What the One-Visit-Per-Week Rule Means for Families (and the Two-Inmate Limit)

Each inmate at Shelby County Jail gets one scheduled video visit per week. The scheduling system enforces this automatically - if someone already has a visit booked that week, you won't be able to schedule another. There's also a cap on visitors. You can only visit two different inmates in the same week. If three people you care about are all eligible for visits, you'll have to pick two - or coordinate with other approved visitors so everyone gets seen.

These limits only matter once you can actually book a visit. Shelby County Jail requires visitor approval beforehand, and you'll need a valid government-issued photo ID at check-in. Visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance - so last-minute plans rarely work out.

The scheduling system blocks overbooking automatically. If an inmate has already used their one visit for the week - or has one scheduled - the system won't let you add another. Even when you're following the rules, open slots depend on jail capacity. Each housing area has a limited number of visitation monitors, so some weeks fill up faster than others.

Visits also have to fit the jail's published time slots. You're not picking any time you want - you're choosing from specific windows on specific days.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Map out the week before you schedule: one scheduled visit per inmate per week, and you can only visit with two different inmates per week.
• ✓ If your family is sharing the load, coordinate who is visiting which inmate so you don’t accidentally double-book the same inmate’s one weekly visit.
• ✓ Plan around the published video visitation time slots, since your visit has to land inside one of those windows.
• ✓ Aim to schedule early, especially if you suspect your loved one’s housing area has limited availability due to the number of visitation monitors.
• ✓ Confirm you’re approved to visit before you try to book, and make sure you’ll have a valid government-issued photo ID.
• ✓ Don’t wait until the last minute: visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.

Want a specific time? Book early. Check the published visitation slots and schedule as soon as they open up. You can book through the online system, by phone, or at the Visitation Kiosk in the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. If you're coordinating visits for multiple people, check availability for each one before locking anything in. Between the one-visit-per-inmate rule and limited time slots, your backup plan can disappear fast.

The jail's posted rules are firm: one scheduled video visit per inmate per week. The system won't allow a second. If you have a special situation that requires an exception, contact the facility directly and explain what you need.

For scheduling questions, Shelby County Jail offers three options: the online scheduling site, the phone line at 1-800-943-2189, or the Visitation Kiosk in the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and be ready to confirm you're an approved visitor.