Bergen County Jail Visiting Rules: Why Only Two Adults Can Visit at Once (and How to Coordinate)

Bergen County Jail caps visits at two adult visitors at a time. Show up with three adults? Someone's sitting out. Decide beforehand which two adults will visit during that time slot - it saves awkward conversations in the lobby.

Practical Coordination

• ✓ Pick the two adults for each visit before you schedule, and stick to that plan
• ✓ Alternate visiting days between adults (for example, one pair visits this time, a different pair next time)
• ✓ If kids are coming, decide which one adult will accompany them so you don’t exceed the two-adult limit
• ✓ Prioritize who visits when (spouse/partner first, then parents, then siblings/friends) so nobody feels blindsided
• ✓ Use a simple shared note or group text to track who is “on” for the next visit so you don’t accidentally overlap

1. Start with the minimum visit length - Visits are scheduled for no less than 15 minutes, so plan in 15-minute blocks when you’re thinking about swaps.
2. Choose who gets the first block - Pick the two adults who most need that first face-to-face time.
3. Schedule a second visit for the next pair - If your family needs more than two adults to get time in, plan another visit time for the next pair rather than trying to rotate people mid-visit.
4. Build in buffer time - Treat each visit as its own appointment so you’re not relying on a tight handoff that could fall apart if anything runs late.

Bigger families benefit from a rotating roster. It keeps things fair and avoids last-minute arguments in the parking lot. Set up a simple rotation - weekly or monthly - and write down which two adults are visiting each time. Designate one person as the scheduler who confirms the final pair before submitting the request. If someone can't make it, swap them out early. Waiting until the day of the visit makes it too easy for extra adults to show up and push you over the limit.

The two-adult rule becomes even trickier once timing enters the picture. Bergen County Jail schedules visits from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and you need at least 24 hours' advance notice to request one. That means you can't easily fix a mix-up if the wrong two adults were planned - by the time you realize there's a conflict, you're probably already inside that 24-hour window.

Housing-unit schedules can narrow your options further. Take Housing Unit S1 (Highest Security): visits happen only on Sunday and Thursday, during 08:30–11:00 and 19:00–21:30. If your loved one is in a unit with limited days like this, consider splitting your rotation - one pair takes Sunday, another takes Thursday - rather than cramming everyone into the same day.

1. Map the available window - Visits can be scheduled between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM, but your loved one’s housing unit may have tighter windows (for S1 Highest Security: Sunday/Thursday 08:30–11:00 and 19:00–21:30).
2. Pick one 15-minute (or longer) block per pair - Each visit is no less than 15 minutes, so plan each pair’s time as its own appointment.
3. Example: split across two S1 windows - Pair A visits Sunday morning (any time within 08:30–11:00). Pair B visits Thursday evening (any time within 19:00–21:30).
4. Example: split across the same day, different windows - If everyone is only available on Sunday, Pair A uses the 08:30–11:00 window and Pair B uses the 19:00–21:30 window.
5. Lock it in at least a day ahead - Because requests require 24 hours’ advance notice, confirm the final two adults before you submit the request.

Have a special circumstance? A medical need, mobility issue, or something else that makes the two-adult limit difficult? Call the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and ask what options exist for your visit. The number is (201) 336-3500, and the address is 2 Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ 07601.