California Men's Colony (CMC) is a CDCR men's institution in San Luis Obispo, made up of two physically separate complexes on one property. The Level III East Facility holds Facilities A, B, C, D, and H, including a mental health crisis unit and a medical treatment center. The Level I and II West Facility holds Facilities E, F, G, and M, housed dormitory-style, including a firefighter program and a service-dog training program. This guide covers CDCR's statewide inmate locator, how to schedule a visit through the VSA system, sending money, free phone calls, and CMC's mail rules. All data is verified from cdcr.ca.gov.
City
San Luis Obispo
County
San Luis Obispo County
State
CA
Facility Type
state prison
Gender
Male
Capacity
Not published by CDCR as a fixed number; check the current Weekly Population Report
Custody Levels
Level III (East Facility, Facilities A, B, C, D, H) and Level I/II (West Facility, Facilities E, F, G, M)
Operator
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
Address
Colony Dr, San Luis Obispo, CA 93409
Phone
(805) 547-7900
Inmate Locator
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CDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, not a separate tool per prison. Here's how to confirm someone is at CMC and which facility they're in.
View ArticleYou need CDCR Form 106 approval first, then you book your visit through the statewide VSA system. East and West Facility have different visiting locations.
View ArticleCDCR's statewide money process: three vendors, a no-fee lock box, or a check to the person's P.O. Box.
View ArticleAll outgoing calls from CMC are free. Here's what we do and don't know about the tablet and messaging provider.
View ArticleCMC uses one P.O. Box for every incarcerated person, but you still need their housing designation on the envelope.
View ArticleCDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, CIRIS, not a separate tool per facility. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists California Men's Colony and ask the person which facility and housing unit they're in.
See the full breakdownYou need CDCR Form 106 signed by the incarcerated person and approved by CMC's Visiting Sergeant before you can schedule anything. Once approved, book through CDCR's statewide VSA system. Minimum Support Facility visits happen at the East Facility, not the West.
See the full breakdownCDCR uses one statewide money process: EFT through GTL/ConnectNetwork, JPay, or Access Corrections, a no-fee money order to JPay's lock box, or a no-fee check payable to CDCR to the person's P.O. Box. See the full CDCR send-money guide.
See the full breakdownAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide, limited to 15 minutes. We could not confirm which tablet and messaging provider CMC currently uses, so confirm with the institution directly.
See the full breakdownCMC uses a single P.O. Box for every incarcerated person, but the address still needs the person's specific housing designation so mail reaches the right unit.
See the full breakdown6 of 8 questions
Use CIRIS, the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search, at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists California Men's Colony and ask the person which facility and housing unit they're in.
Inmate SearchFriday 12:00pm to 7:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8:45am to 3:00pm. Walk-in visiting runs Friday 2:30-7:00pm and weekends 11:15am-3:00pm. Call (805) 547-7900 to confirm before you travel.
VisitationEast Facility is Level III and holds Facilities A, B, C, D, and H, including a mental health crisis unit and a medical treatment center. West Facility is Level I and II and holds Facilities E, F, G, and M, housed dormitory-style. Minimum Support Facility (MSF) visits happen at the East Facility, not the West, so confirm which side the person is on before you plan a trip.
AboutYes. CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, must be signed by the incarcerated person and mailed to CMC's Visiting Sergeant for a background check. Once approved, you schedule visits yourself through CDCR's VSA system. We didn't find a facility-specific handbook or a separate CMC visitor form beyond this standard CDCR process.
VisitationP.O. Box 8101, San Luis Obispo, CA 93409-8101, with an ATTN line for the person's full name, CDCR number, and current housing. Everyone at CMC shares the same P.O. Box number, but you still need their housing designation on the envelope so mail reaches the right unit.
MailCDCR uses one statewide money process. Send electronically through GTL/ConnectNetwork, JPay, or Access Corrections, mail a no-fee money order payable to JPay to the lock box, or mail a no-fee check payable to CDCR to the person's P.O. Box. See the full CDCR send-money guide for details.
Send MoneyAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide, limited to 15 minutes. We couldn't confirm which company currently runs CMC's tablet and messaging system. Call (805) 547-7900 to ask before you set up an account.
Phone CallsCalifornia Men's Colony (CMC) is a CDCR men's institution in San Luis Obispo, made up of two physically separate complexes on one property: a Level III East Facility and a Level I/II West Facility. East Facility includes a 50-bed Mental Health Crisis Bed Unit that opened in August 2013 and a Correctional Treatment Center that provides hospital-level care for CDCR inmates statewide. West Facility's Facility M houses inmate firefighters who work alongside Cal Fire, and Facility G runs the New Life K9 Program, training service dogs for first responders.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 20, 2026. Official source: cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/cmc ›