Understanding the 18‑Person Visitor List and Open Enrollment for NCDAC Prisons
Planning visits at an NCDAC prison? Two rules shape almost everything: the 18-person approved visitor limit and the open enrollment window that controls when changes can be made. Here's what those rules mean in plain language, plus what to do when you need updates.
Each offender in an NCDAC prison can have up to 18 approved visitors. That total includes minors, not just adults. So if you're trying to plan ahead for kids, grandparents, and close friends, they all count toward the same 18-person cap.
Quick takeaway: The approved visitor list tops out at 18 people total, and that count includes both adults and minors.
The window for adjusting a visitor list is called open enrollment. In NCDAC, it happens every six months, tied to the offender's date of admission. Say someone was admitted in January. Their open enrollment windows fall in July and then again in January, repeating on that six-month cycle.
Tip: Open enrollment is date-driven. Once you know the admission date, count forward in six-month increments to predict the next window.
Open enrollment is specifically for list changes, so it matters most when the approved list is full and someone new needs a spot. Actual visits are a separate process. Those are by appointment only, scheduled by contacting the prison where the person is housed.
Before you drive out for an in-person visit, call the prison the day before to confirm visitation status. That one step can save you from showing up on a day when visits aren't being held.
If you're applying to be approved as a visitor, get your paperwork together early. Applicants age 16 and older must attach an approved photo ID to the visitation application. For minors under 16, a copy of the child's birth certificate needs to be attached instead. Having those documents ready makes a real difference when you're trying to use an open enrollment window efficiently.
Sometimes you need a change outside the usual open enrollment timing. Maybe there's a mistake to correct, or an urgent situation comes up. Public guidance doesn't spell out a one-size-fits-all process for exceptions, so your best move is to contact the facility directly and ask what options exist for your specific case. When you call or write about a specific person in an NCDAC facility, have the offender's first name, last name, and offender ID number ready so staff can pull up the right record.
Have this ready when you call or email: offender first name, last name, and offender ID number.
Practical Tips
- ✓ For each applicant age 16 or older, make a copy of an approved photo ID to attach to the visitation application.
- ✓ For each minor under 16, make a copy of the child’s birth certificate to attach to the visitation application.
- ✓ If the prison asks for additional materials for processing, gather them before you submit anything so the application is complete.
- Find the admission date and mark the cycle - Open enrollment happens every six months based on the offender’s admission date.
- Use open enrollment to plan list changes - If the list is full, think through who needs to be on it, then get your required ID documents ready so applications can be processed.
- Schedule the actual visit and confirm before you go - Visits are by appointment with the housing prison. Call the day before the in-person visit to confirm visitation status.
The simplest way to avoid last-minute stress is to plan around the cap. The approved list can only include 18 people total (adults and minors combined), so decide early who truly needs to be on it before the next open enrollment window rolls around.
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