Orange County jails and inmate search
Orange County's jails are centered in the Santa Ana civic center. They are run by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, which also processes arrests from most of the county's cities.
How the Orange County jail system works
Adults arrested in Orange County are usually booked at the Intake Release Center (IRC) in Santa Ana. From there, people who stay in custody are assigned to the Central Men's Jail, the Central Women's Jail, the Theo Lacy Facility in the City of Orange or the James A. Musick Facility in Irvine.
Several cities, including Santa Ana, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Fullerton, have city jails for short-term holds. Anyone held past their first court appearance is usually moved to Sheriff's custody.
OCSD posts current visiting schedules, mail rules and deposit options online. These are the official source, and they change more often than most families expect.
Searching for someone in Orange County
- Use OCSD's online inmate locator to confirm the booking number and which facility the person is housed in.
- Arrests by Santa Ana, Anaheim or other city police may show up first in that city's jail, not in the county search.
- Visits in Orange County usually have to be scheduled ahead of time. Walk-in visits are rare.
The official source is the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) website. For a general walkthrough, see our guide to finding someone in jail.
Practical details for families in Orange County
Posting cash bail
In Orange County, cash bail is usually posted at jail facilities or bail windows designated by the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD), and sometimes at the Superior Court of California, County of Orange once a case is filed. Check the Sheriff's official bail page for current locations, hours and accepted payment types. Learn more: How to Post Cash Bail in Southern California.
Property and account money
Property stored at booking is usually released only to someone the person in custody authorizes in writing, and that person needs a photo ID. Money on the person's account has to be released by them. Check facility rules on the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) website. See How to Pick Up an Inmate's Property and How to Release Money From an Inmate's Account.
Release and parking
Releases can happen at any hour. In large counties, people are sometimes released from a different facility than the one where they were housed. Downtown facilities usually rely on nearby public parking that's shared with the courts, while facilities outside downtown generally have visitor lots. See Picking Someone Up After Release From Jail and Parking and Arriving for a Jail Visit.
Cars towed after an arrest
The arresting agency issues the vehicle release. That's the city police department, the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) in unincorporated areas or contract cities, or the California Highway Patrol (CHP) on freeways. See Getting a Car Back After an Arrest: Impounds in Southern California.
After a court hearing
Check the Superior Court of California, County of Orange online case search and the Sheriff's inmate search. See Who to Contact for an Update After Court.
County jails in Orange County
Intake Release Center
Santa Ana
Central Men's Jail
Santa Ana
Central Women's Jail
Santa Ana
Theo Lacy Facility
Orange
James A. Musick Facility
Irvine
City jails in Orange County
City jails hold people for a short time after arrest by local police, then release them or move them to county custody.
Santa Ana City Jail
Santa Ana · City of Santa Ana
Anaheim City Jail
Anaheim · Anaheim Police Department
Huntington Beach City Jail
Huntington Beach · Huntington Beach Police Department
Costa Mesa City Jail
Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa Police Department
Newport Beach City Jail
Newport Beach · Newport Beach Police Department
Fullerton City Jail
Fullerton · Fullerton Police Department