The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department runs an online Inmate Locator covering all four county jails. Search it by booking number, or by name, sex and date of birth, to see the housing facility, booking number, bail amount and projected release date. Release then follows a citation, posted bail, own recognizance, or a judge's order at arraignment.
How do I find out if someone is in a San Bernardino County jail?
Search the Sheriff's Inmate Locator by booking number, or by last name, sex and date of birth; a match shows the housing facility, bail amount and a projected release date.
- Open the Sheriff's Inmate Locator.
- With a 10-digit booking number, select Search by Booking and enter it.
- Otherwise enter the last name, first name, date of birth and sex; without a birth date, an approximate age works instead, and the search then covers two years before and after it.
- A result shows the booking number, name, date of birth, arrest date, bail, arrest agency, current housing facility, and a projected release date.
- Write down the booking number; you will need it to schedule a visit, send money, or arrange mail.
- If nothing comes back, try other names the person has used; some names do not appear online at all because of a legal exemption, covered in the FAQs below.
- The result page itself warns it "may not reflect the current court appearance date of an inmate," so confirm any hearing date with the Superior Court instead.
Which San Bernardino County jail is the person being held in?
The Sheriff's Department runs four main adult jails; the Inmate Locator's result for a specific person names the one holding them.
The four San Bernardino County jails, address and phone, from the Sheriff's Corrections/Jails page.
| Facility | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Central Detention Center | 630 E. Rialto Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92415 | (909) 386-0969 |
| Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center | 18000 Institution Road, Devore, CA 92407 | (909) 473-3689 |
| High Desert Detention Center | 9438 Commerce Way, Adelanto, CA 92301 | (760) 530-9300 |
| West Valley Detention Center | 9500 Etiwanda Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739 | (909) 350-2476 |
The department's own facility pages do not all match this directory: both West Valley and Glen Helen print (909) 708-8371 as their own number, though this list gives each one separately. The Inmate Locator is the reliable way to confirm which jail actually holds a specific person. The firm's own guides to West Valley Detention Center and High Desert Detention Center each cover booking, visiting and release at that one jail; this page covers what applies countywide.
How does release work in San Bernardino County?
Release happens through a signed promise to appear, posted bail, a judge's order at arraignment, or no charges at all; which applies depends on the charge and the person's record.
Routes out of custody before and at arraignment in San Bernardino County.
| Route | When it applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Written promise to appear (citation release) | A misdemeanor arrest where none of the statute's listed reasons for keeping the person applies | Penal Code 853.6 |
| Posting bail | A bailable charge, at the amount on the warrant, the county schedule, or a judge's later order | Penal Code 1269b |
| Lower bail or own recognizance before arraignment | Request to a magistrate by the arrested person, a lawyer, friend or family member, except for an offense listed in Penal Code 1270.1 | Penal Code 1269c |
| Judge's decision at arraignment | Every case gets an individual bail and custody review | Penal Code 1270 and 1275 |
| No charges sought | An officer finds insufficient grounds for a complaint; the arrest then counts as a detention only | Penal Code 849 |
A citation notice to appear must name the court where the person is due; follow that paperwork rather than guessing. A request for lower bail or own recognizance release that gets no ruling within eight hours of booking entitles the person to release on the scheduled amount instead, under Penal Code 1269c.
How much is bail, and how is it posted?
San Bernardino County's written schedule sets a starting figure for each charge; a magistrate can set a different amount once in court.
The Superior Court's current Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule is dated effective January 1, 2026 and revised June 4, 2026 on its cover page. It states plainly that "this bail schedule is to be used as a guideline," that "all bailable offenses are subject to an individualized determination by a magistrate," and that "pre-arraignment bail amounts are not binding on judicial officers at arraignment." A few examples from its misdemeanor and felony tables:
Sample entries from the current San Bernardino County bail schedule; a judge can set a different amount at arraignment.
| Charge | Level | Scheduled bail |
|---|---|---|
| Battery on a spouse, Penal Code 243(e)(1) | Misdemeanor | $25,000 |
| Misdemeanor DUI, Vehicle Code 23152, no prior | Misdemeanor | $10,000 |
| Misdemeanor DUI, Vehicle Code 23152, one prior | Misdemeanor | $20,000 |
| Stalking, Penal Code 646.9 | Misdemeanor | $50,000 |
| Unlisted felony, 3 years or less maximum term | Felony (general chart) | $30,000 |
The Sheriff's Department accepts cash, checks, money orders and bail bonds, payable 24 hours a day at any of the four jails. Posting bail does not always mean release that hour: a charge marked "no bail" stays held regardless of payment, and one marked "sentenced" cannot be bailed out at all. A bail agent may visit only on request from the arrestee, an attorney or a family member, after completing the department's own form, and may not solicit business inside a facility.
What happens if the person is still in custody when court opens?
A person held in custody must be brought before a judge within 48 hours of arrest, not counting Sundays and holidays, for a review of bail and custody.
