimum security may later be moved to the Rountree facilities in Watsonville, and many women go to the Blaine Street Facility around the corner. The Sheriff’s Corrections Bureau runs all four jails from its office at 5200 Soquel Avenue, (831) 454-7600.
To find someone, use the Sheriff’s Web Jail Viewer booking log or call the jail. Note the person’s ID number, sometimes called an S number, because you’ll need it for mail and deposits. Once processed, people in custody can make free local calls, so you may hear from them directly. A person held in custody has to be arraigned within 48 hours of arrest, not counting Sundays and holidays (Penal Code §825). Defendants are taken to court by Corrections staff or appear by video. Release can happen at any hour, including overnight. People released in the evening can choose to stay longer through the jail’s safe release program, and women can get support through Monarch Services.
California’s Constitution (Art. I, §12 and §28(f)(3)) gives most people a right to bail. The exceptions are capital crimes, certain violent or sexual-assault felonies, and felony threats where clear and convincing evidence shows a substantial likelihood of great bodily harm, and public safety is the primary consideration. The Superior Court’s bail schedule (Penal Code §1269b) sets the starting amount, but a judge can change it or release someone on their own recognizance or with supervision. Under In re Humphrey (2021), the judge must consider whether the person can pay. Cash bail is posted at the Main Jail, either in cash or by cashier’s check payable to the Santa Cruz County Superior Court.
The court’s criminal clerk is at the Santa Cruz Courthouse, 701 Ocean Street, Room 120, (831) 420-2200, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Watsonville Courthouse, 1 Second Street, Room 300, (831) 786-7200, has shorter criminal clerk hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. Both windows accept cash, personal checks, cashier’s checks and credit cards, and there’s about a 2% fee on card payments. To look up a case or check for a warrant, use the court’s online portal. If you think there’s a warrant for you, talk to a lawyer before turning yourself in.
All visits here are non-contact and last one hour. They’re held Saturday and Sunday, with start times every hour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. First, the person in custody has to submit a Visitor Request Form listing you. The background check can take up to five days, and the person must have been in custody for 72 court hours before any visit. Once you’re approved, call (831) 454-7800 Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., to book a slot for the coming weekend. Same-day booking isn’t possible. Up to two adults, or one adult and up to two children, can visit together. Adults need a driver’s license, passport or other valid photo ID. A parent has to bring the child’s birth certificate, and a guardian needs court papers or a notarized letter too. Arrive 30 minutes early. Wear closed-toe shoes, and don’t wear shorts, dresses, hats or anything revealing. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead. Three no-shows in 12 months mean a 30-day suspension. If you’re traveling a long way, mention it when you call and ask whether a longer or special visit is possible.
Personal mail goes through a scanning service: Smart Communications – Santa Cruz County Jail, Attention To: (name – ID number), P.O. Box 9143, Seminole, FL 33775-9143. The originals are destroyed after scanning. You can send up to five photos, 4×6 or smaller, and greeting cards have to be single-layer. Legal mail must be on official letterhead and go straight to the facility, which for the Main Jail is 259 Water Street. Books have to come from the publisher or from Amazon, Target or Walmart, no more than five per shipment, and no hardcovers or used copies.
To add money to a commissary account, use TouchPay at the lobby kiosk, at touchpayonline.com, or by phone at (866) 232-1899, with facility code 295060. You can also mail a money order made out to the person, care of Sheriff Fiscal, Santa Cruz County Jail, 259 Water Street. Phone accounts are through ICSolutions, (888) 506-8407. Tablets are through Smart Communications (smartinmate.com), and gift packs are through iCare. For property, the person in custody signs a Property Release Form naming you. Pickup is Monday through Friday, 8 to 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Not every item can be released, and staff decide each request.
From Highway 1 or 17, follow Ocean Street toward downtown and turn onto Water Street. The downtown Santa Cruz Metro Center on Pacific Avenue is within walking distance. For gas, there’s Shell at 805 Ocean St. and Great Gas at 1024 Water St. For a quick meal, try Jack in the Box at 640 Ocean St. or McDonald’s at 1210 Ocean St. Ocean Street also has plenty of motels for visitors from out of town, including Motel Santa Cruz (370 Ocean St.), the Islander Motel (522 Ocean St.) and Motel 6 Santa Cruz (1015 Ocean St.).
