If someone you love is locked up in Washington, video can save you a long drive, but how it works depends on which kind of facility they're in. So the first thing to nail down is whether your person is in a state prison, a county jail, or federal or immigration custody, because that determines the vendor, the cost, and the rules.
Washington splits custody three ways. The state prison system (Washington DOC, the Department of Corrections) runs the state's prisons. County and city jails are run by sheriffs and local governments and handle people awaiting trial and serving shorter sentences. And federal and immigration custody play by their own rules, with one federal facility in the state and a large immigration-detention center in Tacoma. Figure out which bucket your person is in first, because everything else flows from that.
Do Washington state prisons offer video visitation?
Yes. The Washington DOC offers both in-person and video visiting, and video is available at all prison facilities. You connect from home using your own device and internet connection, with the video service provided by Securus (part of the DOC's consolidated technology contract that also covers phone calls, JPay Player tablets, and email).
Here's the key thing about Washington: video visits use the same application and approval process as in-person visits. You must be on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list, and you apply with a single electronic visitor application (Washington only accepts online applications now). A separate application is required for each visitor, including minors. To start a video account you'll need the person's DOC number, and your name and date of birth must match your legal ID exactly (no middle name or initial).
One thing to plan around: visitor applications can take up to 45 business days to process. Do not submit more than one application, a second one voids the first and restarts the clock. So apply early and be patient.
In-person visiting happens at each facility on its own schedule by housing unit, so the hours depend on where your person is housed. Visitors 18 and older must show a valid, current government photo ID. Washington also runs Extended Family Visits (EFV), longer, private family visits in a separate setting for those who qualify, which is a meaningful option many states don't offer.
For sending money and other services, the DOC uses Securus/JPay (the JPay Player tablet lets people access email, music, movies, eBooks, and more once funds are added). Phone calls also run through Securus.
To get on the approved visitor list, submit the electronic visitor application (one per visitor), make sure your details match your ID exactly, and wait for it to process, up to 45 business days. The same approval covers both in-person and video visits.
County and city jails
Washington has 39 counties, and county and city jails are run locally, so each picks its own vendor and rules. Cost and platform vary.
You'll see the usual mix of vendors, Securus and GTL/ViaPath are common, with some jails on other platforms. Some jails offer free onsite (lobby) video plus paid remote video from home; others are video-only with posted daily windows, having largely replaced in-person visits with video terminals. The only way to be sure of any county's setup is to check that jail's page or call.
The vendor is facility-specific, so the company that works for one county won't necessarily be the one next door. One warning that saves people money and grief: accounts do not transfer between vendors. If your person moves from a Securus jail to a GTL/ViaPath jail (or into the state system), your funds and account don't follow. You set up fresh with the new vendor.
How county jail video visitation usually works
There are two flavors, and the difference is the whole ballgame for your wallet.
Onsite (or "onsite video") means you drive to the jail and sit at a video terminal in the lobby to talk to the person, who's on a screen inside. Onsite video is frequently free or low-cost, when a jail offers it.
Remote video means you connect from your own phone, tablet, or computer at home. That convenience is what you pay for. Remote sessions are charged per session or per minute, you typically prepay into a vendor account, and you usually reserve a slot in advance.
Washington jail video rates shift around, partly because the FCC has been capping these rates through 2024 to 2026 and partly because every facility prices differently. I'm not going to print a per-minute number here, because by the time you read it, it'll be wrong. Look up the rate on your specific jail's vendor page before you pay. What's stable is the structure: onsite (where offered) is often free or cheaper, remote tends to cost, and there are usually advance-registration rules.
Setting up a video visit
The steps are roughly the same whichever system you're dealing with:
1. Find the system for that exact facility. For the state, that's the DOC's video visits through Securus (apply and get approved first). For a county jail, check the sheriff's site for the vendor. Don't guess.
2. Create the right account and verify your identity, usually with a government photo ID. For the state, your name and date of birth must match your ID exactly.
3. Add your inmate and get on the approved list. You'll need the DOC number (state) or booking number (county). For the state, you must complete the electronic visitor application and be approved first.
4. Schedule your visit, choosing onsite (where offered) or remote, and pay for any paid remote session.
5. Test your device and log in early. Get on about 15 minutes ahead. Check your camera, microphone, speakers, and internet (for state video visits, you provide your own equipment and connection). A failed connection on your end usually still burns the slot.
Federal and immigration custody
Washington has one Bureau of Prisons facility: the Federal Detention Center SeaTac (FDC SeaTac), an administrative facility near the Seattle-Tacoma airport that holds sentenced inmates, pretrial detainees, people in transit, and some immigration detainees, both men and women. The BOP runs primarily in-person visiting (FDC SeaTac uses an odd/even register-number system for visiting days) with only limited video, so use the BOP inmate locator to find the institution and check its specific visiting rules. If someone was recently arrested on a federal charge and isn't in the locator yet, they're likely still in U.S. Marshals custody during the designation period, often held in a county jail under contract.
