If someone you love is locked up in California, staying connected through mail, photos, and packages matters. California's state prison system - the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) - has not moved to a centralized digital mail scanner. Mail still goes directly to the facility where the person is housed. That is different from many other states where everything routes through a central Tampa or Dallas address first. Each CDCR institution has its own mailing address.
Three things are worth knowing upfront about California state prisons. Phone calls are free - you do not need to fund a phone account to receive calls. Restitution is automatically deducted from deposits before money reaches the spending balance, which can reduce what you send by up to 55 percent. And packages cannot be mailed directly - they go through approved vendors only.
This article covers CDCR state prisons. California county jails - all 58 of them - operate independently and are addressed at the end.
Sending mail - letters, cards, photos
Mail goes directly to the facility where the incarcerated person is housed. Address the envelope with the following information:
Incarcerated person's full name, CDCR#
Institution Name
P.O. Box Housing (use P.O. Box, not street address, when both are listed)
City, CA ZIP
The CDCR number is the incarcerated person's identification number assigned by the department. It is required. Find it using the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. If you cannot locate the person, call the Department's ID Unit at 916-445-6713 - have a date of birth ready if the name is common.
In most cases the incarcerated person's mail address is different from the general institution address. Find the specific mailing address for a facility by using the CDCR Facility Locator at cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator.
All incoming mail is opened and inspected for contraband before being forwarded to the incarcerated person. Non-confidential mail may also be read for content.
No metal of any kind in the mail - including staples and metal paper fasteners. Lottery tickets, lottery scratchers, or other contest materials are rejected.
Sending photos
Photos may be included in the envelope with a letter to the facility address. Photos are subject to the same inspection as regular mail. No sexually explicit content. No metal attachments.
For electronic photo sharing, use the tablet messaging platform - currently ViaPath at many facilities, transitioning to Securus. See the digital messaging section below.
Sending publications - magazines and books
Incarcerated people may receive publications from any publisher, bookstore, or book distributor that does mail order business. Publications may be sent to the facility directly from the publisher or distributor. CDCR facilities cannot require a pre-approved vendor label on publications.
All publications are subject to inspection. A Centralized List of Disapproved Publications exists - publications on that list are treated as contraband. For the current list, check cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/disapproved-publications.
Sending packages
You cannot mail a care package directly to a CDCR incarcerated person. All quarterly packages must go through CDCR-approved vendors. The approved vendor list is available at cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/approved-vendors.
When placing an order with an approved vendor, provide the incarcerated person's name, CDCR number, privilege group, and current housing location.
One important distinction: funds sent directly to an incarcerated person's trust account are subject to restitution deductions. But families that purchase packages directly from an approved vendor are not impacted by restitution on those package purchases.
Confidential and legal mail
Confidential mail - correspondence with an attorney, courts, and certain officials - is opened only in the incarcerated person's presence and inspected only for contraband. Mark the envelope clearly as confidential or legal mail. Include the attorney's name and address as the return address.
Do not include any materials in legal mail that would cause the incarcerated person to violate CDCR rules. No obscene matter. No staples or metal fasteners - any metal found will be removed in front of the incarcerated person.
Electronic messaging and tablets - ViaPath to Securus transition
CDCR is currently transitioning its tablet and telephone services from ViaPath Technologies to Securus Technologies. The transition began in February 2026.
Facilities that have transitioned: California Institution for Women (February 2026), Central California Women's Facility (March 2026), Sierra Conservation Center (March 2026), and all fire camps.
Most other CDCR institutions are pending transition with dates to be determined.
Until an institution transitions, use ViaPath. Once it transitions, use Securus. If your person transfers to a facility still on ViaPath, you will need to use ViaPath again for that facility.
ViaPath content - messages, photos, media - does not transfer to Securus tablets. Incarcerated people must print anything they want to keep before their facility's transition date.
Costs under ViaPath: e-messages $0.05 each (2,000 character max); photos $0.05 inbound; free messages 5 per week.
Costs under Securus: e-messages $0.03 each; photos $0.03 inbound; free messages 20 per month; free video calls 30 minutes per month.
To register for Securus: securustech.net/cdcr.
Note: CDCR identified an overcharging issue with Securus e-messages in early 2026. The issue was fixed and corrections were issued. Check cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources for any current notices.
Phone calls are free
Beginning January 1, 2023, all telephone audio calls made from a California state prison incarcerated person are free of charge to both the incarcerated person and their friends and family. You do not need to fund a phone account. Calls are limited to 15 minutes. The incarcerated person initiates the call to numbers they have registered.
