Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose, CA

Address: 150 West Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110

Phone (Custody Bureau, M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.): (408) 808-2804

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

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

The Santa Clara County Main Jail Complex is the primary intake facility for Santa Clara County, located in downtown San Jose at the corner of Hedding and San Pedro Streets — one block west of North First Street and one block east of Highway 87. The complex is divided into Main Jail North and Main Jail South, books approximately 65,000 people annually, and primarily houses adult male inmates classified as medium- to maximum-security. Female inmates and lower-classification male inmates are typically housed at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. Anyone arrested in Santa Clara County — San Jose, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and surrounding cities — is initially booked here.

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 — your loved one may have been transferred to Elmwood after classification.
• 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. Criminal cases are heard at the Hall of Justice on West Hedding Street, adjacent to the jail.

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 the Main Jail

All visitors must register and be pre-approved through the Online Visitor Registration (OVR) system. The approval process takes up to seven business days, so register as soon as possible if you plan to visit. Once approved, visits can be scheduled up to two weeks in advance.

A few things to know:

• Inmates are allowed two 60-minute visits per week (one per day maximum), space permitting.
• Up to two adults may visit per session, with each adult receiving a 30-minute visit.
• Children must be biologically related to the inmate or visitor and require a notarized birth certificate at each visit.
• Bring valid government-issued photo ID — driver’s license, state ID, passport, green card, Mexican Consulate card, or military ID.
• Anyone convicted of a felony or who has served state prison time needs prior written approval from the Facility Commander to be on jail grounds (per Penal Code 4571).

For visitation questions, contact the Custody Bureau at (408) 808-2804 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) or the Main Jail Visiting Office at (408) 299-3438.

If your loved one has been booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail, 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.