Visiting David Wade Correctional Center: Days, Hours, and What the 11 a.m. Cutoff Really Means

Regular visiting days at David Wade Correctional Center are Thursday through Saturday. If you're traveling any distance, make sure your plans line up with those days so you're not making the drive for nothing.

Visiting hours run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but entry isn't continuous. Incoming visitors are not admitted between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and no visits start after 3:00 p.m. Those two cutoffs matter more than the 4:00 p.m. end time, because they determine whether you can actually get checked in and begin your visit.

David Wade Correctional Center is located at 670 Bell Hill Road, Homer, LA 71040.

The 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. rule is an admission pause. Staff don't bring new visitors in during that window. If you arrive right before 11:00 a.m. and you're already admitted, you may be fine. But if you walk up at 11:05 a.m., expect to wait until admissions resume after 11:30 a.m.

The 3:00 p.m. rule works differently. No visits start after 3:00 p.m., so arriving "before they close at 4" isn't enough. Show up at 3:05 p.m. and you should assume you won't be admitted that day, even though visiting hours technically extend to 4:00 p.m.

• ✓ Aim to arrive early in the morning when you can, so you are checked in well before the 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. admission pause.
• ✓ If you cannot make it in the morning, plan your arrival for after 11:30 a.m., not during the pause.
• ✓ Treat 3:00 p.m. as the real “last call” for starting a visit. Build in enough buffer time to park, check in, and be admitted before 3:00 p.m.

Visitation at David Wade is a privilege, not a guaranteed right. It can be restricted, denied, or suspended if the imprisoned person or the visitor doesn't follow the Department's visitation rules. For the full rule set in writing, Department Regulation OP-C-9 covers the specifics. You can request a copy from the facility.

Limits on visit frequency and group size are governed by the Department's visitation rules. Because those details can affect whether your whole group gets in together, check OP-C-9 and confirm your plan with the facility before you travel. This is especially worth doing if you're visiting with multiple family members.

If you're 18 or older, bring picture identification every time. Accepted forms include a valid driver's license, a valid state photo ID card, an active duty military photo ID, or a valid passport. If your ID isn't on that list, you're taking a risk showing up with it as your only form of identification.

Don't bring controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or marijuana into the visiting area. Cameras, audio or video recording equipment, cellular phones, pagers, and other electronic devices are also not allowed. The simplest approach: leave all of that secured in your vehicle before heading to the visiting area.

Keep what you carry into the visiting room to a minimum. Allowed items: one picture ID, one car key or keyless device, and change stored in a see-through bag or small plastic container. Visiting with small children? You can bring one diaper, one baby bottle or child's cup, one pacifier, and/or baby wipes in a see-through bag (enough for one diaper change).

Practical Checklist and Tips

• ✓ Visit on the regular visiting days (Thursday through Saturday).
• ✓ Plan around the full hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), and do not arrive expecting to be admitted between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m.
• ✓ Get there with enough time to start your visit before 3:00 p.m., since no visits start after that time.
• ✓ Bring your picture ID if you are 18 or older.
• ✓ Carry only what is allowed into the visiting room: your picture ID, one car key or keyless device, and change in a see-through bag or small plastic container.
• ✓ If you have small children with you, pack only the permitted child items in a see-through bag (one diaper, one bottle or cup, one pacifier, and/or wipes for one diaper change).

Need to add funds while you're there? Visitors can deposit money into an imprisoned person's account using the JPAY kiosk in the Visitor Processing Area.

Confirm details with the facility any time your plans are tight on timing or you're coordinating a more complicated visit. That means checking whether the visiting schedule is still Thursday through Saturday, verifying the 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. hours, and making sure you understand how the 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. admission pause and the 3:00 p.m. last-start rule are being enforced on your planned day. For questions beyond hours, ask the facility for Department Regulation OP-C-9. The facility's address for trip planning is 670 Bell Hill Road, Homer, LA 71040.