If someone you love is locked up in South Carolina, video can save you a long drive, but how it works depends on which kind of facility they're in. So the first thing to nail down is whether your person is in a state prison, a county jail, or federal or immigration custody, because that determines the vendor, the cost, and the rules.
South Carolina splits custody three ways. The state prison system (SCDC, the South Carolina Department of Corrections) runs the state's prisons, about 21 institutions. County and city detention centers are run by sheriffs and local police and handle people awaiting trial and serving shorter sentences. And federal and immigration custody play by their own rules, with several federal prisons in the state and an immigration picture where, as of 2026, South Carolina has no long-term ICE detention center of its own. Figure out which bucket your person is in first, because everything else flows from that.
Do South Carolina state prisons offer video visitation?
Yes. SCDC offers both in-person and video ("virtual") visits. Video runs through the GTL/ViaPath platform on its VisitMe scheduler (scdoc.gtlvisitme.com), and you can connect from a computer, tablet, or phone once both you and the incarcerated person are approved. You schedule through that portal, and the visit has to be approved before it happens.
In-person visiting is central to the state system and happens mostly on weekends, with multiple time slots during the day. You must be on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list first, which means a prior application and approval. Approved visitors typically include spouses, parents or legal guardians, adult children, and approved friends. You'll need a government photo ID and have to follow dress and conduct rules, and SCDC evaluates visiting week to week, so formats and hours can shift for security or staffing.
For money, SCDC uses electronic services like JPay; messaging may be available through JPay or Smart Jail Mail depending on the facility. Phone and tablet services run through the state's vendor.
To get on the approved visitor list, submit the SCDC visitor application, wait to be approved and added to the incarcerated person's list, and then schedule through the VisitMe portal.
County and city jails
South Carolina's county and city jails are run locally, and each picks its own vendor, so cost and platform vary.
You'll see a mix. Horry County (Conway/Myrtle Beach area) uses a video system managed by NCIC, with free onsite video at the jail and paid remote sessions from home. Richland County (Columbia) offers online visitation alongside in-person hours. Greenville County allows two 30-minute visits a week, with the schedule varying by housing unit. The only way to be sure of any county's setup is to check that jail's page or call.
The vendor is facility-specific, so the company that works for one county won't necessarily be the one next door. One warning that saves people money and grief: accounts do not transfer between vendors. If your person moves from an NCIC jail to a different vendor (or into the state system), your funds and account don't follow. You set up fresh with the new vendor.
How county jail video visitation usually works
There are two flavors, and the difference is the whole ballgame for your wallet.
Onsite (or "onsite video") means you drive to the jail and sit at a video terminal in the lobby to talk to the person, who's on a screen inside. Onsite video is frequently free or low-cost (Horry County's onsite video, for instance, is free).
Remote video means you connect from your own phone, tablet, or computer at home. That convenience is what you pay for. Remote sessions are charged per session or per minute, you typically prepay into a vendor account, and you usually reserve a slot in advance.
South Carolina jail video rates shift around, partly because the FCC has been capping these rates through 2024 to 2026 and partly because every facility prices differently. I'm not going to print a per-minute number here, because by the time you read it, it'll be wrong. Look up the rate on your specific jail's vendor page before you pay. What's stable is the structure: onsite (where offered) is often free or cheaper, remote tends to cost, and there are usually advance-registration rules.
Setting up a video visit
The steps are roughly the same whichever system you're dealing with:
1. Find the system for that exact facility. For the state, that's the GTL/ViaPath VisitMe portal. For a county jail, check the sheriff's site for the vendor (NCIC, for example). Don't guess.
2. Create the right account and verify your identity, usually with a government photo ID.
3. Add your inmate and get on the approved list. You'll need the correct name and the SCDC number (state) or booking number (county), and for the state you must be on the approved visiting list first.
4. Schedule your visit, choosing onsite (where offered) or remote, and pay for any paid remote session.
5. Test your device and log in early. Get on about 15 minutes ahead. Check your camera, microphone, speakers, and internet. A failed connection on your end usually still burns the visit slot.
Federal and immigration custody
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody, South Carolina has several BOP institutions, all medium-security men's prisons with adjacent minimum-security camps: FCI Edgefield (near Augusta, Georgia), FCI Bennettsville (Marlboro County), FCI Estill (Hampton County), and FCI Williamsburg (Salters). The BOP runs primarily in-person visiting with only limited video, so use the BOP inmate locator to find the institution and check its specific visiting rules. If someone was recently arrested on a federal charge and isn't in the BOP locator yet, they're likely still in U.S. Marshals custody during the designation period, often held in a county jail under contract.
