What Happens During the Search Process at Florida DOC Facilities (Visitor Guide)
Before you can visit someone at a Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) facility, you'll go through a required search. Both you and anything you bring will be screened. Knowing this upfront helps you avoid delays, denied entry, and last-minute stress at the front gate.
Searches at Florida DOC facilities are not optional. Every visitor must submit to a search of their person and their possessions before being admitted to the institution or allowed to visit (Florida DOC visitation form DC6-111B). No exceptions.
That "person and possessions" wording matters. Staff can screen you physically, and they can also inspect anything you try to bring in. Show up with items that aren't on the permitted list, or bring more than the allowed amount, and you'll need to secure those items offsite for the duration of your visit (as long as they're not contraband or illegal). Florida DOC staff will not hold or store items for visitors.
Refuse the search, and Florida DOC policy treats that as grounds to deny your visit. It can also affect future visits, not just the one you're trying to attend that day (Florida DOC visitation form DC6-111B).
Bottom line: If you don't agree to the search, expect to be turned away. Refusing can also put your future visiting access at risk.
How to Prepare
- ✓ Bring only what you are allowed to bring into the institution.
- ✓ Keep your belongings to a minimum so the search goes faster.
- ✓ Be ready for staff to search both you and any items you have with you before you are admitted.
- ✓ Do not bring items that are not permitted, or more than the permissible amounts, unless you have a plan to secure them offsite for the visit.
- Build extra time into your arrival. Searches happen before admission, so showing up early helps you avoid getting squeezed by lines or delays.
- Follow staff instructions calmly. The search is a condition of entry for all visitors, and cooperation keeps the process moving.
- Decide ahead of time whether you can comply. If you are not willing to be searched, plan to skip the visit, since refusal is grounds for denial of the current visit and future visits.
Here's a detail that catches people off guard: if you arrive with extra items or anything not on the permitted list, you'll need to find a secure location for them offsite for the duration of your visit (as long as they're not contraband or illegal). Staff cannot hold or store your property. Plan ahead so you're not forced to leave and miss your visiting window.
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