Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Correctional Treatment Facility: how release and bail work in DC
The Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility, 1901 E Street SE, is run by the DC Department of Corrections. Look up your family member with Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Search to see if they are held there. The command center is 202-790-6601. DC judges usually order release on conditions, not money. When they do order a cash bond, it is paid at the Superior Court's Criminal Finance Office downtown, not at the jail.
Is my family member held at the Correctional Treatment Facility?
Type the name into Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Search. It tells you whether the person is in custody there. A new arrest may not show for several hours, because people are first held at a police station or in the Central Cell Block. If the search shows nothing, call the facility's command center at 202-790-6601, or the DOC Records Office at 202-523-7060.
The other DC jail, the Central Detention Facility, answers at 202-698-4932.
What kind of people does this building hold?
The Correctional Treatment Facility, called CTF, holds women and men. The DC Department of Corrections says it takes only low and medium custody people. Its own pages also say it houses juveniles who are being handled as adults. The youth agency says those teens are kept at its Youth Services Center instead, so ask before you assume.
Many people there are waiting for trial.
Where was my relative taken right after the arrest?
Most people start at a Metropolitan Police station or at the Central Cell Block, 300 Indiana Avenue NW, phone 202-727-4222. From there they go to court. The Superior Court says arraignment court is Courtroom C-10 in the Moultrie Courthouse at 500 Indiana Avenue NW, weekdays at 1:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. It is closed Sundays.
Only after that hearing does the judge order a person held at Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility or sent home. Use Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Search to see where the person landed.
Does DC even use bail money?
Rarely. DC law makes the first choice release on a promise to return or an unsecured bond. A judge may add rules such as check-ins, curfew, or a stay-away order. Money is allowed only to make sure the person comes back to court. It cannot be used to keep someone locked up for safety, and it cannot be set so high that it works as detention. The Pretrial Services Agency says most defendants are released under supervision instead of financial bonds, and its 2016 guide says almost none go out on a commercial surety bond.
So the first step is to read the order. Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Search shows whether any bail amount exists. For the order itself, call Criminal Information at 202-879-1373.
How do I pay a cash bond if a judge ordered one?
Go to the Criminal Finance Office, Room 4003, fourth floor east wing, Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue NW. It is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call 202-879-1840 first. The court says bonds may be posted only in cash or by money order. Personal checks are refused.
Bring the full name and the case number. Keep the receipt. The court then sends word to the Department of Corrections.
It is a weekend or evening. Can I still pay?
After the office closes, go to Courtroom C-10, which takes payments until it adjourns for the day. On Saturdays and holidays the court may accept an electronic payment for a bond under $1,000. To ask for that, email BondPayPortal@dcsc.gov. For anything larger, plan on a weekday or the courtroom.
What about a bail bondsman?
Commercial bondsmen exist in DC, but a court must approve each one by order, and they must follow chapter 11 of title 23 of the DC Code. The law lets them charge the regular bonding fee for the bond and nothing extra for other case services. It sets no percentage. Lists of approved bondsmen must be posted in detention facilities.
Because judges seldom set surety bail, ask the lawyer or the Criminal Finance Office at 202-879-1840 whether a bondsman would even help in this case. Get every fee in writing.
Can a house or car be pledged instead of cash?
A judge may accept an agreement to forfeit specific property as a release condition. The judge may ask where the property came from, and must refuse property whose source would not make the person show up. Ask whether the property must be in DC. Ask the Criminal Finance Office at 202-879-1840 before you gather deeds.
The judge ordered release. Why is my relative still inside?
Release paperwork has to travel from the courtroom to the jail, and a person can only walk out after DOC clears any holds, such as a warrant from another case. Ask the command center at 202-790-6601 whether the release order has arrived.
DC has a faster option. If the defense lawyer asks and the person agrees, the court can order release from CDF or CTF within five hours. A person who stays locked up for 24 hours because of unmet conditions may ask the judge to review them, and the judge must explain in writing why the conditions stay.
The record shows no release. Is that final?
Not always. DC does not use the words non-bailable. A judge can hold someone after a detention hearing if the proof is clear and convincing that no condition will protect the community or assure court dates. A person who was already on release, probation, or parole can be held for up to five days, not counting weekends and holidays.
People convicted and waiting for sentence are also usually held. A lawyer can ask the judge to change an order. Start with 202-628-1200 if there is no lawyer yet.
How can I get a lawyer if we cannot pay?
The Public Defender Service for DC is at 633 3rd Street NW, 202-628-1200. Tell the judge at the first hearing that you cannot afford counsel, and the court will appoint one.
Give the lawyer a work history, a stable address, and names of people who will keep in touch with the court. These points matter when the judge weighs release.
How do visits and phone money work, and is that bail?
No. Putting money on an inmate account never pays bail. DOC lists Western Union, money orders by mail, and a kiosk at the Video Visitation Center behind CTF that takes cash and cards. Visits are by video and by appointment. Call 888-906-6394, Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to book. Visits run Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and are free.
What if my relative is a teenager arrested as an adult?
DC law says youth can be charged as adults in certain serious cases. DOC says CTF holds juveniles being adjudicated as adults, while the youth agency says its Youth Services Center, 1000 Mount Olivet Road NE, houses them in an Adult Transition Unit. Call the Youth Services Center at 202-576-8418 or the youth agency at 202-299-5362.
Juvenile files are confidential, so Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Search may not list a minor. A teen's lawyer can say where the teen sleeps. The Public Defender Service juvenile program is at 202-824-2801.
