How to Get Approved to Visit Someone at Bristol County: Notarization & Mailing Checklist
Visiting someone at Bristol County for the first time? You'll need to submit a notarized Request to Visit form by mail and get approved before you can go in.
Every adult visitor must complete an Application/Request to Visit an Inmate before their first visit at Bristol County. This isn't just a sign-up sheet - the form states your information will be used to obtain Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI). That's why it's treated as an official document. Once you've filled it out, the form must be notarized and mailed in for Superintendent approval. The process: complete the form, get it notarized, mail it, then wait for approval before trying to visit.
Heads up: Your Request to Visit triggers a CORI check, and the Superintendent must approve it. Take your time filling it out, get it notarized, and mail it in.
Two ways to get the Request to Visit form: download it from the BCSO website, or have your loved one mail you a copy from inside.
Fill Form
- ✓ Fill in your full legal name and current address.
- ✓ Include your driver’s license number and the state it’s issued in.
- ✓ Answer the felony and probation/parole-type questions (don’t skip them).
- ✓ Double-check everything before you sign - if you don’t accurately state information on the form, you may have your visiting privileges revoked.
Tip: Don’t leave blanks - write “N/A” when something doesn’t apply, and keep a copy of what you submit.
Your completed Request to Visit form must be notarized before you mail it. Bristol County requires notarization for Superintendent approval - sending an unsigned or non-notarized form will slow things down. Bringing a child? There's a separate Minor Request to Visit form, and it needs to be notarized too.
Visiting with a minor: The Minor Request to Visit form must be notarized, and minors have to be accompanied by a responsible adult who is already pre-approved to visit the listed inmate.
Mail the completed notarized Request to Visit form to: BCSO Attention: Communications Division 400 Faunce Corner Road North Dartmouth, MA 02747
Once your paperwork arrives, the Sheriff's Office runs a background check using the information you provided, including CORI. Your request then goes to the Superintendent for approval.
If you’re denied, you can ask for a review or reconsideration. Send a letter to: Superintendent Joseph Oliver III 400 Faunce Corner Road Dartmouth, MA 02747
Tips Pitfalls
- ✓ Write “N/A” where a question doesn’t apply - don’t leave blanks.
- ✓ Put your driver’s license number and state on the form.
- ✓ Get the form notarized before you mail it.
- ✓ Keep a copy of the notarized form for your records.
- ✓ Mail it to the Communications Division at 400 Faunce Corner Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747 (using a different address can delay processing).
Need to follow up? Bristol County's main facilities are the Dartmouth Correctional Complex at 400 Faunce Corner Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, and Ash Street Jail at 226 Ash Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. The main switchboard is (508) 995-6400. Check bcso-ma.us for current forms and updates.
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