How to Schedule Your First Visit at Dane County Jail (48-hour rule explained)
Visiting someone at Dane County Jail requires planning ahead. Follow the 48-hour rule, reserve your slot correctly, and you'll avoid the most common reasons people get turned away.
You can't just show up at Dane County Jail and expect to get in. Every visit must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance through the GTL VisitMe site - no walk-ups allowed. Keep the weekly limit in mind, too. Each resident gets two 45-minute non-contact visits per week, so popular times fill fast. If this is your first visit, book early and have a backup time ready.
Note: Contact visitation has not resumed yet, so plan on a non-contact visit.
Start by creating an account on the GTL VisitMe site (or sign in if you already have one). This is where you'll schedule visits and manage reservations. Once you complete a booking, confirmation is instant. Remember the 48-hour rule when picking dates. If the slot you want is less than two days away, you'll need to choose a later time.
- ✓ Valid government-issued photo ID (or a passport)
The scheduler shows set non-contact time windows. On weekdays (Monday–Friday), evening slots are 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:00 PM. Weekends offer more options. Saturday and Sunday morning slots run at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, and 10:00 AM. Afternoon slots are 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Evening slots match weekdays: 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:00 PM.
Don't want to visit in person? Dane County Jail offers remote video visitation during these hours: 7:45am–10:45am, 12:15pm–2:00pm, and 5:45pm–9:45pm. Remote visits cost $0.25 per minute - worth doing the math if you plan to visit regularly.
Recording notice: Non-attorney visits are recorded and electronically monitored. Properly registered attorney visits are not recorded or monitored.
- Sign in to your GTL VisitMe visitor account - this is where you manage your reservation and get ready for the session.
- Log in at least 10 minutes early - give yourself time to handle the required tech steps without missing your start time.
- Run “Internet Visit Tester” - inside your account, select “Internet Visit Tester” from the menu bar and follow the prompts.
- Download and open the VisBridge desktop app - the tester will guide you through downloading VisBridge so you can connect when your visit begins.
Treat your start time as a hard deadline. Arrive late - even by a few minutes - and you'll be turned away. No exceptions for traffic or parking delays. Plan for your belongings, too. Personal items must go in lobby lockers before you enter the visitation area. Keep what you bring to a minimum so check-in goes smoothly.
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