Security line wait times: How long is the courthouse security line at 8:30 AM? (2026)
National Summary: Arrive at least 20 to 35 minutes before your scheduled courtroom call. Monday and Tuesday mornings have the longest magnetometer lines due to new jury panels checking in simultaneously. Updated 2026-11-04
Typical peak morning wait times (8:00 AM – 9:15 AM) at Sheriff magnetometers and x-ray scanners, plus recommended arrival buffers so you do not miss roll call. Morning security checkpoint wait times across the United States range from 10 to 35 minutes during peak 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM docket call. The longest typical queue is at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center & Stanley Mosk Courthouse (Downtown LA) (~35 mins).
By State (44 States)
| State | Tracked | Security line wait times | Phone Policy Split | Lockers | Jury Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | 7 counties | 7 of 7 qualify | 0 allow · 7 ban | 0 with lockers | 7 free validated |
| Arizona (AZ) | 6 counties | 4 of 6 qualify | 6 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 6 free validated |
| Arkansas (AR) | 3 counties | 3 of 3 qualify | 0 allow · 3 ban | 0 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| California (CA) | 35 counties | 21 of 35 qualify | 35 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 34 free validated |
| Colorado (CO) | 10 counties | 10 of 10 qualify | 10 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 10 free validated |
| Connecticut (CT) | 3 counties | 0 of 3 qualify | 3 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| Delaware (DE) | 3 counties | 3 of 3 qualify | 0 allow · 3 ban | 3 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| District of Columbia (DC) | 1 counties | 1 of 1 qualify | 1 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 1 free validated |
| Florida (FL) | 27 counties | 18 of 27 qualify | 27 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 27 free validated |
| Georgia (GA) | 13 counties | 9 of 13 qualify | 3 allow · 10 ban | 0 with lockers | 13 free validated |
| Hawaii (HI) | 1 counties | 0 of 1 qualify | 1 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 1 free validated |
| Idaho (ID) | 3 counties | 3 of 3 qualify | 3 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| Illinois (IL) | 20 counties | 18 of 20 qualify | 2 allow · 18 ban | 3 with lockers | 20 free validated |
| Indiana (IN) | 11 counties | 10 of 11 qualify | 0 allow · 11 ban | 0 with lockers | 11 free validated |
| Iowa (IA) | 4 counties | 4 of 4 qualify | 4 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 4 free validated |
| Kansas (KS) | 4 counties | 4 of 4 qualify | 4 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 4 free validated |
| Kentucky (KY) | 5 counties | 4 of 5 qualify | 5 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 5 free validated |
| Louisiana (LA) | 6 counties | 6 of 6 qualify | 0 allow · 6 ban | 0 with lockers | 6 free validated |
| Maine (ME) | 1 counties | 1 of 1 qualify | 1 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 1 free validated |
| Maryland (MD) | 10 counties | 7 of 10 qualify | 10 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 10 free validated |
| Massachusetts (MA) | 8 counties | 4 of 8 qualify | 8 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 8 free validated |
| Michigan (MI) | 14 counties | 11 of 14 qualify | 14 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 14 free validated |
| Minnesota (MN) | 8 counties | 7 of 8 qualify | 8 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 8 free validated |
| Mississippi (MS) | 4 counties | 4 of 4 qualify | 0 allow · 4 ban | 0 with lockers | 4 free validated |
| Missouri (MO) | 5 counties | 4 of 5 qualify | 5 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 5 free validated |
| Nebraska (NE) | 3 counties | 3 of 3 qualify | 0 allow · 3 ban | 0 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| Nevada (NV) | 2 counties | 1 of 2 qualify | 2 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 2 free validated |
| New Hampshire (NH) | 2 counties | 2 of 2 qualify | 2 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 2 free validated |
| New Jersey (NJ) | 15 counties | 12 of 15 qualify | 15 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 15 free validated |
| New Mexico (NM) | 3 counties | 3 of 3 qualify | 0 allow · 3 ban | 3 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| New York (NY) | 22 counties | 14 of 22 qualify | 22 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 21 free validated |
| North Carolina (NC) | 12 counties | 10 of 12 qualify | 12 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 12 free validated |
| Ohio (OH) | 14 counties | 11 of 14 qualify | 14 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 14 free validated |
| Oklahoma (OK) | 3 counties | 2 of 3 qualify | 3 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 3 free validated |
| Oregon (OR) | 8 counties | 7 of 8 qualify | 8 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 8 free validated |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | 16 counties | 13 of 16 qualify | 0 allow · 16 ban | 16 with lockers | 15 free validated |
| Rhode Island (RI) | 1 counties | 1 of 1 qualify | 1 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 1 free validated |
| South Carolina (SC) | 7 counties | 7 of 7 qualify | 0 allow · 7 ban | 0 with lockers | 7 free validated |
| Tennessee (TN) | 8 counties | 7 of 8 qualify | 0 allow · 8 ban | 0 with lockers | 8 free validated |
| Texas (TX) | 34 counties | 24 of 34 qualify | 34 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 34 free validated |
| Utah (UT) | 5 counties | 4 of 5 qualify | 5 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 5 free validated |
| Virginia (VA) | 12 counties | 11 of 12 qualify | 2 allow · 10 ban | 8 with lockers | 12 free validated |
| Washington (WA) | 10 counties | 7 of 10 qualify | 10 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 10 free validated |
| Wisconsin (WI) | 10 counties | 9 of 10 qualify | 10 allow · 0 ban | 0 with lockers | 10 free validated |
Top 30 High-Traffic County Courthouses for Security line wait times
| County Courthouse | State | Security line wait times | Lockers | Jury Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County (Los Angeles) | CA | ~35 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Cook County (Chicago) | IL | ~30 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Harris County (Houston) | TX | ~30 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Maricopa County (Phoenix) | AZ | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| San Diego County (San Diego) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | $20/day |
| Orange County (Santa Ana) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Miami-Dade County (Miami) | FL | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Dallas County (Dallas) | TX | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Kings County (Brooklyn) | NY | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Riverside County (Riverside) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Clark County (Las Vegas) | NV | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| King County (Seattle) | WA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Queens County (Jamaica) | NY | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| San Bernardino County (San Bernardino) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Tarrant County (Fort Worth) | TX | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Bexar County (San Antonio) | TX | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) | FL | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Santa Clara County (San Jose) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Wayne County (Detroit) | MI | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Middlesex County (Cambridge) | MA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Alameda County (Oakland) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| New York County (Manhattan) | NY | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | $45/day |
| Sacramento County (Sacramento) | CA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Philadelphia County (Philadelphia) | PA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | Yes (Free) | $22/day |
| Hillsborough County (Tampa) | FL | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach) | FL | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Suffolk County (Riverhead) | NY | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Fulton County (Atlanta) | GA | ~25 mins peak (arrive 35 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Orange County (Orlando) | FL | ~18 mins peak (arrive 20 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Nassau County (Mineola) | NY | ~18 mins peak (arrive 20 mins early) | No lockers | Free Validated |
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I arrive for an 8:30 AM or 9:00 AM court date across the United States?
Arrive at least 20 to 35 minutes before your scheduled courtroom call. Monday and Tuesday mornings have the longest magnetometer lines due to new jury panels checking in simultaneously.
How is this courthouse policy data verified?
We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.
How we verify courthouse administrative orders and security rules