Visiting in South Dakota (SD DOC)

Getting on the approved visitor list

No one may visit until they are an approved visitor on the incarcerated person’s list. Each prospective visitor submits a visitor application and passes a background check before being added. The incarcerated person is notified once a visitor is approved.

The application form and the current submission process are published by the South Dakota DOC and by each facility. The exact form, where it is sent, and how long approval takes are confirmed with the facility that holds the person.

Scheduling a visit

South Dakota handles video visits and in-person visits through different systems.

Video visits are scheduled in advance through the statewide ViaPath (GTL) scheduler:

In-person visits are arranged with each prison directly. South Dakota does not run a single statewide in-person scheduler, so each facility publishes its own visiting days, hours, and registration steps.

Visiting days and hours

In-person visiting days and hours are set by each facility rather than by a single statewide schedule. The South Dakota State Penitentiary complex, Mike Durfee State Prison, and the South Dakota Women’s Prison each publish their own visiting times. The current schedule for a specific prison is confirmed with that facility.

Video visits

In addition to in-person visiting, South Dakota offers ViaPath video visitation, scheduled in advance at sddoc.gtlvisitme.com. A video session connects an approved visitor to the incarcerated person through the ViaPath platform. Availability, session length, and any fees are set by the facility and the vendor and are confirmed before a session is scheduled.

ID and what visitors can expect

A government-issued photo ID is required for each adult visitor. South Dakota prisons follow the common pattern across corrections systems: visitors dress modestly and bring only minimal items into the visiting area, leaving phones and other personal belongings outside or in a locker.

The specific dress code, the accepted forms of ID, and the list of what may be carried into the visiting room are set by each facility. These specifics are confirmed with the facility before a visit, since the details vary by prison and change over time.

Reception and where someone enters the system

Where a person first enters the South Dakota prison system depends on their gender:

• Men: men enter through the South Dakota State Penitentiary complex in Sioux Falls, where the Admissions and Orientation unit processes new admissions before assignment.
• Women: women enter through the South Dakota Women’s Prison in Pierre, the state’s only women’s prison, which also serves as the women’s intake point.

Families are not notified of routine transfers. The SD DOC Offender Locator shows a person’s current location. See Transfers & Finding Someone.

Verify Before Acting

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