How to Schedule Your First Visit at San Luis Obispo County Jail
Your first jail visit goes much smoother when you understand the scheduling system and check-in cutoff. Here's how visits work at San Luis Obispo County Jail—and how to make sure your appointment doesn't get cancelled.
San Luis Obispo County Jail offers both on-site visits and remote video visits. On-site visits are limited - each inmate can have two one-hour visits per visiting week (Sunday through Saturday). Remote video visits have no weekly cap. Starting April 7, 2025, all on-site visits must be scheduled through the NCIC system at videovisit.ncic.com, so plan ahead even if you're visiting in person.
Video visits have tradeoffs. They cost $0.19 per minute, and every public visit with an inmate is monitored and recorded. Convenient? Yes. Private? No. And the costs add up if you visit often.
Schedule on-site visits through the NCIC system at videovisit.ncic.com. This requirement kicks in April 7, 2025, and applies to all on-site visits - don't plan on just showing up. If you're new to NCIC, give yourself extra time to create an account and pick an appointment slot.
Once you've booked, the most important rule is the check-in window. You must be in line no later than 45 minutes before your scheduled visit time. Miss that cutoff, and the jail cancels your visit. To stay safe from parking delays or long lines, arrive at least 60 minutes early.
Checkin Items
- ✓ Valid government-issued photo ID (required for all visitors over 18)
- ✓ Acceptable IDs include: driver’s license, DMV identification card, current military ID, current passport, or valid immigration identification card
- ✓ No acceptable ID = no visit
The men's jail has set visiting time blocks by day. Sunday visits run at 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00am, then 12:00, 1:00, and 2:00pm. Monday has no visits. Tuesday visits are at 8:00pm and 9:00pm. Match your appointment to the correct day and time block.
The women's jail follows a different schedule. Sunday visits are at 8:00 and 9:00pm. Tuesday visits run at 12:00pm and 1:00pm. Saturday offers slots at 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00am. Some weekdays have no visits at all, so double-check before booking.
Warning: If you’re not in line 45 minutes before your scheduled on-site visit, your visit will be cancelled.
Think of your appointment time as when you want to be settled and ready - not when you should arrive. Get there at least 60 minutes early so you can check in before the 45-minute cutoff, even if traffic or lines slow you down.
Remote video visits work well when you can't make the on-site schedule or want to visit more than twice a week. There's no weekly limit, but you'll need approval first. You'll also need either a smartphone with the "NCIC Mobile Video Visitation" app and data service, or a computer with a camera, speaker, microphone, and high-speed internet.
Before committing to video visits, weigh the two big downsides: cost and privacy. At $0.19 per minute, charges add up. And every public visit is monitored and recorded. If you need to share sensitive family news, keep the conversation general and save private topics for another time.
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