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Interstate Corrections Compact Transfers

Interstate Corrections Compact Transfers

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During their annual review, inmates may request to serve their sentence in another state’s correctional system if their records show they have no significant ties in Virginia and transferring would better meet their re-entry needs.

More details can be found in Operating Procedure 020.2. The following prerequisites must be met to be eligible to apply to transfer incarceration outside of Virginia.

Interstate Compact transfers are currently on hold until further notice.

Prerequisites

Participating States

You can request to serve your sentence in another jurisdiction’s correctional system as long as they have an interstate corrections compact agreement with Virginia.

We have interstate compact agreements with these states:

  • Alabama

  • Arizona

  • Arkansas

  • Colorado

  • Connecticut

  • Delaware

  • Florida

  • Hawaii

  • Idaho

  • Illinois

  • Indiana

  • Iowa

  • Kansas

  • Kentucky

  • Maryland

  • Maine

  • Massachusetts

  • Minnesota

  • Mississippi

  • Montana

  • Nebraska

  • Nevada

  • New Hampshire

  • New Jersey

  • New Mexico

  • North Carolina

  • Ohio

  • Oklahoma

  • Oregon

  • Pennsylvania

  • Rhode Island

  • South Carolina

  • South Dakota

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • Utah

  • Vermont

  • Washington State

  • Wisconsin

  • Wyoming

Some of these states have additional transfer criteria. Please contact our staff to inquire what these additional requirements may be.

If you would like to request a transfer to facility outside of the United States, please contact our staff for more information.

Eligibility Criteria

You must meet the following criteria to request and be considered for transferring incarceration:

  1. Serve at least one year from date of physical admission to a state facility
  2. At the time of your request, assigned Good Time Award Level I or equivalent, or earning the maximum allowable good time under the EGT system
  3. No major disciplinary infraction within the past year
  4. Actively pursuing and making meaningful progress toward established case plan goals
  5. Have at least two years remaining to serve prior to mandatory parole or good time release
  6. Either or both of the following are true:
    1. You do not have any significant or meaningful family ties in Virginia, and such ties exist or can exist elsewhere in the event of compact transfer.
    2. Your program or re-entry needs cannot be adequately addressed in the Virginia system, and such needs can be substantially and more adequately addressed through compact transfer.

If the above conditions are met, you can complete the following steps to submit your Interstate Corrections Compact Transfer application.

Apply for Transfer

  • Complete Application

    During your annual review, you and your counselor will complete the Interstate Corrections Compact Transfer application.

    All applications must also attach a Notarized Letter of Intent from a family member in the requested state. This is to document that your transfer will facilitate family contact and aid in meeting your re-entry needs.

    It also confirms that they are committed to paying the cost of your transportation if you are approved.

  • Facility Reviews Application and Conducts Medical Assessment

    Your completed application will be presented to the ICA at your annual review hearing. ICA will record their recommendation in a report and will notify you if their team recommends approval or not. If you are recommended for approval, the medical department will conduct a medical assessment.

  • Interstate Compact Reviews Application

    Your counselor will submit the complete application package to the Compact Coordinator for review and processing. The Compact Coordinator will send a notice saying if you are approved or not.

  • Pay Transportation Fee

    Upon approval from the Compact Coordinator, your family member will need to send payment to fund the cost of your physical transportation. The cost may range from $700 to $7500 or more depending on the approved transfer location. The cost required is the amount in your signed Notarized Letter of Intent.

    Send check to:

    General Accounting
    Virginia Department of Corrections

    P.O. Box 26963
    Richmond, VA 23261

    Please do not send a check without first receiving approval from the Compact Coordinator. Otherwise, your payment will be rejected.

  • Compact Coordinator Submits Application to Requested State

    Once the check funding your transportation is deposited, the Compact Coordinator will submit your entire approved application to the requested state’s Department of Corrections for review. Their processing times may vary.

    If your application is not approved by the receiving state, we will refund the transportation fee.

    If your application is approved, our Extradition Unit will work with the Compact Coordinator and your facility to organize and schedule your transportation.

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