Eastern Shore Jail is a county detention facility at 5245 Hornes St, operated by the Northampton County Sheriff's Office. Most people here are awaiting trial or serving a sentence under one year. This is not a prison - stays are typically days or months, not years. Information on this page was last verified August 2026.
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If you are not certain they are there, the fastest way to confirm is the Northampton County inmate search or InmateAid's inmate locator, which searches by name across Virginia facilities.
Booking takes time - sometimes several hours after arrest. If the search comes back empty, wait a few hours and try again before assuming they are somewhere else. You can also pull their arrest record and booking details to confirm the charges and facility assignment. For the most direct answer, call Eastern Shore Jail at 757-678-1362.
Most people booked at Eastern Shore Jail appear before a judge within 24 to 48 hours. At that first appearance the judge sets bail - or denies it - based on the charges, history, and flight risk.
If bail is set, your family member can be released by paying the full amount or through a bail bondsman who typically charges 10 percent as a non-refundable fee. If bail is denied or unaffordable, they remain at Eastern Shore Jail until the case resolves. InmateAid's bail and bond guide covers every option including what to do when you cannot afford a bondsman.
Right after arrest your family member goes through intake - identity verification, medical screening, property inventory, and classification. Classification places them in a housing unit based on charges, prior record, and intake behavior. It is not a punishment. It is how the facility manages a population that ranges from people on minor warrants to individuals facing serious charges.
Phone access and visitation are typically unavailable during the first 24 to 48 hours while booking completes. Once they are assigned to a housing unit those channels open. InmateAid's what happens in jail guide walks through the full intake process step by step.
Your family member calls you - you cannot call them.
Calls from Eastern Shore Jail go through the facility's contracted phone provider. Visit InmateAid's jail calls page to find the current provider for this facility and get your account set up before the first call.
Phone contact is more important than most people realize going into this. A regular call - even a short one - makes a measurable difference in how someone holds up inside.
Visitation at Eastern Shore Jail is subject to the facility's current schedule, which can change without notice. Before making the trip, call 757-678-1362 to confirm current hours, any registration requirements, and what you can bring. Showing up without confirming first is the most common mistake families make - it results in a wasted trip and a missed visit.
General rules across most Virginia county jails: dress conservatively, avoid colors that resemble inmate uniforms, leave your phone in your car, bring valid government-issued ID. Children may be permitted with specific requirements. Read InmateAid's visitation guide for a full pre-visit checklist.
The Eastern Shore Regional Jail has established comprehensive visitation guidelines to ensure security, order, and accessibility for inmates and their visitors. General visitation is non-contact and follows a structured schedule based on the inmate's assigned housing unit. Visits are held in designated visitation rooms adjacent to the lobby, with strict adherence to facility regulations.
General Visitation Procedures:
All inmate visitation begins at 9:00 AM on assigned days, with registration opening at 8:00 AM and closing promptly at 9:00 AM. Late arrivals are not permitted to visit. Each inmate is allowed one visit per day, lasting 30 minutes, and visits are conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. If multiple visitors arrive for the same inmate, they must decide among themselves who will visit. If they cannot agree, jail staff will defer to the inmate’s preference, which will be considered final.
Housing Unit Visitation Days:
- Monday: A-Block
- Tuesday: A-Dorm & B-Dorm
- Wednesday: D-Block
- Thursday: C-Block
- Friday: B-Block
Facility Rules for In-Person Visitation:
Visitors must sign in at Central Control with a valid photo ID, provide their physical address, and state their relation to the inmate. All visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and children must remain under control at all times. Visitors engaging in disruptive behavior, using profanity, or making inappropriate gestures will be asked to leave and may lose visitation privileges.
A maximum of two adults or one adult and two children are permitted per visit. Former inmates are not permitted to visit unless they have been released for at least 90 days or have prior written approval from jail administration. All visitors are subject to search at any time, and personal items, including food and beverages, are prohibited in the visitation area.
Prohibited Items and Security Measures:
Weapons, cell phones, cameras, and any form of contraband are strictly prohibited within the facility. Bringing such items into the visitation area will result in termination of visitation privileges. Metal detectors will be used to screen visitors for unauthorized items. Only legal documents needing an inmate’s endorsement may be submitted to the Central Control Officer for signature before being returned to the visitor. Personal clothing items are no longer accepted; inmates must purchase clothing through commissary services.
