San Francisco County, California Inmate Search
An inmate search is a public tool that provides information about persons serving prison terms in correctional facilities. In the county, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department (SFSD) runs the official public inmate locator ("Find a Person in Jail"), which allows users to access information about individuals in the San Francisco County jail system. This includes information about inmates at the San Francisco County Jail #2, Jail #2 Annex, San Bruno Facility (Jail #3), and recent arrestees.
San Francisco County’s inmate locator also provides access to public-facing information about individuals in law enforcement custody, including details such as:
- Full name and booking number
- Booking date and time
- Custody status (in custody, released, or transferred)
- Housing location or facility
- Charges or holding authority
- Bail or bond amount (if applicable).
Unlike most counties, San Francisco County contains only one incorporated city: San Francisco. Consequently, the San Francisco Police Department operates as the sole municipal law enforcement agency and does not maintain an independent jail roster separate from the official inmate locator.
How to Find an Inmate in San Francisco County Jail
In San Francisco County, the Sheriff’s Department manages the jail system. Access to inmate information is through the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department’s Find a Person in Jail Portal. This inmate search tool may disclose the jail facility housing specific inmates.
As an alternative, contact the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department and inquire about the county’s inmates at:
City Hall, Room 456, 1 Drive Carlton B. Goodlett Place,
San Francisco,
CA 94102,
Phone: (415) 554-7225,
Fax: (415) 554-7050.
For in-person search for inmate records, visit the following facilities:
San Francisco County Jail #2
425 7th Street,
San Francisco,
CA 94103
Phone: (415) 553-1430
San Francisco County Jail #3 (San Bruno Facility)
1 Moreland Drive,
San Bruno,
CA 94066
Phone: (650) 266-1730.
How to Use the San Francisco County Jail Roster
Using the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department’s "Find a Person In Jail" search portal to access the county’s inmate roster is straightforward but requires specific information to provide the best results. Users can access inmate details by name, SF number, or booking number. To search for an inmate in San Francisco:
- Visit the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department website.
- Click the "Find a Person In Jail" link to access the search portal.
- Enter the subject’s name into the name field, or choose the SF or booking number option and provide the required information.
- Click "Search for Person in Jail" to submit the query.
What Information is Included in the San Francisco County Inmate Roster
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department’s Find a Person in Jail search tool is the official resource for accessing the county’s inmate roster. Users can access non-restricted information about inmates at San Francisco County’s detention facilities. Typically, a San Francisco County inmate records search will return public-facing details, such as:
- The full name of the inmate as recorded during booking, including known aliases
- Booking number
- Arrest date
- Charge description
- Housing or unit location
- Custody or release status
- Court date (if available).
While Section 7920.000 of the California Government Code (the California Public Records Act) grants inmate records, the state also recognizes citizens’ right to privacy. Therefore, unauthorized entities cannot access:
- Juvenile inmate records
- Inmates’ medical or mental health information
- Victim identities
- Confidential law enforcement notes
- Sealed or expunged cases.
Contact Details for San Francisco County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
In addition to online searches for San Francisco inmate records, information seekers can request these records offline through the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department or the county’s jail facilities. Interested parties can contact the Sheriff’s Department or the detention centers with the following details.
San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department
City Hall, Room 456, 1 Drive Carlton B. Goodlett Place,
San Francisco,
CA 94102
Phone: (415) 554-7225
Fax: (415) 554-7050.
San Francisco County Jail #2
425 7th Street,
San Francisco,
CA 94103
Phone: (415) 553-1430
San Bruno Jail Facility (San Francisco County Jail #3)
1 Moreland Drive,
San Bruno,
CA 94066
Phone: (650) 266-1730.
|
Agency |
Address |
Booking/Visitation Line |
Web Directory |
|---|---|---|---|
|
San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department |
City Hall, Room 456, 1 Drive Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102 |
Visitation scheduling is through the San Francisco City and County Sheriff’s Department’s Scheduling App | |
|
San Francisco County Jail #2 |
425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 |
(415) 575-4410 |
https://sfsheriff.com/services/jail-services/jails/county-jail-2?utm |
|
San Bruno Jail Facility |
1 Moreland Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066 |
(415) 734-3606, (415) 553-1443 |
https://sfsheriff.com/services/jail-services/jails/county-jail-3?utm. |
Jail Facility Overview in San Francisco County
The San Francisco County jail system comprises multiple facilities. This includes San Francisco County Jail #2, Jail #3, and County Jail #2 annex, and a juvenile detention facility.
The San Bruno Jail (Jail #3) is San Francisco’s largest detention facility. This prison has 8 pods, designated as A side and B side, with 16 housing units for male inmates only. At peak population, the San Bruno Jail can accommodate up to 768 inmates, with a maximum number of 48 inmates per pod.
The San Bruno Jail is a medium security (Type II) prison that provides:
- General Population Housing
- Administrative Separation Housing
- Male Psychiatric Sheltered Living Unit PSLU
- Disciplinary Separation
- Non-Designated Housing.
In addition to the main complex, the San Bruno jail annex has an additional 180 to 300 beds.
While the San Bruno Jail is a male-only prison, the county houses female inmates at San Francisco Jail #2 (Main City Jail). The San Francisco County Jail #2 has approximately 392 beds and accommodates all genders.
