El Dorado County Jail Info – Visiting, Bail, Contacting Inmates

Jail Information

Address:	300 Forni Rd, Placerville, CA 95667 Map
Phone:	(530) 621-6000
Website:	El Dorado County Sheriff’s Custody Division
Visitation:	Visitation Information Page

The El Dorado County jail in Placerville, CA, is one of two correctional facilities operated by the El Dorado County Sheriff. The Placerville Jail houses male and female detainees and inmates sentenced for California misdemeanor and felony offenses. Because of the 2011 passage of California’s Public Safety Realignment bill, The El Dorado County Detention Facility now also houses inmates who have been transferred in from the state’s prison system.

Larger and newer than the County’s Lake Tahoe facility, the Placerville Detention Center has 303 beds and an additional 8 outpatient medical beds. The facility is located about 42 miles northeast of Sacramento, accessed via US-50.

Our team of California criminal defense lawyers provide important information below, including many details about the El Dorado County Jail policies. For the benefit of family and friends of detainees currently held at the facility, the following topics are covered:

• 1. How do I search for an inmate in El Dorado County?
• 2. How do I post bail at the Placerville Jail?
• 3. Can I call an inmate?
• 4. How do I put money on an inmate’s account?
• 5. What are the visiting hours and policies?
• 6. Can inmates send and receive mail?
• 7. What is life like at the El Dorado County Detention Facility?
• 8. Is there a work release option?

1. How do I search for an inmate in El Dorado County?

If you believe your friend or loved one may be in custody in El Dorado County, you can find out by using the sheriff’s online “Currently in Custody” list. Once you have located the name you seek, click “View Inmate Details” to see the date of arrest, criminal charges, booking number and bail amount, if any. You can also call the jail to obtain inmate information.

2. How do I post bail at the Placerville Jail?

For information about an inmate’s bail payment options, call the jail at (530) 621-6000, extension 0. If you cannot pay a cash bond, you can use the services of a licensed bail bondsman to post bail for you.

3. Can I call an inmate?

In keeping with California law, incoming detainees will be allowed to make free initial phone calls to family (and in search of legal assistance). Family and friends are not ever permitted to call into the El Dorado County Jail to speak to an arrestee or inmate.

The Placerville Correctional Facility uses NCIC Inmate Communications to facilitate outgoing phone calls from the jail. Inmates can call out collect, and you can set up an account to provide prepayment for phone communication. To do so, call (800) 943-2189 or go to the website: www.ncic.com. Rates for U.S. phone calls are 25 cents a minute collect or 21 cents a minute pre-paid.

You can also set up an account at www.jailfunds.com to send electronic messages to your incarcerated friend or loved one (or download the JailFunds by VendEngine app on your mobile phone). The messages, which can be sent by text or email, cost 50 cents each. Inmates are allowed to send one reply message each week free of charge. Call (855) 836-3364 for help with El Dorado County electronic messaging.

Note that electronic messages may be flagged for pending approval if they contain certain words considered to be a safety or security violation.

It is also important to be aware that inmate phone calls are always subject to monitoring and recording. To avoid the possibility of damaging a friend or family member’s pending criminal case, it is best to refrain from speaking about criminal charges.

4. How do I put money on an inmate’s account?

Commissary items are available for El Dorado County inmate purchase through Access SecurePak. The phone number is (800) 546-6283. The Access SecurePak catalog selection includes food and condiments, toiletries and cosmetics, art supplies, games, vitamins and medications, and limited footwear.

On the website or by phone, products can be ordered with a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card. There is a maximum spending limit of $75 per inmate per week, and a $6.95 processing fee per order. Orders arrive at the jail on Tuesdays.

Family and friends can also bring or send in money to fund an inmate’s commissary account. The El Dorado County Placerville Jail accepts cash and cashier’s checks for inmate cash accounts.

5. What are the visiting hours and policies?

El Dorado County allows for onsite visitation. At the Placerville Jail facility, daytime visitation takes place every day, Monday through Sunday.

Visiting hours during daytime are as follows: Monday through Sunday: 8:00 – 8:30 AM, 9:00 – 9:30 AM, 10:00 – 10:30 AM, 1:00 – 1:30 PM, 2:00 – 2:30 PM, 3:00 – 3:30 PM.

