How to Visit Someone at Sierra Conservation Center

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 SCC

Send the completed form to the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant at Sierra Conservation Center, using the institution’s staff mailing address, 5100 O’Byrnes Ferry Road, Jamestown, CA 95327, not the inmate mailing 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. Online scheduling opens Thursday at 6:00am and closes Tuesday at midnight, for appointments the following weekend. Requests sent by email won’t be reviewed.

SCC’s Visiting Hours

• Friday: 12:30pm to 7:00pm
• Saturday: 8:30am to 3:30pm
• Sunday: 8:30am to 3:00pm

You can’t arrive more than 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. If you arrive 15 or more minutes late, you’ll be treated as a walk-in and processed as time allows instead of getting your original slot.

Walk-In Visits

Walk-ins are accepted on a first come, first served basis during Friday 2:00pm-5:00pm, Saturday 9:30am-1:30pm, and Sunday 9:30am-1:00pm. Walk-in space isn’t guaranteed, and you can’t arrive on grounds more than 30 minutes before walk-in processing starts.

Non-Contact Visits

Non-contact visits aren’t booked through VSA. Instead, call (209) 984-5291, ext. 5232, Monday 8:00am through Tuesday 2:00pm to schedule. All non-contact visitors must arrive 30 minutes before their appointment start time.

Video Visitation

SCC no longer offers video visitation. In-person visiting and phone calls are the only ways to connect besides mail.

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 SCC. 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 in case.

Emergency and Hardship Visits

If you’re traveling a long distance and haven’t been approved yet, SCC 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.

If He’s at a Fire Camp Instead

SCC jointly operates 30 adult male conservation fire camps across the state. If the person you’re visiting is housed at a camp instead of the main SCC campus, confirm with SCC directly whether the visitation process, hours, and location differ from the main institution.