Skip to main content

Public Alerts & Notices

This webpage is regularly updated with the most recent informational alerts and notices for all Department facilities and offices in the state of Washington. Please refer to the alerts and notices provided below for information that may impact your travel plans.

Prison Facility Alerts & Notices

See prison facility notices below for information that may impact your travel plans. Please be advised that unforeseen security problems may interfere with visiting, causing delayed, shortened, suspended or cancelled visits. This is unusual, but it does occasionally occur.

  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Friday, September 22, 2023: Due to Larch Corrections Center’s upcoming closure, all in person visits will end Monday, September 25, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Tuesday June 20, 2023: Effective July 8, 2023, through October 8, 2023, visiting hours at MCC-MSU on Saturdays and Sundays will be 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 pm. This time change is only for Saturday and Sunday visits.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Saturday, September 23, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 7, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 21, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 28, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 4, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 21, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 9, 2023: Visiting will be closed from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance(pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.
  • Heat Mitigation Effort: The Department of Corrections has published general guidance (pdf) to facilities on strategies they may follow for heat mitigation when necessary.

Community Facility & Office Alerts

Business Offices

  • None at this time.
  • None at this time.
  • None at this time.
  • Wednesday, August 2, 2023: The Bellingham Reentry Center is temporarily closed due to the termination of the contract. The department has received funding to reopen the facility under state operations and is actively working to open the facility in Fall 2023. In the meantime, individuals are still being screened and redirected to the Seattle area Reentry Centers.

Sign-up for Emergency & Incident Alerts

The Department of Corrections (DOC) is now able to send you emergency alerts, as well as non-emergency incident alerts, via text message, email, pager, and/or voice mail.

  • Emergency Alerts: Could include hazards that require action be taken such as an evacuation, prison lock down, prison escapees, or other severe events.
  • Non-Emergency Incident Alerts Could include significant transportation problems with prolonged impacts, or significant ongoing Corrections exercises or other activity.

This system will not be used for routine informational notices (see Prison Facility Alerts & Notices for this information). Alerts are provided free of charge, however, standard text messaging rates and other charges may apply.

Subscribe Modify Subscription Unsubscribe