Penal Code 825(a)(1) requires that "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." Saturdays count toward those 48 hours. When the deadline would fall while court is closed, subdivision (a)(2) extends it "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," but for an arrest "on a Wednesday after the conclusion of the day's court session," so long as that Wednesday is not a court holiday, the appearance must come "not later than the following Friday, if the Friday is not a court holiday." This is a deadline to appear before a judge, never a charging deadline and never a promise of release.
For a felony, bail follows In re Humphrey together with In re Kowalczyk (decided April 30, 2026): in noncapital cases a judge "has the authority to deny bail only as to offenses specified in section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c)," and where money bail is needed, it "must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable" after weighing ability to pay and whether conditions short of bail could "reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure the arrestee's presence at trial." A misdemeanor arraignee is instead entitled to own recognizance release "unless the court makes a finding on the record ... that an own recognizance release will compromise public safety or will not reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant" (Penal Code 1270(a)). Someone still held for lack of bail gets an automatic review within five days unless they waive it, under Penal Code 1270.2. The firm's bail amount explainer covers that standard further, and a motion for bail reduction asks for it sooner. Which courthouse holds the hearing depends on where the alleged offense happened, not which jail books the person; the firm's San Bernardino County courthouse assignment guide covers how the four criminal courthouses divide that up.
How do I visit, send money or drop off property?
Visiting, money and mail go through the Sheriff's own systems, the same way at all four jails, but a few of the department's pages disagree on hours.
Schedule a visit online through the Inmate Locator, available "starting on Tuesdays at midnight through Saturday at 11:59 p.m.," or call the Visiting Appointment Line, (909) 887-0364, the day before; one page lists that number's hours as 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, another as 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on different weekdays, so confirm when you call. There are no same-day visits. Current countywide rules, effective March 1, 2022, limit a visit to two visitors per inmate, up to two visits totaling one hour per week, with arrival 30 minutes early for a search and ID check. A minor at least 12 may visit an incarcerated parent unaccompanied, and a minor under 18 may visit an inmate spouse with a marriage certificate and photo ID. Visitors need valid photo identification, cannot bring in weapons, phones, recording devices or tobacco, and must follow a dress code barring gang attire, hats and clothing shorter than mid-thigh. A person previously convicted of a felony and confined in a California state prison needs the facility commander's written authorization first, since Penal Code 4571 makes an unauthorized visit a felony.
- Money: a lobby kiosk at each jail takes cash, credit or debit cards around the clock, not checks or money orders. A released inmate gets any balance back in cash or by check.
- Mail: address a letter to the specific facility holding the person, with the sender's name, return address, and the inmate's name and booking number on the envelope. Only lined paper or thin postcards are accepted, never cardstock, stickers, glitter or more than 10 photographs at one time; books and magazines must come straight from the publisher or a verified retailer.
- Property: only clothing, money, prescription medication and legal documents can be dropped off or picked up; for a pickup the inmate signs a withdrawal slip, and the person collecting it needs identification.
What should I do right now?
Confirm exactly where the person is held and get ready for the first court date and what to bring before doing anything else.
- Search the Inmate Locator for the booking number, housing facility and bail status.
- Phone the Visiting Appointment Line, (909) 887-0364, and check visiting times before any trip.
- Check the bail schedule, or call a bail agent, if posting bail is the plan.
- Write down the charge, booking number and any court date, and gather everything from the arrest before the first hearing.
- If a lawyer is wanted and cannot be afforded, the firm's own San Bernardino County public defender guide covers asking the court to appoint one.
A consultation with a San Bernardino criminal defense lawyer before that hearing can cover bail strategy, even if the case is heard elsewhere in the county. The firm's San Bernardino County criminal court guide covers arraignment and after, and every court and jail guide here is listed on the firm's California courthouses and jails hub.
Frequently asked questions
Can a lawyer visit right after the arrest?
Yes. Once someone is arrested, Penal Code 825(b) allows a visit from any California lawyer that the person or a relative asks for.
Does the online Inmate Locator show every person who was booked?
Not always. The Inmate Locator says a name "may not appear on this site" because of exemptions in the state's public records law, and gives West Valley Detention Center's line, (909) 350-2476, for those calls.
Does the Sheriff's Department recommend a particular bail bond company?
No. The department states plainly its personnel are prohibited from recommending or referring business to any bail agent.
Does the 48-hour rule in Penal Code 825 count the whole weekend?
No. For a person held in custody, only Sundays and holidays are excluded, so Saturday counts. A deadline ending while court is closed runs through the end of the next court session on the following court day; a Wednesday arrest after court must reach a judge by Friday if neither day is a court holiday.
Does the Inmate Locator show a release date?
It has a projected release date field, but the Sheriff says the information may change, and release can still depend on bail or a court order.
Can I put money on someone's account without visiting in person?
Yes. Each jail's lobby kiosk accepts cash, credit or debit cards 24 hours a day, and the department also lists an online deposit option.
Talk to a lawyer about a San Bernardino County arrest
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offer a free, confidential consultation and are available 24/7, with payment plans and Spanish spoken. Call (800) 755-5174 or use the consultation form to talk through bail, release and what the first court date will involve.