FDC Honolulu Federal Prison: Visiting Hours, Address and Sending Money

Honolulu at a glance

Honolulu is a Federal Detention Center (FDC) at 351 Elliott Street, Honolulu, Hawaii. It holds men and women. The 2022 handbook says it holds pretrial people, holdovers and immigration detainees, and also people held for the State of Hawaii.

How many people: 214 in the FDC (BOP, October 29, 2026).
Medical care level 2: Stable outpatients who need to see a clinician anywhere from monthly to every 6 months. Examples the BOP gives: diabetes controlled with medication, epilepsy, emphysema. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
Mental health care level 2: Routine outpatient mental health care, or short crisis care such as suicide watch. The mental health list gives Honolulu "Admin" security and level 2. The BOP does not post care levels on its website. This list is dated February 13, 2024 and came out through a public records request. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
Ages: On the first day of the 2024 audit, ages ran from 18 to 74. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FDC Honolulu (onsite May 21 to 23, 2024) ↗
Built for: The audit lists a capacity of 992. The average population over the 12 months before the audit was 290. It says the facility was not over capacity. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FDC Honolulu (onsite May 21 to 23, 2024) ↗
Security level: The audit lists the facility as "Administrative/Low." Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FDC Honolulu (onsite May 21 to 23, 2024) ↗

The BOP's own page for FDC Honolulu.

How far is it from you?

Driving directions (Google Maps) → Bus or train (Google Maps) →

Plan your drive around this: Visitors are not processed before 6:30 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. The handbook also says processing stops 30 minutes before visiting hours end. Visits are limited to one hour.

Our miles and time are an estimate from your ZIP code's center. Google Maps gives the exact route. Your ZIP code never leaves your phone unless you tap a Google Maps button.

Visiting hours and days

Who	Days	Hours
Social visits (2022 COVID-era schedule)	Saturday through Thursday. Each housing unit has its own day and time. The unit you are in decides your exact date.	7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Visit blocks	One hour each: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.	Five blocks
Legal visits (handbook)	Monday through Friday. Closed Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays.	8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Visitors are not processed before 6:30 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. The handbook also says processing stops 30 minutes before visiting hours end. Visits are limited to one hour.

The BOP posts no newer social visiting rules for Honolulu. The only schedule is in the 2022 handbook, written during COVID-19. It also says the schedule can change for emergencies, and that visiting hours vary by housing unit and are posted on the unit bulletin boards.

The BOP's own papers disagree. Honolulu's handbook is old (updated May 2, 2022) and describes COVID-19 rules: non-contact visits behind plastic shields, masks, symptom screening and vending machines off limits. The BOP's newer legal visit sheet (August 2026) lists different "normal visiting hours" for walk-in legal visits: weekends and federal holidays 6:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.; Monday, Tuesday and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. The handbook says legal visits are 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. We cannot tell from the BOP's papers whether the 2022 COVID rules still apply to family visits. Call the prison at 808-838-4200 before you travel, and ask your loved one for their unit's day and time.

The rules at the door: ID, points, what you can bring

How many people: Only 3 visitors per inmate at a time, unless the Associate Warden (Programs) approves more. Visits are limited to one hour, on weekends and on weekdays. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Contact: The 2022 handbook says there is no physical contact of any kind, including no embrace at the start or end of the visit, and no photographs. Visitors and inmates must wear face coverings (no neck gaiters or masks with valves). These are COVID-19 rules; check whether they still apply. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
ID: Any visitor over 18 needs a valid, current state or federal photo ID (driver's license or passport). The ID may be scanned. False or altered ID means no entry. Visitors under 16 must come with a responsible adult 18 or older who is on the approved list; children under 18 must come with an adult family member on the list. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Screening: Everyone must clear the metal detector. A hand-held detector may be used, and a visitor who cannot clear it may be pat searched. All carry-in items are searched. Visitors sign a Title 18 statement; refuse it and you are refused entry. Visitors were also symptom screened and had their temperature checked (2022). Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
What you can carry: Visitors with infants may bring two diapers, one pacifier, one sealed bottle with contents and one blanket. No food, gifts, games, needlework, pocket books, baby strollers or packages. Any item that cannot be searched thoroughly is not allowed. Staff will not store items. Vending machines were off limits (2022). Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
What not to wear: No fish-net stockings, mini-skirts, or skirts shorter than the top of the knee. No spandex, see-through or revealing clothes. No shorts (children under 12 excepted), culottes, low-cut tops, tube or tank tops, backless or sleeveless tops, or tops that show the midriff. No swim suits or sweat suits. Dresses no shorter than the natural break at the back of the knee, slits included. No hats or scarves except religious headgear, no sunglasses, long hair picks or flowers. No flip-flops or slippers: closed-toe shoes only. No clothing like inmate khaki or green uniforms. Undergarments required. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Not allowed in: Visitors may not bring anything to give to an inmate. No smoking. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Legal visits (August 2026 sheet): Walk-in legal visits are first come, first served during normal visiting hours: weekends and federal holidays 6:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.; Monday, Tuesday and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Legal visitors cannot enter from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. or from the 3:30 p.m. count until it clears. Attorneys show a bar card to the front lobby staff and follow the dress code. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu In-Person Legal Visit Request sheet (PDF dated August 2026) ↗
When it gets crowded: Visits of local visitors end first, in order of arrival. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

