What to bring (and leave behind) when visiting someone at an IDOC facility
Want to avoid delays—or getting turned away? Arrive with the right ID and nothing extra. This guide covers what to bring, what to leave behind, and how to keep your visit focused on your loved one.
Every adult visitor needs two forms of identification. One must be a current, state-issued photo ID. You'll also need to provide vehicle information at check-in. Have your license plate number ready - digging for it at the gate slows everything down.
Leave your electronics behind. Cell phones, pagers, smartwatches - none of them are allowed in the Visiting Room. Most facilities have small lockers near the entrance for storing personal items. Use them. Walk into the Visiting Room with only what's permitted.
- ✓ Food
- ✓ Drink
- ✓ Smoking materials
- ✓ Currency
- ✓ Packages
- ✓ Purses
- ✓ Bags
- ✓ Books
- ✓ Magazines
- ✓ Sunglasses
- ✓ Personal keys
Medication trips up a lot of visitors. IDOC doesn't allow pills or medication of any type in the Visiting Room - with one narrow exception: physician-prescribed heart medication or an asthma inhaler. If you need one of those items, mention it during check-in. Handle it upfront so you're not sent back to start over.
- Bring only the allowed medical items - heart medication or an asthma inhaler (pump) must be prescribed by a physician.
- Keep prescribed heart medication in its labeled container - it needs to be properly labeled.
- Plan for it to be secured during the visit - prescribed heart medication will be stored at the officer’s desk in the Visiting Room.
Dress conservatively - you don't want to lose your visit at the door. Dresses, shorts, and skirts must extend to the knee. Nothing sexually explicit or offensive. Nothing that reveals buttocks or breasts. If you're torn between two outfits, pick the one that covers more.
- ✓ Knee-length skirt or shorts - not a skirt or shorts that sit above the knee
- ✓ Plain, non-offensive shirt - not clothing with sexually explicit or offensive wording or images
- ✓ Top and bottoms that fully cover buttocks and breasts - not clothing that reveals buttocks or breasts
Printable Checklist
- ✓ Two forms of ID for each adult visitor (one must be a current state-issued photo ID)
- ✓ Vehicle information for arrival/check-in
- ✓ Leave electronics (cell phones/pagers) out of the Visiting Room; use the small lockers for storage
- ✓ Do not bring: food, drink, smoking materials, currency, packages, purses, bags, books, magazines, sunglasses, or personal keys
- ✓ No pills/medication in the Visiting Room (exception: physician-prescribed heart medication or an asthma inhaler)
- ✓ If bringing prescribed heart medication: bring it in a properly labeled container; it will be stored at the officer’s desk in the Visiting Room
- ✓ Dress code: knee-length dresses/shorts/skirts; no sexually explicit or offensive clothing; no clothing that reveals buttocks or breasts
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