A letter from home arriving at mail call is one of the most powerful moments in an incarcerated person's day. It is proof that someone on the outside is thinking about them, that life is continuing, and that there is something worth coming home to. But sending mail to a correctional facility involves rules that vary by institution and mistakes can mean your letter never arrives. This section covers how to address mail correctly for federal and state facilities, what the mailroom screening process looks like and how long it adds to delivery time, what content is and is not permitted in letters, how to send photos and why sending them through InmateAid's service is more reliable than printing and mailing them yourself, how to send mail from outside the United States, and what the InmateAid return letter service does for inmates who want to write back. The guidance here makes sure every letter you send reaches its destination. See also our sections on Inmate Care Packages, Send Books and Magazines, and Inmate Phone Calls.
Related InmateAid Services
Subject: Send inmate mail
In most cases, letters and photos sent through InmateAid arrive at the facility within 2 to 3 business days after they are processed and mailed. That is the delivery time through the postal system.
Once the mail reaches the jail or prison, it goes through the facility’s internal mail process. Staff will open, inspect, and read each piece of mail to check for contraband or rule violations before giving it to the inmate. This step can add additional time, and it...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Sending mail through InmateAid to someone at the Laredo Processing Center is simple, and everything is handled for you once you submit your order.
When you write a letter and upload photos, you complete the payment on the site and the process starts right away. Your letter is printed out on paper, and any photos you include are printed as well. Everything is then neatly assembled, folded, and placed into a standard envelope. There are no ads or extra inserts, just...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Delivery time:
Letters sent through InmateAid usually arrive at the facility in 2–3 business days
After that, mail is opened, inspected, and sorted
Delivery to the inmate typically takes another 1–5 days
So most inmates receive your letter within 3–7 days total, depending on the facility.
What the inmate sees:
Your name appears on the letter
Your home address is NOT shown unless you include it yourself
How they know how to write back:
The letter includes the InmateAid return address
They can write back to that address just like regular mail
How replies work:
The inmate sends the letter...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Inmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can
purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have
money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the
materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones.
If your inmate writes to you directly, using your address, the cost of the
mailing is a 49 cent stamp. Many of our members use the Inmate Response Mail
service through InmateAid. Your inmate would write you back to the...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
When sending books to your husband, you must use his facility address, not your home address.
Here is how to do it correctly:
Enter your husband’s name and inmate ID number
Use the prison’s mailing address as the shipping address
Your name and billing address stay tied to your payment method
Important rules to follow:
Books must come directly from a publisher or retailer like Amazon
Do not send books yourself. They will be rejected
Choose new books, not used or third-party seller items
Most facilities prefer paperbacks and limit how many you can send
Shipping notes:
The package will show:
The retailer...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
When an inmate is transferred, not everything follows them smoothly. Each category is handled differently:
Personal property:
Inmates are allowed to pack and transfer their belongings
However, items are often lost, delayed, or limited during the move
Extra commissary items and clothing do not always make it to the new facility
Mail:
Mail that is already in transit is usually NOT forwarded
It is often returned to the sender
You should start using the new facility address immediately
Commissary funds:
If the transfer is within the same system (state to state within the same department, or federal within...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We make no guarantees as to how long it will take as there are thousands of facilities and none of them do things the same way. The only way you will know if when he responds, unless the...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Most inmates do not have access to the Internet or email, they receive letters through the US Mail. Mail call is done Monday through Friday only. Inmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones. If your inmate writes to you directly, using...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
You may add as many Personal Inmate Pages that you would like. If the inmate's profile is already in the system, you can click on "follow inmate" and they will be accessible in your My Accounts area. Our members are able to communicate with as many inmates as they would like.
Some members even write to famous inmates in a "pen-pal" type fashion. You can keep your address private and communicate with some famous inmates to ask them questions or...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We make no guarantees as to how long it will take as there are thousands of facilities and none of them do things the same way. The only way you will know if when he responds, unless the...
Read more