A family or friends visit to HMP Low Moss is normally booked by the person in custody rather than by the visitor through the England and Wales prison-visit service.
Visits can be arranged up to four weeks ahead. Visitors should reach the prison 15 minutes before the scheduled start because late arrivals are not admitted once the session has begun.
Bring both:
- An accepted form of photographic ID
- Proof of your address dated within the previous three months
You must produce both documents at every visit, not only the first one.
HMP Low Moss Contact Details
The following details are listed by the Scottish Prison Service.
| Purpose | Current details |
| Address | Crosshill Road, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2QB |
| Main switchboard | 0141 762 9500 |
| Concern phoneline | 0141 762 9500, then press 9 |
| Family Contact Officer | 0141 762 9557 |
| Family Visitor Centre | 0141 762 9730 |
| Legal and official visit booking | 0141 762 9699 |
| Legal booking hours | Monday–Friday, 08:30–12:00 and 13:00–16:00 |
The concern phoneline should be used when a relative or friend has a genuine concern about the welfare of someone being held at HMP Low Moss. It should not be treated as a general visit-booking line.
What Type Of Prison Is HMP Low Moss?
HMP Low Moss opened in March 2012. It holds adult men on remand as well as people serving short-term, long-term, life and extended sentences, primarily from the North Strathclyde area.
Its facilities include a Links Centre that supports matters such as UK employment, housing, social work, addiction services and preparation for release.
The current establishment replaced an older prison on the same site. The previous Low Moss closed in May 2007, and construction of the replacement prison began in 2010.
How Do You book HMP Low Moss visits?
The person in custody books family and friends visits. Visitors should therefore give that person their correct name and any other information the prison requires so they can be added to the appropriate visitor list.
Visits may be booked up to four weeks in advance. The Scottish Prison Service also applies a 48-hour rule to amendments, so anyone needing to change a visit should contact HMP Low Moss promptly and confirm what can be altered.
This is an important distinction because advice for prisons in England and Wales may direct visitors to an online GOV.UK booking service. HMP Low Moss is in Scotland and follows Scottish Prison Service procedures.
Before travelling, confirm:
- The date and exact start time
- That your full name is included on the booking
- Whether the session is a standard, children’s or protections-only visit
- Which adults and children have been approved
- That your ID and proof of address meet the current rules
Current HMP Low Moss Visiting Times
These were the family, friends and children’s visiting sessions displayed by the Scottish Prison Service on 22 July 2026. Times may be amended because of operational requirements, public holidays or local circumstances.
| Day | Family and friends sessions |
| Monday | 14:35–15:20; 15:45–16:30; 17:40–18:20, protections only |
| Tuesday | 10:30–11:45; 14:35–15:20; 15:45–16:30 |
| Wednesday | 14:35–15:20; 15:45–16:30, protections only; 17:40–18:20 |
| Thursday | 10:30–11:45, protections only; 14:35–15:20; 15:45–16:30 |
| Friday | 10:30–11:45; 14:35–15:20, protections only; 15:45–16:30; 17:40–18:20 |
| Saturday | 15:15–16:00 |
| Sunday | 14:00–14:45, protections only; 15:15–16:00 |
“Protections only” is the wording used on the official timetable. Do not assume that a person can attend one of these sessions unless the booking has been confirmed for that category.
Children’s Visit Sessions
Children’s visits are available on a pre-approved basis at the following times:
- Tuesday: 17:40–18:20
- Wednesday Learning Through Play session: 10:30–11:45
- Thursday: 17:40–18:20
- Saturday: 14:00–14:45
Children’s visits are intended to provide meaningful contact between parents in custody and their children. They are additional to ordinary statutory visiting rights, but participation and individual sessions require approval.
What ID Do You Need To Visit Low Moss Prison?
Every visitor must bring photographic identification and proof of address to every visit.
Accepted photographic ID is currently limited to:
- A valid passport
- A valid full or provisional photographic driving licence
- A CitizenCard
- A Scottish Government senior citizens’ bus pass or travel card
Accepted proof of address includes:
- A utility bill
- A council tax bill
- A bank statement
- Another letter from an official source
The proof-of-address document must be dated within the previous three months. A passport or driving licence alone does not remove the separate requirement to show proof of address.
Anyone who cannot produce one of the listed documents should speak to HMP Low Moss before travelling. Do not assume that a workplace card, student card, photograph of a document or expired passport will be accepted.
