Who Can Visit and Visitor Limits at ERDCC

Missouri DOC allows several categories of people to apply: immediate family, extended family, a significant other, friends, and clergy. Immediate family generally covers spouses, parents (and in-laws), legal guardians, siblings, children, and grandparents (including great-grandparents and great-grandchildren). Extended family typically means aunts, uncles, and cousins.

One rule that catches people off guard is the "one offender" rule. Under Missouri DOC policy, a visitor can only visit one offender, unless they're an immediate family member of more than one. If you have loved ones at different institutions, this could affect who you list on your application and who you're actually allowed to see.

Under Missouri DOC's standard rules, visits are limited to three visitors per offender. If you're coordinating a trip with multiple adults, decide ahead of time which three will go in together. Show up with more than three and someone's getting turned away at check-in.

There's an exception for small children. Missouri DOC rules allow up to three additional visitors who are age 5 and under. In practice, that means three adults can visit and you can bring along up to three very young children on top of that, as long as everyone is approved and follows visiting rules.

It's worth double-checking the child age cutoff because Missouri DOC information isn't always consistent across pages and facilities. The standard rule allows up to three additional visitors age 5 and under. But at least one facility listing (WERDCC) describes a different exception: up to three additional visitors age 10 and under, for a total of six visitors. That kind of discrepancy could point to a facility-level exception or updated guidance that hasn't been reflected everywhere.

Quick Planning Tips

• ✓ Choose your three primary visitors ahead of time so you stay within the standard 3-visitors-per-offender limit.
• ✓ If you’re bringing kids, plan around the Missouri DOC exception for up to three additional visitors age 5 and under (and treat the child age cutoff as something to confirm before you go).

• ✓ Make sure every person who plans to visit has been pre-approved through the Missouri DOC visiting application (a criminal history check is part of the process).
• ✓ Confirm your visiting status and clarify any child-age counting rule with ERDCC before you arrive, especially if you’re trying to use the “additional children” exception.