Lehigh Co Jail in Allentown, PA is a county detention facility operated by the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office. Most people here are awaiting trial or sentencing - this is not a prison, and most stays are measured in days or months, not years. If someone you care about was just booked here, you have questions. Start with the one that matters most right now.
If you are not certain they are there, the fastest way to confirm is the Lehigh County inmate search or InmateAid's inmate locator, which searches across Pennsylvania facilities by name.
Booking takes time - sometimes several hours after arrest. If the search comes back empty, wait a few hours and try again before assuming they have been transferred 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 Lehigh Co Jail at 610-782-3270.
Most people booked at Lehigh Co Jail appear before a judge within 24 to 48 hours. At that first appearance the judge sets the bail amount - or denies bail - based on the charges, the person's history, and whether they are considered a flight risk.
If bail is set, your family member can be released by paying the full amount or by using a bail bondsman, who typically charges 10 percent of the total as a non-refundable fee. If bail is denied or the amount is unaffordable, they remain at Lehigh Co Jail until the case resolves. InmateAid's bail and bond guide walks through every option including what to do if you cannot afford a bondsman.
Right after arrest, your family member goes through intake at Lehigh Co Jail - identity verification, medical screening, property inventory, and classification. Classification places them in a housing unit based on the charges, prior record, and intake behavior. It is not a punishment. It is how the facility manages a population that ranges from people picked up on minor warrants to individuals facing serious charges.
For the first 24 to 48 hours, phone access and visitation are typically unavailable while booking completes. Once they are assigned to a housing unit, those channels open up. InmateAid's what happens in jail guide covers the full intake process step by step so you know what to expect.
Your family member calls you - you cannot call them. Calls from Lehigh Co Jail go through Global Tel Link (GTL) - ConnectNetwork and all calls are recorded except attorney calls. Set up a Global Tel Link (GTL) - ConnectNetwork account before the first call so the connection goes through without delay.
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. Do not let the setup friction stop you. Visit InmateAid's jail calls page for step-by-step account setup, current rate information, and tips for keeping funds available.
Visitation hours at Lehigh Co Jail are set by the facility and can change without much notice. Before making the trip, call 610-782-3270 to confirm current hours, any advance registration requirements, and what you are allowed to bring.
The most common mistake families make is showing up without confirming first - and that results in a wasted trip and a missed visit for your family member. General rules across most Pennsylvania county jails: dress conservatively, avoid colors that resemble inmate uniforms, leave your phone in your car, and bring valid government-issued ID. Children may be permitted with specific requirements depending on the facility. InmateAid's visitation guide has a full checklist you can run through before you go.
At the Lehigh County Jail, general population inmates are allowed visits every three days on a rotating basis, depending on their housing unit assignment. The visitation schedule is posted in the designated section on the facility's website for reference. Inmates in administrative segregation are limited to one visit per week for 30 minutes, while those in disciplinary segregation may receive one 30-minute visit every 30 days, contingent upon their behavior. All visits are conducted through non-contact methods, utilizing telephones and glass partitions, ensuring no physical contact occurs between the inmate and visitors. It should be noted that all conversations during visits are subject to monitoring and recording.
The rules governing visitation are clearly defined to ensure orderly and secure operations. General population inmates are granted a minimum of one-half hour for visits, with extensions possible if no other visitors are waiting. Segregated inmates, however, are limited to strictly half-hour sessions. Each inmate is allowed a maximum of two visitors at a time, including infants or children. Additionally, visitors are restricted to one visit per day.
Visitors must provide accurate identification, including the inmate’s full name and identification number, to facilitate a smooth visitation process. Visitors aged 18 and older must present valid, government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. Expired IDs and check-cashing cards are not accepted. For visitors under 18, a parent or legal guardian must accompany them, and a birth certificate listing the parent’s or inmate’s name must be provided at each visit. Photocopies of documents are not permitted, and it is the escorting adult’s responsibility to supervise the minor throughout the visit.
Visitors are expected to adhere to the facility’s dress code, which prohibits provocative attire. The Shift Commander has the authority to determine whether clothing is acceptable and may cancel visits if attire is deemed inappropriate. Hats, except religious headgear, must be secured before visits, and shoes are mandatory. Personal items, including coats and jackets, must also be secured before passing through metal detectors. A parent with a baby may bring limited items, such as one diaper, a blanket, wipes, and a bottle, while strollers must remain in the lobby.
Disruptive behavior, including disorderly conduct, vandalism, or lewd actions, will result in termination of the visit, and visitors may face suspension of privileges or financial liability for damages. All visitors, including children, are subject to search upon entering the facility and must comply with lawful orders from correctional staff. Failure to follow these guidelines may lead to the suspension or denial of future visitation rights.
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 is one of the most practical things you can do and it has a direct effect on their daily comfort.
Lehigh Co Jail accepts deposits through approved channels that typically include online deposit, phone deposit, or a kiosk at the facility. Use your family member's full legal name and booking number exactly as they appear in the jail's system - any error in the name or number will delay or reject the deposit. InmateAid's send money page lists the specific deposit methods accepted at Lehigh Co Jail and walks through the process.
A letter or a printed photo costs almost nothing to send and means far more than most people outside appreciate. Lehigh Co Jail accepts incoming mail addressed to your family member at 38 N 4th St. Put their full legal name and booking number on every piece of mail.
Standard rules at most Pennsylvania county jails: plain white paper only, no staples, no glitter, no stickers, no colored ink. Photos should be standard print size with nothing written on the back. Mail that does not meet the facility's standards will be rejected - and the facility may not notify you that it was. Keep it simple.
InmateAid's send mail service lets you write and send directly from your phone or computer. We print on approved stock and mail it for you, so rejection for formatting is not a risk.
Books and magazines must come new, ordered directly from the publisher or through an online retailer - not shipped from your home address. Facilities require this to prevent contraband. Order through Amazon or directly from the publisher. Anything shipped from a personal address will be turned away.
County jail procedures, visitation rules, phone rates, inmate search tools, bail processes, and what happens at release all vary by state. Pennsylvania has its own rules and its own agencies, and what applies in one state does not always apply here.
InmateAid's Pennsylvania prison resources hub covers all of it - written specifically for families navigating the Pennsylvania system. Start there when you need answers that go beyond what this facility page covers.
County jail time is hard in a way that is different from anything else. The uncertainty - not knowing how long, not knowing what comes next - wears on everyone. 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. Use us.