What are the Tarrant County jail buildings and what happens after booking?
Tarrant County does not have one jail building — it runs a cluster of three primary facilities in Fort Worth, each with a distinct role. Understanding which building does what saves time and confusion when a family member is arrested.
- Booking & intake
- Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center — 401 W. Belknap St., Fort Worth, TX 76196. This is where arrested persons are initially booked, processed, and magistrated. The Tarrant County District Attorney’s office is also in this building.
- Main housing (Lon Evans)
- Lon Evans Corrections Center — 600 W. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, TX 76196 — the primary long-term detention facility. Houses the jail kitchen that supplies all five Tarrant County facilities.
- Bond Desk & TCCC
- Tarrant County Corrections Center (TCCC) — 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — location of the 24/7 Bond Desk and additional inmate housing.
- Satellite unit
- Green Bay Unit — 2500 Urban Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76106 — managed by the Sheriff’s South Patrol district; satellite detention capacity.
- All facilities — main line
- (817) 884-3000 — Detention Bureau, 24 hours
- Sheriff’s Office
- Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office — (817) 884-3099 — Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn
- Administration
- 200 Taylor Street, 7th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Five total facilities
| Facility | Address | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center | 401 W. Belknap St., Fort Worth 76196 | Booking & intake; magistration; DA’s office; Criminal District Courts |
| Lon Evans Corrections Center | 600 W. Weatherford St., Fort Worth 76196 | Primary housing & long-term detention; jail kitchen for all five facilities |
| Tarrant County Corrections Center (TCCC) | 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth 76196 | 24/7 Bond Desk; additional inmate housing |
| Green Bay Unit | 2500 Urban Drive, Fort Worth 76106 | Satellite detention; managed by South Patrol district |
| Cold Springs Unit | 1815 Cold Springs Road, Fort Worth 76196 — (817) 884-1638 | Labor Detail program / community service confirm before visiting |
What happens after arrest
- Arrest & initial bookingThe person is transported to the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 W. Belknap, where they are booked, photographed, fingerprinted, and their personal property is logged and held.
- Central MagistrationA magistrate reviews the charges and sets bond at Central Magistration (100 E. Weatherford, Fort Worth — (817) 884-2674). The magistrate weighs five factors: the alleged offense, pre-trial risk, financial capacity, court-appearance history, and community safety. Texas law requires this hearing within 48 hours of arrest (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17). Emergency protective orders may also be issued at this stage.
- Transfer to housingAfter magistration, the inmate is assigned to a housing unit — typically the Lon Evans Corrections Center for longer-term detention or the TCCC for shorter holds. The inmate search at inmatesearch.tarrantcounty.com will reflect the current facility assignment.
- Bond postedOnce a bond amount is set by the magistrate, anyone can post it at the 24/7 Bond Desk at TCCC, 100 N. Lamar.
- ReleaseAfter the bond clears, the defendant is released with paperwork showing their court date, courthouse location, and appearance time. Learn more about how bail works in Texas.
How do I find someone in the Tarrant County jail system?
The county’s online roster covers all five facilities at once and updates continuously with charges, booking status, and bond amount. You do not need to know which building the person is in to start searching.
- Online search
- inmatesearch.tarrantcounty.com — search by last name, first name, sex, or race; shows facility, charges, booking status, and bond amount
- Daily booked-in log
- Daily Booked-In Reports — running chronological log of recent bookings, published by the Sheriff
- Phone
- (817) 884-3000 — Detention Bureau, available 24 hours; staff can confirm custody status, which facility, and whether bond is set
The online tool searches across all five facilities simultaneously, so you do not need to call each building separately. Results include the inmate’s current facility, housing location code, listed charges, and bond amount (if set). Have the person’s full legal name and date of birth ready — partial name searches are possible but may return multiple results. If you have a booking number, include it to pinpoint the exact record.
How do I visit someone at the Tarrant County jail?
Tarrant County currently offers in-person visitation on a last-name schedule. Visitors register in person at the facility — no external scheduling app or advance online booking was listed on the official page.
- Visit type
- In-person visitation only — no video or remote visit option was confirmed on the official county page (see note below)
- How to register
- Arrive at the detention facility and register in person at least 30 minutes before visiting hours begin — no advance scheduling
- Visit length
- 30 minutes (local); 40 minutes for visitors traveling 150+ miles
- Visitors allowed
- Maximum 2 adults + 2 children (under 18, must be supervised) per visit; max 3 visits per week per inmate
- ID required (adults 18+)
- State driver’s license (Real ID), passport, military ID, immigration document with photo, or Mexican Consulate card. Minors may use a valid school photo ID.
