To find out whether someone is in custody at the Marin County Jail, search the Sheriff's Office's public Booking Log online, or call the jail at (415) 473-6655. The jail is at 13 Peter Behr Drive in San Rafael. For exact bail information rather than the online estimate, call (415) 473-6653.
How do I look up someone at the Marin County Jail?
The Marin County Sheriff's Office Detention Bureau runs a public Booking Log search that shows recent arrests and the full current jail population.
- Go to the Sheriff's Office Detention Bureau page and open the "Search Public Booking Log" link, which leads to the county's booking log tool.
- Search by name. The tool covers everyone booked into the Marin County Jail in the last 48 hours who is still in custody, plus a complete list of current inmates, which the Sheriff's page says it releases under the California Public Records Act.
- Treat any bail figure on the screen as approximate. The Sheriff's own page warns that the listed bail amount may be an estimate and gives (415) 473-6653 for exact bail information.
- If the person does not appear, call the jail at (415) 473-6655 and ask directly.
- If the arrest happened outside Marin County, see our courthouse and jail guides by county to find the right one.
Where does Marin County hold people after an arrest?
Marin County holds people at one county jail, the Marin County Jail in San Rafael, which the Sheriff's Office Detention Bureau maintains and staffs.
| Facility | Address | Public phone |
|---|---|---|
| Marin County Jail | 13 Peter Behr Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903 | (415) 473-6655 |
The same bureau also provides bailiff, security and inmate transportation services for the Marin County courts.
How does release work before trial in Marin County?
Before trial, a person can leave custody on a signed citation, on bail, or on a judge's order of own recognizance release.
Under Penal Code section 853.6, most people arrested for a misdemeanor who do not demand to see a judge must be released on a written notice to appear instead of being taken to court, although an officer may still book them first; a list of specific reasons, including an outstanding warrant or a stated reason to believe the person will not appear, lets an officer keep someone in custody instead. For a misdemeanor case, a person who is arraigned in custody is entitled to release on their own recognizance unless the court finds on the record that it would compromise public safety or would not reasonably assure their appearance (Penal Code section 1270(a)). Someone arrested for a violent felony cannot get an own recognizance release without a hearing in open court, with notice to the prosecutor (Penal Code section 1319(a)).
How do I post bail for someone at the Marin County Jail?
Get the exact bail figure from the jail at (415) 473-6653, then post bail at the jail, which accepts it 24 hours a day, or use a bail bond agency.
The Sheriff's Custody Division page lists four ways to post bail at the jail: cash, a postal or bank money order made out to the Clerk of the Court, a surety bond issued by a California company, or a credit card through GovPay. The jail does not accept personal checks for bail.
Marin County Superior Court's current Felony Bail Schedule and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule are dated January 2026, and the judges' signed order adopting them, Order 25-02, is effective January 1, 2026. The felony schedule lists, for example, $25,000 for corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant under Penal Code section 273.5(a), and the misdemeanor schedule lists $839 as the default figure for a misdemeanor charge it does not list by name. A bail schedule is a starting point, not a fixed price: before a first court appearance, bail is the amount on the arrest warrant or, with no warrant, the county's own schedule; once a judge sets bail at a court appearance, that amount controls instead (Penal Code section 1269b(b)). Two California Supreme Court decisions shape what a judge can do with that starting figure. In re Humphrey (2021) requires the judge to consider a person's ability to pay, and whether nonfinancial conditions such as supervision could reasonably protect the public and the victim or assure the person's presence at trial, before conditioning release on money alone. In re Kowalczyk (April 30, 2026) adds that, in a noncapital case, bail may be denied only for the offenses listed in article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution, and any money bail set must generally be "reasonably attainable," though it need not be easily affordable; a person claiming they cannot pay carries the burden of showing that with reliable evidence. For the full explanation, see how California bail amounts are set.
When is the first court date after an arrest in Marin County?
Someone held in custody must be brought before a judge without unnecessary delay, and in any case within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays (Penal Code section 825(a)(1)). The exact words of the statute:
"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."
