The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is announcing the reinstatement of inmate visitation at the Main Jail. Custody staff have been working diligently with our Wellpath healthcare partners and the Santa Barbara County Department of Public Health to safeguard the inmates and staff at the Main Jail from the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the suspension of in-person visitation in September 2021. With COVID-19 conditions improving throughout the County, the Sheriff’s Office, with the support of Wellpath and Public Health, will be reinstating visitation on a limited basis.

Visitation at the Main Jail will resume in-person visits on Monday, March 14, 2022. Visitation schedules have been created for the Main Jail which allow for social distancing between visitors. Schedules can be easily found at sbsheriff.org under the category of Commands and Divisions, Custody Operations, Visit an Inmate.

Visitors are required to confirm they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms as listed outside the Main Jail Lobby, wear a mask when entering the facility, follow social distancing markers in the seating areas, and respect the social distance of other visitors. Visitors will be able to remove their masks only when using the visiting phone.

Visitors will be allowed inside in hourly intervals with all visits lasting no longer than 30 minutes. This will allow time for sanitizing before the next group. Visitors are expected to check in at the Main Jail Lobby prior to the cut-off times, and should do so early, so that waiting lists can be fairly maintained.

All efforts have been made to maximize visiting opportunities while also maintaining safety for visitors and inmates. Custody Staff anticipate there will be significant interest in visitations and would like to strongly encourage visitors to arrive early so they will not have to be turned away.