Washington County Jail Overview
Washington County Jail is operated by the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 45 Court Street in Chatom. The sheriff's official jail page says the jail is responsible for detention for Washington County and the towns of Chatom, Millry, and McIntosh. No separate city jail, ADOC prison, federal prison, or ICE detention center was confirmed in Washington County from the official source set.
The facility is a local county detention facility. WCSO does not publish public housing-pod names, security classification levels, medical unit details, year built, or accreditation status in the reviewed pages. The specific public details available are the roster path, contact information, visitation rules, mail restrictions, money-order instructions, and bond-release rules.
Washington County Jail Capacity and Population
The Washington County Sheriff's Office says the jail houses an average of 80 inmates per day. The 2024 Alabama Law Enforcement Directory lists Washington County Jail capacity as 65 beds. A current-inmates table inspected May 27, 2026 showed about 29 visible name rows, but that was only a point-in-time public roster count.
How to Look Up an Inmate at Washington County Jail
Use the WCSO current-inmate table for local jail custody. The same table is embedded on the sheriff's Who's in Jail page. The roster is free, but it does not have a search form, booking-number field, filter, or clickable profile in the inspected view.
- Open the WCSO current-inmate table or the sheriff's Who's in Jail page.
- Use browser find to search by last name because names are shown in surname-first format.
- Read the DATE, BOND AMT, and CHARGES columns on the same row.
- Call the jail at (251) 847-2202 if the person is missing, a bond amount is unclear, or another-agency hold may affect release.
Official Jail Page
The Washington County Sheriff's Office jail page is the source for local visitation, mail, bond, and average-population details.
Those local jail rules matter more than generic Alabama jail advice because Washington County publishes specific bond timing, visitor appointment, and mail-rejection details.
Washington County Jail Address and Contact
Use the jail phone line for current custody, roster problems, visitation appointments, and questions about local bond release timing. For filed court charges or certified court records, use the Washington County Circuit Clerk instead of the jail.
Washington County Jail
45 Court Street
Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2202
Docket phone: (251) 847-2775
Fax: (251) 847-6677
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 307
Chatom, AL 36518
Use the inmate's name and include a return address.
Visiting Someone at Washington County Jail
Public visitation is non-contact except for attorney visits. Each inmate may list two names on a visitation card and receives one 15-minute visitation period each week. The visitor should call (251) 847-2202 during the appointment window for that week's visit.
| Visit Type | Schedule | Appointment Process |
|---|---|---|
| Public non-contact visit | Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. | Visitor must be on the inmate card and call Monday-Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Attorney visit | Schedule not published | Call the jail to arrange; attorney visits are excluded from the public non-contact rule. |
No children are allowed in the lobby. Cell phones, purses, and bags are not allowed during visitation. The dress code requires appropriate clothing, with pants or skirts at or below the knee and shirts that cover the chest and have sleeves. Leggings, tank tops, shorts, and tight-fitting clothes are not permitted.
Mail, Phone, and Money at Washington County Jail
Send mail to P.O. Box 307, Chatom, Alabama 36518. Put the inmate's name on the letter and include a return address. WCSO rejects mail that affects security, order, health, or well-being, including third-party letters, cash, personal checks, blank paper, blank envelopes, padded envelopes, perfume, powder, cologne, body fluids, hair, kissed correspondence, glue, tape, glitter, stickers, labels, food, gum, wrappers, photos, and depictions of violence, sex, or gang affiliation.
| Service | Provider / Detail |
|---|---|
| Mail Address | P.O. Box 307, Chatom, Alabama 36518; inmate name and return address required. |
| Phone / Video | No official inmate phone, video, or tablet vendor was located in WCSO pages reviewed. |
| Money Deposit | Money orders payable to the inmate are accepted through mail; personal checks and cash are not accepted. |
| Bond Filing Fee | All bonds require a $35 money order payable to Washington County Circuit Clerk. |
Booking and Intake at Washington County Jail
WCSO does not publish a full intake procedure, but the available records show a practical sequence: arrest by a local or state agency, transport to Washington County Jail when local custody applies, jail processing, and possible appearance on the current-inmates table. The public table is limited to name, date, bond amount, and charges.
The jail also hosts a weekly booking page labeled through WCSO navigation as weekly mugshots. Direct access to the embedded booking feed was unreliable during inspection, so the current roster and jail phone line remain the more reliable custody-confirmation channels.
Bond Release Rules
Washington County's bond rules are unusually specific. WCSO states that no one will be released by bond between 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. for safety and security. Cash bond is paid at the clerk's office inside the courthouse, and a copy of the receipt is brought to the jail. A surety bond must be posted through a bonding company licensed in Washington County.
| Bond Item | Local Detail |
|---|---|
| Cash bond | Pay the full bond amount at the clerk's office and bring the receipt to the jail. |
| Bonding company | Cherokee Bail Bonds, (251) 847-2827; All Star, (251) 847-2663. |
| Filing fee | $35 money order payable to Washington County Circuit Clerk; cash and personal checks are not accepted for this fee. |
| No release window | No release by bond from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. |
About Washington County Jail
The sheriff's jail page says inmate labor from Washington County Jail supports trash collection on county roads and helps with projects for schools and the public library. The research did not locate official local details for GED programs, substance-abuse treatment, medical request forms, grievance procedures, PREA reporting, work release, or accreditation.
Note: Call Washington County Jail before traveling, posting bond, or sending money because custody, visits, and release status can change quickly.