What Happens When You Arrive For An HMP Low Moss visit?
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the visit begins. Anyone arriving after the session has started will not be admitted.
On an initial visit, the visitor will be photographed. Staff will check the booking and ask visitors to place belongings, including handbags, in the lockers provided in the atrium.
Outer clothing must be removed and passed through an X-ray machine; outdoor jackets are not allowed inside the prison.
Visitors then pass through a metal detector and wait in the family and friends area until they are called. Before entering the visit room, visitors are asked to consent to a rub-down search by an officer of the same gender.
A visitor who refuses will be offered a closed visit instead. Passive searches using trained SPS dogs may also take place.
The visit room has vending machines that accept cash or card. Food or drinks purchased from machines in the separate family and friends waiting area cannot be taken into the visit room.
Accessibility At HMP Low Moss
HMP Low Moss can accommodate wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties. Contact the establishment before the visit when additional assistance is required, particularly when arranging seating, access or help moving through the security process.
HMP Low Moss Visit Readiness Checker
Answer a few quick questions to see what you should confirm before travelling.
Booking and arrival
Identification and approval
Choose a planning day
Your visit-readiness result
Items to check:Main switchboard: 0141 762 9500
Family Contact Officer: 0141 762 9557
Family Visitor Centre: 0141 762 9730
Visiting times and operational arrangements can change. Confirm the date, approved visitors, session category and current requirements before setting off.
What Support Is Available At The Family Visitor Centre?
Early Years Scotland operates the HMP Low Moss Family Visitor Centre. It provides a child-friendly place where visitors can obtain independent information, emotional support, practical help and referrals to other services.
Current opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 09:00–18:30
- Saturday and Sunday: 13:00–16:30
The local HMP Low Moss visitor-centre number is 0141 762 9730. The centre’s team includes family-support and family-engagement practitioners as well as volunteers.
Early Years Scotland also delivers programmes for fathers and families with children aged up to five. These include a fathers’ programme, Learning Together Through Play and baby-massage sessions.
How Do You Get To HMP Low Moss?
Travelling By Car
- HMP Low Moss is on the B819, Crosshill Road, about half a mile from Strathkelvin Business Park.
- Bishopbriggs connects to the M80 at Junction 2, while the A803 runs through Bishopbriggs between Glasgow and Falkirk.
- Allow extra time for traffic, parking and the 15-minute pre-visit arrival requirement.
- At the time of this update, the SPS page also warned of overnight roadworks near the establishment between 20:00 and 06:00 that could affect journeys towards Lenzie after a late session.
Travelling By Bus
- The Scottish Prison Service states that service 88 runs from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station, with an approximate journey time of 35 minutes.
- The stop on Crosshill Road is around a two-minute walk from the prison entrance.
- Current First Bus route information groups services 88, 88A and 88C on the corridor serving Bishopbriggs and Strathkelvin Retail Park.
- Check the live timetable and destination before boarding rather than relying on an old printed schedule.
Travelling By Train
- Bishopbriggs railway station is the closest practical rail connection listed by the prison.
- From the station, visitors can continue by bus towards the Low Moss stop on Crosshill Road.
Can You Send Letters Or Money To Someone At HMP Low Moss?
Sending Letter
Put the following information on correspondence:
- The recipient’s full name
- Their prison number
- Their location within the prison, when known
- HMP Low Moss, Crosshill Road, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2QB
Including the prison number is particularly important when two people have similar names.
Sending Money
- The Scottish Prison Service recommends using its online banking service to transfer money to a person’s prisoner personal cash account.
- HMP Low Moss no longer accepts cash handed in at the establishment.
- Cash, cheques or postal orders may be posted, although the prison recommends recorded or special delivery.
- Cheques and postal orders should be payable to the Scottish Prison Service, with the recipient’s details written on the back.
- Verify the prisoner’s details and the current payment instructions before transferring or posting money.
- An incorrect name, prison number or reference can delay allocation.
Can You Hand In Or Post Property?
Property can normally be handed in only when the person in custody has completed the relevant pro forma. The form identifies what may be provided, the authorised person handing it in, and the permitted date and time. The named visitor must show identification and will receive a receipt.
