Who Counts on an ODOC Visitor List (the 20-person limit) and Rules for Bringing Children to Clara Waters

Under ODOC policy, an inmate can have up to 20 people on their approved visitors list. If you're not on that list, you'll be turned away, even if you drove hours to get there. Confirm your approval before you plan a trip.

Getting approved starts with submitting a Visitor Application Form. If you're 18 or older, a background check is part of the process, and approval can take up to eight weeks. Keep that timeline in mind, especially if the list is close to the 20-person cap and changes need planning.

Children under 18 don't count toward the 20-person limit. So even if the inmate already has 20 approved adult visitors, their minor children can still visit without taking up a slot.

That exemption ends at 18. Once a child turns 18, they need to complete a visiting application and be placed on the approved list like any other adult. Background checks apply, so build in time for processing. Approval can take up to eight weeks.

Separate from the 20-person approved list, ODOC caps how many people can visit at the same time. No more than five approved visitors may see an inmate at once.

Think of these as two separate rules. The approved list is the long-term roster (up to 20 people). The per-visit cap controls how many can be in the visiting area at one time (up to five approved visitors). Children under 18 don't count toward the 20-person total, but you should still plan your group carefully so you don't run into capacity issues when you arrive.

Children Documentation

• ✓ Birth certificate (to show parentage)
• ✓ Adoption papers (if applicable)
• ✓ Guardianship or court paperwork (if you are the legal guardian)
• ✓ Any other documentation that reflects parentage or guardianship at the time of the visit

Planning ahead for a teen who's about to turn 18? Build the paperwork into your timeline now. Once they reach 18, they'll need to complete the visiting application and be added to the approved list. The background check for adult visitors can take up to eight weeks.

There's a narrow exception for new arrivals who don't yet have an approved visiting list. If family members are listed in the inmate's field file, those family members may be allowed one visit within 30 days, before the visiting forms are returned by mail. After that single visit, visits generally stop until the visiting form is approved (unless the facility head or duty officer approves another visit).

1. Fill out the Visitor Application Form. Everyone who wants to be approved needs an application on file.
2. Submit it to ODOC’s Visitation Unit. Paper visitation application forms are accepted at ODOC headquarters when addressed to the Visitation Unit.
3. Plan for the background check (adults 18+). Background checks are required for visitors 18 and older, and approval can take up to eight weeks.

Even if you're on the approved list and your group fits the per-visit rule, a busy visiting room can still affect your plans. The approved list limit (20 total, minors not counting) controls who can potentially visit over time. The "no more than five approved visitors at the same time" rule controls how many can be in a visit at once. On top of both, the facility still has to manage space and seating in the visiting area.

Expect screening before you enter the visiting area. Staff conduct pat searches on all inmates and visitors before visitation, so arrive with enough time to get through check-in without feeling rushed.