In addition to adult prisons, San Francisco also operates a juvenile detention facility. The San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center houses individuals under 18 years who are:
- Awaiting court hearings or undergoing assessment or placement decisions
- participating in court-ordered programs
- Detained by court orders.
The San Francisco County Juvenile Probation Department’s Justice Center is a 150-bed secured facility comprising eight housing units: seven with 20 beds each and one with 10 beds. This facility focuses on youth rehabilitation through:
- Classroom instruction and tutoring
- Mental health counseling
- Behavioral intervention programs
- Family visitation and support services.
|
Agency |
Office and Mail Address |
Phone Number |
Office Hours |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
San Francisco County Jail #2 |
425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 |
|
Tuesdays - 2:00 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. (pods A, C, D, E, and F) Wednesdays - 3:25 p.m. to 6:55 p.m. (pods B, D, E, and F workers) Thursdays - 2:00 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. (pods B, C, E, and Civil Commitments) Saturdays and holidays - 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (pods A, B, C, D, E, F, and civil commitments) |
- |
|
San Bruno Jail (San Francisco County Jail #3) |
1 Moreland Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066 |
|
Visitors for inmates must schedule by phone the day before between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. |
- |
|
San Francisco County Juvenile Justice Center |
375 Woodside Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127 |
|
Onsite visits
Some weekdays also include 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
- |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in San Bruno Jail?
Friends and family members fund commissary accounts for individuals at the San Bruno Jail through several approved channels. The San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department (operator of the San Bruno County Jail) permits online and kiosk deposits into incarcerated persons’ accounts. Individuals can make online deposits through a third-party payment link on the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department commissary/incarcerated person’s accounts webpage using credit cards and Jail Facility Locator Number 294066. The Sheriff’s Department also operates a 24/7 payment kiosk for cash and debit/credit card deposits.
Additionally, individuals can make cash deposits through the Sheriff’s Office money window on Wednesdays from 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Office:
425 7th Street, First Floor,
San Francisco,
CA 94103
The San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department also permits approved visitors to convert cash to money orders, cashier’s checks, or certified checks and mail without letters, photos, or notes as follows:
Att: Inmate Deposit,
Inmate name,
Inmate ID number,
San Francisco County Jail #3,
1 Moreland Drive,
San Bruno,
CA 94066.
When making deposits into inmates’ accounts, note that the Sheriff’s Office does not accept coins. Furthermore, the amount on cashier’s checks, certified checks, and money orders must not exceed $100.00. In addition, credit card processing fees apply to online payments.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
San Francisco County uses a centralized inmate locator system rather than separate jail-by-jail rosters. The San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department maintains a single roster for the county’s jail facilities through its Find a Person In Jail portal. This online search tool permits users to access information about inmates at the San Francisco County Jail #2 and the San Bruno Jail. Information seekers can also call (415) 553-1430 and inquire about inmate records, or visit the Sheriff’s Office or the county’s jail facilities and request access to inmate records.
Unlike adult jail facilities, the San Francisco County Juvenile Justice Center does not maintain an inmate roster. Under California law, there is a statutory restriction on public access to juvenile records. Access to the San Francisco County Juvenile Justice Center’s roster requires legal authorization.
San Francisco County Visitation Rules and Schedules
Visitors to San Francisco County jail facilities must abide by the rules. Individuals visiting the San Francisco jails must be on the inmates’ approved lists and must schedule their visits through the San Francisco City and County Sheriff’s Department’s Scheduling App. A standard social visit to an inmate at the San Bruno Jail lasts 30 to 60 minutes, while legal visits are longer, but require separate scheduling. The following rules apply to inmate visitation at San Francisco County jails.
Who can visit
- Family members and friends on the inmate’s approved list
- Children accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
- Attorneys and clergy (separate procedures may apply)
Approval
- Visitors must register online in advance using the inmate’s name and SF number (first-time visitors must create a visitor account through the San Francisco County online scheduler).
Required identification
- A valid government-issued photo ID, such as:
- Driver’s license
- Passport
- State ID
- Birth certificate or school ID for minors (plus guardian ID).
Dress code
Clothing should be moderate; visitors should put on shoes, and avoid:
- Short shorts
- Crop tops
- See-through fabrics
- Clothing with gang-related symbols or offensive language.
Behavior
Visitors must follow staff instructions at all times; no loud, disruptive, or threatening conduct. Additionally, visitors must not have physical contact with the inmates beyond a brief greeting or goodbye (depending on security level). Phones, bags, and personal items usually must be stored in lockers.
Mailing and Commissary Information
Individuals mailing inmates of San Francisco County jails must follow certain rules. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office inspects all incoming mail for contraband; mail to a San Francisco County inmate should not contain:
- Cash or personal checks
- Stamps or envelopes
- Packages from individuals
- Polaroids
- Stickers, glitter, perfume, lipstick marks
- Anything with metal or electronics.
Mail to an inmate at a San Francisco County jail should be in the format:
Inmate Full Name
Booking Number
Facility Name
Street Address
City,
State ZIP.
For instance:
Jane Doe
SF #1234567
San Francisco County Jail #2
425 7th Street
San Francisco,
CA 94103.
The San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department provides several options for funding inmate commissary accounts. Friends and family can make deposits online through an approved third-party platform, payment kiosk in the San Francisco County Jail #2 lobby, or by money order or check. Depositors should not send cash or personal checks through the mail.