How to get on the visiting list

When they arrive, your loved one gives their counselor a list of people they want as visitors. Each person fills out a Visitor Request form. Your loved one mails it to you. You return it to their unit staff.
Staff screen the visitors. Their counselor tells them approved or denied. They tell you. Do not travel until you are approved.
Cadre inmates may visit with immediate family, other relatives and friends they knew before prison. The Warden can approve an exception.
For pretrial, holdover and immigration detainees, visits are ordinarily limited to immediate family: mother, father, step-parents, foster parents, brothers, sisters, spouse, prior relationships that produced children, children and step-children. Visitors for people held for the State of Hawaii are limited to immediate family too.
Ordinarily a total of 10 visitors may be on a list. Immediate family with a different last name must show proof of the relationship.
Special visits for family emergencies can be approved by the unit manager, no more than one every 90 days.
Attorneys: only non-local attorneys traveling from outside the island of Oahu can book legal visits in advance. Requests go by email to HON-UnitManagement-S@bop.gov at least 48 hours ahead. Walk-in legal visits are first come, first served. Legal visitors cannot enter from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. or from the 3:30 p.m. count until it clears.

Fill out the visiting form for Honolulu →

Driving directions (from the BOP)

Address: FDC Honolulu, 351 Elliott Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819. Telephone 808-838-4200. Park only in the established parking areas in the lot.
Getting there: The 2022 handbook says several taxi companies and "The Bus" serve the prison. It lists The Bus at 808-848-5555. Check current numbers before you go.

Street address for your GPS: 351 Elliott St, Honolulu, Hi 96819. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

The BOP beats to its own drum. The front desk has the final say. Keep a spare outfit in the car.

Inmate mailing address

Use their committed name exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it. The name and number below are examples (JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES, 12345-678).

JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
Reg. No. 12345-678
FDC Honolulu
P.O. Box 30080
Honolulu, Hi 96820

Mail to them goes to FDC Honolulu, committed name and register number, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 30080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96820. All incoming mail must come through the U.S. Post Office, letters and packages both. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

Use the P.O. Box only. Never mail to the street address (351 Elliott St, Honolulu, Hi 96819).

Mail days: Mail is delivered Monday through Friday, before or after the 4 p.m. count. No delivery on Saturdays, Sundays or federal holidays. Incoming mail is opened and inspected. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
White paper: Incoming letters must be on white paper in white envelopes. Anything else (colored paper, card stock, crayon or marker drawings) is stamped with the date and photocopied. Honolulu throws away the originals after 30 days. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Cards: All homemade and store-bought greeting cards are photocopied. The originals are thrown away after 30 days. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Perfume: Mail sprayed with fragrance, or soiled with substances such as perfume or cologne, is rejected. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Books: Hard cover books come straight from the publisher, a bookstore or a book club, and the package must be marked "Books" or Media Mail. The handbook is not consistent about soft-cover books: one line says publisher, bookstore or book club, another says publisher or book club only. Only five books or magazines in one mailing. Newspapers by subscription only. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Stamps: Postage stamps cannot be received in the mail. They are bought at the commissary. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Legal mail: Opened only in front of them. The front must say "Special Mail or Legal Mail - Open Only in the Presence of the Inmate" or similar. The envelope is photocopied and the original thrown away after 30 days. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Their letters to you: Regular outgoing mail may not be sealed. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

Books and magazines: at a administrative security prison, books and magazines must come straight from a publisher, book club or bookstore (Amazon, for example), never from home.

How to send money to an inmate here

Use their committed name exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it. The name and number below are examples (JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES, 12345-678).

Money never goes to Honolulu. It goes to the BOP, and the BOP puts it on their account. There are 3 ways. Each one below shows you the actual form and exactly what to write in each box, already filled in with their name and number.

First, they must sign the power-of-attorney form (BP-A0407) when they arrive. Until they do, MoneyGram and Western Union money cannot post. Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗

1. Postal money order Our pick

"Postal" means the U.S. Post Office. A postal money order is one you buy at the counter of a U.S. Post Office, from the United States Postal Service. Money orders sold at Walmart, a grocery store, a bank, Western Union, MoneyGram or a check-cashing store are not postal money orders.

