If someone you love is locked up in Tennessee, video can save you a long drive across a long state, 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.
Tennessee splits custody three ways. The state prison system (TDOC, the Tennessee Department of Correction) runs the state's prisons, though several are operated under contract by a private company. County and city jails are run by sheriffs and local governments and handle people awaiting trial and serving shorter sentences. And federal and immigration custody play by their own rules, with one federal prison in the state and a growing immigration-detention footprint. Figure out which bucket your person is in first, because everything else flows from that.
Do Tennessee state prisons offer video visitation?
Yes. TDOC offers both in-person and video visits. The video side runs through Securus Video Connect, you register for an account, pick a time slot, and connect either from home or from a designated station at the facility.
In-person visiting is central to the state system, and it works by appointment. Wardens set each unit's schedule, usually weekends, often with one evening block for people who can't come on weekends, so you request a slot through the specific facility (many TDOC units take visitation requests by phone or email, and some have specific cutoff times for the upcoming weekend). You must be on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list first. Getting approved means submitting the TDOC visitation application (form CAJ-103), which goes to the facility where your person is housed, includes a current photo, and is subject to an NCIC background check. Plan ahead: processing takes roughly 30 days. Visiting is a privilege that can be denied, suspended, or revoked, and you'll need a government photo ID and have to follow dress and conduct rules.
For money: you can fund commissary and related accounts through electronic services like JPay, GTL's ConnectNetwork, or Securus, depending on the facility.
To get on the approved visitor list, mail the completed CAJ-103 application (with photo) to the facility's visitation or associate warden's office, pass the NCIC background check, and allow about 30 days.
A note on Tennessee's private prisons
Tennessee is unusual in how much it relies on private contract prisons. Several of the state's prisons are operated by a private company (CoreCivic, which is headquartered in Nashville) rather than run directly by TDOC, including large facilities like Trousdale Turner (Hartsville) and Whiteville. For visiting purposes, these follow the same core TDOC limits and approval process, but some have their own contact points and procedures (for example, a few take visitation requests through a facility-specific CoreCivic email address). So when you look up your unit's schedule and contacts, just confirm whether it's a TDOC-operated or contract-operated facility, the application and rules are the same, but the phone number or email you use to schedule may differ.
County and city jails
Tennessee's county and city jails are run locally, and each picks its own vendor, so cost and platform vary.
You'll see a mix. The Davidson County (Nashville) jail facilities use JailATM for video visitation and deposits, anyone with internet access can schedule a video visit. Maury County uses VendEngine, with limited weekly visitation. Other counties use other providers. 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 a JailATM jail to a VendEngine jail (or into the state Securus 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, when a jail offers it.
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.
Tennessee 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 Securus Video Connect. For a county jail, check the sheriff's site for the vendor (JailATM or VendEngine, 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 TDOC ID (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, Tennessee's BOP facility is FCI Memphis, a low-security men's prison with an adjacent minimum-security camp, in Shelby County. 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 is a growing and fast-changing story in Tennessee, so be careful with older information. Tennessee is the home state of CoreCivic, one of the country's largest private corrections companies, and immigration detention here is largely handled through CoreCivic-run facilities and county jails under contract with ICE. The main dedicated immigration-detention site is the West Tennessee Detention Facility in Mason (a CoreCivic facility that reopened as an ICE detention center in late 2025), and additional immigration-detention capacity in the state has been the subject of active proposals and public debate. People detained by ICE may also be held short-term in county jails, and local cooperation with ICE has been expanding. Because the facility map is changing fast and people are frequently moved, 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 (the West Tennessee facility, for instance, handles legal video and calls by appointment through its court officers), 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 as long as Tennessee, where the prison can be a five-hour drive across the state, being able to connect by video 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/tennessee
FCC 2026 call and video rate caps guide
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Do Tennessee state prisons offer video visits?
Yes. TDOC offers both in-person and video visits. Video runs through Securus Video Connect, you register, pick a time slot, and connect from home or from a designated station at the facility.
What vendor does the Tennessee DOC use?
Video runs through Securus Video Connect. Commissary and account deposits can go through JPay, GTL's ConnectNetwork, or Securus, depending on the facility. County jails pick their own vendors.
Is in-person visiting still allowed in Tennessee?
Yes, and it's central, by appointment, usually weekends with one evening block. Wardens set each unit's schedule, so request a slot through the specific facility. You must be on the approved list first.
How do I get on the approved visitor list?
Mail the TDOC visitation application (form CAJ-103, with a current photo) to the facility where your person is housed. It's subject to an NCIC background check and takes about 30 days to process.
Are some Tennessee prisons privately run?
Yes. Several state prisons are operated under contract by CoreCivic (headquartered in Nashville), including Trousdale Turner and Whiteville. They follow the same TDOC rules but may have their own scheduling contacts.
What vendor do Tennessee county jails use?
It varies. Davidson County (Nashville) uses JailATM; Maury County uses VendEngine; others use different providers. Always confirm the vendor and rules on the specific county's page.
Are county jail video visits free in Tennessee?
Sometimes onsite lobby video is free while at-home remote video is paid, but it depends on the county and vendor. Check whether a free onsite option exists at your specific jail.
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 TDOC's Felony Offender Information Locator (FOIL) for state prisons and the county jail (or its roster) for local facilities. For federal, use the BOP locator. For ICE, use the Online Detainee Locator.
Is there a federal prison in Tennessee?
Yes, one: FCI Memphis, a low-security men's prison with a minimum-security camp, in Shelby County. Use the BOP inmate locator to find the institution and confirm visiting rules.
Where are ICE detainees held in Tennessee?
Largely in CoreCivic-run facilities and county jails under ICE contract. The main dedicated site is the West Tennessee Detention Facility in Mason. Confirm location with the ICE locator, since people move.
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.
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 and ICE custody have their own, often more limited, rules.
What do I need to set up a video visit?
For the state: approval on the visiting list and a Securus 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 send money in Tennessee prisons?
For the state, fund accounts through JPay, GTL's ConnectNetwork, or Securus, depending on the facility. County jails use their own vendors (for example, JailATM in Davidson County). ====================================================================
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