What You Can't Bring to a North Carolina Prison Visit (And What Happens If You Try)
North Carolina state prisons screen every visitor for safety. Show up with the wrong items—or refuse the search—and you'll be turned away at the door.
Before you can enter for an in-person visit, you’ll have to clear a metal detector search. Plan for this as part of check-in, just like you would at a courthouse or airport - if you can’t pass the screening, you won’t make it into the visiting area.
Visitors 16 and older face additional screening: a pat/frisk search plus an electronic device scan. This happens before you enter, so anything you're carrying or wearing that triggers the screening can slow things down - or end your visit before it starts.
Even if you've visited before, call the prison the day before to confirm visitation status. A quick phone call can save you a long drive and a frustrating turnaround at the gate.
Electronics Prohibited
- ✓ Cell phones (treated as contraband and prohibited from all prison facilities)
- ✓ Smartwatches
- ✓ Cameras
- ✓ Recording devices
- ✓ Smart/AI glasses
Don't bundle your ID with prohibited items thinking you'll sort it out at the door. If you're applying to be an approved visitor and you're 16 or older, you need to choose one of the approved picture IDs and attach a copy to your visitation application. Keep your paperwork clean and separate from anything you'll need to leave behind.
Refuse the required searches and you won't get in. That includes the metal detector screening and - for visitors 16 and older - the pat/frisk and electronic device search.
Prohibited electronics will stop your visit cold. Cell phones are contraband and aren't allowed in any prison facility. The same goes for smartwatches, cameras, recording devices, and smart/AI glasses. The screening process will catch them, and you'll be turned away if you can't comply.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Leave your phone at home or secured before you arrive - cell phones are contraband and prohibited at all prison facilities.
- ✓ Don’t bring “everyday” tech into the prison: smartwatches, cameras, recording devices, and smart/AI glasses aren’t allowed inside.
- ✓ If you’re 16 or older, choose an approved picture ID and attach a copy to your visitation application.
- ✓ Schedule in-person visits by appointment by calling or emailing the prison where the person is housed.
- ✓ Call the day before your scheduled visit to confirm the facility’s visitation status.
Plan for screening: You’ll need to clear a metal detector, and visitors age 16+ should expect a pat/frisk and an electronic-device search before entry.
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