What to Do If Your Visit Gets Canceled: Lockdowns, Weather, and Rescheduling
A canceled visit can throw your whole day off—especially if you're already on the road. Most cancellations fall into a few predictable categories, though, and you can usually confirm status and rebook without guesswork.
At Allegheny County Jail, visits get canceled for operational reasons - incarcerated individual movement, facility-wide lockdowns, or other emergencies. When that happens, your visit doesn't roll over automatically. You'll need to reschedule for a new time. Weather cancels visits too. The jail announced that social visits were canceled Sunday, January 25 through Tuesday, January 27, 2026 due to expected winter weather. Attorney visits weren't affected.
Note: Even when visits are running, capacity controls can affect how smoothly the day goes - Allegheny County Jail limits visitation to a maximum of three incarcerated individuals at a time and uses every other visitation booth for spacing.
Before you leave home, call to confirm your visit is still on. Allegheny County Jail tells visitors to call 412-350-2035 or 412-350-2036 prior to arrival. Call shortly before you head out, not hours earlier - conditions change quickly with movement, lockdowns, or emergencies.
Reminder: If your visit is confirmed, make sure you’re checked in at the visit lobby at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.
If your visit gets canceled due to incarcerated individual movement, a facility-wide lockdown, or an emergency, you'll need to book a new slot. The jail allows scheduling online or by phone at 855-208-7349.
When you reschedule, keep the timing rules in mind: Allegheny County Jail requires all visits to be scheduled at least 48 hours (two days) in advance. Make sure you're approved to visit before you try to book. The jail requires potential visitors to be registered as approved visitors two days prior to the date of an in-person social visit.
Find an Inmate at Allegheny County Jail, PA
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
