How to Visit Someone at Pontiac Correctional Center: IDs, Hours, Arrival Time & the Even/Odd Visiting Rotation

Pontiac Correctional Center visiting hours run from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. If you’re planning a long drive, build your day around that window so you’re not rushing at the end.

Don't plan to cut it close. You must arrive by 1:30 p.m. to be processed - even though visits run until 2:30 p.m.

If you need to confirm anything before you travel, call Pontiac Correctional Center at (815) 842-2816. The facility fax number is (815) 842-3420.

Bring two forms of ID. Pontiac requires a current photo ID plus a second document showing your date of birth. Show up with only one, and you could lose your visit.

Visiting someone in the Maximum Security Unit? Pay close attention to the calendar. Visiting days alternate monthly between even-numbered days and odd-numbered days, so the "right" date changes from one month to the next.

The most important timing rule at Pontiac: you must arrive by 1:30 p.m. to be processed. Show up after that, and you'll be turned away - even though visiting hours technically run until 2:30 p.m.

• ✓ Aim to get there well before 1:30 p.m. so you’re not racing the processing cutoff.
• ✓ Plan your drive around the full visiting window (8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily), not just the end time.

1. Call before you leave home - Confirm that the date you plan to visit is an authorized visiting day for the individual in custody.
2. Double-check the date you’re aiming for - If your loved one is in the Maximum Security Unit, make sure your visit day lines up with the current even/odd rotation.
3. Ask if anything changed since your last visit - Schedules and procedures can shift, so it’s worth verifying details while you have someone on the phone.

Pontiac Correctional Center is located at 700 West Lincoln Street, Pontiac, IL 61764. The main phone number is (815) 842-2816.