How to Visit Someone at Pelican Bay State Prison

Step 1. Get on the Approved Visitor List

Before you can schedule anything, the person you want to visit must request CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, and send it to you. They have to sign it themselves, confirming they agree to add you to their visitor list.

Step 2. Fill Out the Questionnaire Completely

The form asks for every arrest and conviction you’ve ever had, even ones that never led to charges. CDCR runs a background check against California’s law enforcement records system, and an unlisted arrest or conviction that turns up in that check is a common reason for denial. If you’re unsure of exact dates, give your best approximate answer instead of leaving it blank.

Step 3. Mail the Questionnaire to Pelican Bay

Send the completed form to the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant at Pelican Bay State Prison, using the institution’s staff mailing address, P.O. Box 7000, not the inmate mail address. Processing time varies by how many applications the institution is working through at a given time.

Step 4. Wait for Approval or Denial

If approved, both you and the incarcerated person are notified, and you’re added to the system as an approved visitor. You don’t need to carry proof of approval with you. If denied, you’ll get a letter explaining why. You can resubmit a corrected questionnaire, or appeal in writing to the Warden, and then to CDCR’s Division of Adult Institutions if you disagree with the outcome.

Step 5. Schedule Your Visit Through VSA

Once approved, book your actual visit date and time through CDCR’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) at cdcr.gtlvisitme.com/app. Regular visiting runs Friday 12:30pm to 6:45pm and Saturday and Sunday 8:45am to 2:45pm. Pelican Bay is in a remote corner of the state, close to the Oregon border, so it’s especially worth calling the Visiting office at (707) 465-1000, ext. 5425, to confirm hours before you head out.

PBSP’s Visiting Hours

• Friday: 12:30pm to 6:45pm
• Saturday: 8:45am to 2:45pm
• Sunday: 8:45am to 2:45pm

If the person you’re visiting is housed in the Restricted Housing Unit (RHU), visiting hours are shorter and separate: Friday 12:00pm to 3:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:15am to 11:15am. Confirm which visiting schedule applies before you travel, since RHU housing isn’t something you can always tell from the inmate locator alone.

Walk-In Visits

Pelican Bay accepts a limited number of walk-in visits that don’t require advance VSA booking, during Friday 2:30pm to 5:45pm and Saturday/Sunday 10:00am to 1:45pm. Walk-in space isn’t guaranteed, so a scheduled VSA visit is the more reliable option if you’re traveling any distance.

What to Bring

Every adult visitor needs valid, unexpired photo ID: a driver’s license from any state, a state DMV ID card, a military ID, an ICE identification card, a US or foreign passport, or a Mexican Consulate photo ID. You don’t need to bring proof of your visitor approval since it’s tracked electronically.

Bringing Children

Minors under 18 must be accompanied by an approved adult visitor. If a parent brings their own child, you only need a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate. If a legal guardian brings the child, bring the birth certificate plus proof of guardianship. If someone other than a parent or legal guardian brings the child, you additionally need a notarized written consent form signed by the parent or guardian, naming the incarcerated person, the adult authorized to bring the child, and the visit dates. This consent form has to be renewed every year.

Dress Code

CDCR’s attire rules apply at every institution, including Pelican Bay. Avoid anything resembling state-issued clothing (blue chambray or denim), law enforcement or military-style clothing, and anything metal that won’t clear a detector, like an underwire bra. Specific restrictions include no strapless, halter, bare midriff, sheer, or transparent clothing, no skirts or shorts more than two inches above the knee, no clothing exposing the breast, genitals, or buttocks, no tight or form-fitting attire, no wigs or hairpieces without prior medical approval, and no hats or gloves without prior approval or bad weather. Children under 36 inches tall are exempt from the clothing color and material rules, though they still have to clear the metal detector.

What’s Not Allowed

Visitors can be turned away for clothing that doesn’t meet the dress code, for being under the influence, or for bringing prohibited items into the visiting area. If an officer says your outfit isn’t acceptable and you believe it complies with the rules, you can ask to speak with the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant, who has the final say. Many CDCR institutions run a Visitor Center that lends clean, appropriate clothing if yours is rejected, though funding for these centers isn’t always consistent, so it’s smart to keep a backup outfit in your car.

Emergency and Hardship Visits

If you’re traveling more than 250 miles and haven’t been approved yet, PBSP staff may allow an emergency or hardship visit at their discretion. This isn’t guaranteed, so plan ahead and submit your Form 106 well before any trip that includes a visit, especially given how remote Crescent City is.