Phone Calls

Inmate Calls

All phone calls placed by inmates are collect. Inmates have access to phones in their housing modules and may make calls anytime they are out of their cell and not involved in other activities such as meals, court, etc.; phone calls are limited to 15-minutes. Inmates may not receive incoming calls.

Phone Call Rules

To communicate with an inmate you must have a touch-tone phone that emits a tone when the buttons are depressed. The inmate telephone system is programmed to not allow 3-way calls; this is done to help prevent an inmate from contacting a victim. The phone system is alert to many ways in which people try to circumvent the detection of a 3-way call. Consequently, your call may be disconnected if you do any of the following:

  • attempt to make a 3-way call
  • transfer the call
  • put the call on hold
  • use or answer call waiting
  • press numbers on the touch-tone pad during the call
  • stop your conversation for any length of time (a period of silence may cause a disconnect)

Pre-Pay Inmate Phone Accounts

Snohomish County inmate phone services are provided by Global Tel-Link (GTL). In some cases, pre-pay accounts must be set up in order to receive calls from inmates in the Snohomish County Jail. This is true for individuals who use cell phones or whose home telephone provider uses cable or digital technology to which Global Tel-Link is unable to bill directly.

GTL pre-pay accounts (PDF) start at $25. Visa, Mastercard, Telecheck’s check by phone, and wire transfers through Western Union’s Quick Collect and Moneygram’s Expresspayment are accepted. To contact the GTL Billing and Customer Service Department please call 866-230-7761 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. CST, or Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST. You may also contact GTL through their website.

* For pre-pay accounts set up using credit/debit card: Additional service fees may be assessed by your individual bank card issuer. (Your agreement with your card issuer governs use of your card and you must refer to that agreement to ascertain your rights and liabilities as a cardholder, which may include a “cash advance” fee.)

To Block Incoming Inmate Calls

If you are receiving unwanted calls from an inmate and would like your phone number blocked from receiving any inmate calls from our facility, please contact GTL at 866-230-7761. Once a number has been blocked, only the person the number is listed to may unblock the number.