Immigration custody in Washington centers on one large facility, and it's an active, fast-changing, and legally contested area, so be careful with older information. The Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC, also known as the Northwest Detention Center) in Tacoma is a privately operated immigration detention center run by the GEO Group under contract with ICE, the main immigration-detention facility in the Pacific Northwest. It offers in-person and virtual visitation along with legal-visit access; visiting runs in scheduled blocks with strict check-in times and a valid ID, and immigration bonds can be posted at the facility during business hours. State oversight of the facility has been the subject of ongoing legislation and litigation in 2025 and 2026. Because details and capacity are changing, confirm the current visiting and bond procedures directly with the facility. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator, which needs the person's A-Number (the nine-digit alien registration number) or their name plus country of birth. Remember that immigration bonds are handled through ICE, not by a state or county.
A note on staying connected
Video is good for one thing money can't really replace: seeing a face, watching a kid wave, reading an expression. And in a state where the prison can be hours from home across the mountains, a video visit can be the difference between regular contact and none.
But be honest with yourself about what carries the weight day to day. Mail is the steadiest line there is. It doesn't drop the call, doesn't need a scheduled slot, and the person can hold it and read it again at 2 a.m. when the walls close in. Phone calls are the backbone of staying in touch, the thing you'll actually do most weeks. Video is the bonus on top, the face-to-face when you can get it. Build your routine around mail and calls, and treat video as the thing that makes the distance feel a little smaller.
Related pages:
/prisons/washington
FCC 2026 call and video rate caps guide
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Do Washington state prisons offer video visits?
Yes. The Washington DOC offers video visits at all prison facilities, from home using your own device. Video uses the same application and approval as in-person visits, and the service is provided by Securus.
What vendor does the Washington DOC use?
Securus, under a consolidated technology contract that also covers phone calls, JPay Player tablets, and email. County jails pick their own vendors (often Securus or GTL/ViaPath), so confirm per facility.
How long does a visitor application take?
Up to 45 business days to process. Do not submit more than one application, a second one voids the first and restarts the clock. Apply early, and the same approval covers both in-person and video visits.
Is in-person visiting still allowed in Washington?
Yes, at each facility on its own schedule by housing unit. Visitors 18 and older must show valid government photo ID. Washington also offers Extended Family Visits (longer, private family visits) for those who qualify.
How do I get on the approved visitor list?
Submit the electronic visitor application (one per visitor, including minors), with your name and date of birth matching your legal ID exactly. Then wait for processing, up to 45 business days.
What are Extended Family Visits in Washington?
EFVs are longer, private family visits in a separate setting for eligible incarcerated people and their approved family. They're a meaningful option many states don't offer. Eligibility and rules are set by DOC policy.
How do I send money to a Washington inmate?
Through Securus/JPay. Adding funds lets the person use the JPay Player tablet for email, music, movies, eBooks, and more. Phone calls also run through Securus. County jails use their own money systems.
What vendor do Washington county jails use?
It varies by county. Securus and GTL/ViaPath are common, with some jails on other platforms. Many jails have shifted heavily to video. Always confirm the vendor and rules on the specific jail's page.
Are county jail video visits free in Washington?
Sometimes onsite lobby video is free while at-home remote video is paid, but it depends entirely on the county and vendor. Check whether a free onsite option exists at your specific jail.
What is onsite vs remote video visiting?
Onsite means you go to the jail and use a terminal there, often free where offered. Remote means you connect from your own device at home, which typically costs money at county jails.
Do vendor accounts transfer between jails?
No. Accounts and funds don't move between vendors. If your person transfers to a facility using a different company, you set up a new account with that vendor.
How do I find which facility someone is in?
Use the Washington DOC incarcerated search for state prisons and the county jail (or its roster) for local facilities. For federal, use the BOP locator. For ICE, use the Online Detainee Locator.
Is there a federal prison in Washington?
Yes, one: the Federal Detention Center SeaTac, near the Seattle-Tacoma airport. It holds sentenced, pretrial, in-transit, and some immigration detainees. Use the BOP inmate locator to find someone.
Where are ICE detainees held in Washington?
Mainly at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (Northwest Detention Center) in Tacoma, a GEO-run facility under ICE contract, the main immigration-detention center in the Pacific Northwest. Use the ICE locator.
How do I find someone in ICE custody?
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. You'll need the person's A-Number, or their full name plus country of birth. Check often, since people are sometimes moved between facilities.
What do I need to set up a video visit?
For the state: an approved visitor application, a Securus account, the person's DOC number, and your own device and internet. For a jail: the vendor account, the inmate's name and ID, and a tested device. ====================================================================
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