Maximum security (men); with an on-site minimum-security work camp · Correctional Complex · WV DCR

Mount Olive Correctional Complex

Mount Olive, Fayette County, West Virginia

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (304) 442-7213 Info last verified: June 2026

West Virginia's only maximum-security prison for men, in Fayette County southeast of Charleston, with an on-site minimum-security work camp. It holds the state's highest-custody men.

Statewide rules that apply at every West Virginia state prison

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

Dress code

West Virginia does not ban any clothing color for visitors, but dress must be modest: female visitors must wear a bra (underwire is not allowed because it will not clear the metal detector), and male visitors must wear a shirt.
No shorts, sleeveless tops, or tight, sheer, see-through, low-cut, or midriff-baring clothing, and no hats or head coverings.
No steel- or composite-toe shoes; jewelry is limited to a wedding ring (no watches), and anything with metal or metallic beads may not clear the detector.
Undergarments are required, and the shift commander has the final say on whether an outfit is appropriate.

ID: Every visitor must be on the inmate's approved list first — the inmate mails the visitor an Application to Visit, which is approved after a background check; an inmate may have up to six approved adult visitors. Each adult brings a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID — not a Social Security or printable card). A minor needs a birth certificate and, if not with a parent or guardian, a notarized Juvenile Visitation Form.
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room — no phones, purses, bags, or tobacco; secure them in your vehicle or a lobby locker. There is no visitor vending and no food or drink in the visiting area. A parent may bring limited baby items (one clear bottle, a few diapers, a carrier).
Scheduling: At the state prisons, visits are on Saturdays and Sundays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and the incarcerated person schedules them in advance — there is no walk-in visiting and no public online booking, so confirm the facility's specific times. Prison visits are contact visits; the regional jails, by contrast, are non-contact.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in West Virginia

Overview

Mount Olive Correctional Complex, in Fayette County southeast of Charleston, is West Virginia’s only maximum-security prison for men and holds the state’s highest-custody population, with a capacity of about 1,030 (it has at times held more). It opened in 1995 to replace the 19th-century West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville. On the grounds, the minimum-security Slayton Work Camp holds a smaller transitional population outside the secure perimeter. Programs include adult and vocational education (such as welding and culinary arts), Correctional Industries work, and a service-dog training program. West Virginia has no death penalty, so there is no death row here.

What Makes Mount Olive Different

It is West Virginia’s only maximum-security prison, so it holds the highest-custody men and has the strictest visiting rules.
Visiting is by advance arrangement, scheduled by the incarcerated person, with segregation-unit and work-camp visits by appointment.
It has an on-site work camp (Slayton), a separate minimum-security unit.
It replaced the old Moundsville penitentiary in 1995.

Visiting

The statewide WV DCR rules above — the approved list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Mount Olive.

The full approval process is in Visiting in West Virginia.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Mountainside Way near Mt. Olive, off the Interstate 64/77 corridor between Charleston and Beckley.

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

Nearby Services

Montgomery and the Charleston area have the nearest food, gas, and lodging. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Montgomery General Hospital in Montgomery, a critical-access hospital; CAMC Plateau Medical Center in Oak Hill is the next-nearest, toward Beckley.

Mail

Personal mail does not go to the prison. Since 2023, West Virginia routes personal letters to an off-site scanning center in Maryland, addressed with the person’s name and OID number; the person receives the mail as images on a tablet, and photos must be sent through the tablet rather than mailed. Legal mail, books, and magazines go to the facility. Full addressing details are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in West Virginia — the approved list, dress code, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the Maryland scanning address and the OID number
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath/GettingOut calls, messaging, and video
Sending Money — ConnectNetwork and the trustee account
Medical & Mental Health — co-pays and how to raise a concern
Transfers & Finding Someone — prison vs. regional jail and the split 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.