Close and medium security (men) · State Prison · NCDAC

Bertie Correctional Institution

Windsor, Bertie County, North Carolina

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: 252-509-0158 Info last verified: June 2026

A close- and medium-security state prison for men in Windsor, in northeastern North Carolina.

Statewide rules that apply at every NCDAC prison

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

Dress code

Dress modestly — no halter, tube, strapless, tank, sleeveless, or underwear-style tops, no bare midriffs, and no spandex; shorts and skirts must be no more than about three inches above the knee.
Cell phones, smartwatches, cameras, and recording devices are not allowed inside, and each prison may turn away a visitor who is dressed out of code, so confirm the facility's rules before traveling.

ID: Every visitor must be approved on the offender's visiting list before visiting — the incarcerated person mails an application to each prospective visitor; applicants 16 and older attach a copy of a government photo ID (minors under 16 a birth certificate), and the completed form goes to the prison where the person is housed. Visitors 16 and older show photo ID at the visit.
What to bring: Bring only what the facility allows — phones, smartwatches, cameras, bags, and most personal items are not permitted in the visiting room. Money for the person's trust account is sent through ViaPath (ConnectNetwork) or TouchPay, never handed over at a visit.
Scheduling: Visits are by appointment only — call or email the specific prison to schedule; there is no statewide online scheduler, and visitation status should be confirmed the day before. Visits are generally limited to one per week, up to two hours, with up to three approved visitors. Women enter the system through the diagnostic center at the NC Correctional Institution for Women (Raleigh); men are received at several prisons, including Craven and Piedmont.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in North Carolina

Overview

Bertie Correctional Institution is a North Carolina state prison for men in Windsor, the seat of Bertie County, in the northeastern part of the state. It opened in 2006 and houses men in close and medium custody. The prison is operated by the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC).

What Makes Bertie Different

Bertie holds two custody levels on one campus: close custody, the highest general-population security level in the North Carolina system, alongside a medium-custody population. The custody level assigned to an individual affects day-to-day movement and whether visits are contact or non-contact, so the rules a family encounters can differ from one person to another at the same prison.

Visiting

The statewide NCDAC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at Bertie Correctional Institution. The facility’s own arrangements:

Getting There and Parking

Bertie Correctional Institution is at 218 Cooper Hill Road in Windsor, Bertie County, in northeastern North Carolina. The area is rural, and there is no scheduled public transit to the prison; visitors generally arrive by private vehicle. Parking is on site. Confirm the visiting schedule and the person’s custody and visitation status with the facility before making the trip.

Nearby Services

Windsor is a small town; the nearest larger hub with a wider range of lodging, dining, and a hospital emergency room is the Greenville area, roughly an hour and a half to the south. Visitors traveling a long distance may wish to confirm hours and availability of services in advance, since options closer to the prison are limited.

Mail

Incoming personal mail does not go to the prison. North Carolina sends personal mail to an off-site vendor, TextBehind, which opens and scans it and delivers a digital copy to the incarcerated person’s tablet; original letters, cards, and packages are returned to the sender. Address personal mail with the person’s full name and OPUS number and the full (unabbreviated) prison name to: TextBehind, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131 — and include the sender’s full first and last name in the return address. Legal mail is exempt and goes directly to the facility. Books and publications must come from a publisher or online retailer, shipped to the prison’s street address, not the TextBehind box. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in North Carolina — the approved visitor list, the application, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the TextBehind mail-scanning process and what still goes to the facility
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath calls, tablets, and GettingOut video visits
Sending Money — depositing through ViaPath/ConnectNetwork and TouchPay
Medical & Mental Health — sick-call co-pays, mental health, and the grievance board
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, the locator, and transfers

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.