Capitol Street jailers handle Johnson County inmate questions at 319-356-6025; the Jail Division desk is also reachable at 319-356-6020, ext. 5, and its fax is 319-339-6121.
Phone: 319-356-6025
Physical Address:
511 S. Capitol St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID (booking #)
Johnson County Jail
PO Box 2540
Iowa City, IA 52244
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID (booking #)
Johnson County Jail
PO Box 2540
Iowa City, IA 52244
Other Jails and Prisons
Kunkel's Jail Division and FAQ pages, the county's jail statistics and the state judiciary's Johnson County listing supply the facts here.
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Cities in Johnson County (2020 Census): Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, University Heights, Solon, Swisher, Shueyville, Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford and West Branch.
Sheriff Brad Kunkel's office operates the Johnson County Jail upstairs in its downtown Iowa City headquarters, 511 S. Capitol St., Iowa City, IA 52240, where Captain John Good serves as jail administrator and PREA coordinator. State inspector Delbert Longley's January 6, 2026 report rates the jail at 92 general-population beds and 11 temporary-holding spots; with September 2026 averaging roughly 107 people a day on the sheriff's dashboard, Johnson County keeps paying other counties to house its overflow. People arrested by Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty and University of Iowa police, the State Patrol and Kunkel's deputies are booked here while their cases go through the Sixth Judicial District court. Jail staff answer 319-356-6025 and can say whether someone is in custody, the charges, the bond and any scheduled release date, but not court information.
First steps for families: phone Kunkel's jailers at 319-356-6025 or register on VINELink for custody updates, and pull the Johnson County charge and hearing dates from Iowa Courts Online. Money, commissary and video visits run through Inmate Canteen, letters go to PO Box 2540, and on-site visiting days depend on the first letter of the inmate's last name; our Iowa City visiting page has the schedule.
The county is weighing a new sheriff's office and jail; in August 2026 it announced public information sessions in Solon, Iowa City and North Liberty on the proposal.
Once arrested, the person is taken to Johnson County Jail for booking, a process that confirms identity, assesses charges, and determines if they will be released on their own recognizance, posted for bail, or held until court.
Staying silent is key during this process, as anything spoken can be used as evidence in court. It’s best to wait for legal counsel before responding to questions.
Steps involved in booking at Johnson County Jail include:
To check on an offender’s bond amount, contact Johnson County Jail at 319-356-6025.
After an arrest, individuals are brought to Johnson County Jail in Iowa City for processing. Following this, three possible outcomes exist:
1. The individual may be released without posting bail, with a promise to appear in court.
2. The individual could be held in jail until their court date.
3. Bail or bond can be posted for release; for more information, contact 319-356-6025.
Bail payment can be handled through various means.
To learn more about the bail process in Johnson County, Iowa, visit the Johnson County Jail Bail Page.
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How Do You Visit an Inmate in the Johnson County Jail? What is the Schedule?
| INMATE'S LAST NAME | DAYS | TIMES |
|---|---|---|
| A through L | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
| M through Z | Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
| Everyone | Saturday | No visiting |
Johnson County Jail, 511 S. Capitol St. (2nd floor), Iowa City · 319-356-6025
Kunkel's Jail Division page caps each visit at 20 minutes in all and allows an inmate a single session per day. Each visitor signs the log and shows photo identification; minors need a parent or guardian beside them. Screen visits are booked with TurnKey instead.
On-site visiting days at the Iowa City jail follow the alphabet: last names A-L on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, M-Z on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Video visitation is booked through Inmate Canteen, and the county's instructions advise iPhone users to use the Chrome or Edge browser rather than Safari.
To register and sign up for a remote visitation account with Inmate Canteen to communicate with your Johnson County Jail inmate, follow the instructions below:
Instructions for Inmate Video Visitation:
- Register or Log in to your account
- Select Johnson County Jail and the inmate you wish to visit.
- Select the "Video Visit an Inmate" option
- Follow the prompts on screen to schedule the visit.
For all the information you need to know, including instructions, policies, tips and solutions to possible issues regarding visiting with an inmate (both at the jail and remotely) in Johnson County, visit our full page guide.
Inmate Canteen Customer Service can be reached at 715-690-2965, or by email at support@inmatecanteen.com.
NOTE: All video visits are recorded and stored. Whatever you talk about, can and will be used against your inmate in court. Never discuss their pending criminal case!
Also, be warned that some video visits providers are collecting voice prints for a database which law enforcement agencies are building.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Johnson County Jail’s Inmate Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 319-356-6025 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 Johnson County Jail?
Check current per-minute video rates on Inmate Canteen before scheduling an Iowa City visit.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Johnson County Jail’s Video Remote Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 319-356-6025 for further assistance.
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How Do You Deposit Money for an Inmate in the Johnson County Jail?
Ordering for an Iowa City inmate happens inside the family's Inmate Canteen login, where the Capitol Street jail's item list and limits apply.
For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Johnson County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Johnson County.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Johnson County Jail’s Inmate Money and Trust Fund Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 319-356-6025 for further assistance.
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How Do I Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in the Johnson County Jail?
The listing gives phone hours of 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM for Johnson County inmates; confirm with 319-356-6025.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Johnson County Jail’s Inmate Phone Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 319-356-6025 for further assistance.
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How do I Mail an Inmate in the Johnson County Jail, and what can I send them?
Plain letters written on paper are what PO Box 2540 accepts; keep cards free of stickers, scents and decorations, and have reading material shipped by its publisher.
Postcards
Check the Johnson County Jail's mail rules before sending postcards or books.
Envelopes
The Johnson County Jail also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.
Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID (booking #)
Johnson County Jail
PO Box 2540
Iowa City, IA 52244
Legal Mail
Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID (booking #)
Johnson County Jail
PO Box 2540
Iowa City, IA 52244
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
Check the Johnson County Jail's mail rules before sending postcards or books.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Johnson County Jail standards will be disposed of.
All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID (booking #)
Johnson County Jail
PO Box 2540
Iowa City, IA 52244
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Johnson County Jail’s Inmate Mail Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 319-356-6025 for further assistance.
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Can I purchase Commissary Online for an Inmate in the Johnson County Jail, and what can I purchase?
Johnson County uses Inmate Canteen for commissary; log in at team3.inmatecanteen.com to place an order for an Iowa City inmate.
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Johnson County Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Johnson County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Johnson County.
Inmate Canteen Customer Service can be reached at 715-690-2965, or by email at support@inmatecanteen.com.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Johnson County Jail’s Commissary Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 319-356-6025 for further assistance.
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What are the other Jails in the Neighboring Counties surrounding Johnson County?