Why it matters: a postal money order has no hold. Once the BOP's lockbox in Des Moines gets it, it goes on their account. Every other money order and every personal or company check is put on a 15-day hold first, and the 15 days only start when the lockbox receives the envelope. Add the days it spends in the mail, and it can be close to three weeks before they can spend it.Click here to read the source: BOP, Sending money by U.S. mail ↗ Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗ Foreign money orders and checks are held 45 days. The postal money order is also the cheapest way.

The Post Office's own steps

Decide the amount. Up to $1,000 in one money order.
Go to any Post Office.
Bring cash or a debit card. The Post Office does not take credit cards for money orders.
Fill it out at the counter with the clerk. Use the boxes below.
Pay the amount plus the fee: $2.65 for up to $500, $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.
Keep your receipt. You need it to track the money order or replace it if it is lost.Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders ↗

A U.S. Postal Service money order, the red and blue design, with the 5 boxes you fill in marked and numbered — The Postal Service's own sample of the new red-and-blue money order, with our example filled in. The clerk prints the amount, date and serial number. Tap to enlarge. Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders (sample images) ↗

Pay toJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONEStheir committed name, exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it
Address (under Pay to)Federal Bureau of Prisons, P.O. Box 474701, Des Moines, IA 50947-0001
FromMARIA SMITH-JONESyour name
Address (under From)123 Main Street, Trenton, NJ 08608your address
MemoReg. No. 12345678their 8-digit register number, no dash

The older green U.S. Postal Service money order — The older green design is still in use until the Post Office runs out of it. The boxes are the same. Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders (sample images) ↗

Unconfirmed: the BOP does not say in writing what goes on the "Pay to" line. Their name is what families use. The name and number on the envelope are what the BOP requires.

Maria Smith-Jones
123 Main Street
Trenton, NJ 08608

STAMP

Federal Bureau of Prisons
JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
12345678
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

The envelope. Nothing else inside: no letters, no photos.

Lost it? Tracking and replacing a money order

Keep the receipt. You need the serial number, post office number and amount to track it at tools.usps.com/money-orders.htm.
Lost or stolen: take the receipt to any post office and ask for a Money Order Inquiry. It costs $23 and can take up to 60 days.

2. MoneyGram

Posts in about 2 to 4 hours if sent 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, any day. Up to $300 per payment. In a store, you fill out the blue ExpressPayment form. This is the BOP's own filled-in sample:

The MoneyGram blue ExpressPayment form, filled in by the BOP, with the 6 boxes you fill in marked 1 to 6 — The BOP's sample (2012). Fill in only the left "Pay a Bill" side. Tap to enlarge. Click here to read the source: the BOP's MoneyGram sample form ↗

Company NameFederal Bureau of Prisons
City & StateWashington, DC
Receive Code7932always the same
Account Number of the Bill to Pay12345678SMITHJONESone letter or number per box
Amount to Payup to $300
Message to Biller or Beneficiary NameJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES

Top section: your own name, address, phone and signature. Pay cash. Keep the receipt with the reference number.

Unconfirmed: some stores now type it into a screen instead of using the paper form. The boxes are the same.

Doing it online or in the MoneyGram app instead

Go to moneygram.com (Pay Bills) or the MoneyGram app and log in or sign up.
Search the biller 7932 or "Federal Bureau of Prisons."
Enter the amount (up to $300) and the account number 12345678SMITHJONES.
Pay with a debit or credit card. A credit card can charge a cash-advance fee.

3. Western Union

Posts in about 2 to 4 hours. In a store, ask for the Quick Collect form ("To Send Money Form for Bill Payments"). Do not ask for a regular money transfer. This is a real Quick Collect form filled in with the BOP's values:

A Western Union Quick Collect payment form filled in for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with the 5 boxes you fill in marked 1 to 5 — A 2008 version of the form, posted by a family-help site. The form in your store may look different, but the box names are the same. Tap to enlarge.

Dollar Amountyour amount
Pay toFederal Bureau of Prisons
Code CityFBOP, DC
AttentionJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
Account # with Company (in the SENDER section: this is where people get lost)12345678SMITHJONES

Leave Promo Code blank. Put your own name, phone and address in the rest of the Sender section and sign at 3. Pay cash (some stores take debit). You get a 10-digit tracking number (MTCN). Keep it.

Unconfirmed: some stores have the blue Quick Collect form, some a "Pay a Bill" section, and some a phone to an agent.

Doing it online (Send2Corrections), screen by screen

You need a photo ID to set up the account: your name must match your ID exactly.