Restitution and what happens to deposits
This is the part California families most often do not know until it is too late. When an incarcerated person has a court-ordered restitution fine or direct order collection, CDCR automatically deducts 50 percent of any money deposited into the trust account - regardless of the source. On top of that, CDCR charges a 10 percent administrative fee on the amount of that deduction. The maximum combined deduction is 55 percent of each deposit.
This applies to every deposit from every source: family deposits, wages earned in prison, and any other income. The deducted amount (less the administrative fee) goes to the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board for the Crime Victims' Restitution Fund.
If the incarcerated person does not have a court-ordered restitution obligation, this deduction does not apply.
Contact CalVCB at 800-777-9229 or visit victims.ca.gov for questions about restitution.
Sending money - three methods
EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer): Fee applies; funds post within one to three days. Three approved EFT vendors: GTL/ConnectNetwork at web.connectnetwork.com/trust-cdcr, JPay at jpay.com/california, or Access Corrections at accesscorrections.com.
Lock Box (no fee): Mail a money order, personal check, or cashier's check payable to JPay. Fill out the Money Order Deposit Form (coupon) - available at jpay.com - with your name and address. Mail to: JPay, 2202 South Figueroa St, Box #3001, Los Angeles CA 90007. Do not include any letters or notes - they will be discarded. Personal checks are held for 10 business days. Maximum $999.99 per coupon. No JPay account required.
Mail to Institution (no fee, 30-day hold): Send a money order or check payable to CDCR with the incarcerated person's name and CDCR number on the check. Mail to the facility directly.
All three methods are subject to the restitution deduction described above.
California county jails: different rules
California has 58 counties, each with its own jail system operated by the county sheriff. County jails are not part of CDCR and set their own mail and package rules independently. The vendor and mail address vary by county.
Los Angeles County - the largest county jail system in the state - accepts online deposits through Access Corrections effective July 28, 2025 (a residential address is required; P.O. Box addresses are not accepted for LASD). For mail, check the LASD website for current instructions.
For any California county jail, check the specific county sheriff's website for current mail and package rules.
What to know before you send anything
Mail goes directly to the facility - find the specific P.O. Box mailing address at cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator. Use the incarcerated person's full name and CDCR number.
No metal in the mail - no staples, no paper fasteners.
Publications from any mail-order publisher or distributor are allowed. No pre-approval label required. Check the disapproved publications list before ordering.
Packages must go through CDCR-approved vendors. No direct mailing.
Phone calls are free - no phone account needed.
Up to 55% of deposits may go to restitution if a court order exists. Package purchases from approved vendors are not subject to this deduction.
Electronic messaging is transitioning from ViaPath to Securus starting February 2026. ViaPath content does not transfer.
Related pages:
/prisons/california
How to send money to a California inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I mail a letter to a California state prison inmate?
Directly to the facility where they are housed. Find the specific mailing address at cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator. Use the incarcerated person's full name, CDCR number, facility name, and P.O. Box housing.
Does California use a centralized mail scanning vendor?
No. CDCR mail goes directly to each facility. There is no Smart Communications or ICSolutions Tampa/Dallas address for California state prisons.
Can I send photos?
Yes - include them in the envelope to the facility address. You can also send photos electronically through the tablet platform (ViaPath or Securus, depending on the facility's transition status).
How do I send magazines or books?
Publications from any publisher, bookstore, or book distributor doing mail order can be sent directly to the facility. No pre-approved vendor label required. Check the CDCR disapproved publications list first.
How do I send a package?
Through a CDCR-approved vendor only - no direct mailing. Find the current approved vendor list at cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/approved-vendors. Provide the incarcerated person's name, CDCR number, privilege group, and housing location.
Do I need to pay for phone calls?
No. All phone calls from California state prisons are free since January 1, 2023. No phone account funding needed. Calls are limited to 15 minutes and initiated by the incarcerated person.
What is the restitution deduction?
If the incarcerated person has a court-ordered restitution obligation, CDCR deducts 50% of every deposit plus a 10% administrative fee on that deduction - up to 55% combined. This applies to all deposits regardless of source. Package purchases from approved vendors are not subject to this deduction.
How do I send money?
Three ways: EFT (fee, 1-3 days) through GTL/ConnectNetwork, JPay, or Access Corrections; Lock Box (no fee) by mailing a check or money order payable to JPay to 2202 South Figueroa St, Box #3001, Los Angeles CA 90007; or mail to institution (no fee, 30-day hold) payable to CDCR.
What is happening with ViaPath and Securus?
CDCR is transitioning from ViaPath to Securus for tablets and phones starting February 2026. Some facilities have already transitioned. ViaPath content does not transfer to Securus tablets. Check cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/tablets for the current facility rollout schedule. ====================================================================
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