Bringing Your Child to Visit: ID Requirements and What Infants Need for MDOC Visits
Bringing kids to MDOC visits is allowed, but the rules depend on your child's age. Here's what you need to know about ID requirements for minors—and what you can bring for an infant.
Any child under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to visit an MDOC facility. Bringing a teen or younger child? Plan on being there yourself, or make sure their legal guardian is the one who brings them.
MDOC has a clear age cutoff for ID requirements. Visitors 16 and older need a picture ID at check-in. Children 15 and under are handled differently - typically with a birth certificate as proof of identity and age.
If your child is 16 or older, they'll need to show a picture ID at check-in for every visit. They also must be on the offender's approved visitor list. Don't assume a teen can walk in just because they're with you - approval and photo ID are both required.
For children 15 and under, bring a legible birth certificate. Faded or hard-to-read paperwork can slow things down at check-in while staff verify age and identity.
No birth certificate? MDOC accepts a photo ID instead for children 15 and under - as long as it clearly shows the child's date of birth. That's the key detail staff need to confirm.
Infant Supplies
- ✓ One diaper bag (only one) with up to four (4) diapers
- ✓ Up to two (2) baby bottles in the diaper bag
- ✓ One (1) change of baby clothes in the diaper bag
- ✓ One (1) pacifier in the diaper bag
- ✓ Diaper wipes, but only if they’re placed in a zip-top (zip lock) bag inside the diaper bag
Medication exception: You may bring any medication necessary for the infant in the diaper bag.
Practical Tips
- ✓ For kids 15 and under, pack a legible birth certificate
- ✓ If you don’t have the birth certificate, bring a photo ID for the child that clearly shows their date of birth
- ✓ For anyone 16 or older, have their picture ID ready at check-in for each visit and make sure they’re on the offender’s approved visitor list
- ✓ Stick to one diaper bag, and count it out before you leave: up to four diapers and up to two bottles
- ✓ Pack only one change of baby clothes and one pacifier
- ✓ Put wipes in a zip-top (zip lock) bag inside the diaper bag
- ✓ If your infant needs medication, bring what’s necessary in the diaper bag
Give yourself extra time for check-in, especially when you're juggling kids, paperwork, and a diaper bag. A calmer start makes the whole visit easier.
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