Smith County Court
Smith County Inmate Search

Smith County, Texas Inmate Search

An inmate search (also called a jail roster or jail records search) is a public lookup tool that helps a requester check whether someone is currently in custody and, when available, view basic booking details, such as booking date, charge category, and bond information. In Smith City, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office (Jail Staff/Corrections Division) oversees local jail custody and provides an online, public-facing jail roster (Jail Search) for accessing information on individuals currently housed in the Smith County Jail.

The "Odyssey Public Access - Jail Search" is often the best starting point for recent arrests and current county custody. At the state level, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) handles searches for individuals incarcerated in Texas state prisons through the TDCJ online inmate search. For someone in federal custody, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) provides a separate locator and may also oversee or contract for certain federal reentry facilities.

Although some city police departments, especially in larger or incorporated cities, may maintain their own jail rosters, many in Smith County do not. The Whitehouse Police Department’s official pages do not publish any online jail roster. In contrast, the Tyler Police Department provides a public-facing Inmate Search. However, the portal still provides inmate details on adult arrestees booked into the Smith County Jail.

How to Find an Inmate in Smith County Jail

When searching for someone currently housed in Smith County’s jail system, the most reliable pathways are as follows:

Requesters may use Smith County’s public jail records search, or
They may call the jail directly if they cannot locate them online (recent booking, spelling differences, quick release, or transfer).

The Online Jail Search

Start from Smith County’s official pages that point to the public search site for jail records.
In the search portal, select Jail Records (and/or Jail Bond Records if listed).
Search by last name and first name. Try variations if nothing appears (nicknames, hyphenated names, alternate spellings).
Open the matching record to confirm it is the right person by checking booking or jail record details, as well as any identifiers shown (for example, booking number or case reference).
If the person does not appear:
- Expand the date range (if the portal allows),
- Try searching by last name only,
- Or call the jail, especially if the arrest was within the last few hours.

Requesters who undergo the steps above and still cannot obtain relevant information may contact the Sheriff’s Office and County Jail at the following addresses:

Smith County Jail

Main Downtown Jail: 206 East Elm Street, Tyler, TX 75702

Low/Medium Risk Facility: 2811 Public Road, Tyler, TX 75701

Jail phone: 903-590-2800

Smith County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff Administration)

227 N. Spring Avenue

Tyler, TX 75702

Phone: 903-590-2661

How to Use the Smith County Jail Roster

Smith County offers the public a "jail roster" function through its official public search portal for jail and court records. The jail search site is the best platform to begin a search when trying to confirm whether someone is currently booked into the Smith County Jail.

Step-by-step Guide to Using the Smith County Jail Search Tool

Start from an official Smith County source page that points to the public search site (e.g., the Smith County District Clerk page or the Smith County Sheriff’s Office "Inmate Search" link).
Open the public portal and look for the section labeled "Jail Records" (some versions also show "Jail Bond Records.")
Choose the correct category:
- Visitors may use Jail Records to look up booking and custody-related entries.
- Visitors may use Jail Bond Records to confirm a bond entry (if that option is available).
Search using the most reliable identifier:
- Requesters usually search by name. Start with last name (then add first name if needed).
- Booking or ID number (if the form provides it): Requesters with a booking number or another listed ID field on the portal should enter it, as this typically returns the cleanest match.
- Date range filters (if shown): If the person was arrested recently or there are too many results, narrow or expand the booking date range (if available) to use the "from/to" filters.
- Date of birth (if shown): If the search page provides DOB as a filter, use it to distinguish people with similar names.
Subsequently, the inquirer should open the matching record and confirm they have the right person by checking the record details shown (e.g., booking or jail record identifiers and status fields).

In instances where the public portal is down, timing out, or a requester is still unable to confirm custody, they may call the Smith County Jail at 903-590-2800. They may also visit or contact the jail facility in person.

What Information is Included in the Smith County Inmate Roster

The Smith County public-facing inmate roster (often presented as "Jail Records" and "Jail Bond Records") typically returns booking and jail record details as outlined below:

Full Name: The inmate’s official name as contained in the system.
Date of Birth: The inmate’s birth date.
Age, Sex, and Race: These basic demographic details typically help distinguish one person from another and support accurate identification.
Physical Descriptors (e.g., height, weight, hair color, eye color): These are basic identifying characteristics recorded to help distinguish one individual from another during booking or identification processes.
Booking Number: This refers to the unique number for a particular jail booking, as the arrested person may have multiple booking history entries.
Sheriff’s Number (SO): A unique number assigned by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office to a person booked into the county jail.
Booking Date: The date the individual wasformally booked into custody for that processing exercise.
Release Date: The date and time someone was released from custody for that booking (if released).
Arrest Date/Time: The date and time when someone was taken into custody by law enforcement.
Arresting Agency: The law enforcement agency that made the arrest (e.g., a police department or the sheriff).

