How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Scheduling a visit at the Estelle Unit starts with the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. You'll need to create your own account—staff can't do it for you or change your email address. Forgot your password? Use the Forgot Password link to reset it. To add an inmate, search by TDCJ number or eight-digit SID (or use the Offender Search). Once you request to add someone, the unit verifies your relationship before approving visits. Visit types include regular, contact, and video/tablet, though availability depends on your relationship, the facility's setup, and the inmate's privileges. Regular visiting hours run Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with cycles running Monday through the following Sunday.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Scheduling your first visit can feel overwhelming, but the online system is straightforward once you know the steps. Start at the right TDCJ page, create your account, add your loved one, and request approval—then you're ready to book.
Contact visits let you have limited physical contact with your loved one. Here's what that actually looks like at the Estelle Unit—and what to expect once you're in the visiting room.
A smooth visit comes down to one thing: showing up with the right ID and only the small, permitted items. Use the sections below as your pack-and-parking-lot checklist before heading to Estelle Unit.
Visiting at Estelle Unit starts with one key document: the inmate's official Visitors List. Here's how the 10-name limit works, how often it can be changed, what happens when you submit a relationship request, and what to do if you're removed and need to appeal.
Create your own account through the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler (TDCJ staff can’t create accounts for visitors). Use the TDCJ visitation login to access it, and if you forget your password, enter your email and use the Forgot Password/Reset Password link to get reset instructions.
You may see regular, contact, and video/tablet options in the scheduler, but not every visit type is available for every inmate—availability depends on relationship, facility design, and inmate privileges. Certain custody levels (G1, J1, J2) may be eligible for one contact visit per week, and remote kiosk video visits are scheduled through the vendor for up to 60 minutes once per month.
Visitors age 18 and older must show a current government-issued photo ID, and at least one ID has to show a current physical address; children 17 and younger may need ID as well. Items allowed inside the secured perimeter are limited (for example, a small wallet or clear plastic bag and coins up to $35), and many items are prohibited, including paper money, purses, cameras, toys, and most bags.
Sending money and mail to someone at the Estelle Unit comes down to using the right channels and formatting names correctly. Here's how to deposit funds, where to send personal mail, and two common mistakes that cause delays.
