Free Lobby Visits vs. Paid At-Home Visits: Understanding Your Options at Shelby County Jail
Shelby County Jail offers two ways to video visit: free on-site visits in the lobby, or paid visits from home over the internet. Which one works best depends on cost, convenience, and scheduling.
Whichever option you choose, assume the visit is monitored. All visits at Shelby County Jail are electronically recorded and monitored - except privileged attorney visits - and staff can end a visit if behavior becomes inappropriate.
You have two choices: on-site video visits in the lobby, or at-home video visits over the internet. Both let you see and talk with the person in jail through a screen. The difference is where you take the call and what you pay.
- ✓ Get approved before you’re allowed to visit.
- ✓ Have a valid, government-issued photo ID ready at the start of the visit.
If cost is your priority, the lobby option wins. Shelby County Jail offers lobby video visits at no charge - free for both you and the inmate.
- ✓ 10-minute internet (at-home) visit: $2.50
- ✓ 25-minute internet (at-home) visit: $6.25
You have a few ways to schedule: online at www.ncic.com, by phone at 1-800-943-2189, or in person at the visitation kiosk in the Shelby County Sheriff's Office lobby.
One thing to know if you're trying to visit same-day: visits scheduled at the lobby kiosk won't start until at least 15 minutes after you finish booking. Plan for that wait so you're not caught off guard.
Tip: If you’re scheduling at the lobby kiosk, give yourself at least 15 minutes of buffer time before you expect the visit to begin.
Pick the free lobby visit if you're local, can get to the Sheriff's Office easily, and want to save money. Paid at-home visits make more sense when travel is the bigger hurdle - maybe you live out of town, don't have reliable transportation, or just need the convenience of visiting from home. The cost is $2.50 for 10 minutes or $6.25 for 25 minutes.
Keep the weekly limit in mind, too. Inmates at Shelby County Jail are allowed one scheduled visit per week. The system won't let you book another if the inmate is on privilege restriction or already has a visit that week. A paid at-home visit doesn't give you an extra visit on top of a free lobby one - so coordinate with the inmate or other family members before paying for a session you can't actually schedule.
Find an Inmate at Shelby County Jail, TN
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
