Bay County Jail

Bay County Jail has specific rules for video visits you'll want to know before making plans. If you've been incarcerated within the past 90 days, you can't schedule a visit. The same goes for anyone under a court no-contact order—no video visitation privileges. Before you travel, complete the facility's visitor application and wait until you're confirmed on the inmate's approved visitor list. Taking a video visit from your car? You must be safely parked—operating the vehicle ends the visit immediately. Visits can also be terminated for displaying weapons, using secondary recording devices, or any sexualized behavior and pornographic photography. Dress conservatively: nudity and exposure of breasts, buttocks, or genitalia are prohibited, and tops must fully cover the breasts.

Bay County Jail handles video visits through Via Path Technologies' GettingOut platform. You can use it in a web browser or download the mobile app for scheduled or on-demand visits. To get started, create an account at gettingout.com or in the app, upload a photo of your driver's license (profile photo is optional), and complete verification. Expect a confirmation email within 24 hours, plus phone or text verification. Video visits cost $0.25 per minute when paid by credit or debit card. Messages and ecards run $0.25 each; photos cost $0.50 each. All media gets reviewed and may be denied without refund if content is inappropriate. Don't share your visitation account with others—contact Via Path for setup help or troubleshooting. For phone calls, set up an account at ConnectNetwork.com and fund your receiving number. Call transfers, conferencing, and call forwarding aren't allowed.

Bay County Jail routes all incoming personal mail and photographs through a third-party digital processor in Phoenix, Maryland. Your letters and photos get scanned and delivered electronically to the inmate via kiosks or tablets—originals are discarded after scanning. Send mail to 5700 Star Lane, Panama City, Florida 32405. Include the inmate's full name, housing assignment, and booking/control/commissary number on every item. (This mailing address changed on November 16, 2022.) Photos must not be offensive or sexual, can't include gang references, and can't show guns, drugs, paraphernalia, or intoxicants. The jail won't accept food, medicines, greeting cards, writing supplies, envelopes, stamps, stickers, packages, or cash through the mail. Need an original document preserved? Send a copy instead.

Bay County Jail uses TouchPay for inmate funds. You can deposit at the jail lobby kiosk or through the TouchPay web portal—for online deposits, you'll need the inmate's Control Number and facility ID 15733. The lobby kiosk accepts cash, debit, and credit cards. Service fees apply, and the kiosk doesn't issue refunds. Money orders mailed to the facility work too—make them payable to the inmate and include the inmate's name, control identification number, and your name and address. Want to add funds specifically for messaging? Create an account at gettingout.com. Deposits typically post within 24 hours. Inmates can check balances and order commissary at a kiosk; commissary delivery may take up to 72 hours after permanent housing assignment. Refund checks are available Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm with a valid DMV photo ID.