Scheduling and Cancelling Visits at South Carolina DOC: GTL Scheduler, the 15‑Hour Booking Rule, and the 48‑Hour Cancellation Policy
Planning a visit with someone in South Carolina DOC custody? Two timing rules trip people up most: you need to book through GTL far enough ahead, and you need to cancel early enough that the visit doesn't count against the person's monthly total.
South Carolina DOC requires all visits to be scheduled through GTL, and you must book at least 15 hours in advance. Try to schedule too close to the visit time and it won't go through. Plan ahead - especially if you're aiming for a specific day or time slot.
Can't make a scheduled visit? Cancel at least 48 hours beforehand. If you don't, the visit still counts toward the inmate's monthly total - even though nobody showed up. This matters if the person you're visiting is saving visits for family travel days, special occasions, or the end of the month.
Note: SCDC materials sometimes mention different timing for cancellations. To protect the inmate's monthly visit total, stick with the stricter 48-hour rule unless SCDC or GTL tells you otherwise for your specific situation.
Need to update the visitation list or fix a name change? Email VirtualVisitation@doc.sc.gov with your information and a copy of your ID, or call (803) 896-1838 and press #1, then leave your name and a good callback number.
For general visitation questions, reach the Visitation office at visitation@doc.sc.gov. You can also call the Visitation Inquiry Line at 803-896-1838 - press 1 for questions about the application process or to leave a message.
If you’re running into technical problems with GTL scheduling or virtual visits - login issues, the scheduler not working, or anything that feels like a system problem - call GTL Visitor Support at 1 (855) 208-7349.
Troubleshooting Checklist
- ✓ Schedule the visit through the GTL scheduler at least 15 hours ahead.
- ✓ If you can’t attend, cancel at least 48 hours in advance so the visit doesn’t count toward the inmate’s monthly visit total.
Common pitfall: Some guidance mentions canceling one day ahead or making changes two days ahead. Since that can conflict with the 48-hour policy affecting the monthly visit total, cancel as early as possible - and use the contacts above if you need clarification.
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