About the Mobile County Jail
Mobile County Jail is officially known as Mobile County Metro Jail, and it is operated by the Mobile County Sheriff's Office in Mobile, Alabama. The Sheriff's Office describes the facility as the detention center for both Mobile County and the City of Mobile. Current Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch leads the agency, and Pat Mitchell is listed by MCSO as Warden and in the March 2025 inmate handbook as Jail Administrator.
Mobile County Metro Jail holds people awaiting trial, people serving county sentences, people serving City of Mobile sentences, inmates from other approved jurisdictions, federal pretrial or federal sentence inmates, and state sentence inmates awaiting transfer. MCSO reports that the jail averages about 1,500 inmates per day. The jail complex includes the main facility and a minimum-security barracks, with MCSO listing 325 beds for the barracks.
- Facility
- Mobile County Metro Jail
- Address
- 450 St. Emanuel Street, Mobile, AL 36603
- Main Phone
- 251-574-4702
- Inmate Information Line
- 251-574-6412
- Operated By
- Mobile County Sheriff's Office
How the Mobile County Inmate Search Works
The Mobile County inmate search on this page is the live roster tool. Search by inmate name, booking number, or listed charge, and the roster filters the current custody data shown on the page. The search is designed for action: confirming custody, checking booking information, reviewing charges, and preparing for bail, visitation, money deposits, or court contact.
The official Mobile County roster data can include booking number, name, race, sex, date of birth, status, age, booking date, arrival date, expected release date, charges, and bonds when those fields are available. The "View Details" control opens expanded booking information, including additional charge or bond details when the official data provides them. The roster is not the court docket, so case events, filings, court dates, and record copies must be handled through the proper court office or Alabama court records process.
Posting Bail at Mobile County Jail
Bail for a Mobile County inmate is set through the court or magistrate process, not by the jail staff. Before coming to the facility, call Mobile County Metro Jail at 251-574-4702 or use the inmate information line at 251-574-6412 to confirm custody, bond status, and any release instructions that apply to the specific inmate.
MCSO identifies the bail or surrender location as the MCSO Docket at 450 St. Emanuel Street, Mobile, AL 36603. The Docket is listed as open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. MCSO publishes three public release paths: using a licensed bail bondsman for a surety bond, paying the cash bail amount, or surrendering so the person can ask a magistrate for a personal bond.
Common release conditions may be ordered by the court based on the case type and the inmate's history. These conditions can include no-contact orders, firearm surrender when ordered, DUI-related restrictions, drug or alcohol testing, pretrial supervision, or evaluation requirements. The March 2025 inmate handbook also lists a $35.00 bond filing fee per charge, paid to the Court Clerks after release; if it is not paid within two days, the Court Clerks notify the District Attorney's Office.
Sending Money to an Inmate
Mobile County Metro Jail allows inmate account deposits through ATM kiosks and online deposit options confirmed in official jail materials. The March 2025 inmate handbook says an ATM kiosk is available in the Metro Jail Visitation Lobby Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and another kiosk is available in the Docket Lobby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The kiosks accept cash, debit cards, and credit cards.
All deposits require the inmate's PIN number. Money deposited through the kiosk or online is listed as immediately available for commissary purchases, and the handbook states that these deposit methods are fee-based. Official materials reference inmatecanteen.com and a Team3-based web deposit option, so call the jail at 251-574-4702 to confirm the current approved online deposit method before paying.
Inmate account funds may be used for personal hygiene products, clothing, snacks, haircuts, medical services, writing materials, drinks, and other commissary items. The handbook also states that federal and state tax refund checks may be deposited into an inmate account after endorsement.
Inmate Communication
Inmates at Mobile County Metro Jail cannot receive incoming calls. The inmate handbook states that housing-area phones are used for outgoing and collect calls, and housing-area calls are limited to 15 minutes. During Docket Room processing, local calls to the 251 area code are free, while long-distance calls are collect only.
The official data does not name a current phone service provider for inmate calling. Call the jail at 251-574-4702 to confirm the current phone service provider, account setup instructions, call rates, and any restrictions before funding a phone account. Personal calls may be monitored and recorded.
For inmate medical information, MCSO lists 251-574-3368 as the message line. Leave the inmate's name and the caller's contact information when using that line. For mail, non-privileged incoming mail must be a metered postcard, no larger than 4x6, with a complete return address.
Legal mail follows separate rules. Calls and non-privileged mail may be monitored, but confidential legal communication is handled separately.
- Inmate Mail Address
- Mobile County Metro Jail, P.O. Box 104, Mobile, AL 36601
Visitation at Mobile County Jail
Visitation at Mobile County Metro Jail includes onsite and remote video visitation. MCSO states that onsite video visitation is free, and all visits are registered and scheduled through GettingOut. Visitors create their own appointments, and appointments must be scheduled at least 1 day in advance and no more than 7 days in advance.
- Bring valid photo identification.
- Confirm that you are an approved visitor before scheduling.
- Minors should be supervised by an adult unless the jail gives different instructions.
- Follow dress code and conduct rules during video or onsite visits.
- Call 251-574-4702 if the inmate has court, medical, transport, or classification restrictions.
| Visitation Item | Confirmed Mobile County Rule |
|---|---|
| Visit format | Onsite video visitation and remote video visitation |
| Scheduling platform | GettingOut |
| Support / registration phone | 866-516-0115 |
| Appointment window | At least 1 day ahead and no more than 7 days ahead |
| Arrival requirement | Check in 15 minutes before the visit |
| Visitor limit | Up to 4 visitors for one inmate |
| Monitoring | Personal video visits are monitored and recorded |
| Professional visits | Face-to-face visits allowed only for professional visitors such as clergy, medical, and legal visitors |
Visitor rules should be confirmed before traveling because inmate classification, court movement, staffing, or facility operations can affect visitation.
Mobile County Court Information
Mobile County state courts are part of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama. The main court address is Government Plaza, 205 Government Street, Suite 913, Mobile, AL 36644-2913. Court Administrator Kristin Muscat is listed in official court administration information.
| Court Office | Address | Phone | Hours / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Criminal Division | 205 Government Street, Room 338, North Tower, Mobile, AL 36644 | 251-574-8511 | Office 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; payment window 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; court appearances in North Tower, 4th Floor |
| Circuit Criminal Division | 205 Government Street, Room C-927, North Tower, Mobile, AL 36644 | 251-574-8430 | Payment window 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; certain card payments accepted only at that window |
| Court Administration | Government Plaza, Mobile, AL | 251-574-8603 | Fax 251-574-4741 |
| Judicial District | Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama | - | Serves Mobile County state-court matters |
Mobile County court offices handle arraignments, bond hearings, pretrial settings, trials, sentencing, record requests, and criminal case processing. The hearing notice is the controlling document for the date, time, courtroom, and hearing format. The Mobile County court site lists a public "Find my Courtroom" tool, and court record access is separate from the jail roster.
State court case information may be available through Alabama's Just One Look or Alacourt Access process, which official materials describe as offering name search and case number search options for a listed $9.99 fee. The District Criminal and Circuit Criminal pages also reference a request form for record searches and copies of court records. City ordinance and municipal misdemeanor cases are handled through the City of Mobile Municipal Court Criminal Division, not the county jail roster.