From the sally port to release: how Oklahoma County’s jail really runs

You get the late call. A loved one has been booked in downtown. The building you are heading toward is the Oklahoma County Detention Center at 201 N. Shartel Ave. in Oklahoma City. The public lobby is open daily 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and the main lines you can call for status questions are 405-907-1930 and 405-504-6811. Most of what happens next follows a set pattern, but a few Oklahoma‑specific rules can save you time and money if you know them upfront.

Where people are taken and when you can actually find them

Nearly all county arrests within Oklahoma County end up at the detention center at 201 N. Shartel. Agencies that bring people there include Oklahoma City Police, the Sheriff, and suburbs like Bethany, Choctaw, and Warr Acres. Some cities still run short‑term holding jails. For example, the Midwest City Jail is at 100 N. Midwest Blvd. with a jail line at 405-739-1314, and the Edmond Police Department operates at 100 E. First St. with a main line at 405-359-4420. Those city facilities either cite and release, set a municipal bond, or transfer to the county detention center for longer holds or state charges.

County booking is not instant. After intake and classification, it can take hours before a person appears in the online roster or daily blotter. Even after a release has been approved, the jail itself says it “could take several hours” from when release paperwork is received to when the person walks out. If you are driving in to pick someone up, plan your trip around that lag rather than the moment you hear “bond was posted.”

If you need to talk with a staffer face to face, the jail lobby runs 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. daily. Outside those hours, phone is your only option. For municipal cases in Oklahoma City, the Municipal Court customer service window at 701 Couch Dr. is open Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. for payments and questions. For jail release on Oklahoma City municipal charges, the City lists the jail information line as 405-713-1930 at 201 N. Shartel, staffed 24/7.

How do bonds work in Oklahoma County right now?

There are two basic paths out: pay a cash bond through the courts, or use a licensed bondsman for a surety bond. The path that fits depends on charge type, time of day, and your budget.

If a judge has set a bond on a state case handled in district court, cash bonds are handled at the County Annex, 320 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Room 500, open Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Credit cards, cash, and certified funds are accepted in person for many payments. If it is after hours, weekends, or a holiday, you will be working with a bondsman or waiting for the next business window to pay cash at the courthouse.

Oklahoma City municipal charges are different from state cases. If the arrest is on an Oklahoma City Municipal Court case, the City states that if a bond is not posted, the person will be seen at the next scheduled jail arraignment, which is held Monday through Friday except City‑observed holidays. You can post municipal bonds during Municipal Court business hours at 701 Couch Dr., or, if the person is already in county custody at 201 N. Shartel, call 405-713-1930 for jail clerk bond information.

There is also a specific Oklahoma County “walk‑thru” warrant process for non‑custodial arrests. As of February 3, 2026, walk‑thru processing is handled at the jail across from the Attorney Bonds area on Tuesdays and Thursdays11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. You must bring a valid state ID and a copy of the bond. If you have already paid cash at the courthouse or are working with a bondsman, ask whether you should use the jail’s fast‑track scheduling portal for bondsmen slots before you show up.

One more Oklahoma‑specific cost to remember. If a person is later convicted or receives a deferred sentence on a state case, the Oklahoma County District Court assesses a daily incarceration cost. The current posted jail rate is $66.49 per day effective 2024. That is billed after conviction or deferred, not during pretrial detention.

What does it cost to call, message, or visit by video?

Oklahoma County uses NCIC for inmate communications. There is no in‑person, face‑to‑face visitation; all visits are video by kiosk or tablet under jail rules. Phone calls, video visits, and messaging each have their own rate structure.

Every message and video session is monitored and can be suspended for rule violations. Minors shown in photos or video must be appropriately clothed and accompanied by an adult account holder. If you are trying to coordinate a bond or lawyer consultation, video can be more reliable than waiting for a phone slot on a crowded pod.

Mail, money, and commissary that actually make it through

Where to send what

Oklahoma County splits personal mail into two streams. Regular personal letters are scanned at an off‑site center and delivered to the resident electronically. Address those to:

Inmate Name
Booking #
Oklahoma County Detention Center
PO Box 591, Longview, TX 75606

That scanning program has firm limits. Only pieces up to 8.5 by 11 inches are accepted, no more than five pages, scanned front side only, and at most one photo per mailing. Anything sent to that Texas PO Box that does not meet the rules is rejected. Legal mail and medical mail are not accepted at the Texas box.

Books, magazines, and newspapers must be sent directly from a publisher or vendor to the jail’s physical address: 201 N. Shartel Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Do not send those items to the Texas scanning address, because they will not be delivered.

Digital messaging and mail costs

If you would rather avoid the scan delay, you can use NCIC’s digital messaging. The posted prices are $0.25 per message and $0.35 per picture. For most families, that is the fastest way to get a document or phone number in front of someone in custody.

