Letters matter a lot to people inside. Mail rules are strict, though, and a letter that breaks them is returned or thrown away. Here is how to get it right.
How to address the envelope
Always include the person's full legal (committed) name and their booking, inmate or register number, then the facility's mailing address. Put your own name and return address on the envelope so it can come back to you if it cannot be delivered.
The mailing address is often a post office box, not the street address. For example, federal prisons list a separate inmate mail address on each institution's page (see our federal prison pages), and Texas prisons send personal mail to one digital mail center.
Digital mail: letters scanned to a tablet
More and more systems scan personal mail and deliver it to the person's tablet. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice does this: personal letters, greeting cards and photos go to Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the person's full name and TDCJ number, PO Box 660400, Dallas, TX 75266-0400. TDCJ scans them in color; people without a tablet get printed copies. Legal mail, media mail, and books and subscriptions from publishers still go to the unit.
What you can and cannot send
- Letters and cards are opened and inspected for contraband. In federal prison, "general correspondence" is read by staff; specially marked legal mail is opened only in front of the person.
- Packages from home are usually not allowed. Federal prisons need written approval first, and allow only release clothing and approved medical devices.
- Books and magazines usually must come straight from a publisher or bookseller.
- Before you send anything other than a plain letter, read the facility's mail rules. Items that break them are returned or thrown away.
Faster ways to stay in touch
Email-style messages are available in many places: federal prisons use TRULINCS, and TDCJ offers e-messaging. See also phone calls and video visits.
Questions
Do I need the inmate number to send a letter?
Yes, in practice. Mail without the booking, inmate or register number can be delayed or returned, especially in large systems.
Can I send photos to someone in prison?
Usually yes, as prints or through a digital mail service, within the facility's limits. Texas, for example, scans photos to tablets in color. Check size and content rules first.
Can I send money in a letter?
No. Never put cash or checks in a letter. Use the facility's deposit methods; federal prisons say never to send money to the prison's address.
Sources
The pages below back up the main rules and definitions in this guide. We opened each link on October 14, 2026.
- Contact Inmates, Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Digital mail to tablets, the mail address and what still goes to the unit.
- Stay in touch (communications), Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal mail rules (general and special mail, packages, publications), TRULINCS, and deposits to commissary accounts.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and facility rules differ and change; confirm details with the facility, court or a lawyer.