Mixed custody — minimum through maximum (men) · State Prison · NJDOC

Northern State Prison

Newark, Essex County, New Jersey

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (973) 465-0068 ext. 4402 or 4403 Info last verified: June 2026

A men's prison in Newark holding a range of custody levels — unusually transit-accessible for a state prison, but with a smaller visitor limit and no video visits.

Statewide rules that apply at every New Jersey state prison

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

Dress code

Tops must cover the shoulders and midriff — no tank, tube, halter, or low-cut tops, and nothing transparent, fishnet, skin-tight, or hooded.
Bottoms must cover from the waist to the knee — shorts must be Bermuda-style ending at the knee, and skirts and dresses must reach the knee when seated; no cargo-style pants, and nothing low-rise that exposes the midriff or buttocks.
Nothing resembling what incarcerated people, officers, or other workers wear — no military or uniform-style clothing, and nothing in khaki, orange, gray, or camouflage.
No hats or headgear (except religious or medical), no flip-flops, backless sandals, wheeled shoes, or steel-toed boots, and nothing with offensive or illegal-activity messages.

ID: Every adult visitor needs a photo ID — a driver's license, state non-driver ID, passport, photo Medicaid card, or employer photo ID (a Social Security card is not accepted). Every visitor, adult or child, must be on the incarcerated person's approved list.
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room — no phones, money (cash or coin), purses, photos, or food. A clear plastic or zip-lock bag may hold authorized items, and lockers are provided; life-sustaining medication such as an inhaler is handed to the visit supervisor.
Scheduling: The incarcerated person designates the visitors, and everyone must be on the approved list (a criminal record must be disclosed but is not an automatic bar). Visits are by appointment only — scheduled with the facility at least 48 hours ahead — and the number of visitors allowed at once varies by facility (commonly up to four adults plus children, sometimes fewer).

Full statewide rules: Visiting in New Jersey

Overview

Northern State Prison, in Newark, is a men’s prison that holds a range of custody levels, from minimum through maximum. It opened in 1987. Among its units are a security-threat-group management program and substance-use and special-needs housing; the facility held more than 2,000 men as of January 1, 2026. It sits in the airport-and-industrial corridor of southern Newark, which gives it better public-transit access than most state prisons.

What Makes Northern State Different

The contact-visit limit is three adults, one fewer than the four allowed at most NJDOC prisons.
Video visitation is not offered here. Northern State is one of only two NJDOC facilities (with the Special Treatment Unit) where video visits are unavailable, so families cannot substitute video for an in-person or phone visit.
Transit access is unusually good for a state prison. It is in Newark near the Newark Liberty International Airport rail station, with NJ Transit bus service along the surrounding corridor.

Visiting

The statewide NJDOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Northern State. The facility’s own schedule, which depends on a person’s housing:

The full approval process is in Visiting in New Jersey.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Frontage Road in southern Newark, near Newark Liberty International Airport.

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

Nearby Services

The airport corridor around the prison has gas, food, and several hotels. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is University Hospital at 150 Bergen Street in Newark, a few miles away; Newark Beth Israel Medical Center at 201 Lyons Avenue is another 24-hour option.

Mail

Personal letters do not go to the prison — they go to the state’s off-site scanning center, addressed with the person’s name, SBI number, and the facility’s code (1406), to P.O. Box 96777, Las Vegas, NV 89193 (confirm the code and current format on NJDOC’s Staying Connected page). Legal mail and publications go directly to the facility at 168 Frontage Road, Newark, NJ 07114. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in New Jersey — the approved list, dress code, and search rules
Mail & Packages — the scanning center, the SBI number, and what goes to the facility
Phone & Video Calls — the ViaPath system, free options, and tablets
Sending Money — depositing through ViaPath
Medical & Mental Health — health care, the co-pay, and the Corrections Ombudsperson
Transfers & Finding Someone — the one-year line, county jails, 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.