
MCC San Diego
San Diego, California
Visiting schedule
Typical hours from the facility's visiting regulations.
Visits must be scheduled in advance
Visits at this detention center are scheduled through the inmate's Unit Team in advance - you cannot simply walk in during visiting hours.
Before you book anything, ask your loved one which day and time they're assigned — by phone, email or letter — and confirm it with the facility. The calendar shows every possible visiting day at this facility, not necessarily theirs.
Main institution
- Monday8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Friday8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Sunday8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- No visiting: Tue, Wed, Thu
8:00 AM–7:00 PM
No visiting
No visiting
No visiting
8:00 AM–7:00 PM
8:00 AM–7:00 PM
8:00 AM–7:00 PM
Rotation: Point system: pre-trial/holdover inmates get 8 points/month, designated (sentenced) inmates get 12 points/month. A weekday visit = 1 point, a weekend/holiday visit = 2 points. Once points are used up, no more visits until the next month. Only one 1-hour visiting period per inmate per day. No processing from 1:30pm-2:00pm for shift change.
Special Housing Unit (SHU)
- Tuesday8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- No visiting: Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
No visiting
8:00 AM–7:00 PM
8:00 AM–7:00 PM
No visiting
No visiting
No visiting
No visiting
Rotation: Special Housing Unit (SHU) social visits are non-contact only, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Max visitors at once
3
Appointment required
Yes
Points / frequency: Pre-trial/holdover inmates: 8 points/month. Designated (sentenced) inmates: 10 visitors max on their list and 12 points/month. Weekday visit = 1 point, weekend/holiday visit = 2 points; unused points don't carry over.
Visiting can be cancelled for lockdowns, weather or count problems. Call the facility the day before you travel.
Dress code
- No medical scrubs, bathing suits, sweatsuits/sweatpants, shorts of any kind
- No see-through, mesh, bare-back, low-cut, or excessively tight clothing
- No dresses/skirts more than 3 inches above the knee, no high slits
- No tube tops, tank tops, halter tops, crop tops, or sleeveless garments (unless layered with a jacket/cardigan)
- No hats, caps, hoods, or scarves (except for medical/religious reasons)
- No open-toe or open-back shoes (including Crocs, sandals, flip-flops); closed-toe shoes required
- No khaki or green military-style clothing
You may bring
- Valid state or government photo ID (16 and older; Mexican consulate IDs not accepted)
- Prescription eyeglasses for the visitor's own use
- For infants: 2 diapers, wipes, and 2 premade bottles, carried in a clear plastic bag (max 12x12 inches)
- Life-preserving medication only (e.g., asthma inhaler, nitroglycerin), limited to a one-hour supply
Not allowed
- Packages, handbags, shopping bags, briefcases, pagers, cell phones
- Food, drinks, tobacco, gum, candy
- Smart watches, smart glasses, or any cellular/Wi-Fi capable device
- Packages or gifts of any kind for the inmate
- Papers to be signed or exchanged during social visits
Good to know
- ID requirements
- Visitors 16 and older, including legal visitors, need valid state or government photo ID (driver's license, military ID, passport, state/local ID); Mexican consulate matrícula cards are not accepted.
- Children
- Children under 2 who sit on an adult's lap don't count as a visitor. Visitors under 18 not accompanied by an approved parent/guardian/immediate family member must be verified as the inmate's immediate family, with written parental/guardian consent on file. Children under 5 may wear shorts, sweatpants, or sweatshirts (otherwise not allowed for adults).
- Vending machines
- No vending machines mentioned; food, drinks, gum, and candy of any kind are prohibited in the visiting room.
- Money you may bring
- None — money/currency is not authorized in the visiting room
- Social visits are appointment-based — visitors must be on the Unit Team's approved schedule/list in advance; walk-ins are not admitted
- If an attorney and a social visitor arrive to sign in at the same time, the attorney gets priority
- Restrooms are not usable during the visit — use them in the Front Lobby beforehand
- Check bop.gov's Public Site Update Tool for visitation status if there's been a disruptive event
Getting there
Closest airports
San Diego
San Diego International Airport
6 min drive · 3 mi
Carlsbad
McClellan-Palomar Airport
44 min drive · 34 mi
Santa Ana
John Wayne Orange County International Airport
1 hr 45 min drive · 86 mi
Imperial
Imperial County Airport
2 hr 14 min drive · 117 mi
Hotels near the facility
Ranked by drive time to the facility gate.
- Check prices
Panama-Senator Hotel
0 min drive
- Check prices
The Sofia Hotel
1 min drive
- Check prices
The Bristol Hotel
1 min drive · San Diego
- Check prices
Golden West
1 min drive
- Check prices
The Westin San Diego
1 min drive
- Check prices
The Guild Hotel, San Diego, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
1 min drive · San Diego
- Check prices
Gaslamp Quarter Hotel
1 min drive · San Diego
- Check prices
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
1 min drive · San Diego