How to Schedule Your First Visit at Byrd Unit Using TDCJ's Online Scheduler

Gather a few things before you start so you're not stuck mid-setup. You'll need an email address you can access right away - TDCJ uses it to validate your account. You'll also need the inmate's 8-digit TDCJ or SID number to add them to your profile. Planning to travel for the visit? Have a valid government-issued photo ID ready too.

1. Create your online account - start the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler registration using your own information.
2. Validate your email - use the 7-digit validation code/link that gets emailed to you to complete registration.
3. Log in to the scheduler - return to the scheduler and sign in with your email and password.
4. Add the inmate - use the inmate’s 8-digit TDCJ or SID number to find and add them.
5. Submit your Relationship Request - choose your relationship and request approval so the unit can verify it.
6. Wait for approval, then schedule - once the relationship is approved by the unit, you’ll be able to pick a visit type, date, and time.

To get to the scheduler, open your browser and go to https://visitation.tdcj.texas.gov/Visitation/startLoginAction.action. That’s the official starting point for creating an account, logging in, and checking your visit status later.

During setup, you'll enter your email address and submit it. The system sends you an email with a 7-digit validation code and a link to finish registering. If it doesn't arrive within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder - that's usually where it ends up.

You'll also answer questions that support relationship and background verification. Take your time here. This information ties to your visitor profile, and the unit reviews it when processing your Relationship Request.

If you forget your password (or need to reset it), use the scheduler’s Forgot Password/Reset Password option. Enter the email address you used for your account, click the reset link, and watch for an email with the steps to set a new password.

1. Log in to your visitor profile - sign in to the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler.
2. Click “Add Inmate” - this opens the inmate search window.
3. Search using the 8-digit TDCJ or SID number - the number must be 8 digits, so double-check it before you submit.
4. Select your relationship - choose the best match from the relationship dropdown.
5. Submit “Request Approval” - confirm the request so it’s sent for review.

Once you're approved and ready to book, the scheduler may show different visit types - Regular, Contact, or Video/Tablet. You won't always see every option. What's available depends on your confirmed relationship, how the unit's visitation area is set up, and the inmate's current privileges.

Browse open dates and time slots before locking anything in. TDCJ visiting hours typically run Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with visiting cycles running Monday through Sunday. If you're planning around work or travel, keeping that Monday–Sunday cycle in mind helps you avoid booking the wrong weekend.

• ✓ If the scheduler offers Extended or Special Visit options, only request them when they actually appear as choices for your visit type.
• ✓ If you don’t see the visit type you expected (like Contact or Video/Tablet), assume it may not be available for that relationship, that unit’s visitation setup, or the inmate’s current privileges.
• ✓ Before you travel, verify which visit types are being offered for your situation so you don’t plan around an option that isn’t available.

Already approved but seeing "Not Approved for Visits" instead of a Schedule Visit button? That usually means your relationship is confirmed, but the inmate's visitation privileges have been removed. The scheduler won't let you book online when that happens.

Sometimes a missing scheduling option comes down to timing. If your Relationship Request is still pending, you can't schedule until the unit approves it. Even after approval, scheduling can be blocked if privileges are later removed. Worth checking your status again before making plans.

Before you drive to the Byrd Unit, do one last check: confirm the inmate is still assigned there, still has visitation privileges, and that the schedule hasn't changed. TDCJ updates visitation info once daily on weekdays and multiple times on visitation days. A quick call to the unit can save you a wasted trip.

When you call, confirm you've got the right visiting weekend and time window. TDCJ visiting hours are typically Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., organized in Monday–Sunday cycles. Calendar mix-ups happen easily, especially when you're scheduling your first visit.