How Many State Prisons Are in Iowa? Iowa Has 9

Iowa has nine state prisons, all owned by the state and operated by the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC). None are run by private companies, and Iowa does not contract with private prison operators to hold its state-sentenced population. Together these facilities held about 8,766 people as of early 2026.¹

The Nine Prisons and Where They Are

The nine state prisons are spread across Iowa, from Fort Madison in the southeast to Rockwell City in the northwest:²

Anamosa State Penitentiary (ASP) in Anamosa
Clarinda Correctional Facility (CCF) in Clarinda
Fort Dodge Correctional Facility (FDCF) in Fort Dodge
Iowa Correctional Institution for Women (ICIW) in Mitchellville
Iowa Medical and Classification Center (IMCC) in Coralville
Iowa State Penitentiary (ISP) in Fort Madison
Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility (MPCF) in Mount Pleasant
Newton Correctional Facility (NCF) in Newton
North Central Correctional Facility (NCCF) in Rockwell City

Where someone ends up depends on an objective custody classification, not just the offense. Sentence length, criminal history, behavior, and programming needs all factor in.²

How Secure Each Prison Is

Iowa uses a six-tier Security Designation system numbered SD-1 through SD-6, with SD-6 the most secure. The nine facilities sort out this way:³

SD-6: Iowa State Penitentiary (Fort Madison). The system’s highest-security prison, holding primarily maximum-custody individuals along with a significant medium-custody population.
SD-5: Iowa Medical and Classification Center (Coralville). Primarily medium custody with a significant maximum-custody population. IMCC also serves as the reception and intake center for all adult men entering the prison system, processing an estimated 400 to 500 new commitments each month.⁴
SD-4: Anamosa State Penitentiary, Clarinda, Fort Dodge, and Newton. Medium-security facilities that may hold a small number of maximum-custody individuals in specialized housing.
SD-2: North Central (Rockwell City) and Mount Pleasant. Minimum and minimum-work-out custody.

The Iowa Correctional Institution for Women is the exception. Classified SD-3, ICIW is the only facility in Iowa that houses women at every custody level, from maximum down to minimum live-out, and it is the sole intake and classification center for all women entering the system.³⁵

A few facility details worth knowing: Anamosa, built in 1872, is the oldest operating prison in the system and houses the Iowa Prison Industries business office. Mount Pleasant specializes in treatment for men with substance abuse issues and behavioral disorders. North Central runs a leader dog training program. Newton concentrates on release preparation and substance abuse treatment for people approaching parole or discharge.⁶

How Full the System Is

The nine prisons were designed for a combined capacity of 6,990 people. As of March 2026 they held 8,766, putting Iowa roughly 25 percent above capacity, a gap of nearly 2,000 people.¹ Lawmakers have discussed options ranging from reopening closed facilities to building new ones, but no final plan had been adopted at the time of writing.

Who Runs Them

The IDOC, headquartered in Des Moines, operates all nine prisons. It also oversees eight judicial district departments of correctional services that handle community supervision, including probation and parole, across the state.⁷ No facility in Iowa is privately operated, and the state’s community corrections work also runs through public district offices rather than private contractors.

Finding Someone in Custody

The IDOC runs a free online offender search at doc-search.iowa.gov. You can look someone up by name, offender number, facility, offense, or county of commitment. Records are public under Iowa Code section 904.601 and updated weekly.⁸

Crime victims can also sign up for IowaVINE, a free and anonymous notification service that sends alerts when an offender is arrested, released, transferred, escapes, or dies. Register online or by calling 1-888-7-IAVINE.⁹

Visiting

Visits are free, but you have to be approved first. Every adult visitor completes their own paper application; minors are listed on a parent’s or guardian’s form. Mail the signed application to Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility, Attn: Central Records, 1200 E. Washington St., Mount Pleasant, IA 52641. Electronic submissions are not accepted. Once approved, visits are scheduled through the Ameelio App, and the incarcerated person will let you know when your application has cleared.¹⁰

Every applicant is run through state and federal law enforcement background checks. All visitors are subject to search at the facility, which may include electronic screening for illegal substances. Refusing a search suspends visiting privileges at that facility for 15 calendar days.

Sending Money

Incoming funds for commissary accounts are processed centrally at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility regardless of where the person is housed. You cannot drop off money at a prison in person. Options are a money order or cashier’s check mailed to IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, 1550 L Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge, IA 50501, or an electronic transfer through Access Corrections, JPay, or Western Union. Online fees start around $3.49 through Access Corrections and $3.95 through JPay; walk-in payments at retailers like Dollar General, Family Dollar, Walmart, and CVS run roughly $5.95 to $8.95 depending on the vendor. Personal checks and cash are not accepted.¹¹

1
Official State of Iowa Website. Daily Statistics – DOC Offender
2
Iowa Department of Corrections. Districts and Prisons
3
Iowa Department of Corrections. State of Iowa Department of Corrections Policy and Procedures
4
Iowa Department of Corrections. Iowa Medical and Classification Center
5
Iowa Department of Corrections. How Do I Prepare for Admission to Prison?
6
Iowa Legislature. Adult Correctional Institutions — Anamosa State Penitentiary
7
Iowa Department of Corrections. About Us
8
Official State of Iowa Website. Iowa Offender Search
9
Iowa Attorney General. Iowa Victim Information and Notification Everyday (IowaVINE)
10
Iowa Department of Corrections. Visit an Offender
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Iowa Department of Corrections. Send Money to An Offender