To find out whether someone is in custody at a Solano County jail, call the Sheriff's Office 24-hour Custody Booking Information line at (707) 784-7112, or use the online In Custody Web Search linked from the Sheriff's website. Solano County runs three detention facilities, Claybank, the Justice Center, and Stanton, all in Fairfield.
How do I look up someone at a Solano County jail?
Call the Sheriff's Office Custody Booking Information line or search its online In Custody Web Search tool to confirm whether a person is booked into a Solano County jail.
- Call the Custody Booking Information line, (707) 784-7112. It answers around the clock and can tell you whether a person is in custody.
- Or search the In Custody Web Search tool, embedded on the Sheriff's Office In Custody Web Search page. The Sheriff's Office describes it as a public-service tool, not the official record of custody, so treat a result as a starting point and confirm anything important by phone.
- If the person does not show up, the booking may not have posted yet, or the person may still be in the custody of the arresting agency (a city police department, for example) before a transfer to a Sheriff's Office facility. Call (707) 784-7112 to ask directly.
- If the arrest happened outside Solano County, see our courthouse and jail guides by county to find the right one.
Where does Solano County hold people after an arrest?
Solano County's Sheriff's Office runs three detention facilities, all in Fairfield, each with its own phone number; a separate 24-hour line gives custody booking information.
| Facility | Address | Public phone |
|---|---|---|
| Claybank Detention Facility | 2500 Claybank Road, Fairfield, CA 94533 | (707) 784-7190 |
| Justice Center Detention Facility | 500 Union Ave, Fairfield, CA 94533 | (707) 784-7100 |
| Stanton Correctional Facility | 2450 Claybank Road, Fairfield, CA 94533 | (707) 784-4830 |
The county directory also lists a 24-hour Custody Booking Information line, (707) 784-7112, separate from each facility's own number, plus a Custody Medical line, (707) 784-7150.
How does release work before trial in Solano County?
Release before trial in Solano County comes through a citation, an own recognizance order, cash bail or a bail bond, depending on the charge and the court's decision.
Solano County's own bail schedule document states the rule for a misdemeanor case plainly: a person charged with a misdemeanor is entitled to release on their own recognizance unless that release would compromise public safety or would not reasonably ensure they come back to court. That mirrors Penal Code section 1270, which gives the same entitlement statewide to a person in custody who is arraigned on a misdemeanor, unless the court finds on the record that own recognizance release would compromise public safety or would not reasonably assure the person's appearance.
Before a judge ever sees many of these cases, 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 listed reason applies, such as an outstanding warrant or a documented reason to doubt the person will return to court. The officer may still book the person at the scene or at the station before releasing them on that citation; a citation is a release from custody, not automatic freedom from the booking process itself. For a felony, or where citation release does not apply, the paths are cash bail, a bail bond through a licensed agent, or a judge's own recognizance order at the first appearance.
How do I post bail for someone at a Solano County jail?
Bail can be paid in full cash or covered by a surety bond, through the jail or the court clerk, at the warrant's or the countywide schedule's figure.
Before a first court appearance, bail in Solano County follows the countywide schedule unless an arrest warrant already set a different amount, and a judge can change it later.
The Sheriff's Office sets bail under that schedule when no warrant has been issued; once a judge sees the case, the judge's own figure controls.
The court's Solano County Bail Schedule, effective January 14, 2026, is the countywide arrest schedule; its own text says that at and after the first appearance the amount "may be greater or less than the amount set forth in this schedule." The Uniform Bail & Penalty Schedules posted on the same Bail Information page are a separate document.
A schedule figure is only a starting point. In 2021, the California Supreme Court held in In re Humphrey that a court cannot keep someone in custody before trial for the sole reason that they cannot afford bail; where money bail is necessary, the judge must consider the person's ability to pay, and should consider whether a nonfinancial condition, such as supervision, could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure the person's presence at trial. In April 2026, In re Kowalczyk went further: 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 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 for more on both decisions.
Penal Code section 1269b(a) authorizes the officer in charge of a jail and the court clerk to take bail as cash or a surety bond, and under Penal Code section 1295(a) the defendant or another person may deposit the cash amount with the clerk of the court after a misdemeanor booking or an order admitting the person to bail. Call (707) 784-7112 to ask which forms of payment the facility takes before you go, or ask a licensed bail agent what the agent's own fee covers.
When is the first court date after an arrest in Solano County?
