How to Register for Visitation at Perry Correctional Facility (SC) — Online vs. Paper (Effective June 1, 2025)

Starting June 1, 2025, adults age 18 and older with a valid South Carolina driver's license can register for visitation online. This SCDC-wide change applies to Perry Correctional Facility - if you have a current SC driver's license, online registration is your starting point.

Paper Exceptions

• ✓ You’re registering a minor child - applications for all minor children still must be submitted using the paper application process, along with documentation that verifies the relationship.
• ✓ You don’t have an ID or driver’s license - paper applications are still accepted for adults who don’t have an ID/driver’s license.
• ✓ You use a passport or U.S. visa instead of a driver’s license - this is specifically called out as an example of when paper is accepted.
• ✓ You have an out-of-state driver’s license - paper applications are still accepted for adults whose driver’s license is not from South Carolina.
• ✓ You can’t use the online system - paper applications are still accepted if you have technical difficulties using a computer or you don’t have access to a computer.

Kids still require a paper application, even after online registration opens for adults. You'll need to submit the paper form along with relationship documentation. Plan ahead for ID requirements at the actual visit: children age 10 and older need a government-issued photo ID, while children age nine and younger must bring a certified long-form birth certificate.

If you need to submit a paper visitation application for Perry, mail it to: Division of Visitation and I/M DT, P.O. Box 212969, Columbia, S.C., 29221-2969.

• ✓ If the visitor is a minor, include the documentation needed to verify the relationship, since all minor applications must go through the paper process.
• ✓ Match the child’s identification to their age: a government-issued photo ID for children 10 and older, or a certified long-form birth certificate for children nine and younger.
• ✓ If the adult visitor doesn’t have an ID/driver’s license, or uses a passport or U.S. visa, include the appropriate identification documentation with the paper application.
• ✓ If the adult visitor has an out-of-state driver’s license, use the paper application process and include the relevant identification documentation.
• ✓ Include a way to reach you for follow-up (for example, a phone number or mailing address) so the application can be handled without unnecessary delays.

Can't complete online registration? You're not stuck. SCDC still accepts paper visitation applications for adults who don't have an ID or driver's license (including those using a passport or U.S. visa), adults with an out-of-state driver's license, and anyone who runs into technical difficulties or doesn't have computer access.

1. Figure out which paper category you fall under - paper is accepted if you don’t have an ID/driver’s license (including passport/U.S. visa users), if you have an out-of-state driver’s license, or if you can’t access or use a computer.
2. Gather your identification documents - make sure you have the documents that match your situation (for example, your out-of-state license, or your passport/U.S. visa).
3. Complete the paper visitation application - fill it out carefully, and include any required documentation.
4. Mail the application to the SCDC visitation division - send it to Division of Visitation and I/M DT, P.O. Box 212969, Columbia, S.C., 29221-2969, and include contact information so you can be reached if something needs to be clarified.

Once you submit your registration - online if you're eligible, paper otherwise - it goes through SCDC's review and approval process under the June 1, 2025 policy. If you're registering a minor child or need relationship verification, gathering the right documentation upfront saves time and avoids delays.