Bessemer Jail in Alabama: Inmate Search and Posting Bond
The Bessemer Jail is the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office jail in Bessemer, at 1822 2nd Avenue North, serving the Bessemer Cut-Off District of western Jefferson County. Its main switchboard is 205-481-4160. You search for someone there with the same Jefferson County Inmate Inquiry used for the Birmingham jail, and bonds can be posted any hour through a licensed bail bond company.
Someone just booked into the Bessemer Jail? Call today: 205-401-8052. Bail Bonds of Alabama answers 24 hours a day.
Key takeaways
- The Bessemer Jail is one of two Jefferson County jails, at 1822 2nd Avenue North in Bessemer.
- The Bessemer Jail switchboard is 205-481-4160, and its Pre-Trial Release office is 205-481-8529.
- The Jefferson County Inmate Inquiry lets you choose “Jefferson County Jail – Bessemer” as the housing facility.
- The Sheriff’s Office runs a separate Bessemer Cut-Off District, commanded by an Assistant Sheriff.
- Bessemer is about 12 miles west of Birmingham, so confirming the right jail first saves a long drive.
How do you find an inmate in the Bessemer Jail?
Use the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Inquiry:
- Enter the person’s name, subject number, or booking number.
- Under “Housing Facility,” choose “Jefferson County Jail – Bessemer” to search only the Bessemer Jail, or leave it open to search both jails.
- Open the record to see custody status, charges, and case details.
Write down the booking number, charges, and bail amount. Read the Jefferson County jail inmate search guide for what every search field means, or call today and we will look it up with you.
What is the Bessemer Cutoff?
The Bessemer Cutoff, or Bessemer Cut-Off District, is the western part of Jefferson County served by its own set of county offices in Bessemer. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office:
- The Sheriff maintains offices in both districts, and an Assistant Sheriff commands the Bessemer Cut-Off District.
- The Bessemer jail sits next door to the Bessemer Sheriff’s Office headquarters.
- Three sheriff’s substations serve the district: McCalla, Oak Grove, and Sylvan Springs.
- Bessemer is about twelve miles west of Birmingham.
The courts are divided too. The Bessemer Division of the 10th Judicial Circuit has its own Circuit Clerk’s office at 1851 2nd Ave N, Bessemer, 205-497-8510, listed by the Alabama Secretary of State. Jefferson County publishes the boundary as the Bessemer Court Division Line map.
An arrest in Bessemer or Hueytown goes to the Bessemer facility and never touches downtown Birmingham. Not sure which side of the line an arrest falls on? Call today and we will confirm the facility.
Bessemer Jail contact information
| Office | Phone |
|---|---|
| Bessemer Jail main switchboard | 205-481-4160 |
| Administrative office | 205-481-8502 |
| Bessemer Pre-Trial Release | 205-481-8529 |
| Bessemer Patrol, 1826 2nd Avenue North | 205-481-4210 |
| Birmingham Jail main switchboard | 205-325-5670 |
Phone numbers are from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Corrections and Bessemer Cut-Off pages.
How do you post bond at the Bessemer Jail?
Once bail is set, you have two main routes:
- Pre-Trial Release. The Sheriff’s Pre-Trial Release Office operates at the Bessemer facility. It handles release for people who qualify for its program and helps the public make bonds for people who do not. Its number is 205-481-8529.
- A bail bond. A licensed bail bond company posts the full bail for a fee of normally 10% to 15% of the bail. At Bail Bonds of Alabama, creative financing is available, upon approval. Our Virtual Bail Office™ handles the initial bond from your phone, and we post the bond at the facility.
Bail comes from the statewide schedule in Rule 7.2(b) of the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure. A Class A misdemeanor runs $300 to $6,000 and a Class C felony runs $2,500 to $15,000, and a judge can go above or below those ranges. At the Jefferson County Jail, release typically takes 5 to 6 hours after the bond is posted.
Read what you need to bail someone out of jail, then call today: 205-401-8052.
What are the visitation rules at the Bessemer Jail?
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office posts one set of visitation rules for its jails, subject to change:
- No visitation on Monday or Friday.
- Visitors must be 17 or older with a valid state ID or driver’s license.
- The inmate schedules a 45-minute slot one day before the visit.
- Two visits per week per inmate, with up to two adults and two children over age three.
- No cell phones, electronic devices, purses, or packages. Visitors are subject to search.
Call the switchboard at 205-481-4160 with visitation questions.
When will bail show up on the record?
Bail is not always on the record the moment someone is booked. Alabama’s court rules set the timing:
- Some arrests get a bond from the schedule right away. Under Rule 4.3(a) of the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure, an officer can release someone on a bond set from the statewide schedule.
- Otherwise a judge sets release conditions at the initial appearance under Rule 4.4, and the bail amount follows.
- After an arrest without a warrant, a judge or magistrate must decide probable cause within 48 hours. If that deadline passes, the person is released on the minimum bond, on personal recognizance, or on a signature bond, unless the charge is one where bail is unavailable.
- Some charges have no bail at all. Under Aniah’s Law, Ala. Code § 15-13-3 lets a judge deny bail for listed violent offenses after a pretrial detention hearing. Read Aniah’s Law in Alabama.
If the record shows charges but no bond amount yet, bail may still be coming. Call today and we will keep checking so the bond is ready the moment bail is set.
Why does it matter whether he is in Bessemer or Birmingham?
The jail decides where the bond goes and how long the drive is. Heading to the Birmingham jail when the person is in Bessemer costs a round trip of more than 20 miles and valuable time. Check the housing facility on the Inmate Inquiry first, or let us confirm it.
With a bail bond, the drive is ours. Our No Jail Visit Guarantee means we post the bond at the facility while you stay home. Read how long it takes to get released from jail for what happens after the bond is posted.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Bessemer Jail?
At 1822 2nd Avenue North in Bessemer, next door to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Bessemer headquarters. The main switchboard is 205-481-4160.
How do I look up an inmate in the Bessemer Jail?
Use the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Inquiry and choose “Jefferson County Jail – Bessemer” as the housing facility.
Is the Bessemer Jail part of the Jefferson County Jail?
Yes. Jefferson County runs two jails, one in Birmingham and one in Bessemer, and the Bessemer Jail serves the Bessemer Cut-Off District.
How do I bond someone out of the Bessemer Jail?
Contact Pre-Trial Release at 205-481-8529, or call a licensed bail bond company. Bail Bonds of Alabama answers 24 hours a day at 205-401-8052.
What is the Bessemer Cutoff?
The western part of Jefferson County served by its own sheriff’s district and court division in Bessemer, including the Bessemer Division of the 10th Judicial Circuit.
Where to go next
- Jefferson County jail inmate search
- How to bail someone out of jail in Alabama
- Arrests & Jail Release
- How do bail bonds work in Alabama?
- Bail bonds in Bessemer and Jefferson County
Bail Bonds of Alabama has served Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair Counties since 2014. One call. That’s all. Call today: 205-401-8052, 24 hours a day.
This page is general information about the Bessemer Jail, based on the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Alabama Secretary of State websites as of September 2026. Jail rules and phone numbers can change. It is not legal advice.