Accountability.Tarrant County Jail Information Page
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This page gives Tarrant County families one place to find verified Tarrant County Jail contact information, the visitation schedule, 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 Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
Tarrant County Jail Information
The Tarrant County Jail is run by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office — Detention Bureau (Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn). The jail is made up of five facilities. Every person is booked in at the Tarrant County Corrections Center in downtown Fort Worth; the Lon Evans Correction Center is the maximum-security building.
- Operating agency
- Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office — Detention Bureau
- Main facility
- Tarrant County Corrections Center
100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196 - Inmate mailing address
-
Personal mail is scanned off-site (see Section 6):
Smart Communications / Tarrant Co Jail
[Inmate full name and CID number]
PO Box 9195
Seminole, FL 33775-9137
Legal mail, books, magazines, and money orders → 100 North Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196. - Telephone
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817-884-3000 — Tarrant County Jail Inmate Information Line
817-884-1111 — Tarrant County telephone operator - Inmate identifier
- CID number (Central Identification number). Put the inmate’s full name and CID number on all mail and use them for deposits.
- Detention Bureau website
- tarrantcountytx.gov — Detention Bureau
- Official jail pages
- Inmate Search · Visitation · Inmate Correspondence · Money Deposits · Phone Service
- Information last verified
- September 9, 2026, against the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Detention Bureau pages.
Find Someone in the Tarrant County Jail
The Sheriff’s Office runs a live online Inmate Search. It is the fastest way to confirm that someone is in custody and to find their CID number, charges, and bond.
How to search
Search by last name and first name, a partial last name, or the person’s CID number. Select a record to see the booking date, charges, bond amount, and which facility they are in. A very recent booking can take a few hours to appear — if you cannot find someone, call the Inmate Information Line at 817-884-3000. Register with the Texas VINE system for 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.
Booking information, charges, and court dates
Charges and bond amounts appear in the inmate search. To confirm whether a bond has been set and its amount, call 817-884-3000. For court dates and case documents, contact the Tarrant County District Clerk (felony) or County Clerk (misdemeanor). An arrest is not a conviction.
Visitation Information
Tarrant County Jail visitation is in person — there is no video visitation. All five facilities follow the same schedule, and your visiting day depends on the incarcerated person’s last name. Sign-up happens on site, starting 30 minutes before visiting hours begin. There is no advance online booking.
Schedule — by first letter of the last name
- A–L: Saturdays and Mondays 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (no processing after 8:30 p.m.); Fridays 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (no processing after 2:30 p.m.).
- M–Z: Sundays and Tuesdays 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (no processing after 8:30 p.m.); Fridays 3:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (no processing after 8:30 p.m.).
- Attorney and law-enforcement visits: Wednesday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (attorneys may visit whenever needed).
Limits
- One 30-minute visit per day. Visitors who live more than 150 miles from Fort Worth get 40 minutes (residence verified at the visit).
- Up to 2 adults and up to 2 children (17 or younger, with an adult) per visit.
- A maximum of 3 visits per week per inmate.
- Anyone incarcerated in a Tarrant County detention facility in the past 6 months is not allowed to visit.
Identification
Visitors 18 and older must show a valid Real ID driver license or ID card from any state, or a passport, military ID, immigration ID, or Mexican consulate card. A current paper (temporary) license works if it has a photo. Visitors under 18 may use a valid school photo ID.
Dress code and prohibited items
No revealing shorts, sundresses, halter or backless tops, bathing suits, see-through or low-cut clothing, leotards, spandex or tight-fitting clothing, miniskirts, pajamas, hats or caps, sleeveless tops, skirts 2″ or more above the knee, or khaki, green, institutional, or military-style clothing. Not allowed inside visitation: tobacco, lighters, matches, cameras, recording devices, cell phones, backpacks, bags, purses, and unlabeled prescription medication. No food or drinks except for infants.
Schedules can change. Confirm the current schedule at 817-884-3000 before you travel.
Commissary and Money Deposits
Money for an inmate’s account is handled through Access Corrections Secure Deposits. You need the person’s full name and CID number.
Deposit methods
- Online or the mobile app at AccessCorrections.com (lowest handling charge).
- Phone: 866-345-1884 (toll-free, 24/7, bilingual).
- Lobby kiosks (accept cash).
- Cash at retail through Cash Pay Today (cashpaytoday.com / 844-340-2274).
- By mail: U.S. Postal or Western Union money orders only, to Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Detention Bureau, 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196.
Cash is not accepted by mail or in person — cash sent through the mail is returned to sender.
Handling charges are set by the provider and can change — check the amount before you confirm. The Sheriff’s Office will never call to demand payment by phone, card, or gift card.
Telephone Calls and Communication
Telephone service at the Tarrant County Jail is provided by Smart Communications.
- Local calls are free during the booking process.
- Collect call phones are used for calls outside the local dialing area — the person who accepts the call pays the collect fee.
- For prepaid options and the collect-call fees for your area, contact Smart Communications directly.
Scanned letters and postcards are delivered to the incarcerated person on a tablet (see Section 6).