If those 48 hours run out while court is not in session, the deadline moves to the end of the next court session (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)); after an arrest on a Wednesday once that day's court session has ended (when the Wednesday is not a court holiday), the person must be brought to court by the following Friday, if Friday is not a court holiday. This is a deadline for reaching a judge, not a deadline for filing charges, and it is not a promise of release.
Marin's only criminal courthouse is the Hall of Justice at the Civic Center in San Rafael; our Marin County Courthouse guide covers what happens there in detail.
How do visiting, mail, and money work at the Marin County Jail?
Visits are scheduled online or by phone, mail goes through an enhanced screening process, and money for an inmate's account goes through the jail's listed vendors.
The Detention Bureau schedules visits through GTL Visit Me: online at gtlvisitme.com, by phone at 855-208-7349, through the GTL Visit Me mobile app for Android, or at a kiosk in the jail's lobby. The Sheriff's Custody Division page says visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance and walk-up visits are not accepted; check that page for the current visiting times and ID rules rather than relying on a fixed weekly schedule. The Sheriff's Office also runs an enhanced mail screening program, with its own informational flyer in English and Spanish, to keep contraband out of incoming mail. For money, the jail directs families to put funds on an inmate's phone or tablet account through ConnectNetwork, and on their commissary account through Access Corrections; the Detention Bureau page lists the current phone numbers for each service.
What should I do right now if someone was just arrested in Marin County?
Confirm the person is in custody and get the exact bail figure, then decide how to handle bail, keep any paperwork, and call a lawyer.
- Confirm custody and get an exact bail figure. Search the Booking Log or call (415) 473-6655, then call (415) 473-6653 for the exact bail amount rather than the posted estimate.
- Decide how to post bail, whether that is cash, a method the jail accepts, or a licensed bail bond agency.
- Keep any citation, booking slip, or paperwork the person already has; it can show the charge and point to the right department.
- Ask for a lawyer at the first court appearance if money is tight. Under Penal Code section 987(a), a court must ask a defendant who appears without counsel whether they want a lawyer, and must appoint one if the defendant wants one and cannot afford one.
- Call a criminal defense lawyer as soon as you can. If the arrest was for driving under the influence, our San Rafael DUI lawyer page explains what a DUI charge can mean specifically.
Frequently asked questions
What if the Marin County Jail Booking Log does not show the person I'm looking for?
Call the jail directly at (415) 473-6655 and ask whether the person is in custody.
Is the bail amount shown in the online Booking Log exact?
No. The Sheriff's own page warns that the bail figure listed there "may be an approximation" and gives (415) 473-6653 as the number to call for exact bail information before paying anything.
Is the Marin County Jail at the same address as the courthouse?
No. The jail is at 13 Peter Behr Drive, San Rafael. Criminal cases are heard at the Hall of Justice, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, where the Criminal Clerk's Office is Room 113, (415) 444-7070.
How many phone calls does someone get after an arrest in Marin County?
At least three completed calls, right after booking and, except where physically impossible, within three hours of arrest; calls within the local calling area are free (Penal Code section 851.5). The calls can go to a lawyer, a bail bond agent, or a relative or other person. A custodial parent of a minor child gets two more calls to arrange child care.
Who can ask a judge to lower bail after an arrest in Marin County?
The arrested person, or their attorney, a friend, or a family member, can ask the magistrate for bail lower than the schedule, or for own recognizance release, except for the offenses Penal Code section 1270.1(a) lists (Penal Code section 1269c).
What happens if the jail does not release someone on a citation?
Certain reasons let an officer hold a misdemeanor arrestee instead, including an outstanding warrant, a need for medical care, or a specifically stated reason to believe the person will not appear (Penal Code section 853.6(i)). The person then stays in custody until bail is posted, own recognizance release is granted, or a judge decides on release at the first court date.
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 Marin County. Call (800) 755-5174 to talk with a lawyer about what happens next, request a free consultation online, or see our California service areas to find the office nearest you.