Levels I, II, and IV (men) · State Prison · Michigan DOC

Carson City Correctional Facility

Carson City, Montcalm County, Michigan

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (989) 584-3941 Info last verified: June 2026

A large multi-level men's prison in Carson City, in central Michigan, with mental-health and substance-abuse treatment programs.

Statewide rules that apply at every Michigan state prison

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

Dress code

Visitors must be fully dressed in clean clothing in good repair, with required undergarments — including a bra for anyone with breast tissue — and footwear at all times.
Nothing that exposes a lot of skin: no see-through clothing, no tube or halter tops, and skirts, dresses, and shorts no more than three inches above the knee — and no shorts of any kind.
No extreme form-fitting outer clothing such as yoga pants, tights, jeggings, or unitards, and nothing that exposes undergarments.
No hooded garments, coats, jackets, gloves, or sunglasses in the visiting room (blazers, suit coats, and sweaters are allowed); jewelry is limited to about ten pieces, and religious head coverings are allowed but may be searched.

ID: Every visitor must already be on the prisoner's approved list (each visitor files a CAJ-103 application), and adults present a government photo ID at every visit; a minor without photo ID brings a birth certificate or court order.
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room — the only items allowed are a locker key, the visitor pass, a photo ID, and a prepaid MDOC vending card (up to $30 per person; no cash). Phones and electronics are prohibited, and lockers are provided in the lobby.
Scheduling: Visits are by appointment only — no walk-ins — booked through the ViaPath system between 48 hours and 7 days ahead. Days, hours, and the number of visits allowed each month are set by each facility and the prisoner's security level, and there are no personal visits during the first months after intake.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Michigan

Overview

Carson City Correctional Facility, on Boyer Road in Carson City, is a large multi-level men’s prison in central Michigan holding men in Levels I, II, and IV custody. It opened in 1989. It is a large complex organized into a West side and an East side, and is one of the larger MDOC prisons. It houses a large outpatient mental-health population (over 500) served by a dedicated team and a peer-support program. It runs Michigan Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (MSAPP) residential treatment units and a Paws with a Cause dog-training program.

What Makes Carson City Different

It is a large multi-level complex, organized into a West side and an East side.
It houses a large outpatient mental-health population (over 500), with a dedicated team and a peer-support program.
It runs MSAPP residential treatment units and a Paws with a Cause dog-training program.
It is one of several prisons in central Michigan, about 32 miles from the two prisons in St. Louis, so confirm which one holds the person.

Visiting

The statewide MDOC rules above — the approved list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Carson City. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Michigan.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Boyer Road in Carson City, in central Michigan.

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

Nearby Services

Carson City has the nearest gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is UM Health-Sparrow Carson Hospital in Carson City, about 3 miles away.

Mail

Personal mail goes to the facility, addressed with the person’s name and MDOC number. Michigan photocopies incoming mail in black and white and delivers the copy; the original is shredded, so do not send originals you want kept. Color photos and messages can be sent through JPay. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in Michigan — the approved list, the dress code, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the MDOC number, photocopying, and the legal-mail rules
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath calls and JPay messaging
Sending Money — GTL Financial Services deposits
Medical & Mental Health — the co-pay and the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, OTIS, and MI-VINE

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.