After an arrest, the individual is brought to Santa Cruz County Main Jail for the booking process. This procedure involves identifying the person, determining charges, and deciding whether they’ll be released on their own recognizance, posted for bail, or held until court.
Remaining silent is highly recommended, as anything said can later be used in court. Wait for legal advice before responding to questions.
The booking process typically involves the following steps at Santa Cruz County Main Jail:
For details on an offender’s bail or bond, call Santa Cruz County Main Jail at 831-454-7800.
Once an individual is booked at Santa Cruz County Main Jail in Santa Cruz, options for their release include:
1. Release without paying bail, with a commitment to appear in court.
2. Continued detention until their court date.
3. Release upon paying a bail or bond. Call 831-454-7800 for the bail amount.
Bail can be paid through various methods.
For more details on the bail process in Santa Cruz County, California, visit the Santa Cruz County Main Jail Bail Page.
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How Do You Visit an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail? What is the Schedule?
259 Water Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-454-7800
| DAY | TIME |
| SAT SUN |
8:00AM |
| SAT SUN |
9:00AM |
| SAT SUN |
10:00AM |
| SAT SUN |
11:00AM |
| SAT SUN |
12 noon |
| SAT SUN |
1:00PM |
| SAT SUN |
2:00PM |
| SAT SUN |
3:00PM |
| SAT SUN |
4:00PM |
How it Works with GettingOut
1. Register an account.
2. Select Santa Cruz County Main Jail
3. Choose either an INMATE ACCOUNT or FRIENDS & FAMILY ACCOUNT.
4. You will then receive prompts to validate both your identity and phone number .
5. Again, choose your inmate's facility, then type their name and select your inmate.
GettingOut will then guide you through the steps needed to arrange your remote visit.
Customer Service for GettingOut
If you have any questions, you can call them at 866-516-0115.
GettingOut online contact form
The GettingOut App is available on Google Play and Apple Store.
To visit an inmate in Santa Cruz County, whether by video or in person 'at the jail', follow these steps:
Other than 'at the jail' visits between you and your inmate, which is explained and outlined in detail on our Visit Inmate Page, Santa Cruz County remote video inmate visitation can be done using the services of Viapath / GettingOut.
There are three ways to remotely visit your inmate in Santa Cruz County Main Jail:
1. Using the GettingOut Kiosk at the jail.
2. Using your computer from home.
3. Using your phone on the Viapath / GettingOut apps.
To remotely visit an inmate in Santa Cruz County follow these steps:
1. Start by confirming that Santa Cruz County Main Jail's Video Visitation is working correctly by looking up Santa Cruz County here.
2. The next step is to create an account here for Viapath / GettingOut.
3. Then add funds to your account.
4. Last, select Santa Cruz County Main Jail, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.
Other Santa Cruz County Services provided by GettingOut:
- Phone Calls & Voicemail
- Email, Photo & Video Sharing
- Inmate Tablet Rental
- Deposits
Customer Service
If you have any questions about the Santa Cruz County Main Jail Visitation Services you can call them at 866-516-0115.
* All the information you need to have complete knowledge about inmate visitation; policies, rules, fees, schedules, tips, dress codes, and children, lawyers and clergy visitation in Santa Cruz County, can be found on our Visit Inmate Page.
Santa Cruz County Main Jail Phone: 831-454-7800
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Inmate Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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Can I Use My Computer or Phone to Have a Remote Video Visit with an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail?
How it Works with Viapath/GettingOut
1. Register an account.
2. Select Santa Cruz County Main Jail
3. Choose either an INMATE ACCOUNT or FRIENDS & FAMILY ACCOUNT.
4. You will then receive prompts to validate both your identity and phone number .
5. Again, choose your inmate's facility, then type their name and select your inmate.
GettingOut will then guide you through the steps needed to arrange your remote visit.
Customer Service for GettingOut
If you have any questions, you can call them at 866-516-0115.
GettingOut online contact form
The Viapath/GettingOut App is available on Google Play and Apple Store.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Video Remote Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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How Do You Deposit Money for an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail?
To deposit money into the account of an inmate in Santa Cruz County, follow these instructions:
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.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Inmate Money and Trust Fund Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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How Do I Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail?
To receive phone calls from inmates in Santa Cruz County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:
Note: All your calls with an inmate are recorded, stored and shared with law enforcement if the conversation deals with your case or any criminal activity. Anything communicated can be used against you or your inmate in court.
