Mixed (Level I-IV, with a reception center and a security housing unit) · State Prison · CDCR

California Correctional Institution

Tehachapi, Kern County, California

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (661) 822-4402 ext. 3150 Info last verified: June 2026

Multi-mission CDCR prison in the mountains at Tehachapi, Kern County, with a reception center, a security housing unit, and Level I-IV housing.

Statewide rules that apply at every CDCR institution

These rules are set by CDCR and apply at every unit. The full list — including all permitted and prohibited items and the approval process — is in Visiting in California.

Dress code

Avoid blue denim, orange, bright yellow, khaki, tan, beige, forest or olive green, and camouflage — these match what incarcerated people or staff wear.
No tank tops, tube tops, spaghetti straps, sheer fabric, or low-cut necklines; shoulders should stay mostly covered.
Skirts and shorts must be within two inches of the knee. Leggings on their own usually do not pass.
Closed-toe shoes only — no sandals, flip-flops, or backless shoes.
Underwire bras set off the metal detector; a wireless or sports bra avoids the issue.

ID: A current government-issued photo ID matching the name on the approved application is required.
What to bring: No cell phones, wallets, other electronics, food, or drinks inside. A small clear bag may hold a car key and vending money in coins and $1 bills, up to the limit the institution posts on its visiting page.
Scheduling: Visitors must be approved on CDCR Form 106 before a first visit, then schedule through the VSA online system. Walk-ins are generally not allowed.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in California

Overview

The California Correctional Institution, at Tehachapi, is a multi-mission complex that CDCR operates with maximum-security (Level IV) housing including a Security Housing Unit (SHU), high-medium custody, a reception center that processes and classifies newly arriving men, and lower-level (Level I-III) housing. It houses men and runs well above design capacity — about 2,300 against roughly 1,500 designed beds (June 2026). Population figures change weekly; CDCR’s population reports are the current source.

What Makes the California Correctional Institution Different

It combines several missions on one site, so where a person is held changes how visits work: mainline general-population visits are contact, while SHU visits are non-contact, and people in the reception center usually have restricted visiting until they are classified.
Each of its facilities (A through E) has its own inmate mailing address, which must match the person’s facility.
It sits in the mountains at about 4,000 feet, so winter weather can affect the drive over CA-58.
It is in a Valley Fever-endemic area; California’s prison health system restricts housing people at higher medical risk (for example, those who are immunocompromised) here.

Visiting Hours and Procedures

Tehachapi visits are arranged in advance, not by drop-in.

Because high-security yards periodically go on modified programs that suspend visiting, check the CDCR visiting-status page before traveling. General statewide rules, dress code, and the approval process are covered in Visiting in California.

Getting There and Parking

Tehachapi is in the mountains between Bakersfield and the Mojave Desert, on CA-58.

The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley in Tehachapi. There is no public transit to the prison; a private vehicle is the practical way to reach it, and mountain weather can affect winter travel.

Nearby Services

Tehachapi has gas, food, and lodging in town, with the deepest concentration of services in Bakersfield to the west. Visitors crossing the mountains often make their last stop in Tehachapi or Mojave.

For broader family support beyond the institution itself, Friends Outside is a California nonprofit, operating since 1955, that assists families of incarcerated people and operates visitor centers at state prisons.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone at a California state prison:

Visiting in California — CDCR approval process, dress code, scheduling
Mail & Packages — What you can send and what gets rejected
Phone & Video Calls — Call costs, tablets, and video visits
Sending Money — How to add funds to a CDCR trust account
Medical & Mental Health — Healthcare in CDCR facilities
Transfers — What happens during transfers

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.