Penmate Inmate Support Guides
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What to Know Before You Add an Inmate to Your Visitor Profile (relationship verification & timing)

Adding someone to your TDCJ visitation profile is usually straightforward. But two things trip people up: using the right ID number and waiting for the unit to verify your relationship. Here's how it works—and what to watch for.

• 2 min read • tdcj.texas.gov
What to Know Before You Add an Inmate to Your Visitor Profile (relationship verification & timing)

To add an inmate in the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler, you'll need their 8-digit TDCJ number or SID number. The system rejects anything that isn't exactly 8 digits, so double-check before searching. Don't have the number? Use the TDCJ Offender Search on the TDCJ website first, then come back to the scheduler once you've confirmed it.

Tip: If you’re missing the inmate’s 8-digit TDCJ/SID number, look it up using the TDCJ Offender Search on the TDCJ website before you try to add them to your profile.

You'll need your own TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler account before you can do any of this. TDCJ staff can't create one for you - that's on you. Once your account exists, staff can help with updates like correcting your name or address.

  1. Search using the 8-digit TDCJ or SID number - This is required to find the correct person in the scheduler.
  2. Choose your relationship - Use the relationship dropdown to select how the inmate is related to you.
  3. Click “Request Approval” - This submits your relationship request.
  4. Confirm the request - When the confirmation message appears, click “Ok” to send it.
  5. Wait for unit verification - Your request is sent to the inmate’s unit of assignment and stays pending until the unit approves it.

After you submit the request, it won't go live right away. The scheduler sends your relationship request to the inmate's assigned unit, where TDCJ staff verify the connection. Until they approve it, your request stays in pending status - meaning you can't schedule a visit yet.

What to Know Before You Add an Inmate to Your Visitor Profile (relationship verification & timing)

While you wait, keep an eye on where the scheduler shows your status. Requests that haven't been approved yet appear under

Note: The “Schedule Visit” option is tied to your relationship status. If it’s missing, blank, or shows something like “Call Unit,” your relationship may still be pending or needs the unit’s help to resolve.

  1. Check “Relation Requests Pending Approval” - If your name/inmate shows here, the request is still waiting on the unit.
  2. Look under “Verified Inmate Relations” - Once approved, the inmate should move into this verified section.
  3. Re-check the scheduling area - After verification, the “Schedule Visit” option should become available for that verified relationship.
  4. Call the inmate’s unit of assignment if the scheduler tells you to - If the button stays blank or displays “Call Unit,” contact the inmate’s unit for guidance on what’s holding it up.

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