The prison currently allows the following to be handed in without a pro forma:
- Socks
- Underwear
- Prescription glasses
- Clothes and shoes required for court
- Clothes and shoes required for a funeral
Property hand-in times are:
- Monday to Friday: 09:00–20:00
- Saturday and Sunday: 09:00–16:30
Posted property still requires an approved pro forma. The associated reference number must be displayed on the front of the parcel or it may be returned to the sender. SPS recommends using a tracked or recorded delivery service.
Do not buy or send clothing, footwear, electronics or other items until the person in custody has confirmed that the item is authorised.
Are Virtual Visits Available?
The Scottish Prison Service provides virtual visits through UniLink, which also operates the Email a Prisoner service. Only people included on the prisoner’s approved visitor list can book, and the person making the booking must be over 16.
Virtual visits must normally be booked at least three days ahead. Sessions last 30 minutes, require identity verification and do not replace a person’s face-to-face visit allocation, they are additional. Visitors need an internet-enabled device with a camera, microphone and speaker.
Confirm availability for the individual at HMP Low Moss before relying on a virtual visit.
How Are Legal Visits Arranged?
Solicitors and other authorised professional visitors should call 0141 762 9699 between 08:30 and 12:00 or 13:00 and 16:00, Monday to Friday.
Legal representatives are normally expected to present a Law Society of Scotland identification card.
A representative without that card may be admitted when they have an endorsed letter on their firm’s headed paper and another accepted form of photographic identification. Interviews take place within staff sight but outside normal hearing range to protect confidentiality.
Separate arrangements are available for legal visits by video link through the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
What Does The Latest Inspection Say About Family Visits?
The newest full HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland report was published on 21 July 2026 and covers an inspection conducted from 25 to 29 August 2025.
Keeping the publication and inspection dates separate is important: the findings are newly published, but they describe conditions observed in August 2025.
Inspectors described family support as a strength. They found that family visits were encouraged, the visitor area was welcoming and Family Contact Officers were doing good work.
The report also highlighted collaboration between prison staff, Early Years Scotland and Families Outside in supporting meaningful family contact.
The inspection presented a mixed wider picture. It raised serious concerns about overcrowding, staffing pressure, prisoner progression and some healthcare waiting times.
On the first inspection day, the population was 835 compared with an original operational capacity of 784. These findings provide context about the establishment but do not change the visitor instructions listed on the current SPS page.
HMP Low Moss Visitor Checklist
Before leaving home:
- Confirm the visit directly with the person in custody
- Check the current date and session time
- Arrive 15 minutes early
- Bring approved photographic ID
- Bring proof of address from the past three months
- Leave unnecessary belongings at home
- Check current bus, rail or road conditions
- Contact the prison beforehand for accessibility assistance
- Confirm children and accompanying adults have been approved
Conclusion
Planning an HMP Low Moss visit is easier when the booking, documents and travel arrangements are checked in advance. The person in custody must arrange the visit, while the visitor is responsible for arriving 15 minutes early with approved photographic ID and recent proof of address.
Use the current HMP Low Moss visiting times as a planning guide, but confirm the session before travelling. For questions about children, accessibility or family support, contact the Family Contact Officer or the Early Years Scotland Family Visitor Centre.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HMP Low Moss phone number?
The main HMP Low Moss contact number is 0141 762 9500. For a welfare concern, call the same number and press 9. The Family Contact Officer can be reached on 0141 762 9557.
What is the HMP Low Moss address?
The official address is Crosshill Road, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2QB.
Can I book a Low Moss prison visit myself?
Under the current HMP Low Moss procedure, the person in custody books the family or friends visit. The visitor should confirm the date, time and approved names with that person.
How early should I arrive for an HMP Low Moss visit?
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start. Visitors arriving after the session begins are not permitted entry.
Can children visit HMP Low Moss?
Yes, but children’s sessions are pre-approved. Dedicated sessions are listed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with a Learning Through Play session on Wednesday.
How often can someone receive visits?
SPS states that convicted people are entitled to at least two hours of visits during each 28-day period. People on remand are entitled to a visit lasting at least 30 minutes on a weekday. The available sessions and booking arrangements still depend on the individual prison’s procedures.
Can I take a mobile phone into the visit room?
Visitors are instructed to deposit belongings in the designated lockers before entering. Do not expect to carry a phone, handbag or other personal items into the visit room unless staff have expressly authorised them.
