How to Send a Care Package to an Inmate

Whether you can send a care package depends entirely on where your inmate is housed, as rules vary significantly between facility types.

For state prisons, most facilities allow packages but only through approved vendors. You cannot send a package directly from home. Approved vendors typically include Access Securepak, iCare, and MyCarePack, though the specific vendor approved varies by facility. To place an order you will need your inmate's ID number and the exact facility name. Each institution sets its own rules on which items are permitted, how frequently packages can be sent, and what the spending limits are. Always check the specific facility's website before ordering to make sure your package will be accepted.

For county jails, policies vary widely. Some allow vendor packages, some allow limited items dropped off in person, and some allow nothing beyond what the facility provides. Contact the jail directly to confirm their current policy.

For federal prisons, outside care packages are not permitted under any circumstances. However, books and magazines sent directly from a publisher or approved retailer are allowed. InmateAid has direct relationships with publishers, meaning magazines ordered through InmateAid qualify as publisher-direct shipments and are accepted at federal facilities. This makes InmateAid's magazine service one of the few ways to send something meaningful to a federal inmate.