San Diego County jails and inmate search
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office runs all of the county's adult jails, from downtown San Diego to Vista in North County and Otay Mesa near the border.
How the San Diego County jail system works
San Diego is unusual in Southern California because its cities don't run long-term city jails. Arrests by the San Diego Police Department and other city agencies are booked straight into Sheriff's facilities.
Men arrested in the city of San Diego and South Bay are usually booked at San Diego Central Jail downtown. North County arrests are usually booked at the Vista Detention Facility. Women are booked and housed at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee.
People who stay in custody may be moved to the George Bailey Detention Facility or the East Mesa Reentry Facility in Otay Mesa, or to the South Bay Detention Facility in Chula Vista.
Searching for someone in San Diego County
- Search the Sheriff's online 'Who's in Jail' tool. Have the person's full legal name and, if possible, their date of birth.
- Because there are no city jails, a recent arrest anywhere in the county should show up in the Sheriff's system within a few hours.
- Many San Diego facilities use scheduled video visits. Check how visits work at the specific facility.
The official source is the San Diego County Sheriff's Office website. For a general walkthrough, see our guide to finding someone in jail.
Practical details for families in San Diego County
Posting cash bail
In San Diego County, cash bail is usually posted at jail facilities or bail windows designated by the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, and sometimes at the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 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 San Diego County Sheriff's Office 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 San Diego County Sheriff's Office 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 San Diego online case search and the Sheriff's inmate search. See Who to Contact for an Update After Court.