How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visiting at the Hamilton Unit starts with setting up your own TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler account. Enter your email, and you'll receive a 7-digit validation code plus a link to finish registration. Staff can't create accounts for you, though they can help once your account exists. When adding an inmate to your profile, use their 8-digit TDCJ or SID number—the TDCJ offender search can help if you don't have it. Visit types include Regular, Contact, and Video/Tablet, with availability depending on the inmate or housing area. Visits are normally Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visiting cycles run Monday through Sunday, and most eligible inmates get one scheduled visit per cycle. Regular visits last up to two hours once everyone is present. Bring a current government-issued photo ID if you're 18+, and always confirm the inmate's unit assignment and call before traveling—schedules can change or visits may be canceled.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Your first visit goes smoother when you show up with the right ID and only the few items Hamilton Unit allows past the secured perimeter. Here's your quick bring/leave checklist before you head out.
Hamilton Unit visits run on a weekend schedule, with a weekly cycle system and a set time limit once your visit begins. Here's how the hours, cycles, and visit length work—so you can plan your trip without surprises.
Visiting someone at the Hamilton Unit? Your first step is setting up an account in the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. Here's how to create your account, add your loved one, and make sense of what the system shows you.
Hamilton Unit caps each inmate's approved Visitors List at 10 names. Once you understand that limit—and how often changes are allowed—planning visits gets a lot simpler.
Use the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler to start registration by entering your email address. The system will send a 7-digit validation code and a link to complete your account; once created, the email can’t be changed and the account can’t be deleted. Staff can’t create the account for you, but they can assist after you finish registering.
Hamilton Unit normally schedules visits on Saturday and Sunday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. A regular visit lasts two hours and starts when both the inmate and visitor(s) are present. Visiting cycles run Monday through the following Sunday, and most eligible inmates are allowed one scheduled visit per cycle.
If the scheduler shows “Call Unit” (or the Schedule Visit button is blank), you’ll need to call the inmate’s unit of assignment to schedule the visit. Confirm the unit assignment and call before you travel, since visit availability and schedules can change or be canceled.
Sending money to someone at Hamilton Unit is straightforward once you choose a deposit method — but one rule trips up a lot of people before their deposit ever goes through. Here are your options, plus the sender-approval requirements you need to know first.
Mail rules can feel picky, but they're predictable once you know the basics. Stick to correctly addressed letters and follow the publisher-only rule for reading materials, and you'll avoid most rejections at the Hamilton Unit.
When the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler shows