Immigration custody works differently in South Carolina than in states with big dedicated detention centers, and it's an active, fast-changing area, so be careful with older information. As of 2026, South Carolina does not have a long-term ICE detention facility. Instead, people detained by ICE here are typically held briefly, in county jails (Lexington County, near Columbia, has functioned as a processing point) or in federal "hold rooms," and then transferred out of state, frequently to ICE detention centers in Georgia such as the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin and the Folkston ICE Processing Center, and sometimes as far as Louisiana or Texas. Most South Carolina sheriffs' offices cooperate with ICE through some form of formal agreement (commonly known as 287(g) agreements), which is why someone can be flagged for ICE while held on a local charge. This is a politically active area, with ongoing public debate, including proposals from some state officials to build a dedicated ICE facility in South Carolina. Because people are moved quickly and often across state lines, confirm where your person actually is before making any plans. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator, which needs the person's A-Number (the nine-digit alien registration number) or their name plus country of birth. Each facility sets its own visiting and video rules, so confirm directly, and remember immigration bonds are handled through ICE, not posted at the facility.
A note on staying connected
Video is good for one thing money can't really replace: seeing a face, watching a kid wave, reading an expression. And in a state where the prison can be a long drive, being able to connect by video, the way SCDC's VisitMe system allows, is a real help.
But be honest with yourself about what carries the weight day to day. Mail is the steadiest line there is. It doesn't drop the call, doesn't need a scheduled slot, and the person can hold it and read it again at 2 a.m. when the walls close in. Phone calls are the backbone of staying in touch, the thing you'll actually do most weeks. Video is the bonus on top, the face-to-face when you can get it. Build your routine around mail and calls, and treat video as the thing that makes the distance feel a little smaller.
Related pages:
/prisons/south-carolina
FCC 2026 call and video rate caps guide
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Do South Carolina state prisons offer video visits?
Yes. SCDC offers both in-person and video ("virtual") visits. Video runs through the GTL/ViaPath VisitMe platform, from a computer, tablet, or phone, once you and the incarcerated person are approved.
What vendor does the South Carolina DOC use?
Video and scheduling run through GTL/ViaPath's VisitMe portal (scdoc.gtlvisitme.com). Money goes through electronic services like JPay. County jails pick their own vendors, so confirm per facility.
Is in-person visiting still allowed in South Carolina?
Yes, and it's central, mostly on weekends with multiple time slots. You must be on the approved visitor list first, bring a government photo ID, and follow dress and conduct rules.
How do I get on the approved visitor list?
Submit the SCDC visitor application and wait to be approved and added to the incarcerated person's list. Then schedule visits through the VisitMe portal. The same approval covers in-person and video.
What vendor do South Carolina county jails use?
It varies. Horry County uses a system managed by NCIC; Richland offers online visitation; Greenville allows two 30-minute visits a week. Always confirm on the specific county's detention-center page.
Are county jail video visits free in South Carolina?
Sometimes. Horry County's onsite video is free, while remote sessions from home are paid. It depends on the county and vendor, so check whether a free onsite option exists.
What is onsite vs remote video visiting?
Onsite means you go to the jail and use a terminal there, often free where offered. Remote means you connect from your own device at home, which typically costs money at county jails.
Do vendor accounts transfer between jails?
No. Accounts and funds don't move between vendors. If your person transfers to a facility using a different company, you set up a new account with that vendor.
How do I find which facility someone is in?
Use the SCDC inmate search for state prisons and the county detention center (or its roster) for local jails. For federal, use the BOP locator. For ICE, use the Online Detainee Locator.
Are there federal prisons in South Carolina?
Yes, several BOP institutions, all medium-security with camps: FCI Edgefield, FCI Bennettsville, FCI Estill, and FCI Williamsburg. Use the BOP inmate locator to find the institution.
Where are ICE detainees from South Carolina held?
Usually briefly in county jails or federal hold rooms, then transferred out of state, often to Georgia (Stewart in Lumpkin, Folkston), and sometimes to Louisiana or Texas. The state has no long-term ICE center.
Does South Carolina have an ICE detention center?
As of 2026, no long-term one. Detainees are held short-term locally, then moved out of state. There has been public debate, including proposals from some officials to build a dedicated facility.
How do I find someone in ICE custody?
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. You'll need the person's A-Number, or their full name plus country of birth. Check often, since people are moved quickly, often across state lines.
Is video the only way to see an inmate?
No. State prisons offer in-person plus video, and most county jails offer onsite or remote video. Federal custody is mostly in-person with limited video.
What do I need to set up a video visit?
For the state: approval on the visiting list and a VisitMe account, plus a device and internet. For a jail: the vendor account, the inmate's name and ID, and a tested device.
How do I schedule a state prison video visit?
Once you and the incarcerated person are approved, schedule through SCDC's GTL/ViaPath VisitMe portal (scdoc.gtlvisitme.com) from a computer, tablet, or phone. Confirm the visit is approved before it happens. ====================================================================
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