- Official page
- Tarrant County visitation (official)
Last-name visiting schedule
| Last name | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A–L | Saturdays & Mondays | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| A–L | Fridays | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. |
| M–Z | Sundays & Tuesdays | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| M–Z | Fridays | 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Attorneys | Wednesday & Thursday | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. (or anytime if needed) |
| Hospital visits | Daily | 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. |
What to wear & what to bring
The dress code is strictly enforced. Do not wear: revealing or low-cut garments, halter tops, see-through clothing, sleeveless tops, miniskirts, shorts more than 2 inches above the knee, spandex, or khaki / green / military-style clothing (which resembles inmate attire). Dress as you would for a professional appointment — business casual is a safe standard.
Bring: a valid government-issued photo ID (see above) and nothing else you cannot leave in your car. Do not bring: tobacco products, lighters, matches, cameras, recording devices (including cell phones), backpacks, bags, or purses. Exception: a diaper bag with the specified infant items is permitted.
How do I put money on an inmate’s books at the Tarrant County jail?
Tarrant County offers three deposit channels: electronic deposits through Access Corrections (fastest), cash at lobby kiosks or retail locations through Cash Pay Today, and money orders by mail.
| Method | How | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Access Corrections — online | accesscorrections.com | Visa / MasterCard accepted; create a free account, select Tarrant County, enter inmate name or booking number |
| Access Corrections — mobile app | Free iOS / Android app | Same account as the web portal; deposit on the go |
| Access Corrections — phone | (866) 345-1884 | 24/7, bilingual agents; Visa / MasterCard |
| Cash Pay Today (retail) | cashpaytoday.com — (844) 340-2274 | Cash at Dollar General, Family Dollar, and other participating retailers — requires enrollment and a barcode |
| Lobby kiosks | At Tarrant County detention facilities | Accept cash directly; no account setup required for kiosk deposits |
| Money order by mail | U.S. Postal money orders or Western Union only | Mail to: Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Detention Bureau, 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196. Cash sent by mail will be returned to sender. |
How does inmate phone, messaging & mail work at Lon Evans?
Regular personal mail is electronically scanned before it reaches an inmate. Legal mail is handled separately and is not scanned. Phone vendor details are not enumerated on the official county page — call (817) 884-3000 to confirm the current provider.
- Inmate phone vendor
- Phone vendor not specified on the official Tarrant County Detention Bureau page — confirm at (817) 884-3000
- Personal mail address
- [Inmate Full Name] [Booking Number] [Housing Location]
100 North Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196 - Mail processing vendor
- MailGuard Tracker — all regular personal mail is scanned and delivered to inmate tablets after review; track delivery and rejection at mailguardtracker.com
- Legal / attorney mail
- Attorney mail is not electronically scanned — follow standard legal mail procedures; mark the envelope clearly as “Legal Mail” and include the inmate’s name, booking number, and housing location
What you can and cannot mail
Allowed: letters and postcards (max 12” × 16”); up to 10 unframed photos (max 4” × 6” each); new, soft-cover books shipped directly from an established publisher via UPS or USPS; subscription magazines mailed directly from the publisher; USPS or Western Union money orders.
Not allowed: cash (will be returned), obscene or sexually explicit content, newspapers or magazines hand-delivered or sent by individuals (must come from the publisher), any content depicting explosives, weapons, or drugs, or material designed to incite inmate disruption.
How do I bond someone out of the Tarrant County jail?
The Bond Desk at TCCC is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bond amounts are set by a magistrate at Central Magistration — there is no published countywide bail schedule. New to this? Read our plain-English guide to how bail works in Texas first.
| Bond type | Cost | Refundable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash bond | Full bond amount | Yes — returned after case ends if defendant appeared at all hearings | Posted at the Bond Desk, TCCC, 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth (open 24/7) |
| Surety bond (bondsman) | Non-refundable premium (typically ~10% of bond amount) | No | Bondsman must be licensed through the Tarrant County Bail Bond Board; verify also via Texas Dept. of Insurance |
| Personal / PR bond | No payment | N/A | Judge’s discretion; defendant signs a written promise to appear; requires individualized magistration approval |
- Bond Desk location
- Tarrant County Corrections Center, 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — open 24 hours, 7 days
- Accepted payment
- The official Tarrant County page does not enumerate accepted payment forms — call (817) 884-3000 to confirm before traveling (cash, cashier’s check, or other methods)
- Cash bond redemption window
- 8 a.m.–noon and 1 p.m.–3 p.m. — for redeeming cash bonds after a case concludes; bond posting itself is 24/7
- Daily bond reports
- Daily Bond Reports published by the Sheriff’s Office
- Bond Supervision (pre-trial monitoring)
- The county operates a Bond Supervision program for pre-trial defendants and those awaiting revocation hearings — details at CSCD
Release process & timing
After the bond is paid and processed at the Bond Desk, the defendant is prepared for release from the facility where they are housed (Lon Evans, TCCC, or another unit). Release is not instantaneous: the jail must verify the bond, process paperwork, and return property. Processing time depends on jail volume and shift staffing — it commonly takes 2–6 hours from when the bond is posted, though it can be shorter or longer.
