How to Create a TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler Account (for James W. Allred Unit visitors)
Before you can schedule an in-person visit at the James W. Allred Unit, you need to create your own TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler account. Here's how to get through the steps that trip people up most.
TDCJ staff can't create a visitor account for you - you have to do it yourself. If you're waiting for someone at the unit to "set you up," nothing will happen until you register on your own. Once your account exists, staff may be able to help update certain details. But that first step? It has to come from you.
- Click “Create an Account” and enter an email you control - use a valid email address, because the next step comes through your inbox.
- Submit your email and watch for the registration message - TDCJ will send an email with a 7-digit validation code.
- Use the link and code to continue registration - open the email, click the link, and enter the 7-digit code when prompted so you can finish setting up the account.
After setting a valid password, you'll reach the Background Questionnaire. Every question must be answered before you can move on. If the page won't advance, scroll through the entire form - most "stuck" registrations come from a single question left blank.
Format tip: Enter your phone number as XXX XXX XXXX (use spaces, no dashes). If you type dashes or a different format, the profile may not accept it and you won’t be able to proceed.
To add the person you want to visit, you'll need their 8-digit TDCJ number or 8-digit SID number. Don't have it? Use TDCJ's Offender Search to look it up, then enter all 8 digits exactly as listed. Even one missing digit will cause the search to fail.
Reminder: You (the visitor) must add the inmate to your own profile as part of setting up your account. Double-check that you’re using the correct 8-digit TDCJ/SID number before assuming the system is down.
No Schedule Visit button after logging in? That usually means your account setup isn't fully complete. Staff can't create visitor accounts, so the system won't work as expected until you've finished every step: email validation, questionnaire, and profile details. If you've checked all of those and still can't move forward, contact the unit to find out what's showing on their end.
- ✓ You received the email and used the 7-digit validation code (and the link) to complete registration
- ✓ You answered every question in the Background Questionnaire
- ✓ Your phone number is entered as XXX XXX XXXX (spaces, no dashes)
- ✓ You added the inmate using an 8-digit TDCJ number or 8-digit SID number
- ✓ If you had to look up the number, you re-entered it carefully (8 digits, no missing numbers)
Quick Troubleshoot
- ✓ Email step is done: you used the 7-digit validation code from the registration email
- ✓ Background Questionnaire is complete (no blanks)
- ✓ Phone number is XXX XXX XXXX (spaces, no dashes)
- ✓ Inmate search uses an 8-digit TDCJ or 8-digit SID number
Find an Inmate at James W. Allred Unit, Iowa Park
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
