Men, multi-custody (minimum to maximum, with restrictive housing) · State Prison · NDCS

Nebraska State Penitentiary

Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (402) 471-3161 Info last verified: June 2026

Nebraska's oldest prison, a multi-custody men's facility in south Lincoln. It holds the state's execution chamber, though men under a death sentence are held at Tecumseh.

Statewide rules that apply at every Nebraska state prison

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

Dress code

Open-toe shoes are allowed, but footwear must be in good repair and worn at all times.
Undergarments are required — for women, one bra and one pair of underwear; for men, one pair of underwear — and no multiple layers.
Shorts, skirts, and dresses must reach at or below the knee when standing; shirts and dresses must cover the shoulders, with no visible cleavage and no low-cut back.
No tight, see-through, or revealing clothing, and nothing with profane or offensive words or images.
You may not wear khaki pants and a khaki shirt at the same time — that resembles what incarcerated people wear.
No hats, headbands, hoods, or outerwear (clergy may wear religious headwear), and no watches or fitness trackers; a lightweight jacket or sweater is allowed only if it has no pockets.

ID: Every visitor must be approved on the incarcerated person's list first — the person mails out a Visitation Request Form. Adults and visitors 16 and older show a government photo ID at every visit; minors 18 and under bring a birth certificate to the first visit and must be with an approved adult 19 or older.
What to bring: Lock everything in your vehicle or a facility locker — only a photo ID, up to $20 in coins per visitor for vending (where allowed), prescription glasses, and limited infant items in a clear bag are permitted. Phones, smartwatches, and other electronics are barred, and bringing one in is a crime.
Scheduling: After approval, schedule online at corrections.nebraska.gov (the facility's "Schedule a Visit" page) at least 7 days ahead and up to 4 weeks out; each facility sets and posts its own visiting days and hours.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Nebraska

Overview

The Nebraska State Penitentiary, in south Lincoln, is the state’s oldest prison, opened in 1869. It holds men across multiple custody levels — an internal side with maximum- and medium-security units (including restrictive housing) and an external side with minimum-security units — with a population of about 1,100 as of August 2025, well above its design capacity of 818. Nebraska’s prison system is among the most overcrowded in the country. A new prison is under construction in northeast Lincoln, scheduled to open around 2028, intended to replace the aging penitentiary.

What Makes NSP Different

It is Nebraska’s oldest prison and, for decades after 1869, the state’s only one.
It holds the state’s execution chamber. Nebraska’s most recent execution took place here in 2018.
Men under a death sentence are held at Tecumseh, not NSP — a condemned man is moved to NSP only in the days before a scheduled execution (see Tecumseh).
It is not the men’s intake center — that is the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln.

Visiting

The statewide NDCS rules above — the approved list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at NSP.

The full approval process is in Visiting in Nebraska.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is at 4201 South 14th Street in south Lincoln.

Distances are approximate, based on map routing.

Nearby Services

South Lincoln has food, gas, and lodging nearby. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Bryan Medical Center – West Campus on South 16th Street, a trauma center about 2.5 miles north of the prison.

Mail

Personal mail does not go to the prison. Nebraska scans incoming personal letters, cards, and photos through an off-site vendor (TextBehind, Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131); the person reads them as images on a ViaPath tablet or receives photocopies. Money, books, publications, and legal mail go to the facility’s own address — P.O. Box 22500, Lincoln, NE 68542-2500. Full addressing details are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in Nebraska — the approved list, dress code, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the Maryland scanning address and what goes to the facility
Phone & Video Calls — ConnectNetwork calls, tablets, and video visits
Sending Money — ConnectNetwork and the trust account
Medical & Mental Health — co-pays, care, and how to raise a concern
Transfers & Finding Someone — the locator, reception, and notifications

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.