Exceptions and Limits on Public Access

The Texas Public Information Act (PIA), Texas Government Code Chapter 552, permits custodian law enforcement agencies to withhold or redact jail-related records in certain situations. This includes ongoing law enforcement investigations or investigatory records. Other records that may be regarded as sealed or confidential under Texas law include juvenile records and criminal history record information.

Contact Details for Smith County Jail or Sheriff’s Office

Interested parties who wish to confirm whether someone is in custody, ask about visitation, or general jail procedures in Smith County may contact the County Jail at its two main locations (both reachable by the same phone number) and a separate Sheriff’s Office administration at the following addresses:

Smith County Jail (Main Downtown Jail)

206 East Elm Street

Tyler, TX 75702

Jail phone: 903-590-2800

Smith County Jail (Low/Medium Risk Facility)

2811 Public Road

Tyler, TX 75701

Jail phone: 903-590-2800

Smith County Sheriff’s Office (administration)

227 N. Spring Avenue

Tyler, TX 75702

Phone: 903-590-2661

Please note:

Smith County’s public information does not list a separate "booking line" distinct from the jail’s main number.
For most booking or custody checks, use 903-590-2800 (Smith County Jail).
For visitation scheduling details, check the Sheriff’s website.

Office/Service	Best for	Address	Phone	Notes
Smith County Jail (Main Downtown Jail)	Booking/custody confirmation, release status, general jail questions	206 E Elm St, Tyler, TX 75702	903-590-2800	Main jail location
Smith County Jail (Low/Medium Risk Facility)	Visitation location (video link), also a jail facility	2811 Public Rd, Tyler, TX 75701	903-590-2800	All inmate visitation is handled via video link.
Smith County Sheriff’s Office (Administration)	Sheriff’s Office administration/general inquiries	227 N Spring Ave, Tyler, TX 75702	903-590-2661	Sheriff’s Office main contact

Jail Facility Overview in Smith County

Smith County uses several detention facilities to house different custody populations. For adults, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office operates a jail system with a Central/Downtown Jail, a Low-Risk Facility with a Medium-Risk addition, and a smaller trusty housing area. These three adult housing areas have a maximum capacity of 755 inmates, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

In Smith County, the Central/Downtown Jail mainly serves as the primary point of contact for booking and custody-related questions and has a capacity of 276 inmates. The Low/Medium Jail can accommodate 432 inmates and was built for lower-security custody. The facility was later expanded with medium-risk housing units. The county also houses 47 "trusty" inmates (typically lower-risk, often assigned to work or trustee roles) on the 5th floor of the Smith County Courthouse. For youth, Smith County operates its own juvenile detention services. Smith County’s Juvenile Services information states that detention is a 65-bed facility.

Name	Address	Office hours	Email
Smith County Central/Main Downtown Jail	206 E. Elm St., Tyler, TX 75702	Not published as a public "front desk" schedule on the Sheriff’s official jail-history page; call the jail for current public service windows	No direct jail email published on the Sheriff’s public pages; use the Sheriff’s official contact form
Smith County Low/Medium Risk Facility	2811 Public Rd., Tyler, TX 75701	Visitor sign-up: 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Day of visit). Video visitation: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Days vary by inmate gender).	Same as above
Smith County Juvenile Detention Center (Juvenile Services)	2630 Morningside Dr., Tyler, TX 75708	Office hours not available; contact Juvenile Services for current hours	No direct email address; use the county’s Juvenile Services contact channels (phone/official forms)
Trusty housing (Smith County Courthouse - 5th floor)	Smith County Courthouse, 100 N. Broadway, Tyler, TX 75702	Not published	Not published

How to Send Money to an Inmate in the Smith County Low/Medium Risk Facility?

Individuals wishing to fund the trust/commissary account of an inmate housed in the Smith County Low/Medium Risk Facility may do so via the following methods:

Option 1: Deposit Online

Smith County’s Sheriff’s Office directs the public to JailATM for depositing money into an inmate’s commissary/trust account. The website allows deposits into inmates’ trust accounts using a debit or credit card. The county’s contract documents describe deposits into inmate trust accounts through a website using credit or debit cards.

General steps

Navigate to the Sheriff’s "Inmate Visitation" page and use the JailATM deposit link for commissary funds.
Create an account (or sign in).
Select the correct facility and inmate.
Enter the deposit amount and pay by credit or debit card.

Option 2: Deposit at a Jail Lobby Kiosk

Third parties may deposit funds into inmates’ trust accounts via the jail lobby kiosk, in cash, or by credit or debit card.

General steps

Visit the facility’s lobby kiosk area (typically in jail lobbies or visitation areas).
Search for the inmate (usually by name or ID, depending on kiosk prompts).
Insert cash or pay by card and follow the on-screen instructions.
Keep your receipt.

