Close security — women's diagnostic center (women) · State Prison · GDC

Lee Arrendale State Prison

Alto, Habersham County, Georgia

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (706) 776-4700 Info last verified: June 2026

Georgia's largest women's prison and its statewide women's intake center, in Alto — where women entering the system are processed, and which holds the state's death row for women.

Statewide rules that apply at every Georgia state prison

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

Dress code

Shirts must cover the chest, shoulders, back, and waist; women's slacks, dresses, or skirts may be no more than two inches above the knee, and a complete set of foundation garments (bra, slip, and underwear) is required.
No tank, halter, tube, or thin-strap tops, nothing sheer or transparent, and nothing that bares the midriff.
No shorts or above-the-knee slacks for anyone 12 or older (children under 12 may wear shorts); shoes are required for every visitor.

ID: Every visitor must first be approved on the person's visiting list — apply on GDC's Application for Visitation Privilege, mailed to the prison (the warden has 14 working days to decide) — and visitors 16 and older must show a government-issued photo ID, which is held during the visit. The visiting list can be changed only when the person reaches a permanent facility or during May or November.
What to bring: Bring only a photo ID, a car key, and up to $20 in coins (or a vending debit card where accepted). No outside food or drink (store-bought baby formula is the exception), and no phones, cameras, or bags; money for the person is sent through JPay, never handed over at a visit.
Scheduling: Visits are by appointment through GDC's online portal, on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays in two-hour blocks; requests for a given week are accepted Monday through Wednesday. A newly received person in diagnostic status is generally not eligible for visits until reaching a permanent prison.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Georgia

Overview

Lee Arrendale State Prison, on Gainesville Highway in Alto, Habersham County, is Georgia’s largest women’s prison and its statewide women’s diagnostic and intake center. Women entering the GDC system are processed here, where they are assessed — medically, psychologically, and educationally — and assigned a security level and a permanent facility. Because of that role, a newly sentenced woman may be at Lee Arrendale only briefly before transfer, so the prison shown in the inmate search can change. Lee Arrendale is a close-security facility with capacity for about 1,476 women, and it also holds the state’s death row for women.

What Makes Lee Arrendale Different

It is Georgia’s largest women’s prison and the statewide diagnostic and intake center, so women entering the system are processed here before transferring to a permanent prison.
Visits are limited during intake — women in diagnostic status are generally not eligible for visitation until they reach a permanent prison.
It holds the state’s death row for women.
It is home to the only all-female inmate fire station in the nation.

Visiting

The statewide GDC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at Lee Arrendale. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Georgia.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Gainesville Highway in Alto, along the GA-365 corridor northeast of Atlanta.

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

Nearby Services

Alto, Cornelia, and Gainesville have the closest gas, food, and lodging; Atlanta, about 75 miles southwest, has the fullest range. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Northeast Georgia Medical Center–Habersham in Demorest, about 9 miles away.

Mail

Personal mail goes to the facility, addressed with the person’s full name and GDC ID number. Georgia is moving toward centralized mail handling, so confirm the current mailing address before sending. Books and magazines must come from a publisher or established retailer, and legal mail is opened only in the person’s presence. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in Georgia — the approved list, dress code, and the appointment portal
Mail & Packages — addressing mail and the publisher-only rule
Phone & Video Calls — Securus calls and tablet messaging
Sending Money — depositing through JPay
Medical & Mental Health — the co-pay, grievances, and the Ombudsman
Transfers & Finding Someone — intake, permanent assignment, and the locator

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.