Travis County Jail Details & Overview
If you have a loved one or friend being held in the Travis County Jail, knowing the rules and how the jail operates is essential. Whether you need to visit the jail to see an inmate, post bail, or for other reasons, having this information available is critical.
About Travis County Jail
The Travis County Jail System includes the jail and the Travis County Correctional Complex. The first jail was built in 1847 and ultimately destroyed by fire in 1855. After many years of various facility construction, the jail we have today was opened in 1986 and has a capacity of 2,908 inmates.
The Travis County Jail facilities house both male and female inmates. There is maximum, medium, and minimum-security housing. The central location includes the Travis County Jail and the Central Booking Facility. The system books around 23,000 individuals annually. Most inmates are awaiting trial, with an average daily population of 1,929.
Travis County Jail Contact Information
The Travis County Jail phone number is 512-854-4180. The Travis County Jail is located at the following location:
Travis County Jail
500 W. 10th St.
Austin, TX 78701
Travis County Correctional Complex
3614 Bill Price Rd.
Del Valle, TX 78617
Travis County Jail Inmate Information
The sheriff’s office maintains a website where you can gather information on inmates 24/7.
Find an inmate by entering the inmate’s first, middle, and last name on the Travis County Jail inmate search online page. If you need further assistance and cannot find the information you need, the Sheriff offers a contact page.
Travis County Jail Inmates
The Travis County Jail has grown to 26 buildings and sits on 130 acres. At present, there are eight security buildings housing 2,300 inmates. Building 12 holds 1,200 of the inmate population.
Individuals are arrested and booked at the Travis County Jail Central Booking Facility located at:
500 W. 10th St.
Austin, TX 78701
Once booked, inmates will enter the facility to await trial. The Travis County Jail also holds inmates who are serving short sentences. Inmates serving longer jail sentences are transferred to one of Texas’ 17 state prisons.
If you are trying to find a mugshot of a prisoner visit the jail mugshots in Travis County page.
Travis County Jail Inmate Services
The Travis County Jail offers a wide range of services for inmates. The following are the programs inmates have access to at the jail.
- Educational programs
- Health and wellness programs
- Re-entry services
- Maximum security services
- Spanish speaker services
- Substance use disorder services
- Women, family, and children services
- Military veteran services
- Workforce development
- Youth services (ages 17-24)
If you need assistance, contact the Programming Assistant at 512-854-5367.
The Travis County Jail uses volunteers to provide some services for inmates. If you are interested in volunteering, visit the Volunteer Page.
Travis County Jail Commissary Services
The jail offers a commissary that allows inmates to purchase items for their needs. There are three ways inmates can receive money for purchasing from the commissary.
In-Person
If you want to deliver money to an inmate in person, you will need to visit:
Travis County Correctional Complex
Finance Bldg. #230
3614 Bill Price Rd.
Del Valle, TX 78617
You can bring money for an inmate Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This office is closed on Travis County legal holidays. You can only pay with cash or money orders. The jail does not accept inmate money orders over $100.
You can also mail an inmate money at the following address:
Inmate Trust Fund
(Inmate’s Full Name and Jail ID/Booking Number)
P.O. Box 1368
Del Valle, TX 78617
You can send a cashier’s check to the Inmate Trust Fund. No fees apply. You must include the inmate’s full name, date of birth, and booking number/jail ID. Failure to provide this information could result in delays or a return of the cashier’s check to the sender.
Western Union
You can also send money to an inmate via Western Union. You can pay online via the Western Union website or call 1-800-634-3422.
Travis County Jail Inmate Telephone Privileges
Travis County Jail inmates have access to telephone privileges. Friends or family members will need to set up a ViaPath Technologies Phone Account to contact an inmate.
Individuals can pay online or by calling 1-800-483-8314. Inmates in Travis County Jail are given free calls to their attorneys, and these calls are not recorded. Inmates can talk for 20 minutes each time and can only have one attorney’s number on the authorized call list.
Travis County Jail Inmate Visitation
Inmates can receive visitors through video and in-person visits. The following provides information on these two opportunities for inmate visitation.
Video Visitation
All Travis County Jail inmates receive tablets through the Getting Out Program. Video visitation kiosks are available 8:05 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
In-person inmate visitations are available 8:00 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Visiting hours are Tuesday through Saturday, excluding Travis County federal holidays.
Rules for Inmate In-Person Visitation
- Only two visitors are allowed for face-to-face and video visitations. If there are children under 12, inmates can have up to three visitors.
- All minors under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
- All visitors over the age of 17 must have a government-issued photo ID.
- All visitations must be scheduled, and visitors must show up on time. Failure to show up on time could result in cancellation. Visitations must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
- Visitors will need to wait in the central lobby for their visitation appointment.
The following are NOT allowed for visitors to the Travis County Jail.
- No seductive or revealing clothing
- No see-through clothing of any type
- No tank tops, muscle shirts, halter tops, spaghetti straps, backless tops, or tube tops
- No pajamas or nightgowns
- No clothing with illegal or obscene images or writing
- No short dresses or skirts or those with high slits – skirts must be at least knee length
- Shorts must be longer than fingertip length
Travis County Jail officers have the right to deny visitation to visitors who do not follow the above rules.
Inmates who are deaf or hard of hearing can access video relay services through ViaPath Technologies. These services are available at no additional cost. Video Relay Services are offered via kiosks in all housing units.
Travis County Jail Inmate Mental Health Services
If an inmate is in crisis and may hurt themselves, loved ones and friends can call for immediate assistance Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The Travis County Jail Mental Health Department offers a psychiatrist and nurse practitioner who prescribe medications. There are also counselors and psychologists who provide patients with treatment to address any mental health concerns. The mental health program provides inmates the following services.
- Screening and assessment
- Counseling
- Medications
- Court coordination
- Family services
Should you need to reach a member of this team, call 512-854-5356. After release, inmates are referred to Austin/Travis County Integral Care for further treatment.
Travis County Jail Bonds
You can pay a cash bond at the:
Blackwell Thurman Criminal Justice Center | Bonding Office
509 W. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78701
You MUST pay a cash bond in the exact amount of cash. You can pay a bond by cashier’s check or money order. Once the defendant shows up for all court dates, bond refunds are released through the Travis County District Clerk.