How to Schedule Your First Visit at Dane County Jail (48-hour rule)
Visiting someone at Dane County Jail is straightforward once you know the two big rules: schedule your visit online at least 48 hours ahead, and show up on time.
Residents at Dane County Jail get two 45-minute non-contact visits per week. You can't just show up. Every visit must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, and only scheduled visits are honored.
Time matters: If you arrive after your scheduled start time (even by a few minutes), you will be denied for that visit.
Start by creating a visitor account on the GTL VisitMe site. This is where you'll schedule visits, manage upcoming reservations, and receive instant confirmation once you complete a booking.
- ✓ A GTL VisitMe account (set up and ready to sign in)
- ✓ Your basic personal details for registration
- ✓ Enough time to finish the setup in one sitting so you can schedule right away
Dane County Jail requires visits to be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance through GTL VisitMe. Miss that window and the jail won't honor your visit. Walk-ups aren't allowed.
- Sign in to GTL VisitMe - Use your visitor account to access scheduling.
- Select the person you want to visit - Choose the resident you are trying to book.
- Pick a date and time at least 48 hours out - Same-week options can fill quickly, so look ahead.
- Confirm your reservation - Your visit is confirmed instantly on the site once it goes through.
Plan for check-in time: Scheduling 48 hours ahead won't help if you show up late. Late arrivals are denied, no exceptions.
You'll pick a specific start time when booking. Weekday evening slots for non-contact visits are 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:00 PM. Weekend morning slots are 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, and 10:00 AM.
- ✓ Choose one specific time slot (weekday evenings at 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, or 9:00 PM; weekend mornings at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, or 10:00 AM)
- ✓ Double-check that the visit shows as confirmed in GTL VisitMe
- ✓ Arrive before the scheduled start time, because arriving after the start time means you will be denied
Doing your visit from a desktop computer? Prep early. GTL uses an application called VisBridge, and the site instructs desktop visitors to log in at least 10 minutes before the visit and run the Internet Visit Tester to download the app. That small step can save your time slot from being wasted on last-minute tech problems.
- Log into your GTL VisitMe account at least 10 minutes early - Give yourself a buffer before the start time.
- Open the Internet Visit Tester - Find it in the menu bar and follow the prompts.
- Download and install VisBridge - Complete the installation before your scheduled visit begins.
- Rejoin and be ready at your scheduled start time - A late start can turn into a missed visit.
Common Mistakes
- ✓ Trying to do a walk-up visit instead of scheduling, walk-ups are not permitted
- ✓ Booking too close to the date, the jail requires at least 48 hours advance sign-up
- ✓ Arriving after your scheduled start time, late arrivals are denied
- ✓ Assuming you are set without checking GTL VisitMe, your visit should show as confirmed there
Before you schedule: Residents are limited to two 45-minute non-contact visits per week. Non-attorney visits are recorded and subject to electronic monitoring. Properly registered attorney visits are not recorded.
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