If someone you love is locked up in Colorado, staying connected through mail matters. The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) has not moved to a centralized digital mail scanner - mail still goes directly to the facility where the person is housed. But there is an important rule at most CDOC facilities that families need to know upfront: at 16 of CDOC's facilities, all incoming mail is photocopied and the copy is delivered to the inmate while the original is destroyed. You are not getting the letter back, and neither is the inmate - they receive a photocopy.
This article covers CDOC state prisons. Colorado county jails operate independently and are addressed at the end.
Current operational notice
As of June 7, 2026, visitation at all CDOC facilities has been temporarily suspended due to an evolving operational situation. This does not affect mail. Check cdoc.colorado.gov for current status before attempting to visit.
Sending mail - letters, cards, photos
Mail goes directly to the facility where the inmate is housed. Address the envelope with all of the following:
Inmate's commitment name (the name used at intake - legally changed names may be used only if the commitment name is listed first)
Inmate's DOC number
Facility name and mailing address
Your full return address (mail without a return address may be rejected)
Each CDOC facility has its own mailing address. Find the inmate's current facility and DOC number using the CDOC Inmate Locator at doc.state.co.us/oss. Then find the mailing address for that specific facility on its page under the Facilities section at cdoc.colorado.gov/facilities.
The OIG photocopy rule - what it means for your mail
At most CDOC facilities, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has determined that incoming mail is being used to introduce contraband. Under Administrative Regulation 300-38, these facilities are subject to a mail restriction: all incoming mail is photocopied, the copy is delivered to the inmate, and the original is destroyed.
This applies to all non-legal incoming mail at the affected facilities - letters, cards, drawings, and photos included in envelopes.
The following 16 CDOC facilities are currently subject to this restriction: Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, Arrowhead Correctional Center, Bent County Correctional Facility, Buena Vista Correctional Complex, Centennial Correctional Facility, Colorado State Penitentiary, Crowley County Correctional Facility, Denver Complex (Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center and Denver Women's Correctional Facility), Fremont Correctional Facility, Four Mile Correctional Center, La Vista Correctional Facility, Limon Correctional Facility, San Carlos Correctional Facility, Sterling Correctional Facility, Trinidad Correctional Facility, and Youthful Offender System.
Do not send original photos, drawings, or letters you want returned if your person is housed at any of these facilities - the original will be destroyed after copying.
Exception: commercially produced photos received directly from an approved vendor are processed as publications and do not require photocopying. See the publications section below.
Sending photos
Photos sent in an envelope as part of personal mail are subject to the OIG photocopy rule above at the 16 listed facilities. The inmate will receive a photocopy; the original will be destroyed. Do not send photos you need back.
For commercially produced photos - photos ordered from an approved photo vendor and shipped directly - those are treated as publications and processed separately, without the photocopy requirement.
For electronic photos, use Securus eMessaging. See the digital messaging section below.
Sending publications - magazines, books, newspapers
Publications (magazines, newspapers, books, and other printed materials) must come from approved vendors. Inmates may not receive publications sent directly by family or friends as personal mail - they must come from a publisher, approved retailer, or authorized nonprofit.
The largest approved vendor is Amazon. Books may also come from approved catalog companies including Books N Things and Hamilton Books, or directly from major publishers including HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster. Use the publisher's direct website - books ordered through third-party sellers on a publisher's site are not allowed.
Inmates may also receive new or used books donated from approved nonprofit organizations. Check with the specific facility for the current approved nonprofit list.
All publications are subject to review and may be rejected if they contain prohibited content per Administrative Regulation 300-26.
Important: diagnostic inmates at Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center (DRDC) may not receive books while in intake status, as they are not permanently assigned to that facility.
The inmate's full name and DOC number must be included on the package along with the complete facility address.
Legal and privileged mail
Legal mail - correspondence between an inmate and their attorney, courts, and certain officials - is governed separately. It should be clearly marked as legal or privileged mail and is opened in the inmate's presence for contraband inspection only. Legal mail is not subject to the OIG photocopy rule.
Electronic messaging - Securus eMessaging
CDOC uses Securus for electronic communications. Securus eMessaging allows you to send a one-way electronic message to an inmate housed at a CDOC facility. The message is reviewed by staff and delivered directly to the inmate's tablet.
