Understanding the 18-Visitor Limit at NC Prisons (What Counts and What Doesn't)

In North Carolina prisons, each incarcerated person is allowed up to 18 approved visitors total - and that number includes both adults and minors. Think of it as the maximum size of their approved visitor list for regular visiting. If you’re helping someone decide who to add, every person (including children) takes up a spot unless they fall into one of the exempt categories explained below.

That “approved” part matters. A visit can’t happen until the facility has reviewed and approved a completed visitor application. So the 18-person limit isn’t about who shows up on a given weekend - it’s about how many people can be officially cleared on the person’s list at one time.

Exclusions

• ✓ Legal visitors (must register with the facility first; do not count toward the 18)
• ✓ Law enforcement officials (must register with the facility first; do not count toward the 18)
• ✓ Consular officials (must register with the facility first; do not count toward the 18)
• ✓ Local and state Family Services and Juvenile Court officials (must register with the facility first; do not count toward the 18)
• ✓ Clergy (must complete a DC-949P application and be approved first; do not count toward the 18)

If someone is visiting in an official capacity - like an attorney, a consular official, or a Family Services/Juvenile Court official - they don’t use up one of the 18 approved visitor slots. The tradeoff is that they still have to register with the facility before they can visit. In other words: exempt from the limit, but not exempt from the facility’s process.

1. Get the DC-949P application - clergy visitors use the DC-949P form (not the standard visitor application).
2. Complete the form fully - fill it out carefully so the facility has what it needs to review it.
3. Submit it to the facility for approval - the clergy visitor must be approved before any visit can happen.
4. Schedule the visit after approval - once approved, the clergy visit can be arranged, and it will not count toward the incarcerated person’s 18 approved visitors.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Prioritize who truly needs one of the 18 slots (many families start with the closest, most consistent visitors).
• ✓ Ask your loved one to request blank visitor application forms from the facility.
• ✓ Have your loved one mail the blank applications to the people they want to add.
• ✓ Make sure each person returns a completed application and waits for staff approval before trying to visit.
• ✓ Schedule visits by appointment by calling or emailing the prison.
• ✓ Call the day before the visit to confirm the facility’s visitation status so no one makes a wasted trip.

If you’re juggling a big family, it helps to plan ahead. Keep the focus on getting the right people approved first, and don’t assume someone is “good to go” until the facility has approved the application. Once you do have an appointment, call or email to schedule - then call the day before to confirm. I also recommend having a backup plan for visits, because if someone can’t make it and nobody else is approved, you can’t swap in a new person at the door.