Video Visitation:
The Eastern Shore Regional Jail partners with Homewav to provide video visitation services. Each housing block is equipped with one video visitation unit, while the public side of the visitation room has two units. Inmates are responsible for setting up their own accounts and sending invitations to their approved visitors. Family and friends must deposit funds into the Homewav system to enable video calls; inmates themselves cannot add funds. Video visits are monitored and recorded, and any inappropriate behavior may result in the termination of video visitation privileges.
Professional Visitation:
Attorneys, probation officers, and other approved professionals must sign in and out on the log sheet upon arrival. Attorneys are required to present their bar card and identification, which will be kept on file in Central Control. Professional visits are conducted in designated Attorney/Client rooms, which may be contact or non-contact based on security requirements. Unless pre-approved by jail administration, all professional visitation must conclude by 6:00 PM.
These structured visitation policies ensure secure and orderly inmate interactions while upholding the facility’s safety and operational integrity. Visitors should check with the facility in advance for any updates or modifications to the visitation schedule.
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Money on the books - also called the commissary or trust account - gives your family member access to hygiene items, snacks, phone time, and postage. It directly affects their daily comfort and ability to stay connected.
Steps to send money to Eastern Shore Jail:
1. Go to InmateAid's send money page to find the approved deposit method for this facility
2. Have your family member's full legal name and booking number ready
3. Choose online deposit, phone deposit, or facility kiosk
4. Use the name and number exactly as they appear in the jail's system - any error will delay or reject the deposit
A letter or a printed photo costs almost nothing to send and means far more than most people on the outside appreciate.
Eastern Shore Jail accepts mail addressed to your family member at 5245 Hornes St. Include their full legal name and booking number on every piece. Standard rules at most Virginia county jails: plain white paper only, no staples, no glitter, no stickers, no colored ink. Standard print-size photos only, nothing written on the back. Mail that does not meet the facility's standards will be rejected - and they may not notify you. Keep it simple.
InmateAid's send mail service prints and mails on approved stock from your phone or computer. Formatting rejection is not a risk.
Books and magazines must be ordered new from the publisher or an online retailer - not shipped from your home address. Order through Amazon or directly from the publisher. Anything from a personal address will be rejected.
Visitation rules, phone access, bail processes, inmate search tools, and what happens at release all vary by state. InmateAid's Virginia prison resources hub covers all of it - written specifically for families navigating the Virginia system.
Have a specific question from someone who has been through it? Browse questions and answers at InmateAid Virginia Q&A.
Frequently Asked Questions about Eastern Shore Jail
How long does county jail booking take?
Booking at a county jail typically takes between 2 and 8 hours depending on how many people are being processed at the same time. During that window your family member may not appear in the inmate search system and phone and visitation access will not yet be available.
What is the difference between county jail and state prison?
County jails are short-term facilities operated by the county sheriff, holding people awaiting trial or serving sentences under one year. State prisons are operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections for sentences of one year or more. Eastern Shore Jail is a county jail - your family member may not have been convicted yet and could be released before trial if bail is posted.
Can I receive calls from someone in county jail?
No. Calls from county jail are outbound only - your family member calls you from the facility phone. You cannot call them directly. Set up an account with the phone provider before the first call so it connects immediately.
How long can someone be held in county jail without being charged?
In most states police have 48 to 72 hours to formally charge someone or they must be released. After charges are filed your family member remains in custody until bail is posted or the case resolves. Timelines vary by state and charge - InmateAid's bail and bond guide has state-specific information.
What can I bring when visiting someone in county jail?
Most county jails permit only valid government-issued photo ID for visitors. Leave your phone, wallet, keys, and personal items in your car or facility lockers. Call Eastern Shore Jail at 757-678-1362 before your visit to confirm current rules - they vary by facility and change without notice.
County jail time is hard in a specific way. The uncertainty - not knowing how long, not knowing what comes next - is its own kind of weight. What you can control is the connection. Calls, letters, visits, money on the books. Every one of those things tells your family member that someone out here is paying attention and is not going anywhere.
InmateAid was built for exactly this moment. Use us.