Penmate Inmate Support Guides
Visitation

Before Your First Visit to Dakota County Jail: What to Bring, What to Expect, and Who Can't Visit Yet

Your first visit to Dakota County Jail goes smoother when you know the basics ahead of time. Here's what to bring, how scheduling works by housing pod, what the search process looks like, and why someone who was just arrested may not be able to have visitors yet.

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

To visit Dakota County Jail on your own, you must be at least 18 years old. Bring a government-issued photo ID. You won't get in without one.

Visitors under 18 cannot visit alone. A parent or legal guardian must accompany them, and you'll need to show proof of that relationship. A birth certificate or court-ordered guardianship paperwork will work.

Visiting times are organized by housing pod. Each pod has its own schedule posted, so the available days and times depend on where the inmate is currently housed.

Call ahead: Dakota County Jail requires visitors to call in advance to schedule a visit based on the inmate's pod. If you don't have the right number, check the jail's posted visitation information or call the main line and ask how to schedule.

Expect security screening. Everyone entering the facility is subject to search, and so is anything you bring. The easiest way to avoid delays? Bring only what you need for check-in.

Inmates are also searched before entering the visitation area. This is part of how the jail controls contraband during visits.

  • ✓ Contact visits are not permitted.
  • ✓ No food, drinks, or smoking are permitted in the visitation area.

If your loved one was just booked in, you may not be able to schedule a visit right away. Dakota County Jail doesn't allow visitation for "fresh arrests" until after arraignment.

Legal mail is handled differently than regular mail. All incoming legal mail is opened in the visitor's presence and checked for contraband.

Mail doesn't necessarily reach inmates the same day it arrives at the facility. Delivery to inmates follows the facility's mail delivery schedule.

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Phone & Messaging

How to Contact an Inmate at Dakota County Jail, MN (MN)

Staying in touch with someone at Dakota County Jail typically comes down to three channels: phone calls, money deposits, and mail. Phone service runs through Securus Technologies. You can set up a prepaid calling account, use Direct Bill (monthly billing), or accept traditional collect calls. To put spending money on an inmate's books, you can make a credit card deposit into their canteen account so they can buy necessities and other items through the Inmate Canteen. Mail is also an option, though the jail has specific rules about what's allowed. They accept letters, photos, greeting cards, and money orders. Certain common items, however, will be returned to sender or placed in the inmate's property.