Can You Bring a Debit or Credit Card to Visits? What Changed in July 2024 at SCDC

Starting July 1, 2024, visitation vending machines at Broad River, Evans, Kirkland, Kershaw, Lee, Lieber, McCormick, Perry, Turbeville, and Tyger River switched to debit/credit cards only. PayKeys are no longer accepted at these institutions' visitation vending machines.

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• ✓ Accepted card brands: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express
• ✓ Prepaid debit cards are not accepted and may not be brought into the institution
• ✓ Only one debit/credit card may be brought in per visiting group (or per employee)

"One card per visiting group" means exactly that - your whole group brings a single debit/credit card inside, not one per person. The policy also limits employees to one card each.

1. Bring one accepted debit/credit card for your group - Plan for a single card to cover vending purchases during the visit.
2. Leave prepaid debit cards at home - They aren’t accepted and may not be brought into the institution.
3. Use the card for visitation vending machines - At the institutions under the July 2024 change, vending is debit/credit card only.

This July 1, 2024 vending change only applies to specific institutions: Broad River, Evans, Kirkland, Kershaw, Lee, Lieber, McCormick, Perry, Turbeville, and Tyger River. Visiting somewhere else? Confirm what the visitation vending machines accept before you go.

Not sure if your card will work? Contact the SCDC Visitation office at visitation@doc.sc.gov or call 803-896-1838 (press 1 for application questions and to leave a message).

If your card isn't an accepted type, you'll need a different approach that fits that institution's visitation rules. One important note: don't bring a prepaid debit card as a backup. Prepaid debit cards aren't accepted and can't be brought into the institution.