To send an eMessage, create a Securus account at securustech.net/emessaging. You need the inmate's DOC number. Note that eMessaging is one-way - the inmate cannot respond electronically.
Phone calls
Phone calls from CDOC facilities run through Securus (CDOC transitioned from GTL to Securus). The contracted rate is $0.019 per minute, discounted by 25 percent under HB23-1133 to an effective rate of approximately $0.014 per minute for local, intrastate, and international calls.
Inmates initiate outgoing calls to people on their approved phone list. Inmates cannot receive incoming calls. To be on the phone list, provide your phone number to the inmate in writing so they can add you. Inmates going through intake may not make calls until their phone list is approved - this typically takes two to three weeks.
To set up a Securus account for receiving calls, visit securustech.online.
Sending money - CorrectPay
As of May 10, 2026, CorrectPay is the only authorized deposit vendor for CDOC inmate trust accounts. JPay is no longer accepted. Deposits go through correctpay.com or by phone at 855-836-3364.
CDOC automatically withholds a minimum of 20 percent of any deposit for court-ordered fines, fees, restitution, or child support. This is a statutory requirement - it applies to every deposit regardless of the amount.
Colorado county jails: different rules
Colorado has 64 counties, each with its own jail operated by the county sheriff. County jails are entirely independent of CDOC and set their own mail and package rules. Check the specific county sheriff's website for current mail and package instructions.
Denver County and El Paso County (Colorado Springs) are the two largest county jail systems. Each operates independently from CDOC.
What to know before you send anything
Mail goes directly to the facility - find the address on the facility's page at cdoc.colorado.gov/facilities. Use the commitment name, DOC number, and a valid return address.
At 16 facilities, all incoming mail is photocopied and the original destroyed. Do not send originals you want back.
Publications must come from approved vendors - Amazon, approved catalog companies, major publishers direct, or approved nonprofits. Family and friends cannot mail publications themselves.
Commercially produced photos from approved vendors are not subject to the photocopy rule.
Legal mail goes to the facility and is opened in the inmate's presence only.
Electronic messages via Securus eMessaging are one-way only - the inmate cannot reply electronically.
Phone calls cost approximately $0.014 per minute under HB23-1133 rates.
Deposits use CorrectPay - JPay is no longer accepted as of May 2026.
Related pages:
/prisons/colorado
How to send money to a Colorado inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I mail a letter to a Colorado DOC inmate?
Directly to the facility where they are housed. Find the facility and DOC number at doc.state.co.us/oss, then find the mailing address on the facility page at cdoc.colorado.gov/facilities. Include the commitment name, DOC number, and your return address.
What is the OIG photocopy rule?
At 16 CDOC facilities, incoming mail is photocopied by staff - the copy is delivered to the inmate and the original is destroyed. This affects all personal mail including cards, letters, drawings, and photos in envelopes. Do not send originals you want back to any of these facilities.
Which facilities have the OIG photocopy restriction?
Arkansas Valley, Arrowhead, Bent County, Buena Vista, Centennial, Colorado State Penitentiary, Crowley County, Denver Complex (DRDC and DWCF), Fremont, Four Mile, La Vista, Limon, San Carlos, Sterling, Trinidad, and Youthful Offender System.
Can I send photos?
Yes - but at the 16 OIG facilities, the original is destroyed and the inmate receives a photocopy. Commercially produced photos ordered through an approved vendor and shipped directly are treated as publications and not subject to photocopying. Electronic photos can be sent via Securus eMessaging.
How do I send books or magazines?
Through approved vendors only - Amazon, Books N Things, Hamilton Books, or direct from major publishers (HarperCollins, Hachette, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster). Family and friends cannot mail publications themselves. Inmates at DRDC during intake cannot receive books.
How do I send an electronic message?
Through Securus eMessaging at securustech.net/emessaging. Messages are one-way - the inmate cannot reply electronically. You need the inmate's DOC number.
What does phone service cost?
Approximately $0.014 per minute under HB23-1133 rates, discounted 25% from the contracted Securus rate of $0.019 per minute.
How do I send money to a CDOC inmate?
Through CorrectPay - online at correctpay.com or by phone at 855-836-3364. JPay is no longer accepted as of May 10, 2026. CDOC withholds a minimum of 20% of every deposit for restitution and other court-ordered obligations. ====================================================================
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