Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas, CA

Address: 701 South Abel Street, Milpitas, CA 95035

Phone (Visiting Office): (408) 957-5900

Inmate Information Hotline (5 a.m. – 1 a.m. daily): (408) 299-2305

Operated by: Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Custody Bureau

The Elmwood Correctional Facility is one of the largest correctional complexes in the United States, located off Great Mall Parkway in Milpitas — between Abel Street and Interstate 880. The complex includes a Men’s Facility housing roughly 2,093 minimum- and medium-security male inmates and a Women’s Facility (the Correctional Center for Women) that holds female inmates of all security levels. Male inmates booked into Santa Clara County who don’t require maximum-security housing are transferred here from the Santa Clara County Main Jail after classification. All female arrestees in Santa Clara County are taken directly to the Elmwood Women’s Facility.

If a Loved One Has Just Been Booked

To confirm someone is in custody, use the Santa Clara County Inmate Locator or call the Inmate Information Hotline at (408) 299-2305 (available 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily). Have the person’s full name and date of birth ready, or their Personal File Number (PFN) if you can get it.

A few things worth knowing in those first hours:

• The Inmate Locator covers both the Main Jail and Elmwood. If your loved one was arrested recently, they may still be at the Main Jail awaiting transfer.
• All inmate phone calls are recorded. Don’t discuss what happened over the jail phone.
• Arraignment typically happens within 48 hours of arrest, excluding weekends and holidays. Cases are heard at the Hall of Justice in downtown San Jose.

Bail and Release

Bail amounts are set by the Santa Clara County bail schedule. Bail can be posted in cash at the jail or through a licensed bail bondsman. An attorney can request a bail hearing to argue for reduction or release on own recognizance (OR release). For lower-level offenses, the sheriff’s office may release someone on a citation without requiring bail.

Visiting Someone at Elmwood

Elmwood and the Main Jail use the same Online Visitor Registration (OVR) system — you can apply for both facilities under one account by selecting “Elmwood” during registration. New visitor applications take 2–4 business days to process. Once approved, visits can be scheduled up to 21 days in advance, with online scheduling requiring at least 24 hours’ notice.

The Men’s Facility visiting lobby (the “West Gate” lobby) faces northbound I-880 and is accessible via the Great Mall Parkway exit — directly across from the Toyota/Honda dealerships. The Women’s Facility lobby is at 945 Thompson Street in Milpitas.

A few things to know:

• Inmates may have two 30-minute visits per week (one per day, Sunday being the first day of the week).
• Up to two adults per visit, plus a reasonable number of well-supervised children.
• Bring valid government-issued photo ID — driver’s license, state ID, passport, green card, Mexican Consulate card, or military ID.
• Visitor applications will be denied if you were in custody within the past two years, have an open or pending court case, or were convicted of a felony within the past five years or served state prison time. Being on jail grounds without the written consent of the Commander after a felony conviction is itself a felony (Penal Code 4571).
• Dress code is strict — no metal items (belts, jewelry, steel-toed shoes), no electronics or recording devices of any kind, only one car key allowed in.

For visitation questions about Elmwood, call (408) 957-5900.

If your loved one has been booked into Elmwood, our team is available around the clock. The sooner we’re involved, the more options we have. Learn how we defend Santa Clara County criminal cases.

Contact us for a confidential case evaluation.