Norfolk City, Virginia Inmate Search
An inmate search is one device the public can employ to retrieve information about someone imprisoned in a local jail facility. The search extracts government-held records-specifically documentation retained by a local correctional or detention facility-and is valuable for ascertaining the charges that led to an arrested person’s detention in jail or the arrestee’s current custody status, among other useful details.
In Norfolk City, Virginia, the Sheriff’s Office has sole control of the local jail and is the primary department to speak to regarding adult inmate searches. The city has no other jail centers that detain adults suspected of criminal offenses. Juveniles arrested on delinquency accusations are held at a separate location overseen by Juvenile Services.
Norfolk City inmate searches notably exclude individuals who have been transferred to another jurisdiction, either out of the city or to state or federal custody. Questions about state prisoners should be directed to the Virginia Department of Corrections, or to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for federal inmates.
How to Find an Inmate in Norfolk City Jail
The Norfolk City Jail is the main detention spot for adult suspects or adults serving a short sentence. To find an inmate in the city jail, use these options:
- Access the Sheriff’s Office Inmate Lookup Tool, or
- Directly contact the city jail.
The Norfolk City Jail is located at
811 East City Hall Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23510
This building complex also houses the Sheriff’s Office.
How to Use the Norfolk City Jail Roster
The Norfolk City Jail Roster (Inmate Lookup Tool) is accessible through the Sheriff’s Office website as follows:
- At www.norfolk-sheriff.com, hover the cursor over "Inmates" in the top menu, and select "Inmate Search." Note that on a smaller device (e.g., smartphone), the menu is a hamburger sign at the top right corner of the screen. The researcher will instead need to scroll to the "Inmates" section of the menu and select "Inmate Search.
- When the inmate search application opens on the next page, enter a first name, last name, or ID number, and then select "Search."
- Depending on the search input, a few inmate profile cards may appear. Scroll to the relevant entry and select it to view a full profile.
For information unavailable online-for example, where the inmate has not yet been listed-the city jail can be reached at (757) 664-4700.
What Information is Included in the Norfolk City Inmate Roster
Norfolk City’s inmate/jail roster disseminates the following metadata:
- Inmate Information
- Full Name (first, middle/middle initial, and last)
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- Booking Photograph (or Mugshot)
- Permanent ID: Sometimes called Inmate ID, Jacket Number, or Permanent Number, this is a fixed, unique identifier number that identifies the individual within Norfolk City’s correctional system. It is assigned the first time a person is processed into the system.
- Booking Number: A unique (but temporary) number attributed to each specific stay in jail.
- Original Commitment Date: Also called Booking Date.
- Grade
- Offense Code
- Offense Date
- Offense Description, including the governing statute, a brief description, and the statutory sentencing range for the offense (e.g., < 10 years, ≥ $1,000)
- Jail Street Address: 811 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510.
- Main Phone Number: (757) 664-4700.
- Official Website: www.norfolk-sheriff.com.
- A pre-dispositional capacity of 64 beds (48 males and 16 females) for juveniles aged 12-20.
- A post-dispositional capacity of 16 beds for juveniles (males and females) aged 14-18.
Data from Norfolk City’s inmate/jail roster is dispensed to the general public per Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. Confidential information is excluded.
Contact Details for Norfolk City Jail or Sheriff’s Office
The Norfolk City Jail and Sheriff’s Office function with a unified contact system. Consequently, whether seeking information about an incarcerated individual, courthouse security, or civil process, the inquirer will need to visit the same location and speak with the same staff. Simply put, contacting the jail is the same as contacting the Sheriff’s Office, and vice versa.
Jail Facility Overview in Norfolk City
The Norfolk City Jail (NCJ) is a locally run institution designated for adult detention. This facility has an actual capacity of 1,552, using both double- and triple-bunking strategies to manage capacity. However, its operational (rated) capacity is 833 inmates, according to the 2025 Virginia State Board of Local and Regional Jails Capacity Report. Management of the city jail and its occupants falls under the authority of the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office.
One nuance about the Norfolk City Jail is that, in 2015, it evolved to an all-male institution to alleviate overcrowding and improve safety. Although female inmates are still processed at the facility during intake and may stay briefly for transport or specialized programs, they are housed under various regional contracts.
