Level IV (maximum), with a Level I minimum-support facility · State Prison · CDCR

Kern Valley State Prison

Delano, Kern County, California

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (661) 721-6300 ext. 5712 Info last verified: June 2026

High-security Level IV CDCR prison in Delano, Kern County, with appointment-based visiting; separate from neighboring North Kern State Prison.

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

Kern Valley State Prison, in Delano, is one of CDCR’s high-security (Level IV) institutions. CDCR describes it as four semi-autonomous “180-design” facilities plus two stand-alone Administrative Segregation Units and a Level I minimum-support facility, on about 600 acres behind a lethal electrified perimeter fence. It opened in 2005 and houses men.

Like most California prisons, it runs above design capacity — about 3,200 men against roughly 2,450 designed beds (June 2026). Population figures change weekly; CDCR’s population reports are the current source.

What Makes Kern Valley State Prison Different

It shares the city of Delano with North Kern State Prison, but the two are separate institutions: North Kern is the regional reception center, while Kern Valley is a high-security mainline prison. Confirm which one holds the person.
As a Level IV prison, a larger share of the population is in higher-restriction housing, so contact visits are not guaranteed.
It is in a part of the San Joaquin Valley where Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) is endemic. California’s prison health system restricts housing people at higher medical risk — for example, those who are immunocompromised, post-transplant, or pregnant — at this prison.
High-security prisons are the most likely to go on modified programs that temporarily suspend visiting.

Visiting Hours and Procedures

Kern Valley visits are arranged in advance, not by drop-in.

Because high-security prisons 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

Kern Valley is in Delano, off CA-99 in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Adventist Health Delano, in Delano. There is no public transit to the prison; a private vehicle is the practical way to reach it.

Nearby Services

Delano has basic gas, food, and lodging, with a deeper concentration of services in Bakersfield to the south. Visitors coming from elsewhere in the valley often make their last full-service stop in Bakersfield or Delano.

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.