The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) — formerly part of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety — became a standalone cabinet-level state agency at the start of 2023. Headquartered at 831 W. Morgan Street in Raleigh, North Carolina, the NCDAC is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 30,000 people housed across 53 prisons statewide. With nearly 20,000 employees and a budget of approximately $1.9 billion, it is one of the largest state agencies in North Carolina. If someone you care about is in NCDAC custody, this guide will help you find them, stay connected, and support their journey through the system.
About the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction
The NCDAC houses individuals convicted under North Carolina state law and sentenced to active prison terms. Facilities range from minimum-security work camps to close-custody prisons and are spread across all regions of the state. The agency's official website is dac.nc.gov, and its main phone number is 919-838-4000 (fax: 919-733-8272).
An important note on the data: our directory holds approximately 95,000 historical arrest and booking records on file associated with NCDAC facilities — this is a historical record count accumulated over time, not the number of people currently incarcerated. The actual current population is approximately 30,000.
The department's facilities span multiple security levels:
- Close Custody: Highest security — restricted movement, limited access to programming, primarily for those with serious violence convictions.
- Medium Custody: Mid-tier housing, the most common classification in the NC system.
- Minimum Custody: Lower supervision; inmates may work on road crews or community service projects.
- Work Release: Allows eligible inmates to work off-site during the day.
Notable 2025 developments: Effective January 1, 2025, eligible incarcerated individuals with Medicaid eligibility will be automatically enrolled in NC Medicaid Direct upon release, providing access to mental health, substance abuse, and disability services without a gap in coverage. The NCDAC also invested $1.9 million in 2024 to establish Local Reentry Councils serving 27 additional counties.
How to Find an Inmate in North Carolina DOC
The NCDAC provides a free public Offender Locator and Public Information tool at dac.nc.gov. You can search by name or offender ID number. The tool provides up-to-date information on NC state prisoners, probationers, and parolees, including current facility location, sentence details, and projected release date.
Alternatively, search PrisonAssist.com for historical arrest records linked to NCDAC facilities. If you cannot locate someone online, call the NCDAC at 919-838-4000 for assistance — staff can help with recently transferred or newly admitted individuals who may not yet appear in the online system.
Note: Individuals sentenced to fewer than 90 days or awaiting trial are typically held in county jails, not in NCDAC facilities. Contact the county sheriff's office if your loved one has been recently arrested.
Visiting Someone in North Carolina DOC
NCDAC allows in-person visitation at most facilities, though schedules and procedures vary by institution. Here is a general overview of how the visitation process works:
Approval Process
- The incarcerated person must submit a visitor request form to their case manager listing you as an approved visitor.
- You will be screened through a background check. Individuals with certain convictions may be denied. Processing takes approximately 2–4 weeks.
- Once approved, you will be notified and may begin scheduling visits.
Scheduling and Visiting Hours
Visiting schedules vary by facility — some offer weekend-only visits, others also allow weekday visits. Check the specific facility's visiting hours on dac.nc.gov before planning your trip. Most facilities require that visits be scheduled in advance. Walk-in visits without a schedule may be turned away due to capacity.
Dress Code and Visitor Rules
NCDAC enforces strict dress codes. Visitors are prohibited from wearing:
- Clothing resembling inmate uniforms (brown/tan, orange, or gray)
- Revealing or form-fitting clothing
- Open-toed shoes or sandals in most facilities
- Hats (unless for religious purposes with prior approval)
- Excessive jewelry that cannot be removed quickly
Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. All visitors are subject to search — metal detectors, ion scanners, and pat-downs are standard. Personal items, cell phones, and outside food are not permitted in the visiting area. Children must be supervised at all times by the accompanying adult.
Sending Mail to North Carolina DOC Inmates
Inmates in NCDAC custody can receive letters and approved publications. Key rules include:
- Address format: Use the inmate's full legal name, offender ID number, and the facility's mailing address. Facility addresses are listed on dac.nc.gov.
- Envelopes: Standard white envelopes only. No padded mailers, colored envelopes, or decorated or printed envelopes.
- Photos: Permitted at most facilities, subject to content and size restrictions. Typically no larger than 4×6 inches, no sexually explicit content, no gang imagery.
- Publications: Books and magazines must be mailed directly from a publisher or approved vendor (e.g., Amazon). No used publications.
- Prohibited items: No cash, stamps, checks, stickers, glitter, confetti, or items that could be used to introduce drugs.
- Legal mail: Mark clearly "Legal Mail." Send directly to the facility; may only be opened in the inmate's presence.
NCDAC has implemented mail-scanning procedures at many facilities as part of contraband-prevention efforts. Original letters are scanned, and digital copies are delivered to inmates. Check dac.nc.gov for current mail policies at the specific facility.
Phone Calls in North Carolina DOC
NCDAC uses Global Tel Link (GTL) / ConnectNetwork as its telephone services provider. To receive calls from someone in NCDAC custody:
- Create a free account at connectnetwork.com.
- Add funds using a credit or debit card.
- Register your phone number. When the inmate calls, charges are deducted from your account.
- GTL also offers video visitation at select NC facilities — check the ConnectNetwork site for availability.
All phone calls are subject to recording and monitoring except attorney calls. Calls are typically limited to 15–20 minutes. The cost per minute varies but has been trending downward following FCC action on correctional calling rates in recent years.
Sending Money to North Carolina DOC Inmates
Commissary funds can be deposited through GTL/ConnectNetwork or other approved vendors. Options typically include:
- Online via ConnectNetwork: Fast, usually available within 24 hours.
- Money order by mail: Payable to the inmate's name and offender ID, sent to the facility's trust fund office. Allow 5–7 business days for processing.