Anyone held in custody after an arrest must be brought before a judge within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays, at the Solano County courthouse assigned to the case.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) says:
"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 reach a judge, not a deadline for filing charges and not a promise of release. If the 48 hours expire while court is not in session, the deadline extends through the end of the next court session on the following court day under Penal Code section 825(a)(2). A separate Wednesday rule in the same subsection covers an arrest made on a Wednesday after court has closed for the day: the person must go before a judge by the following Friday, provided neither the Wednesday nor the Friday is a court holiday.
Solano County Superior Court's Criminal Court page lists two branches: the Fairfield Branch at the Hall of Justice, 600 Union Ave, Fairfield, and the Vallejo Branch at the Solano Justice Building, 321 Tuolumne St, Vallejo. A citation or notice to appear names the court and the date (Penal Code section 853.6(a)(1)), and the court's FAQ says a court date can also be found by searching CourtConnect by name on the court's website or by contacting the clerk's office. DUI charges are filed with the Criminal Division specifically. For the full picture of what happens next, see our arraignment guide or the Solano County Courthouse guide for case lookup and court-date details.
How do visiting, mail, and commissary work at a Solano County jail?
Each of Solano's three jail facilities has its own visiting page on the Sheriff's site, covering visitation registration, visitation rules, visiting information and off-site or remote visiting.
Check the Sheriff's Office Jail Visiting Information page or call the facility holding your family member before you plan a trip.
The Sheriff's Jail Mail Information page sets a firm rule: every letter sent to an inmate must carry the sender's return address on the outside of the envelope, and outgoing mail is inspected for contraband before it is sealed. Family members can order commissary items for an inmate online through the jail's iCare system instead of coming to the facility; each facility has its own delivery day: Tuesday for Claybank, Wednesday for the Justice Center, and Monday for Stanton.
What should I do right now if someone was just arrested in Solano County?
Confirm custody, check the current bail schedule, keep any citation or booking paperwork, and talk to a lawyer before the first court date arrives.
- Confirm custody. Call (707) 784-7112 or search the In Custody Web Search tool.
- Check the current bail schedule on the court's Bail Information page, and call the facility to confirm what it accepts for payment.
- Keep any citation or booking paperwork. It names the exact courthouse branch and the court date.
- Ask the court to appoint a lawyer at the first appearance if hiring one is not possible; the judge decides eligibility at that hearing.
- Talk to a criminal defense lawyer early. A lawyer can address bail at the first appearance, confirm the court date, and explain what comes next before the family has to guess. All three jails are in Fairfield; see our Fairfield criminal defense lawyer page.
Frequently asked questions
What if the Solano County jail lookup does not show the person I am searching for?
A booking can take time to post online, and the person may still be held by the arresting agency before a transfer to a Sheriff's Office facility. Call the Custody Booking Information line at (707) 784-7112 and give the person's full legal name.
Can I post bail at a Solano County jail with a credit card?
Call (707) 784-7112 before you go and ask what the facility holding your family member accepts. California law allows a jail to take bail as cash or a surety bond (Penal Code section 1269b(a)).
Does Solano County offer video visitation?
Each facility's visiting page on the Sheriff's site has its own "Off-Site / Remote Visiting" section, next to visitation registration and the visitation rules. Check the page for the facility holding your family member, or call that facility, before planning a visit.
Will a misdemeanor arrest in Solano County always end in a citation release?
Not always. Under Penal Code section 853.6, an officer generally must release someone arrested for a misdemeanor on a written notice to appear instead of taking the person before a magistrate, though booking can come first. Exceptions listed in the statute include an outstanding warrant, no satisfactory identification, and a stated reason to believe the person will not return to court.
Does Solano County have a drug court or other specialty court?
Yes. Solano County Superior Court runs six treatment courts, among them Adult Drug Court, Mental Health Diversion Court and Veterans Treatment Court; its Criminal Court page lists all six.
Who asks for a lower bail amount at a Solano County jail, and when?
After an arrest without a warrant, Penal Code section 1269c lets the person in custody, or a lawyer, friend or family member, ask a judge for bail below the schedule or for own recognizance release, except for the offenses listed in Penal Code section 1270.1(a). Once the case reaches a judge, the schedule says the judge's amount may be greater or less than the scheduled figure.
What should I bring to a Solano County court date?
The court's criminal FAQ lists proper identification, a copy of the citation, the notice of hearing, bond or cash bail receipts, jail release paperwork, proof of compliance with court orders or sentencing, and cash, a personal check or a postal money order for fines and fees.
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 Solano County. Call (800) 755-5174 to talk with a lawyer about what happens next, or request a free consultation online.