TDCJ is committed to making our prisons more humane, less violent, more efficient, and better staffed. We’re committed to reducing the number of deaths in our custody and improving our overall safety record. But we also recognize that our job is to maintain order and security in a diverse and sometimes volatile society. Inmates are charged with crimes against people and property and must be punished for their actions.
TDCJ’s primary objective is to protect the public by safely and securely housing inmates who have committed crimes against the public.
TDCJ Visitation Hotline: You can call this line if you have questions about basic inmate visitation policies, unit family liaison officer information, and how to appeal a visitation denial. The hotline will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. 1.to 5:00 p.m. toll free at (844) 476-1289.
Visitation plays an important role in keeping the community connected. Inmates also tend to develop better relationships with their children and grandchildren because visitation time is spent together with them.
Preparing for your visit:
Your Visit to a Secure Facility
Before You Go: Tips for a Successful Visit
What to Expect: Entry and Search Procedures at a Secure Facility
Contact Visits: What You Need to Know
Before you travel to a TDCJ unit:
Check that the inmate who is assigned to your facility and who has visiting privileges is in the visiting room and is willing to see you. Visitors should call the unit before they travel to it.
TDCJ Unit Directory, verify you are an approved visitor. If you are unsure, you may contact the unit for verification. Click here for a list of unit phone numbers.
If you don’t know the unit visitation schedule, you should verify that it hasn’t been canceled. If visitors have been canceled, an eligible prisoner cannot receive visitors. On the website of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Unit wide visitation cancelations are posted on the TDCJ homepage at www.tdcj.texas.gov.
Bring photo identification (ID).
Forms of Identification
A current and official government issued ID is required for visitors 18 years of age and older. For victims of family violence who have been certified by the attorney general to have address protection, at least one of the identification documents must contain a current physical address.
If the child’s age is questionable due to physical maturity, they may be required to provide an ID, for example, a birth certificate or a student ID. Only children under the age of 17 years old will be allowed to use Student ID.
Check clothing for compliance.
Visitors are told to dress conservatively.
- Sandals, flip-flops, and open-toe shoes may be worn.
- It is not allowed for clothing to be tight fitting, revealing or made with see-through fabrics.
- The sleeveless shirts and dresses should cover the shoulders.
- Under three inches above the middle of the knee, shorts, capri pants, and long pants are allowed.
- For pre-adolescent boys and girls, length is not required.
- Shirtsleeves with pictures or language that may be considered offensive will not be allowed.
- The duty warden will make the final decision on whether to wear clothing.
Permissible Items
There are items that are allowed inside the secured perimeter of a unit.
- A small wallet, a clear plastic bag (Ziploc® type)
- $25 cash – Vending machines are available in the visitation areas.
- Prisoners with infants or young children may bring no more than 3 diapers, a supply of baby wipes, and two baby bottles (“sippy” cup for toddlers). You may need to store these items in a plastic bag.
Prohibited Items
Items that are not allowed in a unit’s secured perimeter:
Any food items, purses, diaper bags, briefcases, cameras, baby strollers, toys, dolls, photographs or photograph albums, paper money, knives, drugs, medication, exceptions are granted regarding prescribed medications on a case by case.
Items not allowed on TDCJ property:
- Any beverage containing any amount of alcohol or drugs used for the purpose of changing one’s mental state.
- Any controlled substance or dangerous drug that’s not otherwise permitted by the Controlled Substances Act and the Dangerous Drug Abuse Prevention Act, and not otherwise permitted by Article 38.11, Texas Penal Code.
- Any firearm or instrument that is designed to be used as a dangerous weapon or has an explosion substance is considered a dangerous weapon. If the unloaded gun is in a locked weapons box in a locked vehicle, a person who is licensed under Chapter 411, Subchapter H, Texas Government Code to carry a handgun, can possess the handgun on the property of the Texas Department.
- There are any instruments that may be used to affect or attempt to affect an escape.
Vehicles on the property are subject to a search. All individuals will make sure the vehicle doors, windows and trunks are locked. Garden tools, clothes, or anything that could be used as a weapon in an escape will not be allowed in the beds of trucks. Tools in the bed of the truck must be secured.
Do not bring cash (except coins, not more than $25).
We do not allow cash. We do not accept any form of payment other than coins.
No cell phones inside the secure perimeter.
Forbid the use of cell phones in certain areas, such as the secure perimeter. This is to ensure that no unauthorized individuals are able to access sensitive information or property.
Special Visits
If you’re planning a special visit, it’s important to arrange it in advance.
If you’ve made special arrangements with the unit, call before you leave to make sure that plans for your visit are in place.
- Visitors traveling 250 miles or more in distance, one-way, may be granted an extended visit if time and space allows.
- Prospective employers are not on the inmates visitors list.
- Critically ill inmates, inmates under hospice care, and inmates who receive only palliate care are some of the people who get visits.
Special accommodations may be required for certain visits.
- There are listening devices for people who are blind or have hearing problems.
Any other authorized special conditions for visits outside of ordinary visitation rules.
Spiritual visits must be coordinated through the warden’s office.
The inmates are only allowed one weekend visit per week. In order to prevent visitors from being declined when they arrive at the unit, individuals on an inmates Visitors List should coordinate with one another and with the inmates.
Visitors may be terminated or removed from the Visitors List if they are found to have acted in a way that is improper. A written appeal can be submitted to the Director’s Review Committee by individuals who have been removed from the Visitors List. Box 99 is located in the city of Huntsville, Texas. The written notice of removal from the unit must be submitted within 14 days of the date of the appeal.
Refer to the following resource documents for more information.
- General Information Guide for Families of Inmates (English/Español) – PDF
- Offender Rules and Regulations for Visitation (English/Español) – PDF
Online Visitation Portal Registration Open
Now is the right time to start! Soon, in-person appointment times will be able to be scheduled online. It’s easier and faster to schedule a visit with your loved ones with the help of the online portal created by the TDCJ.
The first thing you need to do is create a profile on the system so you can schedule your visits when the system opens in September.
🔗 https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/news/online_visitation_portal_registration_open.html
Online Visitation TDCJ Portal Instructions
To begin, click on the Start button on the main Welcome screen. On the main screen, you will see the Welcome to the Visitation Portal text. You will also see the Please Enter Your Name text.
🔗 https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/visitation/portal/index.html
When a person is arrested and put in jail, there is a good chance that he will get to go home eventually. When a prison inmate gets out of jail, his release date could be weeks or months away. When an inmate is released, he must abide by the terms and conditions of his probation, parole, or community supervision and the court’s order to keep the peace, not to use illegal drugs, and so on. If you are the person who violated your probation or parole and is about to be released, you have a few things to do before your release.