Depositing money

Commissary is run through Benchmark, and deposits are made through JailATM or the lobby kiosk. The lobby kiosk at 201 N. Shartel accepts cash, debit, and credit cards, and the jail notes the kiosk includes a fee paid by the depositor. If you are depositing online for commissary, use the JailATM portal and keep your confirmation number. OCDC also allows cashier’s checks, certified checks, money orders, ACH deposits, and wire funds mailed in for a resident’s trust account.

The commissary spending limit is $100 per week. The jail defines an indigent resident as someone with $15.00 or less in their trust account from the first day through the last day of the preceding month; indigent residents can request hygiene items and mail kits at no cost. If the person damages jail property, expect a charge to that trust account for the posted item price. For example, a replacement mattress is listed at $106.00, and a replacement resident ID card or wristband is $5.00.

Release day, medical fees, and what the county will bill later

After a bond is paid or a judge signs a release, the jail moves the person through out‑processing. The jail’s own guidance says this can take several hours. If you are meeting someone at the front, remember the lobby hours are 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. daily. If the release finishes later in the evening, you will be meeting them at the sidewalk outside the secured lobby entrance, not at a counter window.

On the medical side, the jail lists a $15.00 co‑pay for the initial screening at intake. The jail also posts charges for copies and notary services that residents can use while they are in custody: $0.25 per page for copies and a $5.00 notary, available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The jail states that no resident is denied necessary medical treatment for lack of funds; unpaid medical co‑pays are back‑charged when money shows up on the trust account later.

Separately from commissary and medical, Oklahoma law allows the county to bill people for the cost of incarceration after conviction or a deferred sentence on a state case. Oklahoma County’s current posted rate is $66.49 per day. If the case is dismissed or charges are not pursued, that daily incarceration cost is not assessed. If the person is convicted or deferred, the County’s cost unit will add it to the court financial record, and payments are managed through the Court Clerk’s cost administration at the Annex, 320 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Room 500, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Families who need help sorting out court dates, paperwork, or program referrals can contact the jail’s CARE Unit. That office fields questions about medical needs, rights, commissary, hygiene, grievances, bonds, visitation, chaplain services, and release resources, and it is a practical first call when you are getting conflicting answers from different windows.

Quick takeaways for Oklahoma County bookings

• The county jail is at 201 N. Shartel Ave. with a public lobby open 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. daily. Phone lines for custody questions are 405-907-1930 and 405-504-6811.
• City jails still exist for short holds. Midwest City Jail is at 100 N. Midwest Blvd. (405-739-1314). Edmond Police operates at 100 E. First St. (405-359-4420). Felonies and state cases move to county.
• Cash bonds on district court cases are paid at the Annex, 320 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Room 500, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. After hours, you will need a bondsman or you will wait.
• Oklahoma City Municipal Court is at 701 Couch Dr. Customer service runs Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. If no bond is posted on a city case, jail arraignment is the next business day.
• Phone calls from the jail in the U.S. run $0.10 per minute. Video visits are $0.20 per minute plus taxes. Messages are $0.25 and photo attachments $0.35.
• Mail letters to the scanning center at PO Box 591, Longview, TX 75606 with strict limits: 5 pages, front side only, and at most 1 photo. Send books and magazines directly to 201 N. Shartel Ave.
• JailATM and the jail lobby kiosk take deposits for commissary. The kiosk accepts cash, debit, and credit and charges a depositor fee.
• Expect out‑processing to take several hours after bond or release is approved. Meet outside if it finishes after the lobby closes.
• If convicted or deferred on a state case, the county will assess $66.49 per day as the jail incarceration cost. That is billed later through the Court Clerk’s office.

Reader Q&A

How long after bond is posted until someone gets out?

The jail advises that release can take several hours after the paperwork arrives at 201 N. Shartel. Processing time depends on staffing, pod movement, and whether there are other holds. Plan for the lag rather than assuming an immediate walk‑out.

Can I visit in person through glass?

No. Oklahoma County Detention Center uses video visitation only. Sessions run on tablets in the housing unit or kiosks and are billed at $0.20 per minute plus taxes. Every session is monitored and can be suspended if rules are broken.

Where do I pay a cash bond during the week?

For district court cases, go to the Oklahoma County Annex at 320 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Room 500, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. For Oklahoma City municipal bonds, use the Municipal Court at 701 Couch Dr. during its weekday hours. After hours you will need a bondsman or you will wait until offices reopen.

What address do I use for books or magazines?

Publications must come straight from a publisher or vendor to 201 N. Shartel Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Personal letters go to the scanning address at PO Box 591, Longview, TX 75606 and are delivered electronically inside the jail.

To narrow your next step, match the clock and the charge. If it is business hours and the bond is payable, a cash bond at 320 Robert S. Kerr Ave. can be clean and fast. If it is after hours or the amount is beyond reach, call a licensed bondsman and start the paperwork while you track release with the jail.

Published: September 25, 2026 · Reviewed by the Oklahoma editorial team