Before Your First Visit to Butte County Jail: What to Bring, What to Leave Behind

Butte County Jail allows two visits per week per inmate, 45 minutes each. Visits happen on Saturdays and Sundays only - plan your weekend around the assigned time for your inmate's housing unit.

• ✓ Confirm whether the inmate is housed in a specific pod/unit, because start times are assigned by housing unit.
• ✓ Check the posted schedule for the exact start time for that pod (male and female units are listed separately).
• ✓ Example from the schedule: A Pod visits start at 3:45 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.
• ✓ Example from the schedule: Female units like R6 and R7 list a 9:45 a.m. start time.
• ✓ Re-check the schedule before you leave, so you don’t arrive at the wrong time.

Masks are no longer required for inmate visitation at Butte County Jail. This change follows a California Department of Public Health (CDPH) revision that took effect April 3, 2023.

Have a felony conviction? Don't assume you can walk in. Butte County Jail prohibits convicted felons from entering the premises unless they have prior written permission from the Jail Administrator.

1. Get the “Application to visit (after denial)” form - this is the form used after you’ve been denied.
2. Fill it out completely - include the reason you were denied and the date of the denial (and the officer’s name if you know it).
3. Submit it to Operations Lt. J. Agurkis at Butte County Jail - this is the submission path listed on the form.
4. Don’t rely on a verbal request - the form states that verbal requests will not be considered.

Prohibited Items

• ✓ Don’t bring magazines, books, or newspapers to drop off in person - they must be sent directly from the publisher (no local companies).
• ✓ If you’re sending a book, make sure it’s a paperback and that it’s delivered directly from the manufacturer.
• ✓ Skip hardback books entirely - they are not accepted.

Beyond approved reading materials sent through proper channels, the rule is simple: no packages or articles are accepted for inmates - including stamps and envelopes. Clothing isn't accepted either, except for jury trial attire, and even then, the jail won't take it until court paperwork confirming a jury trial is on file. If you show up with any of these items, leave them in your car and use the correct delivery channels later.

With only two 45-minute sessions per week and start times tied to housing units, timing matters. Arrive early, find the correct start time on the posted schedule, and be ready to check in when that pod's visiting window opens.