Wichita Co Jail in Wichita Falls, TX is a county detention facility operated by the Wichita 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 Wichita County inmate search or InmateAid's inmate locator, which searches across Texas 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 Wichita Co Jail at 940-766-8170.
Most people booked at Wichita 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 Wichita 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 Wichita 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 Wichita 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 Wichita Co Jail are set by the facility and can change without much notice. Before making the trip, call 940-766-8170 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 Texas 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.
Visitation Schedule
- Monday – All Females
- Tuesday – Males A-G
- Wednesday – Males H-O
- Thursday – Males P-Z
- Friday – SHU/Medical
Visitation Times
- Visitation is from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
- Visitation sign-up starts at 12:45 pm and ends at 4:30 pm. Sign-up for evening visitation is from 5:45 pm to 7:00 pm.
Visitation Rules
Visitors at the Wichita County Jail must adhere to a strict set of guidelines to ensure a safe and orderly visitation process. Cell phones and all electronic devices are strictly prohibited in all visitation areas, including lobby waiting areas. Possession of these items will result in the immediate termination of the visit and may lead to the visitor being barred from future visits, with the length of the ban determined by the Command Staff.
Visitors are permitted to bring only their ID card and car keys into the Law Enforcement Center, with all other personal items required to remain in their vehicles. To be eligible to visit, individuals must be on the inmate's approved visitor list. Authorized visitors, 17 years of age or older, are allowed a 20-minute visit per inmate, with a maximum of two visits per week. Each visitor must present a current, valid, state or military-issued photo identification, which must be approved by the on-duty jailer before entry.
Visitors must remain in the waiting room until directed to enter the visitation area by an officer. Each visitor is assigned a specific phone for the visit, which they must use exclusively unless otherwise directed by a jailer. Visitors are not permitted to switch phones or use multiple phones. Generally, only one visitor at a time may visit an inmate unless the supervising officer grants permission for additional visitors. Inmate activities will not be interrupted for visits; visitors will be notified when the inmate is available.
Visitors who have signed up before the visitation cutoff time will be allowed to complete a full visit, even if the scheduled visitation period has ended. However, individuals who have been incarcerated in the Wichita County Jail are not permitted to visit any inmate until 90 days have passed since their release.
Proper attire is required for all visitors, including shirts and shoes. Clothing such as tank tops, halter tops, see-through blouses, short shorts, skirts, or other revealing items are prohibited. Smoking, food, and drinks are not allowed in the visitation area. Loud or abusive language, failure to control children, slamming phone receivers, or inappropriate behavior can lead to the termination of the visit.
Due to security concerns, some inmates cannot have visitors at the same time as other inmates, and visitors will be informed if the room needs to be cleared. The Wichita County Sheriff’s Office reserves the right to deny visitation privileges to anyone who violates these rules.
On-site video visit booths - There are several video-visit booths available to use at the Law Enforcement Center. These are at no cost to the public. To schedule one of these booths, create or log into your account at gettingout.com or on the video visit booth. These booths are available Monday through Friday excluding Holidays from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. You can visit your loved one without having to be on their visitor list and don’t have to wait in line.
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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 is one of the most practical things you can do and it has a direct effect on their daily comfort.
Wichita 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 Wichita 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. Wichita Co Jail accepts incoming mail addressed to your family member at 2815 Central E Fwy. Put their full legal name and booking number on every piece of mail.
Standard rules at most Texas 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. Texas has its own rules and its own agencies, and what applies in one state does not always apply here.
InmateAid's Texas prison resources hub covers all of it - written specifically for families navigating the Texas 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.