Understanding the 15-Person Visiting List Cap at Ohio Prisons (What Counts Toward the Limit)

At Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, an incarcerated person’s approved visiting list may include up to 15 adult visitors. Within that total, there’s also a separate restriction: no more than two of the approved adults can be listed as “friends.” That means even if there are open slots under the 15-person cap, the list still can’t include a third friend - those remaining spots need to be used for other approved adults who aren’t counted as friends under the facility’s rules.

How the list fills up usually comes down to “family” versus “friends,” especially because friends are capped at two. The visiting policy treats immediate family members, the incarcerated person’s children, and the other parent(s) of the incarcerated person’s children as the core people to be declared for visiting purposes. If your loved one is in reception status, adult visitors also have specific first-visit paperwork requirements: you’ll need a completed Visitor Application (DRC2096), plus signed forms acknowledging the rules (the Declaration of Understanding, DRC2554, and the General Visiting Instructions, DRC2274), along with a copy of bona fide identification.

1. Complete the Visitor Application (DRC2096) - Fill it out fully so your request can be processed.
2. Sign the Declaration of Understanding (DRC2554) - This is your acknowledgment that you understand the visiting rules.
3. Sign the General Visiting Instructions (DRC2274) - This confirms you’ve reviewed the standard visiting instructions.
4. Bring a copy of bona fide identification - Provide it at the time of your first visit during reception.

Even with the same statewide policy framework, the day-to-day visiting experience can look different by institution. At Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, the managing officer has discretion to set local visiting parameters, including the number of visitors allowed, how often visits happen, how long they last, how visit priority is handled, and what the visiting hours are. So while the visiting-list cap sets the outer limit of who can be approved, local operational rules still affect how visits actually work once people are on the list.

• ✓ Confirm the current visiting hours before you plan a trip (local schedules can be set by the managing officer).
• ✓ Ask how many visitors are allowed at one time during a visit.
• ✓ Ask about limits that affect how often or how long visits can be.
• ✓ Verify how the facility applies the 15-adult cap in practice when someone is trying to add or change approved visitors.

If you’re trying to plan a visiting list that won’t need constant changes, start with the limits and work backward. You’re choosing up to 15 approved adults total, with no more than two of those counted as friends - so the easiest way to avoid getting boxed in later is to reserve space for the people who are most central to your loved one’s support system. Also keep in mind that the managing officer can set local parameters like priority of visits, frequency, and duration, which is another reason to prioritize the visitors who are most likely to show up consistently and help your loved one stay connected.

1. Check who’s already approved - Have your loved one review their current approved adult visitors so you know how many of the 15 slots are already used.
2. Identify your non-negotiables first - Prioritize immediate family, children, and the other parent(s) of the children before filling in the remaining adult slots.
3. Use the “friends” spots carefully - Keep the list to no more than two friends, even if there are open spaces under the 15-adult cap.
4. Prep reception paperwork for first-time adult visitors - If the person will be visiting during reception, make sure they have DRC2096, DRC2554, DRC2274, and a copy of bona fide ID ready for the first visit.