There are also evening visitation hours Monday through Thursday: 7:00 – 7:30 PM, 8:00 – 8:30 PM, 9:00 – 9:30 PM

Note: There is no visitation available on legal holidays.

Placerville Jail inmates are allowed a maximum of three visits a week (the week starting Monday and ending on Sunday). Visits are up to 30 minutes long. Inmates participating in work programs can have unlimited visits, but cannot be pulled away from their work assignments for visits. Visitors to the jail can have no more than three visits per week and, unless with pre-approval, no more than one visit a day.

Visiting rules for the El Dorado County Detention Center are:

• Due to Covid-19 concerns, visitors are required to wear face masks that cover their noses and mouths. Failing to comply with this rule can result in termination of your visitation, or a possible ban.
• Visitation sessions are limited to one adult visitor only. A minor (under 18) may accompany his or her parent or legal guardian for a visit.
• Adults must present valid, government-issued photo ID. Minors need a school ID or birth certificate showing a relationship to the inmate or visitor.
• Do not bring personal property into the visiting area. This includes cell phones, purses, backpacks, cameras, books, and food/beverages. (Lockers are available in the jail lobby for storage of some items.)
• Any type of inappropriate or disruptive behavior will end your visit. This includes yelling, cursing, sexual activity, and indecent exposure. Further violations of visitation rules will terminate all future visitation privileges.
• Unless prior written approval is obtained from the jail commander or a parole or probation officer, visitation is denied to those who have served time in a California prison.

The dress code for this El Dorado County Jail applies to visitors of all ages (and genders). The rules are as follows:

• Shoes are required.
• Shorts, skirts and dresses must reach mid-thigh or longer.
• Do not wear see-through fabrics or exposed undergarments.
• No bare torsos and no tank tops, crop tops, spaghetti straps or bra tops/bathing suits are permitted.
• Garments should not resemble gang attire or promote gang affiliations;
• The head may not be covered by a hat, bandana, visor, beanie or scarf.

Note that the staff does not pass along messages for inmates, either verbal or in writing. All visitation is subject to monitoring and recording, so conversations should not be considered private.

6. Can inmates send and receive mail?

You can send letters in unlimited quantity to El Dorado County Detention Center inmates. Envelopes should be addressed as follows:

Inmate’s full name
El Dorado County Jail
300 Forni Road
Placerville, CA 95667

Your incarcerated friend or loved one can write to you using materials and postage purchased through commissary or provided by the jail.

Packages should not be sent to the Placerville jail with one exception: to provide clothing for an inmate to wear during his or her jury trial. You can order paperback books, magazines and newspaper to be shipped directly from the publisher or approved bookstore.

7. What is life like at the El Dorado County Detention Facility?

The El Dorado County Jail has separate housing units for male and female inmates in four classifications: General Population, Administrative Segregation, Protective Custody, and Maximum Security. Inmates will be classified according to their criminal conviction, past history, known gang activity and other factors.

Cooperative inmates are allowed to gather in common rooms and can participate in indoor and outdoor exercise an hour every other day. Inmates can take academic classes toward attaining a GED or take adult education or ESL classes. The El Dorado County Correctional Facility has a culinary vocational program teaching food preparation and culinary skills.

The jail provides a HEARTS (Health Education, Addiction Recovery Toward Self-Responsibility) program addressing substance abuse issues and personal development. Also offered are parenting and anger management classes and MRT (moral recognition therapy). There are Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings onsite.

Medical care is provided at the jail, with a nurse on duty 24-hours a day. Psychological and psychiatric treatment is also available. A volunteer chaplain and assistants provide religious services and study.

8. Is there a work release option?

El Dorado County facilitates a Sheriff’s Work Program allowing some inmates the opportunity to work at approved sites in lieu of incarceration. The court and the sheriff must approve participation in work release. There are fees involved in the program, including a $40 non-refundable application cost and program fees that are assessed daily. Some types of sex crimes, arson, violent or drug crimes will render a convicted offender ineligible for the work program.

There is also a “jail weekender program” for inmates who have been sentenced to serve their time through weekend-only incarceration. This is a court-ordered sentence, however inmates with 20 days or less to serve can request transfer to the weekender program.