This page helps with an inmate locator need in San Francisco, California by explaining how to search for a person in jail, confirm basic custody details, and use related jail services.

The main official channel is the San Francisco Sheriff's Department Find a Person in Jail search, which supports name, SF number, and booking number searches.

Use the Sheriff’s online jail search when you need to check whether someone is currently listed in San Francisco County Jail custody. Start with the official search for a person in jail.

Have one of these search options ready before you begin:

  • First three letters of the person’s first name and last name
  • SF number, which is a permanent personal identification number in the San Francisco County Jail system
  • Booking number

Choose the search path that matches the information you have.

  • Open the jail search page.
  • Enter the first three letters of the first and last name, or search by SF number or booking number.
  • Submit the search to check whether the person is listed in jail.

If the person is not listed, the Sheriff’s visiting information states they are not in San Francisco County Jail.

California VINE custody notifications

California VINE can help users search for an offender in California and register for notification services. VINE notes that information may not be guaranteed for accuracy, timeliness, or completeness, and that some agencies may be temporarily offline during service interruptions.

Use California VINE person search as a notification-related option, especially when you want custody status updates rather than only a one-time jail lookup.

Jail visits after locating a person

Before scheduling a visit, confirm the person is in jail through the Sheriff’s Find a Person in Jail tool. The visiting process uses the person’s name or SF number, also called the SFNO, when scheduling online.

Online scheduling is available for in-person visits from 9 a.m. to midnight the day before the visit. Visitors must be on site 30 minutes before the scheduled visit and bring a current government-issued photo ID.

Weekday in-person visiting is suspended at County Jail #2 and County Jail #3 from April 20 through June 30, 2026. Weekend and holiday visits continue as scheduled, and in-person visiting may change based on jail safety and security needs.

Visit scheduling and account support is handled through the Sheriff’s visiting information and the ViaPath visitor scheduler. The scheduling page states that only scheduled visitors will be allowed onto jail grounds.

Intake and Release Center

The Intake and Release Center is where the Sheriff’s Office books people after arrest. After booking, people are either released or transferred to one of the county jails.

The Sheriff’s Office does not allow visits at the Intake and Release Center. People picking someone up after release may need to go there, and the center shares a lobby with County Jail #2 at 425 - 7th Street.

Money, mail, and commissary after a jail lookup

After confirming that someone is in custody, the Sheriff’s Department provides separate services for money deposits, mail, and commissary items.

A person in jail may spend up to $100 each week on commissary items. In-person deposits are available at the money window on the first floor at 425-7th Street, and lobby kiosks at 425-7th Street accept cash deposits 24 hours a day with no fee. Online deposits use TouchPay and require California as the state and San Francisco County Jail Facilities as the agency; fees apply, and the San Francisco County Jail Facility Locator Number is 294066.

Mail must be sent through the U.S. Postal Service and must identify the person by last name, first name, and SF number. Mail for County Jail #2 goes to 425 Seventh Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Mail for County Jail #3 goes to 1 Moreland Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066.

Public records requests

For Sheriff’s Department public records requests, use the Gov QA Portal identified by the San Francisco Sheriff's Department. This path is separate from the jail search tool and is for public records requests rather than a custody lookup.

Use the Sheriff’s public record request page when your need is a formal records request instead of checking whether someone is currently listed in jail.

Jail and Sheriff contacts

Use these contacts for jail lookup follow-up, intake and release questions, visit scheduling help, or Sheriff’s Department assistance.

Common questions

Where do I search for a person in San Francisco County Jail?

Use the San Francisco Sheriff's Department Find a Person in Jail search. You can search by name, SF number, or booking number.

What is an SF number?

An SF number is a permanent personal identification number within the San Francisco County Jail system. The jail search and visit scheduling information use it to identify the person in custody.

The Sheriff’s visiting information states that if the person is not listed, they are not in San Francisco County Jail.

Can I visit someone at the Intake and Release Center?

No. The Sheriff’s Office does not allow visits at the Intake and Release Center, although you may need to go there to pick someone up after release.

What do I need to schedule a jail visit?

You need the person’s name or SF number, a visitor account for online scheduling, and a valid government-issued photo ID. You must arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled visit.