Accountability.El Paso County Jail Information Page
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This page gives El Paso County families one place to find verified El Paso County Jail contact information, visitation guidance, inmate-search tools, commissary and telephone instructions, mailing rules, and current Texas Prison News reporting on the jail.
Information last verified September 9, 2026. Policies, providers, and fees change often — always confirm details with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
El Paso County Jail Information
The El Paso County Jail is run by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Detention Bureau. It operates two facilities — the Downtown Detention Facility and the Jail Annex. A person may be held at either one and moved between them; the inmate search shows where someone is currently housed.
- Operating agency
- El Paso County Sheriff’s Office — Detention Bureau
- Jail facilities
-
Downtown Detention Facility — 601 E. Overland Ave., El Paso, TX 79901
Jail Annex — 12501 E. Montana Ave., El Paso, TX 79938 - Inmate mailing address
- Personal mail is handled off-site (see Section 6):
El Paso County, Texas
[Inmate full name] #[Inmate Id]
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131 - Main telephone numbers
-
(915) 273-3770 — Downtown Detention Facility, inmate information
(915) 273-3768 — Releasing · (915) 273-3767 — Bonding
(915) 273-3790 — Jail Annex administration
(915) 273-3200 — Sheriff’s Office / Detention Bureau - Sheriff’s Office / Detention Bureau address
- 500 E. San Antonio, El Paso, TX 79901
- Official email address
- The Sheriff’s Office does not publish a general jail email address. For inmate questions, call the Downtown Detention Facility at (915) 273-3770.
- El Paso County Sheriff’s Office website
- epcounty.com — Sheriff’s Office
- Official jail pages
- Detention Bureau · Downtown Detention Facility · Jail Annex
- Information last verified
- September 9, 2026, against the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Detention Bureau pages.
Find Someone in the El Paso County Jail
El Paso County posts a public Jail Records search through its Online Records Search. It is the fastest way to confirm that someone is in custody in El Paso County.
How to search
The link opens the county’s Jail Records page; continue to the Online Records Search and choose Jail Records. Search by last and first name, then click the booking number for the facility, booking date, charge, and bond amount. There is a CAPTCHA, and the county notes the search can be slow at busy times. Texas Statewide VINE (877-894-8463) can send a call or email alert when custody status changes.
A name and date of birth are all you need to find a record. You should not have to enter a Social Security number or other sensitive personal information to look someone up.
What you may need
- The person’s full legal name (try spelling variations and any former or maiden name).
- Their date of birth, to tell people apart when names are similar.
- Their Inmate Id number. You will need it for mail and for money deposits.
Confirm the identity
Before you send money or mail, match the full name and date of birth on the record to the person you are looking for. Do not rely on the name alone.
Booking information and charges
The Jail Records search shows the facility, booking date, charge, and bond amount. For court dates and case status, use the county’s Online Records Search or call the Downtown Detention Facility. An arrest is not a conviction.
Visitation Information
In-person visits at both facilities are non-contact and run on a weekend schedule set by the person’s floor (Downtown) or pod (Annex). There is no advance scheduling — come during your window. Remote video visits are available through ViaPath (see Section 5).
Downtown Detention Facility — by floor
- Odd floors (3, 5, 7, 9, 11): Saturday 6:00–9:00 p.m.; Sunday 8:00–11:00 a.m.
- Even floors (4, 6, 8, 10): Saturday 8:00–11:00 a.m.; Sunday 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Jail Annex — by pod
- Odd pods (100, 300, 500, 700, 900, 1100, 1300, 1500): Saturday 6:00–9:00 p.m.; Sunday 8:00–11:00 a.m.
- Even pods (200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400): Saturday 8:00–11:00 a.m.; Sunday 6:00–9:00 p.m.
The last visit is approved 30 minutes before closing; people arriving after that are not admitted.
Rules
- Visitors must be 17 or older and bring a valid government photo ID.
- Children 16 and under may visit only on the first Saturday and first Sunday of the month (mornings only), plus Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, and Christmas — and must be with an adult (17+).
- A group gets one 20-minute visit total, shared by everyone in the group.
Visitation schedules can change. Confirm the current window for the person’s floor or pod with the facility before you travel: Downtown (915) 273-3770, Annex (915) 273-3790.
Commissary and Money Deposits
Deposits are made through OffenderConnect, the authorized deposit and account-management portal for El Paso County (part of ViaPath). One account can fund both commissary and phone calls.
How to deposit
- Online at OffenderConnect.com — several deposit methods.
- Phone: 1-800-483-8314 to set up or fund an account.
- iCare lets friends and family order commissary gift packages; The Outside Inside Connection lets you buy a special meal or gift basket.
