How to Visit York County Prison (PA)
Visiting someone at York County Prison takes a little planning. Here are the facility-specific rules that most often trip people up, plus what to double-check before you go.
If you want to put money on a resident's account, York County Prison has cash deposit kiosks in each visiting area. They're available during normal visiting hours, so you can handle everything in one trip.
You can also deposit money online through the facility's current commissary or tablet vendor. Vendor arrangements do change, so double-check that you're using whichever option York County Prison is currently directing families to.
Do not mail in money for an account deposit. York County Prison does not accept personal checks, money orders, or cash sent through the mail.
Keep the resident's individual account in mind when depositing. Transfers between inmate accounts are prohibited at York County Prison, so funds can't be moved from one person's account to another.
Heads up: If the inmate owes fines, costs, or restitution, a percentage of any money you deposit may be applied to those debts.
York County Prison has a visitor eligibility rule that catches some people off guard: former residents may not visit for 6 months after their release.
Pay attention to the entry window. You can enter the prison 10 minutes before your scheduled visit, but not earlier. Don't assume you can show up far ahead of time and walk right in.
Steps to Follow
- ✓ Use the cash kiosks in each visiting area during normal visiting hours if you want to deposit cash in person.
- ✓ Use the facility’s current online commissary or tablet vendor option if you need to deposit money remotely.
- ✓ Do not mail personal checks, money orders, or cash. York County Prison does not accept these through the mail.
- ✓ Deposit funds directly to the correct person. Transfers between inmate accounts are prohibited.
- ✓ Expect that some of what you deposit may be taken for fines, costs, or restitution if the inmate owes them.
- ✓ If you were previously incarcerated at York County Prison, you cannot visit for 6 months after release.
- ✓ Plan your timing around the entry window. You may enter the prison up to 10 minutes before the scheduled visit.
Before you go, confirm the current visiting hours for the day you plan to come. If you're counting on adding money in person, verify that the cash kiosks in the visiting areas will be available during your visit's time slot. Also confirm which online commissary or tablet vendor the facility is currently using.
If you're budgeting for commissary, ask how deposits are handled when someone has outstanding fines, costs, or restitution, since a percentage of deposited funds may go toward those debts. It's also worth confirming there are no exceptions to the "no mail" rule for checks, money orders, or cash, and re-checking that transfers between inmate accounts are still prohibited.
Verify before you leave home: Confirm you're eligible to visit (remember the 6-month restriction for former residents) and that you understand the entry timing rule (you can enter 10 minutes before your scheduled visit). Ask about ID requirements and dress code details too, since those can determine whether you're allowed in.
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