Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, CA

Address: 5325 Broder Boulevard, Dublin, CA 94568

Phone: (925) 551-6500

Lobby: Open 24/7

Operated by: Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

Santa Rita Jail is the main detention facility for Alameda County and one of the largest in California, with capacity for roughly 3,489 people. Adults arrested anywhere in the county — Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward, Fremont, Dublin, Pleasanton, and surrounding cities — are typically booked here, both pretrial detainees and those serving county sentences.

If a Loved One Has Just Been Booked

Bookings can take several hours to appear in the public system. To confirm someone is in custody, use the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Locator or call the jail at (925) 551-6500. You’ll need their full name and date of birth.

A few things worth knowing in those first hours:

• All inmate phone calls are recorded and can be used by the prosecution. Don’t discuss what happened over the jail phone.
• Arraignment typically happens within 48 hours of arrest, excluding weekends and holidays. Having a defense attorney before that hearing matters more than after.
• The bail amount listed on the locator is set by the Alameda County bail schedule. An attorney can request a bail hearing to argue for a reduction or release on own recognizance (OR release) — no money required.

Bail and Release

Bail can be posted at the Santa Rita Jail lobby 24 hours a day. The three main paths to release are:

• Cash bail — full amount paid up front, refunded at the end of the case (minus an administrative fee) if all court dates are kept
• Bail bond — a licensed bondsman posts the full bail in exchange for a non-refundable premium, typically 10%
• OR release — release without payment, granted by a judge based on community ties, employment history, and criminal record

For lower-level offenses, the sheriff’s office may release someone on a citation without requiring bail at all.

Visiting Someone at Santa Rita

All visits are by appointment only. Reservations are made through the Sheriff’s Office Online Visiting Reservation System up to three days in advance. No same-day appointments. Each inmate is allowed one 30-minute visit per day, and the specific time window depends on the inmate’s housing unit — current schedules are posted on the official Sheriff’s Office visiting page.

A few things to know before you go:

• Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. No exceptions.
• Personal items (phones, bags, purses) cannot be brought into the visiting area. Lock them in your car or use the lobby lockers.
• Dress code is conservative — no tank tops, sheer fabric, gang colors, or attire exposing more than mid-thigh.
• Visitors confined in the Alameda County Jail System within the past six months, anyone currently on probation or parole, and visitors with certain felony convictions need prior written authorization from the Commanding Officer.
• Video visitation is available from home or at lobby kiosks, scheduled through the same portal.

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

Contact us for a confidential case evaluation.