Property at release: Personal property logged at intake (clothing, wallet, keys, phone, etc.) is returned at the time of release. The dossier notes that specific property-return procedures were not captured from the official site — if you have questions about specific items or valuables, call (817) 884-3000 before you arrive.
Directions, parking & what to expect when you arrive
The three active jail buildings are all within a few blocks of each other in downtown Fort Worth, near the Tarrant County Courthouse and the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
- Lon Evans Corrections Center
- 600 W. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, TX 76196 — one block west of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center; from I-30, take the Henderson / Rosedale exit and head north on Henderson, then west on Weatherford
- Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center (intake)
- 401 W. Belknap St., Fort Worth, TX 76196 — at the corner of Belknap and Commerce, one block north of W. Weatherford; houses booking, magistration, and the criminal courts
- TCCC Bond Desk
- 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — approximately 3 blocks northeast of Lon Evans; take Belknap east to Lamar and turn south
- Parking
- Metered street parking and pay lots are available throughout downtown Fort Worth near these addresses. The Tarrant County public parking garage at 300 E. Belknap is within walking distance of both the Tim Curry building and Lon Evans. Paid lot availability varies by time of day.
- Visitation registration
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before visiting hours — late arrivals may not be admitted. See the visitation schedule above for days and times.
Security screening
All visitors entering a Tarrant County detention building pass through security screening similar to courthouse security: you will walk through a metal detector and your belongings will be checked. Leave anything prohibited — cell phones, bags, tobacco, lighters, cameras — in your vehicle before entering. Dress code violations can result in being turned away at the door (see the visitation section above).
Worried about a warrant?
Walking into a jail with an active warrant can get you arrested.
Check for and clear a Texas bench, traffic, or capias warrant before you visit or post bond.
Tarrant County Jail — frequently asked questions
Which building do I go to if I want to visit someone at the Tarrant County jail?
Visitation is conducted at the Tarrant County detention facilities, not at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center (which handles booking and courts). Arrive at a detention building — Lon Evans Corrections Center (600 W. Weatherford) or the TCCC (100 N. Lamar) — at least 30 minutes before your visiting window and register in person. Call (817) 884-3000 first to confirm which facility your person is currently housed in before you make the trip.
Is the Lon Evans Corrections Center the same as the Tarrant County Corrections Center?
No — they are two separate buildings. The Lon Evans Corrections Center is at 600 W. Weatherford St. and is the primary long-term housing facility. The Tarrant County Corrections Center (TCCC) is at 100 N. Lamar and houses the 24/7 Bond Desk. A third building, the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 401 W. Belknap, handles booking and magistration. All three are within a few blocks of each other in downtown Fort Worth.
How long does it take to get someone released after I post bond?
After the bond is paid at the 24/7 Bond Desk at TCCC (100 N. Lamar), release processing typically takes 2–6 hours, but this depends on how busy the facility is and whether the person is housed at a different building from where the bond was posted. Property is returned at release. If you are waiting and it has been more than a few hours, call (817) 884-3000 for a status update.
What ID do I need to visit an inmate at the Tarrant County jail?
Adults 18 and older must present a valid government-issued photo ID: a state driver’s license (Real ID compliant), passport, military ID, immigration document with photo, or Mexican Consulate card. Minors may use a valid school photo ID. Expired IDs are not accepted. If you do not have a qualifying ID, call (817) 884-3000 to ask about alternatives before making the trip.
Is there video visitation at the Tarrant County jail?
Video visitation was not confirmed on the official Tarrant County Detention Bureau visitation page at the time this page was written. The page describes in-person visits only. Many Texas jails have added video options since 2020. Call (817) 884-3000 or check the official visitation page to confirm whether a video option currently exists.
Can I mail a book to an inmate at Lon Evans?
Yes, with conditions. Books must be new, soft-cover only, and shipped directly from an established publisher via UPS or USPS — you cannot hand-carry a book in or ship one from your home address. Used books and hardcovers are not permitted. Send books to: [Inmate Name] [Booking Number] [Housing Location], 100 North Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196.
What is MailGuard Tracker and do I need it?
MailGuard is the Tarrant County jail’s mail-scanning vendor. Regular personal mail sent to inmates is scanned and delivered electronically to inmate tablets rather than as physical letters. Senders can track whether a letter was received or rejected at mailguardtracker.com. Legal mail (attorney correspondence) is handled separately and is not scanned electronically.
What happens to someone’s property when they are arrested in Tarrant County?
Personal property (wallet, phone, keys, clothing, etc.) is inventoried and logged at the time of booking at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center. The property is held by the facility until the person is released. At release, property is returned. Official property-return procedures were not detailed on the Sheriff’s public pages — if you have concerns about specific items or valuables, call (817) 884-3000 for guidance.
Have a different question? See more DFW jail, bond & court FAQs.
Talk to a Tarrant County defense lawyer
If you or a loved one is facing charges in Tarrant County, L&L Law Group can review the case — free and confidential.