Visiting in Oregon (ODOC)

Oregon’s statewide visiting rules are set in the Oregon Administrative Rules (Chapter 291, Division 127). The day-to-day mechanics — visiting days, hours, and whether you book ahead or arrive first-come — are set by each prison.

Getting on the visiting list

A person must finish intake before anyone can be added to their list. After that, a prospective visitor fills out the CD-50 Visiting Application and submits it to ODOC’s Visiting Services Unit (by email, fax, or mail). A criminal-records check is run on every applicant 15 or older. ODOC notifies the adult in custody of the decision, and it is up to that person to tell the visitor. There is no limit on how many approved visitors a person may have.

A criminal record does not automatically disqualify a visitor, but some things do. Under the rules, a person is ineligible if they have pending criminal charges, a drug conviction in the last three years, a felony incarceration in the last three years, a conviction for bringing contraband into a prison, or if they are a victim of or co-defendant in the incarcerated person’s crime. Someone on probation, parole, or post-prison supervision may visit only with the written consent of their supervising officer plus the superintendent’s approval.

Minors: a child may visit only when accompanied by an adult who is on the same person’s approved list and visiting at the same time. If the person applying to visit is an unemancipated minor, a notarized letter of custodial consent from the parent or guardian is required.

What to wear

The dress code is the most common reason a visitor is turned away at the door. Because adults in custody wear blue:

• No blue clothing or blue denim of any kind, and nothing camouflage — both resemble what incarcerated people and staff wear.
• Dresses, skirts, and shorts must reach the knee when standing.
• Nothing sheer, see-through, low-cut, tight, or revealing — no halter, tube, or crop tops.
• Footwear and undergarments are required; undergarments must not be visible, and underwire bras are not allowed because they set off the metal detector.
• No hats or head coverings except religious ones (which may be inspected), and nothing with gang symbols or offensive or suggestive words or images.

Children eight and under are exempt from the clothing rules. ODOC suggests bringing a change of clothes in case an outfit does not pass inspection.

What you can bring

Visitors carry very little into the visit room. Generally allowed: a small amount of change for vending machines (commonly $15 to $20 — confirm with the facility), up to five photographs (not Polaroids), a car key, and limited baby-care items in a clear bag. Cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, and other electronics are prohibited, as are tobacco and vaping products, weapons, drugs, and non-emergency medication. Lockers hold what you cannot bring in, and everything is subject to search.

Scheduling and how often

Whether visits are by appointment or first-come varies by facility, and many prisons now schedule visits online through ICSolutions. In general, general-population visitors can visit up to five days a week, with one session per visitor per day on weekends and holidays and usually three or four people at a time. How often a person can be visited is also governed by a monthly points system tied to their incentive level — each visitor uses one point on weekdays and two on weekends, and children under three and visitors 65 and older do not count against it. Because days, hours, the number of visitors, and the scheduling method differ at every prison, confirm the specific facility’s rules before traveling.

Contact, non-contact, and video visits

• Contact (privileged) visit: allows a brief embrace and kiss at the start and end, hand-holding, and holding children. The visitor must show a government photo ID.
• Non-contact (basic) visit: no physical contact. This is the option for a visitor who does not have a photo ID (two documents from a secondary list are required instead).
• Video visits: ODOC uses ICSolutions (“The Visitor”). Visitors register for free, validate their phone number, and schedule from a computer or smartphone; at-home sessions are fee-based and the cost varies by facility. See Phone & Video Calls.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Visiting Basics.