What if the person misses a court date?
A judge can issue a warrant and take the posted money. Missing court on purpose is also a crime. A felony can add one to five years; a misdemeanor adds 90 to 180 days. If a notice was given, missing the date is treated as evidence it was willful. Call the lawyer or Criminal Information at 202-879-1373 at once.
Will I get my money back, and how do I spot a scam?
Cash deposited stays the depositor's property until forfeited. Ask the Criminal Finance Office at 202-879-1840 how to request a refund when the case ends. Keep your receipt.
No real office will take gift cards, apps, or payment to a private person for a release. Use only the numbers on this page.
Key contacts for CTF release questions
- Facility
- Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility, 1901 E Street SE, Washington, DC 20003; command center 202-790-6601
- Bail guide
- Facility bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility Inmate Search
- Records
- DOC Records Office 202-523-7060
- Pay a bond
- Criminal Finance Office, Room 4003, Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue NW; Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 202-879-1840
- Court
- DC Superior Court Criminal Information 202-879-1373
- Cell block
- Central Cell Block, 300 Indiana Avenue NW; 202-727-4222
- Other jail
- Central Detention Facility, 1901 D Street SE; 202-698-4932
- Video visits
- 888-906-6394
- Release agency
- Pretrial Services Agency 202-220-5500
- Public defender
- Public Defender Service 202-628-1200
- Youth
- Youth Services Center, 1000 Mount Olivet Road NE; 202-576-8418
Court orders, hours, payment rules, and phone numbers can change, and some DC detention rules are set to expire at the end of 2026. Confirm with the court or the jail before you send money. Nothing here replaces advice from a lawyer who knows the case.
Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility
Address:
1901 E Street, SE
District of Columbia, DC 20003
Phone:
202-523-7060
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in the District of Columbia
Does the District of Columbia have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in theDistrict of Columbia?
Who can set bail in the District of Columbia?
When is bail set in the District of Columbia District of Columbia?
Does the District of Columbia have bail?
The District of Columbia does not impose bail as other states for the majority of crimes. For those defendants who have additional charges pending, previously failed to appear, is charged with a violent crime or a felony, there could be bail/bond imposed.
What kind of bonds are accepted in the District of Columbia?
Cash bonds are the only bonds issued in the District of Columbia.
Money bonds are posted in the Criminal Finance Office, which is located in Room 4003 (on the fourth floor, east wing) of the Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue. Bonds may only be posted in the form of cash or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.
Who can set bail in the District of Columbia?
If a defendant is eligible for pre-trial release this decision can often be made by police immediately following arrest and processing. In rare cases when bail may be required, the defendant will need appear in front of a magisterial judge who will determine if bail is warranted and, if so, set the amount. This hearing usually occurs within 24 hours of arrest.
When is bail set in the District of Columbia District of Columbia?
If a defendant is not eligible for immediate no bail release, they will need to appear in front of a magisterial judge. This initial bail hearing is usually held within 24 hours of arrest.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in the District of Columbia must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance. The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial.
Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
This is the case in the District of Columbia where the majority of defendants are not required to post monetary bail as a condition of pre-trial release. The exception would be a defendant who has additional charges pending, previously failed to appear, is charged with a violent crime or a felony.
Conditions for bail might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court. These conditions are supervised by a Pretrial Services Agency.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Conditions for bail might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court. These conditions are supervised by a Pretrial Services Agency.
As anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in D.C.?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge will determine if the felony offender qualifies for a bond release and if so, the bond will be payable in cash.
Money bonds are posted in the Criminal Finance Office, which is located in Room 4003 (on the fourth floor, east wing) of the Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue. Bonds may only be posted in the form of cash or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.
Professional bond companies are not permitted to operate in the District of Columbia.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. If so, this is a scam.)
Does the District of Columbia have bail?
The District of Columbia does not impose bail as other states for the majority of crimes. For those defendants who have additional charges pending, previously failed to appear, is charged with a violent crime or a felony, there could be bail/bond imposed.
What kind of bonds are accepted in the District of Columbia?
Cash bonds are the only bonds issued in the District of Columbia.
Who can set bail in the District of Columbia?
If a defendant is eligible for pre-trial release this decision can often be made by police immediately following arrest and processing. In rare cases when bail may be required, the defendant will need appear in front of a magisterial judge who will determine if bail is warranted and, if so, set the amount. This hearing usually occurs within 24 hours of arrest.
When is bail set in the District of Columbia?
If a defendant is not eligible for immediate no bail release, they will need to appear in front of a magisterial judge. This initial bail hearing is usually held within 24 hours of arrest.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in the District of Columbia?
In the rare case that bail is required, an attorney may request the court lower the cash amount and/or replace it with alternatives such as electronic monitoring.
In the District of Columbia, who can pay bail for me?
Any person can post a bond.
Email online bond payment requests to BondPayPortal@dcsc.gov.
Can bail be paid online in the District of Columbia?
Email online bond payment requests to BondPayPortal@dcsc.gov.
What options are there to pay bail in the District of Columbia?
In the rare case that bail is required the Washington D.C., courts will accept cash, cashier’s check, or money orders. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted.
Go to the Washington DC Correctional Treatment Facility for more information about posting bail in Washington DC.
Will I get all my bond money back in the District of Columbia?
In the cases that a bond was ordered, the judge will outline any fees or deduction that would come out of the amount of the paid bond amount.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in the District of Columbia?
Bail bond companies are not permitted to operate in the District of Columbia.