Phone & Video Calls in CDCR

Free Audio Calls

The most important fact for California families is that audio phone calls are free.

CDCR’s December 30, 2022 news release states that, beginning January 1, 2023, audio calls made from standard institution wall phones and tablets are free of charge to the incarcerated person and to their friends and family, in response to SB 1008 (the Keep Families Connected Act).

Basic phone rules

• Calls are free. Neither you nor the incarcerated person is charged for audio calls.
• CDCR applies a 15-minute limit per call.
• Other than the per-call limit and institution-set calling hours, CDCR says there is no cap on the number of free calls.
• The incarcerated person initiates all calls. Incoming calls to a prison are not possible.
• Calls are recorded and monitored except for properly registered legal calls.

Receiving calls

You do not set up a paid account to receive free audio calls, but the incarcerated person must be able to reach your number.

The ViaPath-to-Securus Transition (2026)

California is in the middle of changing communication vendors, so the provider that serves a given facility depends on timing.

• On February 21, 2025, the California Department of Technology awarded a new telecommunications contract to Securus Technologies, LLC, after a court ruling vacated the prior ViaPath contract.
• Fire camps transitioned first. CDCR says transitions at the institutions begin February 2026, with a rollout scheduled through August 2026.
• CDCR lists separate “Phone Transition” and “Tablet Transition” dates for each facility on its Tablets and Telephones page.
• CDCR secured an interim agreement with ViaPath so service continues until each facility’s transition is complete.
• Tablets are physically exchanged. CDCR says ViaPath messages, photos, and media do not transfer to the new Securus tablets.

Video Call and Messaging Costs

Audio calls are free under both vendors. Video calls and electronic messages are paid, and the rates differ between the outgoing ViaPath system and the incoming Securus system.

CDCR describes the Securus contract as lowering the cost of video calls and e-messages compared with ViaPath. The free tablet video allowance and per-minute rate both depend on which system is active at the facility.

Tablets and Electronic Messaging

CDCR issues tablets to the incarcerated population, and the tablets handle messaging and video alongside other functions.

• Tablets are used for messaging, video calls, and approved educational, legal, and media features.
• Tablets do not provide open internet access.
• Electronic messages and inbound photos are paid per item at the rates listed above.
• During the Securus transition, incarcerated people exchange their ViaPath tablet for a Securus tablet, and prior ViaPath messages, photos, and media do not carry over.

CDCR has posted guidance on Securus message charges and refunds for issues that arose during the early rollout, which is a sign that messaging billing is still settling as facilities switch systems.

Video Visits

Video visiting is scheduled, not spontaneous, and availability depends on the facility.

• Scheduled video visits use CDCR’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) and the active vendor’s platform.
• You need a device with a camera and microphone and a reliable internet connection.
• Visit conduct, dress, and background rules follow the same standards as in-person visiting.
• Tablet video time may be free up to the allowance shown above, with additional time billed per minute.

For the in-person side of visiting — approval, scheduling, and dress code — see Visiting in California.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Staying in Touch.