Penmate Inmate Support Guides
Visitation

Before Your First Visit to Bedford Hills: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind

Your first visit to Bedford Hills goes smoother when you bring the right ID, leave personal items in your car, and know what to expect at screening.

• 2 min read • doccs.ny.gov
Before Your First Visit to Bedford Hills: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind

Bring a valid, unexpired photo ID. Bedford Hills accepts a driver's license, DMV non-driver photo ID, other government-issued photo ID, Armed Services photo ID, or an employment ID with your photo. For minors, a birth certificate or baptismal certificate works. Get your documents together before you leave home - it saves time at check-in and avoids a wasted trip.

Leave in Car

  • ✓ Purses
  • ✓ Wallets
  • ✓ Electronic devices (leave them in your glove compartment or trunk before you enter)

You'll go through a body image scanner to enter. At Bedford Hills, everyone passes through the scanner to access the full-contact visitation program. First-time visitors are often caught off guard by this. Screening isn't optional if you want a standard, full-contact visit.

If you decline the scanner: You’ll be processed under Directive #4403 for a non-contact visit only.

Before entering the facility, you may be able to use a Visitor Hospitality Center. It's a spot for families to regroup before heading in. Expect restrooms, a baby changing station, and lockers for your belongings. Staff there can also answer questions about visitation rules.

Before Your First Visit to Bedford Hills: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind
  1. Bring a current photo ID - Use a valid driver’s license, DMV non-driver photo ID, other government-issued photo ID, Armed Services photo ID, or an employment photo ID.
  2. Leave personal items secured in your car - Put purses, wallets, and electronic devices in the glove compartment or trunk before you enter.
  3. Expect body image scanning at entry - Passing the body image scanner is required to enter and to access the full-contact visitation program.

Visiting days are Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Hours run from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with last arrival at 3:00 PM. Don't cut it close - you'll need time to park, check in, and clear screening.

Find an Inmate at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility

Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.

Exact spelling helps find results faster

Free to search · Used by families nationwide
Woman using phone to connect with loved one

More from Bedford Hills Correctional Facility

Bedford Hills SHU Visits: How Visiting Works for People in Special Housing

If your loved one is in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) at Bedford Hills, visiting works differently than general population. Here’s how often you can visit, what the hours look like, and how to plan so you don’t get turned away at the door.

Bedford Hills Visitation Schedule: Weekend Last-Name Rotation and Wednesday Open Visits

Bedford Hills runs a mix of open midweek visiting and an alphabetical weekend rotation. Here's what you need to know about days, hours, and cutoff times - so you don't get turned away at the door.

Bedford Hills Visiting Schedule (2026): Which Days You Can Visit, by Last Name

Planning a visit to Bedford Hills in 2026? The facility has three regular visiting days each week - but weekend visits depend on the incarcerated person's last name. Here's how the schedule works and the cutoff times you need to know.