The Sheriff’s Office does not require pre-scheduling of in-person professional visits.

The Sheriff's Office encourages professional visitors to use SMART Communications for virtual visitation and messaging as an alternative to in-person visits. There is no cost for approved professional visitors. 

For in-person visits, all professional visitors can check in at the second floor control booth in the ADC and request a visit. We expect all professional visitors to follow health and safety protocols, including monitoring your own temperature and possible ill health symptoms. You must wear a mask and practice social distancing inside the interview room.

The visitation time blocks for professional visits are 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Professional visitors may request no more than THREE visits per day. Keep in mind that clients housed in quarantine are not eligible for in-person visits. Zoom visits will be considered for inmates in quarantine that cannot be connected through SMART Communications. 

The Sheriff’s Office has resumed use of the visitation rooms (RV Booths) in the receiving area for after-hours and weekend visits.

Please direct any questions to Captain Hernandez or Captain Pitts at SHF-ProVisit@fairfaxcounty.gov

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All attorneys must show a current Virginia Bar Association membership card and a valid driver's license. Probation officers and law enforcement officials must show an authorized credential that includes a photo.

Attorneys are not permitted to escort family members or friends into the ADC to visit the inmate. During the client visit, it is essential that you do not give your client anything other than legal papers. The papers must not be attached by staples, paper clips or any other means. Items such as money, jewelry, matches, cigarette lighters, cigarettes, chewing gum and any food are strictly prohibited. You cannot exchange items from the client's family and the client during the visit. Although you are permitted to take a cell phone or laptop into the visit, inmates are prohibited from using them. In case of an emergency in the ADC, please follow the directions of staff.

Out-of-state attorneys must request prior approval.

Attorneys who are NOT admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia must be approved for the visit by a Confinement Branch Chief. Professionals who are acting ON BEHALF OF an in-state or an out-of-state attorney also must be approved for the visit by the Inmate Programs Supervisor. Please email sheriff@fairfaxcounty.gov with Inmate Programs Supervisor in the subject line.

If here on business (1) as part of a legal team OR (2) that will affect the inmate's custody level – such as new charges or the appeal of current charges – OR (3) if the inmate is being held pre-sentence, out-of-state attorneys must:

• work in conjunction with a current Virginia attorney,
• have documentation from a Virginia attorney stating that they are co-counsel on a current case,
• provide a copy of a valid bar card,
• provide a reason for the visit on official law firm letterhead, and
• provide a copy of a state-issued driver's license.

If here on business that will not affect the inmate's custody level – issues such as a civil case – and the inmate has already been sentenced on the charges for which he or she is being held, out-of-state attorneys must provide:

• copy of valid bar card,
• reason for the visit on official law firm letterhead, and
• copy of a state-issued driver's license.

Submit your request for approval on the law firm's letterhead. State the name of the client the attorney is representing and, if applicable, the name of the attorney's representative(s) who will be conducting the professional visit or accompanying the attorney on the visit. The attorney must attach a copy of identification that proves bar membership in that state and also a legible copy of the attorney's and each visitor's driver’s license. Fax the letter and attachments to the attention of Inmate Programs Supervisor at 703-246-2800 or send via, sheriff@fairfaxcounty.gov with Inmate Programs Supervisor in the subject line. You will be notified once you have been approved.

Behavioral health professionals must request prior approval.

Mental health and social work professionals must submit to the Inmate Programs Office the court order for the evaluation of an inmate, along with a legible copy of their credentials and driver’s license.

• Submit your professional visit request with attachments via email to Inmate Programs Supervisor or fax to the attention of Inmate Programs Supervisor at 703-246-2800.
• The Inmate Programs Section will notify you once you have been approved.

Pre-approved professional visitors may accompany an authorized professional visitor per the following:

Authorized professional visitors or attorneys who want to bring in a pre-approved professional visitor, such as an intern, law clerk, paralegal or interpreter, must email the Inmate Programs Supervisor 48-72 hours prior to the date of the visit. Include with the email a legible copy of the driver’s license and the last four digits of the Social Security number of the professional visitor who will accompany you. The programs supervisor will provide authorization upon review of the request. This visitor must provide proper photo identification upon arrival at the ADC and is not authorized to be left alone with the inmate.

Relatives or social acquaintances of the inmate may not be used as interpreters, nor will they be approved as professional visitors.