Before Your First Visit to a Massachusetts Prison: Complete Checklist
Your first prison visit goes a lot smoother when you handle the paperwork and rules before leaving home. Use this checklist to confirm you're approved, bring the right ID, and avoid the most common reasons people get turned away at the front desk.
Before you make the drive, confirm you're on your loved one's pre-approved visiting list. In Massachusetts prisons, that process starts with a Visitor Application Form. You fill it out and mail it to the specific institution you plan to visit. The facility reviews the application, then notifies both you and the inmate whether you've been approved or denied. Filling out the form doesn't mean you're good to go. Approval happens before you ever show up, and there's no guarantee. If you haven't heard back, call the institution and ask whether you're approved and listed for visits. A quick phone call can save you a wasted trip.
Reminder: Visiting hours and institution mailing addresses are listed on the Prison Locations Page, but schedules can change. If you're planning around work, childcare, or a long drive, call the institution to verify current hours first.
ID
- ✓ Bring a valid state driver’s license (original)
- ✓ Bring a passport (original)
- ✓ Bring a military ID (original)
- ✓ Bring an official photo ID card from a state or federal agency (original)
Plan your outfit ahead of time. The Massachusetts Department of Correction posts a downloadable Visitor Dress Code PDF on Mass.gov, linked from the list of facility-specific visiting procedure pages. That same list includes individual visiting procedure PDFs for specific institutions, including North Central Correctional Institution. Check both so you know exactly what the facility expects before you arrive.
Bringing a child? Anyone under 18 does not need to be pre-approved as a visitor. The adult bringing them is what matters. A minor must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has physical custody, and that adult must be on the inmate's pre-approved visiting list. If you're not sure whether you're approved, confirm before you go so you don't get turned away at check-in.
- ✓ Original or copy of the child’s birth certificate, or official hospital records verifying the child’s birth, date of birth, and parent information
- Pull the correct visiting procedure PDF for the institution: Use the facility-specific visiting procedure PDF on Mass.gov (for example, North Central Correctional Institution has its own) so you can follow that location’s process.
- Confirm hours and address before you leave: Check visiting hours (and the institution mailing address if you need it) on the Prison Locations Page, since hours are subject to change. If anything looks unclear, call the institution to verify.
- Make sure your approval is actually on file: Your Visitor Application Form must be completed and mailed to the specific institution you intend to visit. If you have not received clear confirmation, call and ask whether you are approved and on the pre-approved visiting list.
Tip: For general Department of Correction contact details, check the contact information on the Massachusetts Department of Correction agency pages.
Find an Inmate at North Central C.I., Gardner, MA
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
