The Jefferson County Jail phone number for the Birmingham division is 205-325-5670, and the Bessemer division answers at 205-481-4160.1Jefferson County, AL. County Jail Both facilities hold people awaiting trial or pending transfer to the Alabama Department of Corrections, with a combined average population near 1,000.2Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Corrections The Sheriff’s Office general line, 205-325-5700, handles broader inquiries but will slow you down if the jail is what you actually need.3Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Contact
Birmingham Division Numbers
The Birmingham jail sits at 809 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203.1Jefferson County, AL. County Jail Use the direct lines below rather than routing through the general Sheriff’s Office switchboard.
- Main switchboard: 205-325-5670
- Administrative office: 205-325-5772
- Pre-Trial Release: 205-325-5716
Call the switchboard for general questions about an inmate held in Birmingham, and staff can transfer you to the right department. Pre-Trial Release is the office for questions about release eligibility and bond conditions.
Bessemer Division Numbers
The Bessemer jail is at 1822 2nd Ave. N, Bessemer, AL 35020.5Jefferson County, AL. County Jail
If you’re not sure which division holds the person you’re calling about, look them up online before you dial. The Sheriff’s Office inmate search tool identifies the facility.4Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Inmate Inquiry
Other Sheriff’s Office Numbers Tied to the Jail
Some jail-related questions are handled by units outside the jail switchboards.3Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Contact
- Records Unit: 205-325-5900 — release dates, case dispositions, copies of booking records
- Birmingham Warrant Unit: 205-325-5725
- Bessemer Warrant Unit: 205-481-4210
- Mental Health Crisis Unit: 205-325-8757
- Non-emergency line: 205-325-1450, option 2
For any life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Look Up the Inmate Before You Call
The Sheriff’s Office runs a public inmate inquiry at sheriff.jccal.org.6Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Inmate Inquiry You can search by name, subject number, booking number, or booking date. Results confirm the correct legal-name spelling the jail’s system uses and show whether the person is held in Birmingham or Bessemer.
Write down the booking number and housing facility before you dial. Staff take a heavy call volume, and having those details ready keeps you off hold and out of repeated transfers.
You Can’t Call an Inmate Directly
None of the jail numbers connect you to an inmate. Under Alabama Public Service Commission rules, inmates only place outbound calls, and those calls must be automated collect calls to someone who agrees to accept and pay for them. Inmates cannot dial toll-free numbers, reach a live operator, or use service numbers such as 411 or 911. Three-way calling and call forwarding are prohibited; the system terminates a call automatically if either is detected. Maximum call length is set by jail administration and can vary.7Alabama Public Service Commission. Inmate Phone Service Calls are monitored, except attorney-client calls, which are treated as privileged.
To receive calls from an inmate housed in Birmingham, you fund a prepaid account through the NCIC Customer Portal, the phone provider for the facility.8NCIC Customer Portal. Jefferson County Jail (Birmingham) If the portal gives you trouble, call the division switchboard and ask for current instructions.
Calling About Bail and Bond
To find out the bail amount set for a specific inmate, call the switchboard at the division holding them: 205-325-5670 for Birmingham, 205-481-4160 for Bessemer.1Jefferson County, AL. County Jail For questions about bond conditions or release eligibility, call Pre-Trial Release directly: 205-325-5716 in Birmingham, or 205-481-8529 in Bessemer.