By mail
The jail accepts money orders, cashier’s checks, U.S. Treasury checks, and checks from other penal institutions, made out to the inmate. Cash, foreign checks, payroll checks, and personal checks are returned to the sender with everything else in the envelope. Confirm the correct address for a mailed money order with the facility first — the published mailing address is an off-site scanning center.
Deposit fees are set by the provider and are shown before you confirm payment. Check the current amount at checkout.
Telephone Calls and Communication
Inmate phone calls, messaging, video visits, and tablet content at the El Paso County Jail are provided by ViaPath Technologies.
Set up a prepaid phone account
To take calls from someone inside, set up an AdvancePay® prepaid telephone account — you put money on your own phone number and the cost of each call is deducted from that balance.
- Online: OffenderConnect.com — create the account, add funds, and view balances.
- Phone: 1-800-483-8314.
Call and message rates are set by the provider and can change. Check the current pricing in your account before adding a large balance.
Mailing Instructions
Personal mail is sent to an off-site scanning center, scanned to a PDF, reviewed and approved by staff, and delivered to the incarcerated person on the messaging app on their tablet, where they can read it at no cost. Do not send personal mail to the jail’s street address.
Personal mail address
El Paso County, Texas
[Inmate full name] #[Inmate Id]
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Every piece of mail must show the facility name and state (“El Paso County, Texas”), the inmate’s full name, and the inmate’s identifier.
Money in the mail
The jail accepts money orders, cashier’s checks, U.S. Treasury checks, and checks from other penal institutions made out to the inmate. Cash, foreign checks, payroll checks, and personal checks are returned to the sender. For deposits, OffenderConnect (Section 4) is faster and more reliable than mailing a money order.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out if my loved one is in the El Paso County Jail?
Use the county’s Jail Records search — continue to the Online Records Search, choose Jail Records, and search by name. There is a CAPTCHA and the search can be slow at busy times. You can also register with Texas Statewide VINE (877-894-8463) for an alert when custody status changes.
Which facility is my relative in?
El Paso County runs two jails: the Downtown Detention Facility at 601 E. Overland Ave. and the Jail Annex at 12501 E. Montana Ave. People can be moved between them. The Jail Records search shows the current facility — check it again before a visit, because the visitation schedule depends on the person’s floor or pod.
How do I find their Inmate Id and charges?
Click the person’s booking number in the Jail Records search to see the facility, booking date, charge, and bond amount. For court dates and case status, use the county’s Online Records Search. You will need the Inmate Id for mail and for money deposits.
What are the visitation hours?
Weekend only, and the window depends on the person’s floor (Downtown) or pod (Annex). Odd floors/pods: Saturday 6–9 p.m., Sunday 8–11 a.m. Even floors/pods: Saturday 8–11 a.m., Sunday 6–9 p.m. The last visit is approved 30 minutes before closing. Confirm the window with the facility before you travel.
Can my child visit?
Visitors must normally be 17 or older. Children 16 and under may visit only on the first Saturday and first Sunday of the month (mornings), plus Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, and Christmas, and must be with an adult (17 or older).
How do I send money for commissary?
Use OffenderConnect — online at OffenderConnect.com or by phone at 1-800-483-8314. One account can fund commissary and phone calls. iCare lets you order commissary gift packages. The jail also accepts money orders and certain checks by mail (not cash or personal checks) — confirm the address with the facility first.
How do I receive telephone calls from someone in the jail?
Set up an AdvancePay® prepaid telephone account with ViaPath at OffenderConnect.com or 1-800-483-8314. You put money on your phone number and each call is deducted from that balance. Rates are set by the provider and can change.
How do I send mail to someone in the El Paso County Jail?
Send personal mail to: El Paso County, Texas, [full name] #[Inmate Id], PO Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. It is scanned, reviewed, and delivered to the person’s tablet, where they can read it free. Include the facility name and state, the full name, and the Inmate Id on every envelope.
How do I report a medical or safety concern?
Call the Downtown Detention Facility at (915) 273-3770, the Jail Annex at (915) 273-3790, or the Detention Bureau at (915) 273-3200. In an emergency, call 911. Serious concerns about jail conditions can also be raised with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, which regulates every county jail in Texas.
Where can I find the latest El Paso County Jail news?
Texas Prison News tracks the El Paso County Jail. See the “Latest News About El Paso County Jail” section below, which updates automatically as we publish new reporting.
Latest News About El Paso County Jail
Reporting from Texas Prison News that is tagged to the El Paso County Jail. This list updates on its own — no article text is copied here by hand.
Texas Prison News has not published any articles tagged El Paso County Jail yet. When we do, they will appear here automatically — nothing on this page has to be updated by hand. In the meantime, browse our County Jail Watch coverage.
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Texas Prison News is not affiliated with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and does not process visits, money, mail, or calls. Information verified September 9, 2026 from official and provider sources; policies and fees change — confirm critical details with the Sheriff’s Office.