Tyger River Visiting Hours. Contact Visitation Explained

Tyger River Allows Contact Visitation

Tyger River is on SCDC’s list of contact-visit institutions, along with Allendale, Camille Graham, Evans, Goodman, Leath, Livesay, Manning, Palmer, Trenton, and Wateree River. That means you and the person you’re visiting can share a brief embrace and a kiss at the beginning and end of the visit, and can hold hands during it, unlike SCDC’s nine non-contact institutions where visitors sit behind plexiglass the entire time.

Visiting Hours

Visitation happens Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., scheduled in 2-hour blocks. There’s no visitation Monday through Friday for general population inmates. Each inmate can receive one visit per weekend, up to four visits per month.

Hours can shift around holidays or during institutional lockdowns. Call (803) 896-3501 before you travel to confirm nothing has changed.

Step 1. Get on the Approved Visitor List

Before scheduling anything, you need to be on the inmate’s approved visitor list, capped at 15 names. Effective Feb. 12, 2026, SCDC replaced its old paper application (Form 19-127, mailed in by the inmate) with a single online application at scdoc.gtlvisitme.com/app. Apply there and upload a photo of your driver’s license (or a long-form birth certificate for a minor applicant). If you were already an approved visitor before this change, you don’t need to reapply. Once approved, you’ll get an email confirmation, and the inmate receives an updated copy of their visitor list.

Minor children under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult who is also an approved visitor. If someone other than a parent brings a minor, a notarized Form 19-118 (“Authorization for Adult Supervision of a Minor”) is required.

If you have trouble with the online application, call SCDC’s Visitation Inquiry Line at (803) 896-1838, press 1, or email [email protected].

Step 2. Schedule Your Visit Through GTL

Book through the GTL scheduler at scdoc.gtlvisitme.com/app at least 15 hours ahead of your visit. Select Tyger River, choose an open 2-hour block on a Saturday or Sunday, and confirm. Create a GTL account first if you don’t already have one.

Who Can Visit

Each scheduled visit allows up to 4 visitors, at least one of whom must be an adult. Children of any age can join as long as an approved adult visitor brings them. Children age 10 and older need a state-issued photo ID; those younger than 10 need a long-form birth certificate.

What to Bring

Bring one small clear bag, one photo ID, and one set of car keys. If you take medication during the visit, bring only that single dose in its original, pharmacy-labeled container. Phones, smart watches, and other wireless devices stay in your car. Vending machines in the visitation area only accept debit or credit cards, no cash, as of July 1, 2024.

Dress Code

• Shirts and shoes are required.
• Shirts and dresses need sleeves. No tank tops or halter tops.
• No see-through fabric.
• Shorts allowed if no shorter than three inches above the knee.
• Dresses and skirts must be knee-length, no slit higher than three inches above the knee.
• No tight clothing, including spandex or leggings.
• No clothing with profane or offensive words or images.
• Approved jewelry: wedding ring, one pair of earrings, one religious medallion on a chain, one wristwatch, and a medical alert bracelet.
• Hairpieces and accessories are allowed but subject to search.

The duty warden makes the final call on any dress code question at the gate.

What’s Not Allowed

Bringing contraband onto SCDC property, drugs, alcohol, or weapons, is a felony resulting in arrest. Beyond that, visitors can’t loiter, walk or travel the perimeter road, photograph buildings or fences, yell at inmates or staff, or hand an inmate anything besides items purchased from vending machines. Leaving children unattended in a vehicle is also prohibited. Breaking a rule can end your visit immediately and lead to a suspension of two years, indefinitely, or permanently depending on severity.

If You Have Other Questions

Call Tyger River directly at (803) 896-3501. For general visitation questions not specific to this facility, email [email protected].