Target URL: /information/video-visitation-in-arkansas (confirm path with Selva)
Links up to: /prisons/arkansas (state hub)
Editorial: no em dashes, plain former-insider voice, FAQ headings under 60 chars, NO hardcoded per-minute prices in body
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Inmate Video Visitation in Arkansas
If you are trying to see someone who is locked up in Arkansas, video visitation is widely available here, in both the state prison system and most county jails. But how it works, what it costs, and whether you can still visit in person depend on which system is holding your person.
Arkansas runs on three separate systems for visiting: the state prison system run by the Arkansas Division of Correction, part of the Department of Corrections, the county and city jails run by sheriffs, and the federal system run by the Bureau of Prisons. Each handles video differently. This guide walks through all three, tells you which facilities offer video, and shows you how to set it up without wasting money.
Do Arkansas state prisons offer video visitation?
Yes. The Arkansas Division of Correction offers both in-person and video visitation at its state prisons, and its community correction centers offer video as well. Video runs on the Securus system, using kiosks at the units, and you connect from home on a computer, smartphone, or tablet.
A few specifics worth knowing about the state system. You have to be on the inmate's approved phone and visitor list before you can schedule anything, and the approval process generally takes about a week after you apply. Video sessions are 30 minutes, must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, and run on a set per-session cost. All visits are monitored, recording or photographing a video visit is strictly prohibited and will cost you your visiting privileges, and one thing specific to Arkansas: attorneys are not allowed to use the state's video visitation system, so legal visits happen another way. Because the schedule and rules vary by unit, the specific facility's page is where you confirm the details.
County and city jails
This is where video visitation in Arkansas is most common, and where it most often replaces in-person visiting entirely. Many Arkansas county jails have moved to video as the primary or only way to see someone, so this is the single most important thing to check before you plan a visit: at a lot of jails, sitting across a table from your person is no longer an option.
A few examples of how this looks around the state. Benton County, in the northwest, does all visits by video, onsite at the jail or remotely from home, and allows a set number of short visits per week. Washington County, in Fayetteville, offers a free lobby kiosk along with paid remote video, scheduled through its vendor. Pulaski County, the Little Rock area and the largest jail in the state, runs scheduled video visits booked at least 24 hours ahead during posted daytime windows. Your county may run things differently, and vendors change, so the facility's own page is always the place to confirm.
How county jail video visitation usually works
There are two formats, and the difference matters for your wallet.
Onsite video is when you travel to the jail and use a kiosk in the lobby or visitation area to talk to the person, who stays in their housing unit. You are on a screen rather than face to face, but onsite sessions are often free. You usually still have to schedule them in advance.
Remote video is when you connect from home using a smartphone, tablet, or computer, through the jail's vendor app or website. This is the convenient option, and it is the one that usually costs money, charged either per minute or as a flat fee per session. Remote sessions also have to be scheduled ahead of time, often a day in advance.
Because the price depends entirely on the vendor and the specific jail, this guide does not quote rates. Federal rules that took effect through 2024 to 2026 pushed video visitation costs down at many facilities, so the current price is whatever your jail's vendor lists at the time you book. Always check the rate on the facility's page or in the vendor app before you pay.
Setting up a video visit
The steps are similar from jail to jail, even though the vendor changes:
First, find out which vendor your jail uses. Arkansas jails use a range of them, including JailATM, ICSolutions, Smart Communications, and HomeWAV, while the state prison system uses Securus. The jail's page lists the one it uses. Do not create an account with the wrong vendor, because they do not transfer.
Second, create an account with that vendor and verify your identity. You will need a valid government photo ID.
Third, add your incarcerated person to your account using their full name and inmate or booking number, and make sure you are on their approved visitor list.
Fourth, schedule a session, choosing onsite or remote, pick an open time slot, and pay for the session if it is a paid remote visit. Save the confirmation.
Fifth, for a remote visit, test your device, camera, and internet ahead of time, and log in a few minutes early. If the technology fails on the facility's end, ask the vendor about a credit or refund.
Federal and immigration custody
If your person is in federal prison in Arkansas, that is the Bureau of Prisons, which runs its own visitation system, primarily in-person, with video used in limited circumstances. Arkansas's main federal facility is the Forrest City complex in eastern Arkansas, which includes a low-security and a medium-security institution plus a camp, and there is also FCI Texarkana on the Texas border. You arrange visits through the specific federal facility, not through any county or state vendor.
