How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visiting at Hodge Unit starts with the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. You'll need to create your own account. TDCJ staff can't do it for you, and once your account is tied to an email address, that email can't be changed or deleted. During registration, enter your phone number in the XXX XXX XXXX format, verify the 7-digit code sent to your email, and answer every Background Questionnaire question to move forward. To add an inmate, use their 8-digit TDCJ or SID number and submit any relationship requests through the scheduler for unit staff verification. Standard hours run Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., though availability depends on custody level and unit rules. If you see "Call Unit" or no Schedule Visit button, call the unit directly. Bring a current government-issued photo ID (at least one must show a physical address). Leave contraband at home: cell phones, smartwatches, laptops, and paper money are all prohibited.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
At TDCJ units like the Hodge Unit, how often you can visit is tied to custody level. Once you understand that classification piece, planning trips and setting expectations gets a lot easier.
Getting on an inmate's approved visitors list at the Hodge Unit starts with the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. You'll need the correct ID number and to submit a relationship request for unit staff to verify.
The Hodge Unit caps each inmate's approved Visitors List at 10 names. If your loved one is already at the limit, someone else will need to be removed before you can be added.
Before you can visit someone at Hodge Unit, you'll need to get approved through the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. Here's how the relationship request process works, what to do inside the scheduler, and what limits might slow things down.
Visiting someone at the Hodge Unit? Setting up your TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler account is the first step. Here's how to create your account, avoid common sticking points, and know when the website is telling you to call the unit instead.
Visiting the Hodge Unit goes smoothly when you handle the approval steps first, then confirm everything before you travel. Here's the process to follow so you don't lose a trip to paperwork issues or a last-minute cancellation.
Visiting rules can feel overwhelming at first—especially when you're juggling work, travel, and family schedules. Here's how visiting hours, the two-hour time limit, and weekly visit frequency work at the Hodge Unit.
Before you make the drive, confirm two things: that your loved one is currently housed at the Hodge Unit, and that they have visitation privileges. A quick phone call can save you from showing up at the wrong place, on the wrong day, or for a visit that can't happen.
Your first visit to Hodge Unit goes smoother when you confirm the schedule, bring the right ID, and leave prohibited items at home. Here's a quick run-through before you travel.
Yes. You'll need to create your own TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler account since TDCJ staff can't create one for you. Verify it with the 7-digit email code and complete every Background Questionnaire question. Keep in mind that the email on your account cannot be changed or deleted.
Standard visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. How often you can visit depends on custody level and unit rules, so confirm the inmate's assignment and call the unit before you travel. This is especially true if the scheduler shows "Call Unit" or hides the Schedule Visit button.
Bring a current government-issued photo ID if you're 18 or older. At least one ID must show a current physical address. Leave contraband behind: cell phones, smartwatches, laptops, cameras, digital recorders, tobacco, lighters, and paper money are all prohibited. During contact visits, you can embrace and kiss once at the start and once at the end. Hand-holding is allowed only on top of the table, in view of staff. The only cash permitted inside is coins, up to $35. No cell phones past the secure perimeter.
Staying in touch with someone at the Hodge Unit comes down to two main channels: visitation (in several formats) and phone calls (after your number is registered). Here's what to do, and what to double-check before you make plans.
Sending money to someone at Hodge Unit means following TDCJ rules—and the first step is confirming you're actually allowed to make deposits. If you qualify, ACH (a monthly automatic debit from your checking account) is one reliable way to set up regular transfers.
TDCJ has a gatekeeping rule that trips people up. Since September 1, 2020, you can only deposit funds for someone at Hodge Unit if you're on the right approved list. Once you've confirmed that, you can set up options like monthly ACH debit deposits using the correct paperwork.
