Professional & Volunteer Clearance at Clark County Jail: Application Steps, Required Documents, and Conviction Lookbacks
Need professional or volunteer access at Clark County Jail? The clearance process is straightforward—if you submit a complete packet. Here's how to apply, what documents to include, typical processing times, and the conviction lookbacks that can affect your approval.
After completing and signing the Jail Clearance Application & Agreement, return it with all required supplemental materials. Clark County Department of Jail Services accepts submissions by email (cntyjailservicesadmin@clark.wa.gov), fax ((564) 397-6010), drop off (707 W. 13th ST, Vancouver, WA 98660), or mail (P.O. BOX 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666).
Your packet needs the signed Jail Clearance Application & Agreement plus any supplemental documents for your role. The jail won't process incomplete applications or packets missing required attachments. Double-check everything before you send it.
- ✓ Signed and completed Jail Clearance Application & Agreement
- ✓ Professional license or certification of qualifications (if applicable)
- ✓ Court order/authorization or a letter requesting services from the attorney of record (if applicable)
- ✓ Endorsement letter from the designated Volunteer Program Coordinator (if applicable)
- ✓ Active law enforcement commission/identification (if applicable)
- ✓ Employment identification
- ✓ Driver’s license or state-issued identification
Applying for clearance authorizes Clark County Department of Jail Services to run a full criminal history check and any applicable background investigation. Processing takes approximately 10 days, so plan ahead if you have a court date, client meeting, or volunteer start date coming up.
Bring ID every time: Once you’re approved, you still need valid government-issued photo ID (for example, a driver’s license) each time you visit.
Clark County Jail uses lookback periods when reviewing criminal history. For Re-entry access, you can't have any convictions within the past one year. For main jail access, the lookback extends to three years. Felony convictions aren't automatic disqualifiers - administrative personnel review those case-by-case. There's also a supervision rule: you must have had no probation, parole, court-ordered supervision, or deferred prosecution within the last year.
Recovery Program volunteers face specific sobriety requirements. For H-Pod/Re-entry or the JWC, you must be clean/sober for at least one year. Main jail access requires at least three years clean/sober.
Professional visiting hours run in three daily blocks: 8:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M., 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M., and 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. The jail closes to professional visits between 11:30 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. and again between 4:30 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. Hours can shift based on operational needs.
Verify before you go: Hours may change due to operational needs - call (564) 397-4996 to confirm the current schedule.
Tips for Success
- ✓ Submit a completed, signed Jail Clearance Application & Agreement with every required supplemental document for your role - missing items won’t be processed.
- ✓ Use one of the form’s accepted submission options (email, fax, drop off, or mail) so your packet goes to the right place.
- ✓ Expect a full criminal history check and any applicable background investigation as part of approval.
- ✓ Build in time: processing may take approximately 10 days.
- ✓ Bring valid government-issued photo ID every time you visit, even after you’re approved.
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