How Often Can You Visit Someone in TDCJ? Understanding the one-visit-per-weekend rule, visiting hours, and visit lengths
Planning a TDCJ visit gets a lot easier once you understand three things: how often visits happen, what the weekend hours look like, and how long you'll actually get in the visiting room.
The baseline rule in TDCJ is simple: each inmate gets one visit per weekend. If multiple people want to come, coordinate with each other and with your loved one ahead of time. Otherwise, later visitors may be turned away at the unit because the inmate already used their one visit for that weekend.
If you use the online scheduler, adding an inmate triggers a Relationship Request that gets sent to the inmate's unit of assignment for staff to verify. Before you make the drive, confirm the inmate is actually assigned to the unit you plan to visit. Then call the unit for final confirmation so you don't show up on a day visits have been canceled or the inmate has been moved.
Weekend visiting hours (Saturday and Sunday) run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. That said, you should still confirm the specific schedule for your unit before heading out. You're traveling to a particular unit, not a central visiting location, and schedules can vary.
Note: Confirm your loved one is assigned to the unit you plan to visit, and call the unit before traveling.
A regular visit lasts two hours. The clock starts once both the inmate and visitor(s) are present, so delays getting the inmate to the visiting area can eat into your actual face time.
Traveling a long distance? Extended visits may be an option. The warden (or designee) can approve an extended visit for anyone traveling more than 250 miles one way. These visits can last up to four hours if time and space allow.
Tip: Call the unit before you travel to ask whether extended visits are available that day and what they need from you to request one.
When Visits Restricted
- ✓ Rule violations by an inmate or visitor
- ✓ Security concerns
- ✓ Unit lockdowns
- ✓ Serious incidents, including escapes
- ✓ Disturbances
- ✓ Health or safety emergencies
- Confirm the inmate’s unit assignment: Make sure your loved one is assigned to the unit you plan to visit.
- Call the unit before you leave: Ask for final confirmation that visitation is being conducted that day.
- Ask about restrictions and cancellations: Check whether there is a lockdown, security issue, or health and safety situation affecting visits.
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