How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visiting at Statesville Correctional Center takes some prep, but it's manageable once you know the rules. Complete the on-site visit sign-up without long pauses — the system times out after 30 minutes of inactivity and can cancel your session. Arrive at least 10 minutes early. People, vehicles, and anything brought onto State property are subject to search. Adult visitors (18+) need two forms of ID, including one state-issued photo ID, plus vehicle information. First-time visitors must complete the required PVI form before arriving. Leave electronics, food, drinks, purses, and keys out of the visiting room. Free small lockers are available — you'll carry the locker key inside. No medication is allowed except properly labeled, physician-prescribed heart medication or inhalers. Dress code rules: knee-length bottoms, no see-through clothing, nothing sexually explicit.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Dress-code problems are one of the most preventable reasons visits get denied. Follow the rules below, and you'll have the best shot at clearing check-in without delays—or getting turned away at the door.
Scheduling a visit at Statesville? The most common avoidable frustration is getting kicked out halfway through. The system times out after 30 minutes of inactivity — a little prep beforehand saves you from starting over.
Your first in-person visit to Statesville Correctional Center goes much smoother when you handle approval and scheduling in the right order. Follow these steps so you don't make the drive only to get turned away at the door.
Your first in-person visit goes smoothly when you handle the basics in the right order. Here's how to confirm where your loved one is housed, make sure you're on the approved list, schedule online, and show up ready for check-in.
Your first in-person visit at an Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facility goes smoothly when you tackle it in order: confirm where the person is housed, make sure you're on the approved visitor list, schedule online, and show up ready for check-in.
Dress code is one of the fastest ways to get turned away at Statesville. Keep things conservative—especially around length, coverage, and graphics—and you'll make it through check-in without surprises.
Setting up a video visit at Statesville? Three rules catch people off guard: nothing can be booked from 2:30pm–4:30pm, the person in custody gets only one video visit per day (two per week max), and certain on-screen behavior will end the visit immediately.
Video visits are a solid way to stay connected, but they go smoother when you know the system and prep your device ahead of time. Here's how video visitation works at Statesville and what to do before your scheduled time.
Setting up a video visit with someone in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC)? Most of the frustration comes down to timing—when you can schedule, which hours are blocked, and how many visits are allowed each week. Here's how ICSolutions scheduling actually works so you can book a time that sticks.
A smooth visit starts with packing light. Here's what you'll need to get into Statesville Correctional Center—and what to leave behind.
Your first visit to Statesville Correctional Center goes smoother when you show up with the right documents—and leave everything else in your car or a locker. Here's a quick packing guide so you're not turned away at the door.
Plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled visit time at Stateville Correctional Center. That buffer matters. Check-in and screening take a few minutes, and showing up late can cost you the visit entirely.
IDOC visiting rooms have strict rules about what comes through the door. Pack light, bring the right ID, and use the checklists below to avoid delays or getting turned away.
A visit goes smoother when you walk in with the right ID and leave everything else in your car. Use this checklist to avoid getting stopped at the door or having your visit cut short.
You have 30 minutes of inactivity before the Statesville visit sign-up session times out. Complete the sign-up in one go so your session doesn’t get canceled.
Adults must bring two forms of identification, including one state-issued photo ID, and be prepared to provide vehicle information. Before your first visit, prospective adult visitors (except legal visitors and government officials) must complete the Prospective Visitor’s Interview (PVI) form.
No. Electronics, food, drink, purses, and keys aren’t allowed in the visiting room. Use the free small lockers to secure personal items and carry the locker key into the facility; expect searches of people, vehicles, and belongings on arrival.
If you send a letter to someone at Statesville, they won't get the physical paper. Most non-privileged mail is scanned and delivered to their tablet as a PDF image instead.
Mail rules can get confusing fast—especially when you're trying to reach a loved one. Here's how Statesville handles incoming mail, what won't be accepted, and how to request a Mail Stop or Phone Restriction.
Sending mail to someone in IDOC custody? Here's the key thing to know: most non-privileged mail gets digitized and delivered to their tablet as a scan. Publications follow different rules — including a publisher-only requirement that kicks in September 30, 2025.
