Secure Level I (men) · State Prison · Michigan DOC

Central Michigan Correctional Facility

St. Louis, Gratiot County, Michigan

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (989) 681-6668 Info last verified: June 2026

One of Michigan's largest prisons — a Secure Level I men's facility in St. Louis, in central Michigan.

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

Central Michigan is a Secure Level I men’s prison, and all visits are by appointment — scheduled through the ViaPath scheduler 48 hours to 7 days ahead. Each visitor must first be approved on the prisoner’s visiting list (form CAJ-103). There are two MDOC prisons in St. Louis, MI — Central Michigan (Secure Level I, on Hubbard Street) and St. Louis Correctional Facility (Level IV, on Croswell Road) — about 1.5 miles apart, and Carson City is a third prison about 32 miles away. Confirm the exact facility before traveling; the security level, the street name (Hubbard), and the MDOC number or OTIS record are the cleanest ways to tell them apart. Personal mail goes to the facility with the person’s MDOC number; Michigan photocopies incoming mail and delivers the copy (see Mail, below).

Overview

Central Michigan Correctional Facility, on Hubbard Street in St. Louis, is a Secure Level I men’s prison in central Michigan and one of the largest MDOC prisons (about 2,560 men). Its housing is dormitory-style, and all of its population is Secure Level I. The facility opened in 1990; the former Mid-Michigan and Pine River facilities on the site were consolidated into the current Central Michigan Correctional Facility in 2010. It houses Michigan Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (MSAPP) residential treatment units and outpatient-treatment units, and has college partnerships with Central Michigan University and Jackson College. It is one of two MDOC prisons in St. Louis, alongside the St. Louis Correctional Facility.

What Makes Central Michigan Different

It is one of the largest MDOC prisons (about 2,560 men), all Secure Level I and dormitory-style.
It houses MSAPP residential treatment units and outpatient-treatment units.
It has college partnerships with Central Michigan University and Jackson College.
It is one of two prisons in St. Louis (with St. Louis Correctional Facility, about 1.5 miles away), 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 Central Michigan. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Michigan.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Hubbard Street in St. Louis, in central Michigan.

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

Nearby Services

St. Louis and nearby Alma have the nearest gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is MyMichigan Medical Center Alma in Alma, about 5 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.