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Visitation

What to Bring (and Leave Behind) for Your First Visit to Allendale

Your first visit to Allendale goes smoother when you show up with the right ID, proper paperwork for kids, and nothing in your pockets that'll get you turned away. Use the checklist and steps below to prep once—and skip the repeat trips.

• 3 min read • doc.sc.gov
What to Bring (and Leave Behind) for Your First Visit to Allendale

ID requirements at Allendale depend on age. Anyone 10 or older needs a government-issued photo ID. For children nine and under, bring a certified long-form birth certificate - staff use this to verify identity for younger kids who don't have photo ID yet.

Tip: As of June 1, 2025, adults (18+) with a valid South Carolina driver's license can register for visitation online. If that doesn't work for you - out-of-state license, no ID, passport/visa holder, or no computer access - use the paper application instead.

Submitting a paper application? Mail it to: Division of Visitation and I/M DT, P.O. Box 212969, Columbia, S.C. 29221-2969. Make sure your copy is complete and readable - missing pages or unclear info will slow things down.

Prohibited

  • ✓ Personal wireless communication devices of any kind (including fitness trackers and smartwatches) - prohibited inside SCDC institutions since Feb. 1, 2016
  • ✓ Tobacco and tobacco-related products, paraphernalia, or lighting devices - SCDC has been tobacco-free since Jan. 1, 2008
What to Bring (and Leave Behind) for Your First Visit to Allendale
  1. Schedule your visit ahead of time - Visits are by appointment and must be scheduled through the department’s visitation system, and only approved visitors on the inmate’s visitation list can schedule and attend.
  2. Pick the right weekend time block - Allendale in-person visits run Saturdays and Sundays in three two-hour blocks: 8:00–10:00 am, 11:00 am–1:00 pm, and 2:00–4:00 pm. Each visit is capped at two hours.
  3. Plan your group size before you arrive - Up to four visitors can be with the inmate during a visitation period, and one of the visitors must be an adult.
  4. Have IDs and child documents ready at check-in - Adults and kids age 10+ should have their government/public safety photo ID in hand; children nine and under should have the certified long-form birth certificate ready to show.

Quick on-site realities: Use the restroom before you arrive if possible (there may be one outside the institution or in the lobby). During your visit, you're limited to one restroom break per two-hour session. Vending machines may be available, but once food or drink is opened, you can't share it with the inmate.

Bringing kids? The document rule is firm: children nine and under need a certified long-form birth certificate. And if online registration won't work for you - out-of-state license, no ID, passport or visa holder, or no computer access - you'll need to go through the paper application process.

Mailing paperwork? Send it to: Division of Visitation and I/M DT, P.O. Box 212969, Columbia, S.C. 29221-2969. That's the address for paper visitation applications and any supporting documents.

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