Pelican Bay State Prison is a CDCR institution in Del Norte County on California's far north coast, opened in 1989 and housing roughly 2,000 people across custody Levels I, II, and IV. This guide covers CDCR's statewide inmate locator, scheduling a visit through the VSA system, sending money to a trust account, phone calls (currently ViaPath, transitioning to Securus in August 2026), and mail rules. All data is verified from cdcr.ca.gov.
City
Crescent City
County
Del Norte 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 I through Level IV, including a Restricted Housing Unit
Operator
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
Address
5905 Lake Earl Drive, Crescent City, CA 95531
Phone
(707) 465-1000
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CDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, not a separate tool per prison. Here's how to use it to confirm someone is at PBSP.
View ArticleYou need CDCR Form 106 approval first, then you book your visit through the statewide VSA system.
View ArticleDeposits go through JPay statewide, or by mail directly to the institution.
View ArticleAll outgoing calls from PBSP are free. Here's the current status of the tablet transition to Securus.
View ArticleInmate mail and general correspondence both go to PBSP's institution P.O. Box.
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 Pelican Bay State Prison.
See the full breakdownYou need CDCR Form 106 signed by the incarcerated person and approved by PBSP's Visiting Sergeant/Lieutenant before you can schedule anything. Once approved, book through CDCR's statewide VSA system.
See the full breakdownJPay processes deposits statewide: online, by phone, or by mailing a money order to JPay's lockbox. You can also mail a check or money order payable to CDCR directly to PBSP, with a 30-day hold.
See the full breakdownAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide. PBSP is still on ViaPath Technologies as of this guide's last check, with a transition to Securus scheduled to begin August 3, 2026.
See the full breakdownInmate and general correspondence both go to PBSP's institution P.O. Box, separate from the staff-only mailing address.
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 Pelican Bay State Prison.
Inmate SearchFriday 12:30pm to 6:45pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8:45am to 2:45pm. Restricted Housing Unit visits run shorter, separate hours: Friday 12:00-3:00pm, Saturday/Sunday 8:15-11:15am. Call (707) 465-1000, ext. 5425, to confirm before you travel.
VisitationYes. CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, must be signed by the incarcerated person and mailed to PBSP's Visiting Sergeant/Lieutenant for a background check before you're added to the approved visitor list. Once approved, you schedule visits yourself through CDCR's VSA system.
VisitationCDCR doesn't publish a single downloadable family handbook PDF. Instead, its Prepare to Visit section on cdcr.ca.gov walks through ID requirements, attire rules, what you can bring, and what happens during processing, as a set of live webpages instead of one document.
AboutAs of this guide's last verification, PBSP is still on ViaPath Technologies. CDCR's published rollout schedule has PBSP transitioning to Securus Technologies starting August 3, 2026 for phones and August 4-7 for tablets. Confirm the current provider directly with the institution if you're visiting near that date.
Phone CallsP.O. Box 7500, Crescent City, CA 95532. This is the institution's inmate mail address, separate from the staff address, P.O. Box 7000.
MailPBSP is a CDCR institution in Crescent City, Del Norte County, that opened December 1, 1989 as a maximum-security prison. It's been operating for over three decades and now houses custody levels from Level I minimum support up through a Restricted Housing Unit.
AboutYes. Programs include GED and high school diploma completion, college partnerships with College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt, vocational training, a CALPIA laundry industry, substance abuse treatment, and an on-site Family Liaison Service Specialist for family reunification support.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 15, 2026. Official source: cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/pbsp ›