Can I Visit If I Have a Criminal Record? Stanislaus County's Visitor Approval Rules
Have a criminal record or active case? Your biggest question is probably whether Stanislaus County will approve you as a visitor. Here's who gets denied, the waiting periods you need to know about, and how to submit your request correctly.
Some situations are automatic denials in Stanislaus County. If you're currently on probation or have an open criminal case, your visitor application will be rejected. Your best bet? Wait until probation ends and your case is fully resolved before applying.
Safety/legal restriction: If you're identified as the victim of the incarcerated person, you cannot visit. The same applies if you have an active restraining order against them - you'll need to wait until it expires or a judge rescinds it.
Stanislaus County has a clear rule for past state prison time: if you've been confined in a state prison facility within the last five years, you won't be approved.
Recent county jail time can also pause your eligibility. If you've been incarcerated in any county jail, you must wait 30 days after release before visiting someone at Stanislaus County.
Certain charges trigger a longer waiting period. If you were incarcerated for weapons, violence, or any felony controlled substances, you can't visit for three years. That clock starts from whichever comes last: your release from custody, final disposition of your sentence, or release from probation (or another alternative to custody).
Plan ahead: Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled visit so you have time for visitor check-in.
- Make sure you have an email address - you’ll need it to register for visitor approval and to schedule visitation.
- Complete the visitor request forms fully - incomplete forms won’t be accepted or submitted, so double-check everything before you turn it in.
- List any minors on the request form - minors have to be listed on the visitor’s request form before they can be approved to visit.
Once you submit your request, expect a 72 business hour processing window. Plan around this timeline before trying to schedule or show up for a visit.
ID-and-checkin
- ✓ Bring valid government-issued photo ID every time you visit.
- ✓ Make sure the ID shows your name.
- ✓ Make sure the ID shows your date of birth.
- ✓ Make sure the ID shows a physical description.
- ✓ Make sure the ID shows your signature.
Even with approval, timing matters. Stanislaus County asks visitors to arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled visit for check-in. Factor that into your travel and parking time.
Denied? You still have options. The Sheriff's Office posts visitor appeal forms online, and you can follow the appeal process in their visitation rules. If you reapply later, remember that requests take 72 business hours to process - give it time before expecting an update.
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