Visiting Hours

Here’s what to know before you visit a patient in one of our hospitals.

Help us protect patients and staff

  • Latest policies

    Visitor policies may change depending on infectious disease levels in the area. Click to see current guidelines.

  • When to stay home

    If you have a cough or other symptoms of a respiratory infection, please delay your visit until you're well.

  • Smoke-free policy

    Smoking in and around our hospitals is prohibited. Nicotine replacement products are available in our gift shops.

Visiting hours and limits

Hospital visiting hours are generally 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Individual departments may have their own visiting hours – see below for details.

To reduce the spread of viral illness during cold and flu season, we don’t allow visitors younger than age 5 from Nov. 1 to May 1.

Adult inpatient units (including labor and delivery)

  • Visiting hours: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
  • No maximum number of visitors per day. Depending on the room size, patients may be limited to no more than two visitors at a time. Patients may have one overnight visitor or caregiver, per unit discretion.

Adult emergency departments

  • Visiting hours: All hours
  • Maximum of one visitor at a time

Adult surgery

  • Visiting hours: During surgery hours
  • Maximum of one visitor at a time

Before surgery, patients check in and wait for their procedures in a dedicated waiting area. When the surgical team and operating room are ready, we escort the patient to the operating room.

Some units allow one friend or family member to remain in the waiting area during the surgery. However, others may ask visitors to wait elsewhere due to space constraints.

As a courtesy to patients who must fast before their procedure, please don't bring food or beverages into the surgical waiting areas.

Pediatric visiting hours

See the pediatric visiting hours and rules on our UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals website. The rules may differ for our San Francisco and Oakland hospitals.

Video visits

You may visit a patient remotely (via real-time video) instead of in person. To arrange a video visit, please ask our staff for help.

Accompanying patients to appointments

Patients may bring one friend or family member into the exam room during a clinic appointment. Additional friends and family members may be allowed in the exam room if space permits. Otherwise, they are welcome in designated waiting areas.

Safety precautions

We are dedicated to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

To upgrade our security measures, we’ve installed new patient and visitor badging kiosks, as well as weapons detection systems in our hospital lobbies to ensure compliance with California law. Our Security and Guest Services teams are available at hospital entrances to help answer questions and direct patients and guests.