If your person is in immigration custody, the facility holding them handles visitation under its own rules, which may include video. Use the federal ICE Online Detainee Locator and the person's A-Number to find them, then confirm visitation through that facility. In all of these cases, find the specific facility on InmateAid and follow the instructions on its page.
A note on staying connected
Video visits are one piece of staying in touch, and they are not the cheapest or most reliable one. Mail still reaches almost everyone in custody, it is the steadiest form of contact, and a person who hears from home regularly does easier time. Phone calls are the other backbone. Many families use a mix: mail as the constant, calls for regular contact, and video visits when they want to actually see each other's faces. To set any of this up for the specific facility holding your loved one, find that facility on InmateAid and follow the instructions on its page, since the vendor, the rules, and the costs are different at every facility.
[Internal link block to render at foot of article:]
- See every prison, jail, and detention center in Arkansas: /prisons/arkansas
- Understand the new 2026 call and video rates: link to FCC Prison Phone Rate Caps 2026 guide
- Search arrest records across Arkansas: Arrest Record Search (honestly labeled affiliate)
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Frequently asked questions
Does Arkansas offer inmate video visitation?
Yes, widely. The state prison system offers both in-person and video, and most county jails offer video, often as the primary or only option. Federal prisons use mostly in-person with limited video.
Do Arkansas state prisons have video visits?
Yes. The Arkansas Division of Correction offers video through Securus, using kiosks at the units, alongside in-person visiting. Community correction centers also offer video. You must be on the approved visitor list and schedule in advance.
How do I video visit an Arkansas state inmate?
Get on the inmate's approved phone and visitor list first, which takes about a week after you apply, then schedule a 30-minute video session at least 48 hours in advance through Securus. Check the unit's page for current rules and cost.
Can attorneys use the state video system?
No. Arkansas specifically does not allow attorneys to use the state prison video visitation system, so legal visits are arranged another way. This applies to the Division of Correction's system. Attorneys should contact the unit directly.
Which Arkansas jails use video visitation?
Most county jails, including Benton, Washington, and Pulaski (Little Rock). Many have replaced in-person jail visits with video entirely, so at those jails video is the only way to see someone. Confirm on the facility's page.
How much does jail video visitation cost?
It depends on the jail and its vendor. Onsite visits at the jail are often free, while remote visits from home usually cost a per-minute or per-session fee. Federal rate changes through 2026 lowered costs at many facilities. Check the current rate before you book.
Are onsite video visits free in Arkansas jails?
Often yes. Many Arkansas jails let you use a lobby kiosk for free, sometimes with a set number of free visits per week, while charging only for remote visits done from home. You usually still have to schedule the onsite session in advance.
How do I schedule a jail video visit in Arkansas?
Find the jail's vendor, create an account, verify your ID, add your person by booking number, and make sure you are on their approved list. Then pick onsite or remote, choose a time slot, and pay if it is a paid remote visit. Save the confirmation.
Which vendor does my Arkansas jail use?
It varies by jail. Common Arkansas jail vendors are JailATM, ICSolutions, Smart Communications, and HomeWAV, while the state prison system uses Securus. The jail's page lists the one it uses. Do not set up an account with the wrong vendor, since accounts do not transfer.
Can I still visit in person in Arkansas?
At state prisons, yes, in-person is offered alongside video. At county jails it depends. Many Arkansas jails have ended in-person visits and use video only, while some still offer both. Check the specific facility's page before you travel.
Can my kids join a video visit?
Usually yes, when a minor is accompanied by an approved adult, but rules vary by facility. Some require minors to be listed in advance, and state prisons require visitors 12 and older to show a state-issued ID. Confirm before scheduling.
Why was my video visit denied or cut off?
Common reasons include not being on the approved visitor list, an ID mismatch, a dropped internet connection, a rule violation during the session, or the inmate being on non-contact or disciplinary status. Recording a visit will cost you your visiting privileges. The vendor can explain a refund if the failure was on the facility's end.
How do I find someone in federal custody in AR?
Use the federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, which is national and searches by name or register number. Arkansas's main federal site is the Forrest City complex, plus FCI Texarkana. Arrange visits through that specific facility.
What if my facility is not listed?
Find the specific jail or prison on InmateAid and follow its page, since each facility sets its own vendor, rules, and costs. If video is not offered there, the page will show the in-person or other contact options available. =====================================================