How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visitation at MCF Shakopee is by appointment only, and most visitors need an approved visitor application before they can attend. Plan ahead—applications typically require ID and photos, and approval can take several weeks. For video visits, the facility uses JPay. Go to JPay's Video Visitation page and choose
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Your first JPay video visit is straightforward once you know the steps. This walkthrough covers eligibility, computer requirements, scheduling and payment, and how to join on visit day.
Your first video visit might seem complicated, but it's straightforward once you know the steps. Here's how to get set up, schedule your visit, and join on time—no last-minute scrambling required.
Video visits help you stay connected—but Minnesota DOC takes certain behaviors seriously. Here's what to avoid, what happens if you slip up, and how bans can escalate.
Don't record or photograph any part of a video visit — and that includes trying to. At MCF Shakopee, recording or photographing (or even attempting it) can get your visit ended immediately. It can also cost you video visiting privileges for up to a year. Do it again, or if the facility considers it a serious violation, you could face an indefinite ban.
Schedule through JPay: on the Video Visitation page, select
Verbal abuse and similar violations can trigger escalating bans from video visiting. Typically, repeat issues move from a shorter temporary ban to longer or even indefinite bans.
You'll need the person's MN DOC Offender ID (OID) to schedule visits or handle other contact tasks. The Minnesota DOC has an offender search tool where you can look up someone's OID.
You can't call MCF Shakopee and get connected to your loved one. Only incarcerated people can place outgoing calls — the facility won't transfer outside callers in.
Sending a letter to someone at MCF Shakopee? The two biggest mistakes people make: missing ID details on the envelope, and getting confused when the address points to Maryland instead of Minnesota.
Mail rules can feel picky, but the format matters—especially in Minnesota DOC, where mail is processed before it reaches the facility. Use the exact format below so your letter gets routed correctly and delivered.