Smart Communications customer service: 1-727-349-1561. Calls from a jail are recorded and monitored, except properly arranged attorney calls. Rates and fees are set by the provider and can change.
Mailing Instructions
General mail (letters, postcards, greeting cards) is sent to an outside service, scanned, reviewed by mailroom staff, and made available to the incarcerated person on a tablet. Letters must be no larger than 12″ by 16″.
Personal mail address
[Your name]
[Your return address]
Smart Communications / Tarrant Co Jail
[Inmate full name and CID number]
PO Box 9195
Seminole, FL 33775-9137
Personal mail sent to the jail street address is stamped “Return to Sender.” Track delivery and rejections with a free MailGuard Tracker account at mailguardtracker.com.
What you can enclose
- The only enclosure allowed is 10 or fewer unframed photographs, no larger than 4″ by 6″. Contraband is returned to sender.
- Books: new, soft-backed only, shipped directly from an established publisher by UPS or USPS. No third-party couriers (so no Amazon) and no distributors such as Barnes & Noble.
- Magazines and crossword-puzzle books: a subscription from the publisher only.
- Writing supplies (paper, envelopes, pens, stamps) are bought from commissary and provided free to indigent inmates.
Where books, magazines, money orders, and legal mail go
Send books, magazines, U.S. Postal or Western Union money orders, and legal mail to the jail:
[Inmate full name and CID number]
100 North Lamar Street
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out if my loved one is in the Tarrant County Jail?
Use the Tarrant County inmate search and enter the person’s name or CID number. The record shows the booking date, charges, bond, and facility. If a recent booking is not showing yet, call the Inmate Information Line at 817-884-3000. Register with the Texas VINE system for an alert when custody status changes.
What is a CID number?
The CID (Central Identification) number is the identifier Tarrant County assigns to each incarcerated person. You will find it on the inmate search, and you must put it, with the person’s full name, on every piece of mail and on every deposit.
Which facility is my relative in?
The Tarrant County Jail is five facilities. Everyone is booked in at the Tarrant County Corrections Center at 100 N. Lamar; the Lon Evans Correction Center is the maximum-security building. The inmate search shows the current facility. All facilities use the same visitation schedule.
When can I visit?
Visits are in person. If the person’s last name is A–L, visit Saturday or Monday 9 a.m.–9 p.m. or Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. If M–Z, visit Sunday or Tuesday 9 a.m.–9 p.m. or Friday 3–9 p.m. Sign up on site, starting 30 minutes before visiting hours. There is no online booking.
How long is a visit, and how many people can come?
One 30-minute visit per day (40 minutes if you live more than 150 miles from Fort Worth). Up to 2 adults and up to 2 children (17 or younger, with an adult) per visit, and no more than 3 visits per week. You cannot visit if you have been in a Tarrant County detention facility in the past 6 months.
What do I need to bring, and what can’t I bring, to a visit?
Bring a valid Real ID driver license or ID (passport, military, immigration, or Mexican consulate ID also work); under 18 can use a school photo ID. Leave tobacco, lighters, cameras, recording devices, cell phones, bags, and purses out of the visitation area, and follow the dress code (nothing revealing, sleeveless, spandex, or military-style; no skirts more than 2 inches above the knee).
How do I put money on an inmate’s account?
Use Access Corrections — online or the app at AccessCorrections.com, by phone at 866-345-1884, at a lobby kiosk, or with cash at a Cash Pay Today retail location. You can also mail a U.S. Postal or Western Union money order to the Detention Bureau at 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196. Cash is never accepted by mail. You need the person’s name and CID number.
How do phone calls work?
Phone service is through Smart Communications. Local calls are free during booking; after that, calls outside the local area are collect, and the person who accepts the call pays the fee. Contact Smart Communications at 1-727-349-1561 for prepaid options and current rates. Calls are recorded and monitored except properly arranged attorney calls.
How do I send mail, books, or magazines?
Send letters and postcards (12 by 16 inches or smaller, with up to 10 unframed 4-by-6 photos) to Smart Communications / Tarrant Co Jail, [inmate name and CID number], PO Box 9195, Seminole, FL 33775-9137 — they are scanned to the person’s tablet. Send new soft-back books directly from a publisher (no Amazon or bookstores), magazine subscriptions, money orders, and legal mail to 100 North Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196.
How do I post bond?
Bonds can be posted 24 hours a day at the Bond Desk, Tarrant County Corrections Center, 100 N. Lamar. Call 817-884-3000 first to confirm a bond has been set and its amount. If you pay it yourself, you pay the full amount; a licensed bail bond company is the other option.
How do I report a medical or safety concern?
Call the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office at 817-884-3000. 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 Tarrant County Jail news?
Texas Prison News tracks the Tarrant County Jail. See the “Latest News About Tarrant County Jail” section below, which updates automatically as we publish new reporting.
Latest News About Tarrant County Jail
Reporting from Texas Prison News that is tagged to the Tarrant 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 Tarrant 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 Tarrant 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.