To find out whether someone is in custody at the Del Norte County Jail, call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191. The Sheriff's Jail page also links its online Call / Arrest Logs, which run on CitizenRIMS. The Sheriff's Office, which operates the jail, is at 650 Fifth Street in Crescent City.
How do I look up someone at the Del Norte County Jail?
Call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 to find out whether a person is in custody; its online Call / Arrest Logs are a second place to look.
- Call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 and ask whether the person is in custody.
- Or check the Sheriff's Call / Arrest Logs, the CitizenRIMS page the Sheriff's Jail page links under that name. The Sheriff's main page calls it the Sheriff's Public Information Portal and says it includes "a list of currently incarcerated persons." A new booking may not appear right away, so the phone call is the way to confirm custody.
- If the person does not appear, the booking may not have posted yet, or the person may still be held by the arresting agency, such as the California Highway Patrol or a city police department, before a transfer to the county jail. Call (707) 464-4191 to ask directly.
- If the arrest happened in a different county, see our courthouse and jail guides by county to find the right one.
Where does Del Norte County hold people after an arrest?
Del Norte County's jail is run by the Sheriff's Office in Crescent City; the Sheriff's Jail page lists 650 Fifth Street and (707) 464-4191 for contact.
| Facility | Address | Public phone |
|---|---|---|
| Del Norte County Jail, operated by the Sheriff's Office | 650 Fifth Street, Crescent City, CA 95531 | (707) 464-4191 |
The table gives the Sheriff's Office location and main phone as the Sheriff's Jail page lists them. Emergencies go to 911; the Sheriff's Office fax is (707) 464-6527.
How does release work before trial in Del Norte County?
State law generally requires release on a written notice to appear for a misdemeanor arrest; others can generally post scheduled bail, and a judge can grant own recognizance release.
Penal Code section 853.6 requires an officer to release most misdemeanor arrests on a written notice to appear instead of taking the person before a magistrate, unless a specific reason not to applies, such as an outstanding warrant or no satisfactory identification. The officer may still book the person at the scene or station before releasing them on that citation; a citation is a release from custody, not a guarantee that booking itself is skipped. For a person who is booked, a misdemeanor defendant is generally entitled to release on their own recognizance at arraignment, under Penal Code section 1270, unless the court finds on the record that it would compromise public safety or not reasonably assure the person's return.
Del Norte County Probation has a Pre-Trial Services page; ask the court or your attorney how pretrial release is handled in a specific case.
How do I post bail for someone at the Del Norte County Jail?
Bail is posted in cash or as a surety bond, which state law lets the jail or the court clerk accept, in the warrant's or the Local Bail Schedule's amount.
The 2026 Local Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, explains that before a first court appearance, bail follows the warrant amount if one was issued, and otherwise the Sheriff sets bail according to the schedule; once a judge sees the case at the first appearance, the judge's own amount takes over.
A printed bail schedule is where a case starts, not where the judge has to leave it. Under In re Humphrey (2021), a judge must look at whether the person can actually pay before relying on a cash amount, and must consider whether options other than money bail could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure that the person returns to court. The California Supreme Court's 2026 decision in In re Kowalczyk adds that in a noncapital case, a judge may deny bail outright only for the offenses listed in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c), and that money bail must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable for that person, though not necessarily easily affordable. See how California bail amounts are set and bail hearings for more.
Penal Code section 1269b(a) lets the officer in charge of the jail, or the court clerk, accept bail in cash or as a surety bond. Under Penal Code section 1295(a), the defendant or anyone else can deposit the full cash amount with the clerk of the court instead, after an order admitting the person to bail or after a misdemeanor booking. Call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 to ask which forms of payment the jail takes before you go.
When is the first court date after an arrest in Del Norte County?
Anyone held in custody after an arrest must be brought before a judge within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays, at Del Norte County's single Superior Court courthouse.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) states:
"the defendant shall in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays."
That is a deadline to appear before a judge, not a deadline for filing charges and not a guarantee of release. If the 48 hours run out while court is not in session, the deadline carries through to the end of the court's next session on the following court day, under Penal Code section 825(a)(2). For an arrest on a Wednesday after that day's court session has ended, the deadline is the following Friday, if neither day is a court holiday.
Del Norte Superior Court's own Criminal Division page names a single courthouse for criminal cases, along with every other case type: the Del Norte County Courthouse at 450 H Street, Room 209, Crescent City, CA 95531. The Criminal Division can be reached at (707) 464-8115. Ask the Criminal Division before assuming that any hearing can be attended by phone or video. See our Del Norte County Courthouse guide for more on finding your case and your court date.
How do I add money, send mail or ask about visits at the Del Norte County Jail?
The Sheriff's Jail page lists three ways to add money to an inmate's account but posts no mail or visiting rules, so call the Sheriff's Office before mailing or visiting.
For money, the Sheriff's Jail page gives three ways to add funds to an inmate's account: an online portal called Access Corrections, a phone line at (866) 394-0490, or an in-person kiosk in the lobby. For property questions, the Sheriff's site has a Personal Property Request page; call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 for how property is released.
The Sheriff's website gives no mailing address or addressing instructions for personal letters. Its published Custody Manual says correctional officers open and inspect incoming general mail. Call (707) 464-4191 to ask how to address a letter before you send it.
What should I do right now if someone was just arrested in Del Norte County?
Confirm custody, check the current bail schedule, keep any citation or booking paperwork, and talk to a lawyer before the first court date in Del Norte County.
- Confirm custody. Call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191.
- Review the current Local Bail Schedule on the Superior Court's website, and call the jail to confirm what payment method it accepts before you go.
- Keep any citation or booking paperwork. It names the court date and should point you to the county's one courthouse.
- Ask the court to appoint a lawyer at the first appearance if you cannot afford to hire one.
- Call a criminal defense lawyer early. A lawyer can address bail, confirm the court date, and explain what happens next before the family has to guess.
Frequently asked questions
What if the Sheriff's online arrest log does not show the person I am searching for?
An online log is not proof that no arrest happened, and a new booking may not appear right away. Call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 and give the person's full legal name and the approximate time of arrest.
Can I post bail at the Del Norte County Jail with a credit card?
Ask before you go: call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 to find out which forms of payment the jail takes. State law lets a jail accept bail in cash or as a surety bond (Penal Code section 1269b(a)).
Does the Del Norte County Jail offer video visitation?
Call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191 to ask about current visiting options, including any video visiting, before you plan a visit.
Will a misdemeanor arrest in Del Norte County always end in a citation release?
Not always. Penal Code section 853.6 generally requires an officer to release a person arrested for a misdemeanor on a written notice to appear rather than taking the person before a magistrate, but the officer may still book the person first. Listed exceptions include an outstanding warrant and no satisfactory identification.
Who asks for a lower bail amount at the Del Norte County Jail, and when?
Before the first appearance, after an arrest without a warrant, the person in custody, or a lawyer, friend or family member, can ask a judge for bail below the schedule or for own recognizance release under Penal Code section 1269c, except for the offenses listed in Penal Code section 1270.1(a). At the first appearance, the judge sets the amount, which the schedule says may be greater or less than its figure.
How do I get a court-appointed lawyer in Del Norte County?
Ask the judge at the first court appearance. Penal Code section 987 requires the court to ask a defendant without a lawyer whether they want one, and to appoint counsel for a defendant who wants a lawyer and cannot afford one.
Talk to a lawyer
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free consultation and is available 24/7, including for a family member calling about someone just arrested in Del Norte County. Call (800) 755-5174 to talk with a lawyer about what happens next, or request a free consultation online.