Set Up Pay Tel & Fix Blocked Calls: Receiving Phone Calls from St. Johns County Jail

St. Johns County Jail uses Pay Tel Communications for inmate phone service. The main thing to know up front is that inmates can only place outgoing calls - you can’t call an inmate directly at the jail.

To receive calls, you'll need a prepaid Pay Tel account linked to the number you want the inmate to call. Set one up or add money through Pay Tel's website (www.paytel.com) or by calling 1-800-PAY-TELL (1-800-729-8355). There's no mobile app - you'll need to use the website or phone line to check your balance or add funds.

• ✓ Go to www.paytel.com or call 1-800-PAY-TELL (1-800-729-8355)
• ✓ Create your prepaid Pay Tel account for receiving calls from St. Johns County Jail
• ✓ Add funds to the account so calls can go through
• ✓ Use the website or phone system to manage the account (there isn’t a Pay Tel mobile app)

Waiting for a

1. Call your phone carrier’s support line - tell them you want to receive calls from St. Johns County Jail.
2. Ask them to unblock/allow the jail’s calls - explain the calls may be blocked or labeled as spam.
3. Give the carrier the jail’s main number - provide (904) 209-1443 and ask them to whitelist/allow calls from that number.
4. Share verification details if they request it - you may be asked for the inmate’s name and booking number so the carrier can complete the request.

Phone access at St. Johns County Jail typically runs from after breakfast until lights out. That said, calls can stop or get delayed during meals, head counts, lockdowns, or shift changes. Some days calls come through later than expected - or not at all.

Legal calls work differently. Calls to registered attorneys are confidential - not monitored or recorded - but the attorney's phone number must be pre-registered and verified with the facility or Pay Tel before those protections apply.