Before Your Visit: What You Can't Bring and Rules to Know at Shelby County Jail
Visiting someone at Shelby County Jail goes smoother when you handle the basics before leaving home. Use this checklist to avoid getting turned away at the door.
Visitation at Shelby County Jail, TN
How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Overview
Shelby County Jail uses video visitation only — free visits are available from the Sheriff's Office lobby, or you can connect from home. Schedule online at ncic.com, call 1-800-943-2189, or use the jail's lobby kiosk. You can book up to two weeks in advance, though kiosk-booked visits won't start until at least 15 minutes after you finish scheduling. You'll need facility approval and a valid photo ID (passport or state ID) when registering and checking in. If you're subject to a Protection From Abuse order, you won't be allowed to visit. The jail allows one scheduled visit per inmate per week, and you can visit up to two different inmates weekly. All visits are monitored and recorded (except privileged attorney visits), and staff can end visits for inappropriate behavior. Tennessee facilities often require a Visitor Application (CR‑2152) and background check — confirm any application steps with the jail before scheduling.
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Quick Facts
- Shelby County Jail allows one scheduled visit per week and provides video visits from the Sheriff’s Office lobby at no cost to the inmate or visitor.
- Visitors can schedule visits online at ncic.com, by calling 1-800-943-2189, or at the jail’s lobby visitation kiosk.
- Visits may be scheduled up to two weeks in advance, and visits booked at the lobby kiosk will not start sooner than 15 minutes after scheduling is completed.
- Visitors must be approved by the facility and present valid photo identification (passport or state ID) at registration and check-in.
- Visitors subject to a Protection From Abuse order may not visit; children may visit if they do not disturb others, and juveniles under 18 must be accompanied by an adult unless a supervisor approves otherwise.
Visitation Guides
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.
How Much Video Visits Cost at Shelby County Jail (10- and 25-minute rates)
Budgeting for a video visit at Shelby County Jail? The cost depends on how long you talk. Here are the current internet visit prices.
How Shelby County Jail Uses Two Video Systems (GettingOut incoming calls vs GTL scheduled visits)
Shelby County Jail runs two separate video-visit systems, and they work differently. The first is at-home video calls through the GettingOut Visits mobile app—your loved one initiates these calls from inside. The second is scheduled video visits through GTL, sometimes called on-site or scheduled visits. Both types are electronically monitored and recorded. Visits can be ended if behavior becomes inappropriate.
How to Schedule Your First Video Visit at Shelby County Jail
Scheduling your first video visit is straightforward once you know the rules. Here's how to get approved, pick a scheduling method, and avoid common timing issues.
How to Schedule Your First Visit at Shelby County Jail: Online, Phone, or Lobby Kiosk
Visiting someone at Shelby County Jail is straightforward once you know how scheduling works and what can trip you up. Here's how to book your first video visit—online, by phone, or at the lobby kiosk.
What the One-Visit-Per-Week Rule Means for Families (and the Two-Inmate Limit)
Shelby County Jail has two weekly caps that catch families off guard: one applies to the inmate, the other to you. Understanding how they work together makes planning visits much easier.
What to Bring (and Leave Behind) for Video Visits at Shelby County Jail
Video visits go smoothly when you show up with the one thing they'll actually ask for—and leave everything else out of the visitation lobby.
What You Need to Know Before Visiting: Shelby County Jail's One-Visit-Per-Week Rule
Shelby County Jail limits scheduled video visitation to one visit per inmate, per week. If you already have a visit on the calendar for that person (or someone else has scheduled one for them), you won’t be able to book another scheduled visit for the same week.
Common Questions
How do I schedule a visit at Shelby County Jail?
Schedule online at ncic.com, call 1-800-943-2189, or use the lobby visitation kiosk. Visits can be booked up to two weeks ahead, and kiosk-scheduled visits won’t begin sooner than 15 minutes after scheduling is completed.
How many visits am I allowed at Shelby County Jail?
Shelby County Jail allows one scheduled visit per inmate per week. You may visit with up to two different inmates in a given week.
Are visits at Shelby County Jail monitored or recorded?
Yes. All visits except privileged attorney visits are electronically monitored and recorded, and both lobby and at-home video visits may be terminated for inappropriate behavior.
Other Guides for Shelby County Jail, TN
How to Receive Video Calls from Your Loved One Using the GettingOut App
Incoming video visits at Shelby County Jail work like a regular phone call: your loved one starts the video visit when they're able, and you answer on your phone through the GettingOut Visits app.
Managing Phone Costs and Blocking Calls from Shelby County Jail: NCIC Accounts, Rates, and Kiosk Deposits
Phone calls from jail add up quickly, and figuring out who to contact when problems arise isn't always straightforward. Here's how phone service works at Shelby County Jail—including NCIC prepaid accounts, published sample rates, and how to block unwanted calls.
Understanding Phone Costs at Shelby County Jail: Prepaid NCIC Accounts, Voicemail Rates, and Buying Time
Phone costs in jail add up quickly—and figuring out the system while trying to stay connected isn't easy. Here's how calling and voicemail work at Shelby County Jail, what costs have been published, and how phone time actually gets funded.