Go to send2corrections.com or the Send2Corrections app. Log in or register.
"Who are you sending to?" Choose the facility Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP DC).
Receiver first name, middle name (optional), last name: exactly as the BOP has it.
Commissary number: type only the 8 digits, 12345678. No dash, no name. The site adds the last name itself and shows the full account number in a grey box you cannot type in.
Ignore the pop-up that says "BOP number will not work." That text shows for every prison. The register number is what works.
Amount: $1 to $300. Pay by card, or choose "Pay Cash (in-store)" and pay at a Western Union counter within 12 hours, or it cancels.

Hyphenated last name? The site drops the hyphen: Smith-Jones becomes 12345678SMITHJONES.

Money sent to the wrong person is not returned by Western Union. Western Union payments cannot be changed after they are sent.

Commissary: what they can spend

Honolulu's handbook (updated May 2, 2022) says the national spending limit was $360 but may be restricted locally, and that accounts are revalidated monthly, bi-weekly or weekly. National BOP policy (PS 4500.13, May 7, 2026) is now $460 a month, plus $50 more in November and December. If they refuse to pay under the court-fine payment plan ("refuse" status), their limit is $25.00 a month. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗ Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗

How shopping works at Honolulu

Commissary and validation schedules are posted on the inmate bulletin boards.
Funds are taken after staff check their commissary card or fingerprint. They must have the card with them at all times.
They can check their balance on TRULINCS or on the inmate phone.

The price list: Honolulu's official list is a scan or an older layout we could not turn into a reliable searchable list, so we don't retype prices we can't be sure of. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu commissary list (revised February 2025) ↗

Phone calls and email

Minutes: 300 minutes a month. Each call is limited to 15 minutes. The handbook says they ordinarily get an extra 100 minutes in November and December. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Hours: Phones work from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the latest. Monday through Friday (not holidays), access is usually limited from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. until after the 4:00 p.m. count. They may not use the phone during work hours. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Paying: Phone credit comes from their commissary account, in even dollar amounts. Calls can be monitored and recorded. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

They have to add your number and email to their list first. Emails come through CorrLinks: you get an invitation by email once they add you.

Health care at Honolulu

Medical care level 2 and mental health care level 2 (of 4). Stable outpatients who need to see a clinician anywhere from monthly to every 6 months. Examples the BOP gives: diabetes controlled with medication, epilepsy, emphysema. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗

Sick call: For a new problem, clinical and dental staff screen the complaint and give a future sick call that is announced at pill line. They must go to pill line and sign up. Triage staff then see them. If needed, they are scheduled to see a provider. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
In the SHU: People in the SHU tell the Health Services staff member on rounds. They are not charged for the daily rounds. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Co-pay: $2.00 for a visit they ask for themselves, and $2.00 for a pharmacy refill request. No fee for staff referrals, chronic care follow-up, emergencies, mental health care and substance abuse treatment. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗
Dental: The handbook says only emergency care and dental sick call are available to people held less than 12 months, and to pretrial, holdover and segregation inmates. Health Services staff also check urgent dental problems. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

Write a sick call request →

Programs

RDAP (drug program; can mean up to a year off for those eligible): Honolulu is not on the BOP's RDAP list. The list was updated June 4, 2026. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
Pu'a Foundation Reentry Program: The BOP's guide lists a trauma-informed care program for women at FDC Honolulu, grounded in Hawaiian culture. It focuses on families affected by trauma and incarceration, with special emphasis on women, girls and Native Hawaiian participants. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
Education: The handbook says the education department offers GED and English as a second language classes, as required by law, with placement tests. Click here to read the source: FDC Honolulu Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated May 2, 2022) ↗

Honolulu is not on the BOP's RDAP list (updated June 4, 2026). The BOP's First Step Act guide lists one program at Honolulu, for women. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗

Safety record

Criminal cases at Honolulu

Deaths announced by the BOP

We found no deaths at Honolulu announced by the BOP.

We found no BOP press release announcing a death at Honolulu (checked November 3, 2026). The BOP does not publish a full count of deaths at each prison, so this does not mean no one has died there.

Sexual abuse audit (PREA)

The last federal sexual-abuse (PREA) audit visited Honolulu May 21 to 23, 2024. Result: 7 standards exceeded, 34 met, 0 not met. In the 12 months before the audit, Honolulu recorded 5 sexual-abuse allegations (4 against other inmates, 1 against staff) and 2 sexual-harassment allegations (both against staff). Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FDC Honolulu (onsite May 21 to 23, 2024) ↗

An allegation is a report, not a finding. The audit counts reports made, not what investigators concluded.

News about Honolulu

No news stories found yet. We check every day. Last checked Nov 3, 2026, 8:11 am ET.

Intel from the Inside

Intel last checked: November 3, 2026

Reports from people inside, in their own words. It is how the place really runs, not official policy, and it can change. We never publish names.

No Intel reported for Honolulu yet.

Know something about Honolulu that families should know? Tell Scooter. Our team checks every report before it goes up, and we never publish names.