Reception and classification (men) — statewide male intake and the system's hospital · Reception Center · FDC

Reception and Medical Center

Lake Butler, Union County, Florida

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (386) 496-6000 Info last verified: June 2026

Florida's statewide reception and classification center for men, near Lake Butler — it is also the prison system's main hospital, providing inpatient medical care for the whole system.

Statewide rules that apply at every FDC prison

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

Dress code

No blue or orange clothing (those are inmate colors); nothing tight, short, sheer, or revealing; no spandex, leggings, or tank tops; closed-toe shoes with backs.
Each institution enforces its own visiting dress code and may turn away a visitor who is dressed out of code, so confirm the specific institution's rules before traveling.

ID: Every visitor must be approved on the incarcerated person's visitor list before visiting. The incarcerated person requests the application (Form DC6-111A) at their permanent institution and mails it out; approval can take roughly 30 to 90 days, and the visitor is not notified directly — the incarcerated person relays the result. Adult visitors show a valid government-issued photo ID.
What to bring: Bring only what the institution allows — phones, bags, and most personal items are not permitted in the visiting room. Money for the person's account is sent through the FDC money vendor, never handed over at a visit.
Scheduling: Many institutions require an advance visit reservation, and days and hours (usually weekends and holidays) are set by each institution — confirm with the specific prison before traveling. A newly committed person is processed at a reception center first — for men, the Reception and Medical Center (Lake Butler), Central Florida Reception Center (Orlando), South Florida Reception Center (Doral), or Northwest Florida Reception Center; for women, Lowell — before transfer.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Florida

Overview

The Reception and Medical Center, near Lake Butler, is Florida’s statewide reception and classification center for men and the prison system’s main hospital. Most men entering FDC custody are received here, assessed, and then assigned and transferred to a permanent institution; because of that role, a man may be here only briefly, and the institution shown in the offender search can change within the first weeks. RMC also operates a licensed hospital that provides inpatient medical care for incarcerated people from across the state, so some people are here for medical reasons rather than reception.

What Makes RMC Different

It is the statewide men’s intake center, so a newly committed man usually begins here before transferring.
It is the prison system’s hospital, providing inpatient medical care for the whole system.
Visiting is limited during the reception period, so confirm the person’s status and institution before traveling.
The institution shown in the offender search can change once the person is classified and transferred.

Visiting

The statewide FDC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at the Reception and Medical Center. The institution’s own arrangements:

The full visitor process is in Visiting in Florida.

Getting There and Parking

The center is on County Road 231 near Lake Butler, in north-central Florida.

Distances are approximate, based on map routing. Visitor parking is on site.

Nearby Services

The Lake Butler area has limited services; Lake City and Gainesville, each within driving distance, have the full range of gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency rooms are in the Lake City and Gainesville areas.

Mail

Florida does not deliver original personal mail to the prison. Routine personal letters and photos go to an off-site Smart Communications processing center, where they are opened and scanned and delivered electronically — the person reads them on a tablet or kiosk, and the mailroom may print copies. Address routine mail with the person’s full name and DC number, to: Smart Communications, P.O. Box 23608, Tampa, FL 33623. Confirm the current address and format on FDC’s website before sending. Legal mail and privileged correspondence go directly to the institution, not to the scanning center. Publications must come from an approved publisher or retailer. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in a Florida state prison:

Visiting in Florida — the approved visitor list (Form DC6-111A), dress code, and reservations
Mail & Packages — the off-site mail scanning and what still goes to the institution
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath calls and JPay tablets, messaging, and video
Sending Money — depositing money to the account
Medical & Mental Health — sick call, the co-pay, and care
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, finding someone, and the offender search

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.