Previously, the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth housed Norfolk female inmates under a contract with the city, but it was closed on April 1, 2024, following a unanimous vote by member cities (Portsmouth, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, and Chesapeake)
Regarding juvenile delinquents in Norfolk, none of the above facilities are used to house them. Instead, juveniles are detained at the Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center (NJDC). The NJDC has a total capacity of 80 beds, broken down as follows:
Adjudicated juveniles (those found delinquent) may be transferred to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice’s (DJJ) custody for long-term care.
Agency | Office and Mail Address | Phone Number | Office Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Norfolk City Jail | 811 East City Hall Avenue Norfolk, VA 23510 | (757) 664-4700 | 24 hours, seven days a week | |
Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center | 1260 Security Lane Norfolk, VA 23502 | (757) 441-5667 | 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday | The NJDC has no designated email address for public inquiries. |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Norfolk City Jail
To deposit money into a Norfolk City inmate’s canteen account, individuals can mail U.S. Postal Service money orders to the following address:
Resident Canteen
C/O Inmate’s Name & Permanent ID Number
P. O. Box 3908
Norfolk, VA 23514
The money inmate’s name and Permanent ID Number must be legibly included on the money order.
Other ways to send money to an inmate’s account include
- A kiosk machine in the main lobby of the city jail (Public Safety lobby).
- Online or by phone through the jail’s third-party vendors (See page 9 of the NCJ Inmate Handbook).
An inmate’s canteen account allows them to purchase supplementary items (e.g., snacks) or services (e.g., inmate tablet usage) within the jail facility.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
To search for an inmate in the Norfolk City Jail, one can access the jail roster (Inmate Lookup Tool) maintained on the Sheriff’s Office website. If an inmate cannot be located using the tool, a person may approach the Sheriff’s Office or the city jail for inquiries.
Juvenile suspects are supervised by City of Norfolk Juvenile Services, and their information cannot be obtained from the Sheriff’s Office (as this is the wrong agency for inquiries) or by the general public (as juvenile records are restricted under Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-301). Only authorized entities, such as a parent, legal guardian, or legal counsel, may inspect a juvenile offender record.
Norfolk City Visitation Rules and Schedules
Visitation at the Norfolk City Jail is conducted by video. Family and friends can register with the jail’s third-party vendor to visit remotely or stop by the jail facility lobby to use on-site computers.
Social on-site video visits are available on the following days:
- Tuesday and Thursday: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Family and friends are allowed two 20-minute on-site visits per week. Each visit may have two adults or one adult and two children. Children are only permitted on weekends and holidays.
Remote video visits are generally available seven days a week; visiting timeslots can be selected after registration on the vendor’s website.
Visitors are advised to dress and behave appropriately. Except for attorney visits, social video visits are subject to monitoring and recording. Information about attorney visits is provided on the Sheriff’s Office website.
For the visitation schedule at the Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center, one can review the Juvenile Detention Center Brochure.
Mailing and Commissary Information
Inmates at the Norfolk City Jail are encouraged to correspond with friends and relatives to support relationships and foster rehabilitation.
To send correspondence (mail) to a Norfolk City inmate, individuals must use the jail’s electronic mail delivery system. Letters are delivered to the electronic mail vendor, who scans the contents and uploads them to the inmate recipient’s tablet. Below is the correct mailing address format.
Norfolk City Jail
Inmate Full Name, Inmate Booking Number
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
(A Norfolk City inmate’s booking number can be located using the city jail’s Inmate Lookup Tool.)
All incoming mail is inspected for contraband, such as
- Song lyrics or sheet music.
- Jewelry.
- Stickers, decals, and tattoo stencils.
- Sexually explicit material.
- Any material that can be used to facilitate a jail break.
- Any material bearing gang identifiers, language, or information.
- Money or other negotiable instruments. (A different address is used to send money to an inmate for commissary use, as explained in the previous "How to Send Money to an Inmate in Norfolk City Jail" heading.)
A comprehensive list of contraband items is provided on page 6 of the NCJ Inmate Handbook.
Note: Only legal mail (i.e., correspondence between an inmate and the court or a lawyer) and subscriptions for inmates (magazines and books sent from an authorized publisher) can be sent directly to the jail facility at 811 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510.