How to Schedule Your First Visit at Harris County Jail - Baker Street

Harris County handles visit reservations through an online portal at visitinmate.jms.hctx.net. Sign in, pick your slot, and you'll get instant confirmation when your reservation goes through. One thing to know: you can only book up to seven days in advance. So you're always choosing from the next week's openings, not scheduling far ahead.

Before you start booking, double-check that you have the right inmate details. Harris County recommends verifying the inmate's current housing location and SPN on the Harris County Sheriff's website before scheduling. You'll also need to register in the county scheduling system before your visit - having the inmate's info handy makes that step much faster.

• ✓ Inmate’s full booked name
• ✓ Inmate’s SPN
• ✓ Inmate’s current housing location (verify on the Harris County Sheriff’s website before scheduling)

1. Go to the scheduling portal and sign in - Use visitinmate.jms.hctx.net to access the visitation scheduling system.
2. Enter the inmate’s information - Use the details you verified (like the booked name and identifiers) so you’re scheduling for the correct person.
3. Choose the visit details - Select the facility, then pick an available date and time.
4. Confirm the reservation - The portal provides instant confirmation when your visit is scheduled.
5. Schedule within the allowed window - The platform only allows visits to be planned up to seven days in advance, so if you don’t see the date you want yet, you may need to check back closer to that day.

Wondering why the portal only shows certain days or times? It's usually about housing assignments. Visits at Harris County Jail are scheduled by floor and pod, and those assignments rotate by day. So the inmate's current floor or pod determines which visit days appear when you try to book.

The day matters too. There's no in-person visitation on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday, on-site visiting hours run 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Combine those time limits with the floor-and-pod rotation, and you may see fewer slots than expected - especially if the inmate's housing assignment only allows visits on certain days.

Once you've booked, use the same portal (visitinmate.jms.hctx.net) to manage your visits. Plans change? Update or cancel through the system so you're not holding a slot you won't use. And don't skip registration - Harris County requires visitors to register in the county scheduling system before their visit.

Show up without an appointment and on-site registration may be available - but visitation isn't guaranteed for walk-ins. Even with a reservation, visits can be denied or limited if they'd threaten facility safety, security, or good order, or if you don't follow the rules. The simplest way to protect your trip: schedule ahead and stick to the guidelines.

Pre Trip Checklist

• ✓ Verify the inmate’s current housing location and SPN on the Harris County Sheriff’s website
• ✓ Book through visitinmate.jms.hctx.net (you can schedule up to seven days in advance)
• ✓ Keep your portal confirmation so you can show you have a reservation