Wake County has two jails, and someone arrested in Apex could be in either one. Both are in Raleigh: the Wake County Detention Center on Hammond Road and the John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center downtown. The first job for most Apex families is figuring out which building their person is in. This page shows you how, and what comes next.
Martin’s Bail Bonds has been helping Wake County families post bail since 2006. Call any time, day or night, and a bondsman will help you track down where your loved one is being held.
Which Wake County Jail Is My Loved One In?
Apex does not run its own jail. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office operates the only two facilities in the county that hold adults, so after an arrest in Apex your loved one will be at one of these:
- Wake County Detention Center: 3301 Hammond Road, Raleigh, between Raleigh and Garner. +1 (919) 773-7930
- John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center: 330 S. Salisbury St., downtown Raleigh. +1 (919) 856-5952
The quickest way to find out is to call. Start with one facility, and if they have no record, call the other. Keep in mind that a person who was just arrested may not show up in either system until booking is finished.
Wake County also keeps public arrest records. The Wake County Bureau of Forensic Services fingerprints and photographs everyone arrested in the county, and its arrest records are available online and on two public kiosks. One kiosk sits in the Hammond Road lobby, in front of the Magistrate’s office, and that lobby is open 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. The other is in the Public Safety Center’s main lobby, open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The county has announced that the online portal will be shut down at a future date, so check the Bureau of Forensic Services page for its current status.
Wake County Jail and Court Contacts for Apex Families
Wake County Detention Center (Hammond Road)
3301 Hammond Road, Raleigh. Phone: +1 (919) 773-7930. The Magistrate’s office is on the zero level of this building, and the lobby is open 24/7. All jail visits for Wake County, no matter which facility a person is housed in, take place here by video.
John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center (Downtown)
330 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh. Phone: +1 (919) 856-5952. The main lobby is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wake County Magistrates
Phone: +1 (919) 792-4900. The magistrates are the judicial officials who usually set the conditions of release after an arrest.
Wake County Justice Center
300 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh. Main line: +1 (919) 792-4000. Clerk for traffic, misdemeanor and felony cases: +1 (919) 792-4300. Every criminal case from Apex is heard here.
Video Visitation Scheduling
+1 (919) 857-9103, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Official sources: Wake County Sheriff’s Office Detention Division, Wake County Bureau of Forensic Services, NC Judicial Branch Wake County contact directory.
Information last verified: October 2026.
What to Have Ready When You Call
You don’t need every detail to get started, but these make the first call faster:
- The person’s full legal name
- Their date of birth
- Where the arrest happened, and which agency made it if you know
- Which Wake County facility they are in, if you have found out
- The charges and bond amount, if the jail or magistrate has told you
If you don’t have the charges or the bond amount yet, that’s fine. We will verify both before anything is signed and explain what you would be agreeing to as a co-signer.
From an Apex Arrest to Release
- The Arrest: The arrest may be made by the Apex Police Department or by another agency, such as the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. Either way, the person is taken to a Wake County facility in Raleigh.
- Booking: The person is booked into the Wake County jail system. The Bureau of Forensic Services takes fingerprints and a photograph as part of the arrest record.
- Release Conditions: A Wake County magistrate typically decides the conditions of pretrial release, including whether a secured bond is required and the amount. Some charges must go before a judge instead, which can add time.
- Posting the Bond: Once a secured bond is set, we can post it on your loved one’s behalf so they can await their court date at home instead of in custody.
- Release and Court: After every condition is met, the jail processes the release. The person must then appear at the Wake County Justice Center on each scheduled court date.
Finding the Court Date
Cases from Apex are heard at the Wake County Justice Center, 300 S. Salisbury St. in downtown Raleigh, which handles all criminal matters in Wake County. To look up a court date, search the person’s name or case number with the NC Courts court date search. North Carolina’s eCourts system has covered all 100 counties since October 2025. If nothing comes up yet, the Wake County Clerk’s criminal line is +1 (919) 792-4300.
What a Bail Bond Costs in North Carolina
State law (N.C. Gen. Stat. 58-71-95) caps a bondsman’s premium at 15% of the bond’s face amount. A bondsman can also require reasonable collateral, and any collateral must be returned within 15 days after liability on the bond ends. Whoever co-signs is agreeing to help make sure the defendant shows up for court, so we walk through those obligations with you before you sign.
FAQs
Which Wake County jail are they in?
Someone arrested in Apex will be at either the Wake County Detention Center on Hammond Road, +1 (919) 773-7930, or the John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center downtown, +1 (919) 856-5952. Call one, and if they have no record, call the other. A recent arrest may not show up until booking is complete.
Can I visit someone at the Wake County jail in person?
No. All Wake County jail visits are by video, held at the Detention Center on Hammond Road, Monday through Thursday. Visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by calling +1 (919) 857-9103, and visitors 16 and older need a government-issued photo ID.
How long does release take after the bond is posted?
It varies. The jail has to finish processing the release once the bond is posted, and that depends on how busy the facility is and on the case itself. We won’t promise a specific number of hours, but we’ll stay in touch with you until your loved one is out.
What if they were arrested by Apex police?
The process is the same. Apex police officers make the arrest, but the person is held in the Wake County jail system in Raleigh, a Wake County magistrate typically sets the release conditions, and the case is heard at the Wake County Justice Center.
Did North Carolina’s bail rules change?
Yes. Iryna’s Law (Session Law 2025-93) went into effect on December 1, 2025. It ended release on a written promise to appear, and for certain charges and criminal records, release now requires a secured bond or house arrest with electronic monitoring. A lawyer can tell you how it affects a particular case.
What happens if they miss a court date?
A missed court date can lead to an order for arrest and put the bond at risk of forfeiture. If your loved one can’t make it to court or has already missed a date, call us right away so we can explain what happens next.
Our Apex Service Area
At Martin’s Bail Bonds, we are proud to serve Apex and the surrounding communities in Wake County. Please refer to the map below for our service area.
Not Sure Which Jail? Call Us and We’ll Help You Find Out.
Whether your loved one is at Hammond Road or downtown at the Public Safety Center, Martin’s Bail Bonds can help you confirm where they are, understand the bond, and start the release process. We answer 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Also serving nearby: bail bonds in Cary and bail bonds in Morrisville.
We are not attorneys and this is not legal advice.