The kiosk option is convenient for depositors who do not wish to pay online or prefer cash.

Option 3: Deposits via Kiosks or Tablets inside the Facility

Inmates with already funded trust accounts (via lobby kiosks or the website) may make certain purchases or pay for services using the connected system of kiosks and inmate tablets in the jail facility.

Note: To use the different options above, depositors are expected to have at least the inmate’s full name or their ID number, as used in the jail system (if available).

General Limits and Restrictions

Fees may apply for card-based deposits.
Deposits must be made to the correct inmate and facility-double-check spelling and IDs.
The jail may restrict or delay the availability of funds during system issues, lockdowns, or account holds.
If uncertain which Smith County facility the person is in, use the county’s inmate search/jail records portal first, or call the jail.

Inmate Search by Jail Facility

The Smith County jail system oversees adult custody at the Main Downtown Jail (downtown Tyler) and the Low/Medium Risk facility. These facilities are searchable through the county’s public-facing inmate/jail record search tool, not through separate facility rosters. In other words, all inmates’ information is maintained in the same database

The Smith County Juvenile Services/Juvenile Detention handles juvenile arrests separately from adult jail searches.

Facility/System	Separate Search Option?	Where can people find or request that info
Smith County Jail - Main Downtown Jail (Adult Custody)	No separate public roster.	Use the county’s public Judicial/Jail Records portal (Jail Records/Jail Bond Records).
Smith County Low/Medium Risk Facility (Adult custody/visitation site)	Same as above	Same as above
Smith County Juvenile Detention (Juvenile custody via Juvenile Services)	Separate from adult jail search (juvenile process is handled through Juvenile Services)	Contact or follow the process through Smith County Juvenile Services, not the adult jail records portal.

Smith County Low/Medium Risk Facility Visitation Rules and Schedules

In Smith County, all inmate visitation is handled by video link at the Low-Risk Facility. This means that regardless of where an inmate is housed in the Smith County jail system, visits are routed through the Low-Risk Facility’s video visitation setup.

Who Can Visit Using the Low-Risk Facility Video System

Family and friends are expected to come in during the sign-up window and follow staff instructions.
Family and friends may have visitation rights denied if they do not meet the ID or dress/behavior rules.

ID and Approval Requirements

Proof of identification is required for visitation.
Visitors who are unsure which IDs are accepted (e.g., driver’s license, state ID) may call the jail ahead of time to avoid a wasted trip.

Dress Code and Behavior Expectations

Smith County posts a specific visitor dress code. Examples include:

No revealing or see-through clothing
No sleeves shorter than halfway down the upper arm
No spandex/tights
No skirts/shorts above mid-thigh
No clothing with obscene/offensive language or gang affiliation

Visitation Duration and Schedule

As of February 2026, Smith County’s official public-facing visitation pages do not clearly publish a standard visit length. Since visit duration may depend on staffing, demand, or policy changes, it is advisable to confirm the current visit duration upon arrival or by contacting the jail directly.

The general days and hours for visitation, by inmate gender, and the in-person sign-up window at the Low-Risk Facility are as follows:

Women: Tuesday and Sunday
Men: Monday and Saturday
Visitor sign-up (day of visit): 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Visitation time: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Mailing and Commissary Information

Friends and family may support inmates in the Smith County Jail system by:

Sending mail (letters and photos, following the jail’s rules), and
Adding money to their commissary account so they can buy approved items (snacks, hygiene items, and writing supplies).

Mailing Format and Requirements

Senders are expected to write their letter on plain paper (keep the envelope and contents simple).
Ensure the envelope includes their full return address for delivery and returns.
Address the envelope exactly in the format Smith County provides.

Smith County Mail Address Format

Use the jail’s published "care of" address:

Sender’s First Name Your Last Name

Sender’s Street Address

City, State ZIP

Inmate ID: Inmate Full Name

C/O Smith County Jail

2830 S. Hulen St. Box 809

Fort Worth, TX 76109

Items Allowed

Letters (mail pieces no larger than 12" x 15")
Photos (limited): Up to four (4) unframed photos, each no larger than 4" x 5"

Items Not Allowed

Polaroid/self-developing photos
Extra items inside the envelope beyond the allowed photo limit
Anything considered contraband

Please note that the Smith County Jail is only responsible for mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

Commissary

Option A: Add money online

Depositors are expected to visit the Sheriff’s Office visitation page to use the JailATM link for commissary funds.
They must create an account or sign in.
Next, they are to select the correct facility/inmate and enter their deposit amount.

Option B: In-person options

Although the Smith County Sheriff’s Office public pages emphasize JailATM for commissary deposits, they do not provide clear instructions on the in-person deposit method. Therefore, individuals who wish to use cash or inquire about a lobby kiosk should consider calling the jail to find out what is currently accepted at the facility where the inmate is housed.