- Lobby kiosks: Cash or card deposits at the facility.
Commissary funds can be used for snacks, hygiene products, clothing, writing supplies, and electronics (radios, MP3 players, tablets where available). Always keep receipts for deposits made.
Posting Bail in North Carolina
NCDAC houses sentenced individuals, not pretrial detainees. If your loved one was recently arrested and is awaiting trial, they are being held in a county jail. In North Carolina, bail can be posted by paying the full bond amount directly to the county jail or through a licensed bail bondsman (who typically charges 10–15% of the bond as a non-refundable premium). Contact the county jail for the current bond amount and accepted payment methods.
Programs and Rehabilitation in North Carolina DOC
NCDAC offers a broad range of programming to reduce recidivism and prepare individuals for release:
- Academic Education: GED preparation, adult literacy, and high school equivalency programs at all facilities.
- Vocational Training: Hands-on trades education including auto mechanics, welding, carpentry, culinary arts, and horticulture.
- Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Program: NCDAC recently partnered with a CDL training school, allowing eligible men to earn a commercial driver's license while incarcerated — a credential with strong employment demand upon release.
- Substance Abuse Treatment: Residential and therapeutic programs addressing addiction.
- Thinking for a Change (T4C): A cognitive-behavioral program addressing criminal thinking patterns.
- Mental Health Services: On-site counseling and psychiatric care at all facilities.
- Reentry Services: Employment preparation, ID document assistance, housing referrals, and community connections through Local Reentry Councils in 40+ NC counties.
- Medicaid Enrollment: Effective 2025, eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in NC Medicaid Direct upon release — a major step toward bridging the healthcare gap during reentry.
North Carolina in the National Context
With 30,000 incarcerated individuals across 53 prisons and a $1.9 billion annual budget, the NCDAC is one of the larger state prison systems in the Southeast. North Carolina has focused on expanding reentry infrastructure, vocational programming, and community-based supervision alternatives in recent years. The state's recidivism reduction efforts, including the CDL partnership and Local Reentry Councils, reflect a growing investment in outcomes rather than simply incarceration capacity.
Support Resources for Families
- NCDAC Main Line: 919-838-4000 | Fax: 919-733-8272
- Offender Locator: dac.nc.gov
- GTL ConnectNetwork (Phone/Video/Money): connectnetwork.com
- NC Prisoner Legal Services: ncpls.org
- PrisonAssist.com: Inmate search, letter service, care packages, phone discounts, bail help
Understanding the North Carolina Sentencing Structure
North Carolina uses a structured sentencing system with offense classes (A through I for felonies, A1 through 3 for misdemeanors) and prior record levels that together determine a sentence range. For many felonies, judges can choose among a "presumptive" range, a lower "mitigated" range, or a higher "aggravated" range depending on the circumstances. For sentences involving active prison time, the minimum and maximum sentence are set at sentencing. The minimum sentence must be served before an individual is eligible for release consideration (either by the Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission or by reaching the maximum sentence date).
Families should ask the case manager or attorney about the specific sentence structure — the difference between when parole eligibility begins and when the maximum sentence expires can span years and significantly affects planning.
Practical Guidance for Families of NC DOC Inmates
- Get the offender ID number. The North Carolina offender ID is essential for the locator, mail, and commissary deposits. Find it at dac.nc.gov using the person's full legal name.
- Contact the assigned case manager. Every person in NCDAC custody is assigned a case manager who handles programming, classification, and release planning. This is your main institutional point of contact.
- Understand the Post-Release Supervision system. North Carolina uses "post-release supervision" rather than traditional parole for many offenses. This means individuals are automatically released at their minimum sentence date to a period of community supervision. Understanding this system helps families plan for release.
- Participate in reentry planning. NCDAC's Local Reentry Councils now serve 40+ counties. Ask the case manager about reentry planning services and whether your county has a Local Reentry Council that can assist with housing, employment, and benefits before release.
- Look into earned time credits. North Carolina allows sentence reductions for good behavior and program participation. Completion of vocational and educational programs can directly affect the minimum release date.
For legal assistance, NC Prisoner Legal Services (ncpls.org) provides free legal representation and advice to North Carolina state prisoners on civil legal matters. The NC Justice Center also offers advocacy and policy resources for families and formerly incarcerated individuals.
Engaging with North Carolina's Parole and Post-Release System
North Carolina uses a structured sentencing system in which most individuals sentenced after 1994 serve the full minimum sentence before mandatory release to post-release supervision (PRS). The Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission oversees both traditional parole (for pre-1994 cases and certain other offenses) and the post-release supervision system. Post-release supervision is a mandatory, supervised period in the community following the minimum sentence. Families should understand that "release" doesn't mean the sentence is over — supervision conditions apply, and violations can result in return to prison for the remaining maximum sentence period.
Families can prepare for post-release by working with the NCDAC case manager on a reentry plan — including confirmed housing, employment prospects, and community support contacts — before the minimum sentence date. The earlier reentry planning begins, the smoother the transition tends to be. North Carolina's Local Reentry Councils (now in 40+ counties) and the NC Works Career Centers provide direct employment and community support for returning citizens and their families.
Inmate service providers at North Carolina Dept of Public Safety & Corrections (NCDPS)
Like most US jails and prisons, North Carolina Dept of Public Safety & Corrections (NCDPS) relies on private companies for phone calls, video visits, money transfers, and care packages, each with its own fees and sign-up steps. Nationwide the most common providers are Securus and ViaPath (GTL) for calls and video, JPay and Access Corrections for sending money, and Access Securepak for care packages.
Not sure which company serves North Carolina Dept of Public Safety & Corrections (NCDPS)? Our inmate service provider directory explains how each one works, what it charges, and how to set up an account before you pay.