How Free Phone Calls Work from New York State Prisons (Including Bedford Hills)
New York State DOCCS has a free-calling policy for prison phone calls, but there are still rules that affect who can be called, how often, and what happens if you don’t want contact. Here’s how it works in plain language.
Calls from New York State prisons are free of charge for calls that terminate within the U.S., Canada, and U.S. territories, effective August 1, 2025. That means if your loved one is incarcerated in a DOCCS facility (including Bedford Hills) and calls a number in those locations, you shouldn’t be billed for the call itself under this policy.
DOCCS provides a weekly allotment of free calling time: each incarcerated individual gets three free calls per week, and each call can last up to 15 minutes. Those free calls are added to the person’s account at the beginning of business each Saturday, which is why you may notice calls cluster around weekends or right after the weekly allotment refreshes.
Reminder: The three free calls (up to 15 minutes each) are added at the beginning of business every Saturday, so that’s the weekly reset point for the allotment.
Even with free calls, the biggest “why can’t they call me?” issue is still the approved telephone list. Incarcerated individuals are only allowed to call people who are on their approved telephone list - so if you’re not on it, the call won’t go through.
- ✓ You must be on the incarcerated person’s approved telephone list for them to call you.
- ✓ They can have up to 15 phone numbers on that approved list at any time.
Some people are off-limits even if their number would otherwise work. DOCCS prohibits calls to current or former DOCCS employees and their families, as well as current or former employees of federal, state, or local criminal justice agencies and their families. The exception: immediate family members in these categories can still receive calls.
- Decide that you want calls to stop - if you don’t want to receive calls from someone in DOCCS custody, the practical goal is to make sure your number is not one they’re able to call.
- Put your request in writing to the facility - ask to be placed on the Negative Correspondence and Telephone List so the person cannot call you.
- Keep a copy for your records - if you need to follow up later, having the date and a copy of what you sent helps.
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