Estes Unit, TX

Schedule visits through the TDCJ online visitation scheduler. When you create an account, you'll receive an email with a 7-digit validation code and a link to finish registration—make sure your phone number is entered as XXX XXX XXXX. The scheduler lists four visit types (including Regular, Contact, and Video/Tablet) and may hide dates if the inmate already has a visit that week. If you see "Not Approved for Visits," privileges have been removed. Regular in-person visits last two hours and start when both you and the inmate are present. How often you can visit depends on custody level and unit rules. Each inmate can have up to 10 people on their Visitors List, with changes allowed on the unit's schedule. Video/tablet visits use the approved vendor, and availability varies by unit.

To receive calls from someone at Estes Unit, register your phone number online or by phone and provide the inmate's TDCJ ID number. You must be the phone's owner, be at least 18, agree to receive calls, and agree not to forward or conference them. Phone service runs from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., with calls limited to 30 minutes. All calls are monitored and recorded except attorney calls. For video communication, Estes Unit uses Securus remote video visits—each session lasts 60 minutes, costs $10.00, and inmates are limited to one per month. Follow Securus's steps for scheduling, payments, and account setup.

To add money to an inmate's trust fund at Estes Unit, you must be on their Approved Visitation List or Inmate Telephone List (policy effective Sept. 1, 2020). Mailing a money order or cashier's check? Include the deposit slip the inmate provides and send it to Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 60, Huntsville. Keep timing in mind: single deposits of $500 or more, plus certain checks or disbursements, are held for 14 days before the inmate can access them. Trust Fund staff won't share account balances or transaction details with anyone except the inmate. For recurring payments, ACH automatic-debit typically pulls around the 5th and posts around the 10th each month. Enrollment requires a voided check and approved-list status. Other deposit options may have vendor fees.

Looking for someone at Estes Unit? Start with Texas statewide offender search tools and the TDCJ offender locator to pull the inmate's TDCJ/SID or booking number before trying other systems. Search portals don't all accept the same information, but searching by TDCJ/SID number gives you the most reliable match. That same ID is required for visit scheduling and phone enrollment—some systems expect it entered exactly as an 8-digit code. Want alerts about custody status changes? Register with Texas notification services (VINE/IVSS/SAVNS). Since different rosters and third-party lists can be incomplete, double-check key details across sources.