For all the information regarding phone calls with Santa Cruz County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Inmate Phone Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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How do I Mail an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail, and what can I send them?
Postcards
The Santa Cruz County Main Jail 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 Cruz County Main Jail allows inmates to receive photos, letters and greeting cards in envelopes through the mail. Click here to get the inmate’s ID # .
Address to:
Inmate Name, Inmate S#
Santa Cruz County Main Jail
259 Water Street
Santa Cruz, California 95060
Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.
Magazines
You can mail news, special interest or sports magazines 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
This jail allows softcover books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address above.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Santa Cruz County Main Jail standards will be disposed of.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.
To confirm that the Santa Cruz County Main Jail continues to allow books to be mailed by a third party publisher or bookseller, call 831-454-7800.
Care packages
Care packages are pre-chosen items packaged together and sent to the inmate from a third-party vendor. They can include clothing, snacks and seasonal items.
When a jail allows the inmate to receive Care Packages they must come directly from an approved company that specializes in serving the inmates of jails.
Call 831-454-7800 or click here or here to see if the Santa Cruz County Main Jail participates in a Care Package program and if so, how to purchase one.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Inmate Mail Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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Can I purchase Commissary Online for an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail, and what can I purchase?
The service they use is called icaregifts.
Instructions
1. Register here.
2. Click the "Find an Inmate" button and enter your loved one’s first name, last name, or inmate number. When the information is entered correctly, click the “Search” button to confirm they are in the system.
3. Select the icare gift you want to send them.
4. Confirm the order in your confirmation email.
5. Santa Cruz County Main Jail has up to 30 days to give your icaregift pack to your inmate.
6. You will receive a confirmation email when it is delivered.
There are a total of fourteen (14) pre-determined icaregift packs available to choose from.
They 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…
… with many gift packs priced in between.
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions (you must have an inmate chosen in order to review these FAQs for Santa Cruz County Main Jail
Contact Info:
888-439-5020 - 8AM–9PM ET, 7 days a week.
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Santa Cruz County Main Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Santa Cruz County Main Jail, as well as sending money to the inmate so that they can purchase their own items, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Santa Cruz County.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Commissary Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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How Can I Communicate with an Inmate in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail using an Online Messaging Service?
Santa Cruz County Main Jail contracts with Viapath/GettingOut, the same service that handles Inmate 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 Cruz County Main Jail,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.
How Messaging Works
1. Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.
2. 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.
How Uploading Photos Works
1. Select the Photos Tab.
2. Select “Take New Photo” or “Upload New Photo”.
3. Take a new photo with your webcam, or select "Choose File" to upload a photo from your computer.
4. Give your photo a Title or add it to the "Gallery" of your choice.
5. Select the "Share" button.
6. Select your inmate(s) and then select "Share".
7. Once the photo is approved, it will be shared with your inmate(s).
Customer Service Questions
Call 866-516-0115
To mail or email an inmate in Santa Cruz County follow these steps:
When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:
Emailing Messages & Photos
Facility_name_1} contracts with Viapath/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 Cruz County Main Jail,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.
Customer Service Questions
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 Cruz County can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Text and Email Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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Do Inmates in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail have Access to Tablets or Computers?
They may not be directly connected to the internet, but inmates at Santa Cruz County Main Jail are provided free tablets to use within the jail that allow them to have access to the following services and information:
The availability of tablets may seem like something that inmates who are serving time do not deserve, but here are some of the benefits for inmates in Santa Cruz County:
They may not be directly connected to the internet, but inmates at Santa Cruz County Main Jail are provided free tablets to use within the jail that allow them to have access to the following services and information:
The availability of tablets may seem like something that inmates who are serving time do not deserve, but here are some of the benefits for inmates in Santa Cruz County:
For more information about Tablets and how your inmate can get one to use while he is in jail, chek out our Inmate Tablet page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Santa Cruz County Main Jail’s Tablet Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 831-454-7800 for further assistance.
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What are the other City and County Jails in Santa Cruz County?
What are the other Jails in the Neighboring Counties surrounding Santa Cruz County?
This facility, known as "Santa Cruz County Main Jail" is also known as Santa Cruz County Department of Corrections, Santa Cruz County Jail, Main, Santa Cruz County Jail, Main, California, Santa Cruz.
