Tabor CI Visiting Hours. How to Get Approved and Schedule a Visit

Step 1. Get on the Approved Visitor List

Before you can set foot inside Tabor CI, you must be on the approved visitor list. The process works like this: the person inside requests blank visitor application forms from the facility and mails them to you. You fill out the form and return it to Tabor CI. Adults 16 and older must attach a copy of a valid photo ID. For minors under 16, attach a copy of their birth certificate.

Clergy may be approved in addition to the standard 18-person limit. Once you are approved, you stay on the list. NC DAC holds open enrollment every 6 months, so if someone new wants to be added, they can apply during the next enrollment window.

Do not head to Tabor City until you have confirmed approval.

Step 2. Book Your Appointment

Tabor CI does not publish visiting hours online. To schedule a visit, contact the facility:

• Phone: (910) 653-6413
• Email: [email protected]

Book at least 48 hours before your planned visit. Call again the day before to confirm the appointment is still on. Lockdowns, staffing issues, or other facility events can cause visits to be cancelled or rescheduled with little notice. A quick confirmation call can save you a long trip for nothing.

If your person is in close custody versus the minimum annex, the visit days may differ. Ask when you call which unit they are in and what days apply.

Visitor Limits Per Session

Each session allows up to 3 visitors. Each inmate is limited to one session per week with a maximum of 2 hours. Plan who is coming in advance so you do not exceed the per-session cap. Legal visits, law enforcement visits, and clergy visits do not count against the weekly session limit.

Video Visits

If you cannot make it in person, video visits are available through the GettingOut app. Download GettingOut from GettingOut.com or your device’s app store. You can schedule a visit or request an on-demand visit if the person has a tablet. Video visits are a practical option if you live far from Tabor City or need a mid-week connection.

What to Bring

Bring one valid government-issued photo ID. Acceptable options include a driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, passport card, or military ID. Expired IDs are not accepted.

Leave cell phones, smartwatches, cameras, AI glasses, and other prohibited devices in your car or at home. You will not be allowed to bring them inside.

For minor children, bring a copy of their birth certificate. If a family member who is not the parent or legal guardian is bringing a child, check with the facility about whether a notarized permission form is required.

Security Screening

All visitors 16 and older go through a pat or frisk search and electronic device screening upon entry. Tabor CI also uses metal detectors. Underwire bras, metal shanks, and metal belt buckles can set off the detector. Wear a non-underwire bra if possible. If you have a medical device (pacemaker, metal implant), bring a physician’s statement in advance.

Nothing is allowed in the visitation area that was not approved by staff.

Dress Code

Tabor CI enforces a dress code. Violating it can result in being turned away. The following are not allowed:

• Halter tops, tube tops, strapless tops, or tank tops
• Bare midriffs
• Fishnet or see-through clothing
• Spandex
• Shorts, skirts, or dresses more than 3 inches above the kneecap
• Wave caps, doo rags, or bandanas
• Pants worn below the waist
• Clothing with STG (security threat group) imagery or profane graphics

Dress in plain, modest clothing. When in doubt, err on the side of conservative.

What’s Not Allowed

Visitors cannot bring contraband into Tabor CI. Attempting to introduce drugs, weapons, alcohol, or unauthorized items is a felony under North Carolina law. This includes items passed during a visit.

You also cannot give anything to the person or receive anything from them during the visit unless it has been explicitly pre-approved by facility staff.

Close Custody vs. Minimum Annex

Tabor CI houses both close custody and minimum custody populations. The minimum annex, which holds roughly 252 people, opened in June 2014. Visit days, locations, and procedures may differ between the main unit and the annex. Confirm which unit applies when you call to schedule.

Getting to Tabor City

Tabor CI sits at 4600 Swamp Fox Highway West in Tabor City, Columbus County. Tabor City is in the southeastern corner of North Carolina near the South Carolina border. The trip from Raleigh takes about 2.5 hours. From Wilmington it is roughly 1 hour. Plan your route in advance. Before you leave, confirm the person is still at Tabor CI using the NC OPI inmate search.