Marin County Jail in San Rafael, CA

Address: 13 Peter Behr Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903

Phone (24-hour jail info): (415) 473-7316

Custody Emergency Line: (415) 499-7316

Operated by: Marin County Sheriff’s Office, Detention Services Bureau

The Marin County Jail is the county’s only adult detention facility, located on the Civic Center grounds in San Rafael. The 376-bed jail houses both men and women, with an average daily population around 245 inmates. It books all individuals arrested in Marin County — by the Sheriff’s Office, the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, Tiburon, and other municipal police departments — and holds both pretrial detainees and those sentenced to county jail time. No one under 18 is housed here except in narrow legal exceptions; juveniles go to the Juvenile Detention facility on Jeanette Prandi Way.

If a Loved One Has Just Been Booked

To confirm someone is in custody, view the Marin County Sheriff’s Booking Log online or call (415) 473-7316 for jail information. Have the person’s full name and date of birth ready.

A few things worth knowing in those first hours:

• All inmate phone calls are recorded. Don’t discuss what happened over the jail phone. Inmates cannot receive incoming calls — they have designated times to call you.
• Arraignment typically happens within 48 hours of arrest, excluding weekends and holidays. Marin County criminal cases are heard at the Marin County Civic Center Courthouse, adjacent to the jail.
• The Sheriff’s Office staff cannot take messages for inmates. For verifiable family emergencies, you can call (415) 499-7316 and ask to speak to the housing sergeant.

Bail and Release

Bail amounts are set by the Marin County bail schedule. The jail accepts bail payment 24 hours a day, in cash, cashier’s check, money order, or through govpay.net. Personal checks are not accepted. Alternatively, a licensed bail bondsman can post bond.

An attorney can request a bail hearing to argue for reduction or release on own recognizance (OR release). For lower-level offenses, release without bail may be granted.

Visiting Someone at Marin County Jail

Visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, and all visitors must register online through the ViaPath Visitor Web system. Visits run in 30- to 40-minute increments, with each inmate allowed one visit per day.

A few things to know:

• Up to three visitors are allowed onsite per visit.
• Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
• Personal items cannot be brought into the visiting area — lockers (“VLockers”) are available in the lobby for a small fee.
• Dress code applies; visitors will go through a metal detector and may be searched.

The jail also offers remote video visitation and electronic messaging through Access Corrections, Pigeonly, and ConnectNetwork.

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

Contact us for a confidential case evaluation.