If someone you love is locked up in Connecticut, there is something worth understanding about the system before you send anything. Connecticut eliminated its county jails in 1968. Every adult who is incarcerated in Connecticut - whether they are awaiting trial or serving a sentence - is held by the Connecticut Department of Correction (CT DOC). There are no separate county systems. One department, one set of rules, statewide.
CT DOC has not moved to a centralized digital mail scanner. Mail still goes directly to the facility where the person is housed. Phone calls from CT DOC facilities are free under state law. And unlike most states, there is no visitor list requirement to send money.
This article covers CT DOC facilities. If your person is in federal custody, federal BOP rules apply.
The unified Connecticut system
Connecticut abolished its county jail system in 1968, placing all incarcerated adults - pretrial and sentenced - under CT DOC. As of now, CT DOC has 18 correctional facilities, five of which are currently closed due to a 20-plus-year low in population. Twelve hold adult male offenders, one holds teenage males, and one holds female offenders.
Because everything runs through one department, the rules are consistent across facilities. Find the specific facility your person is assigned to using the CT DOC inmate search at ctinmateinfo.state.ct.us.
Sending mail - letters, cards, photos
Mail goes directly to the facility where the inmate is housed. Address the envelope with:
Inmate's full name and inmate number
Facility name and facility address
There is no limit on the number of letters an inmate may write or receive at personal expense, except as a disciplinary penalty.
Do not use padded mailing envelopes. CT DOC has specifically noted that padded envelopes may present a security issue and will result in slower mail delivery. Use standard paper envelopes.
Incoming mail is opened and inspected. Your return address and the inmate's information must be clearly legible for delivery.
Facility addresses are listed on the CT DOC Facilities page at portal.ct.gov/doc/miscellaneous/facilities.
Sending photos
Photos may be included loose in the envelope with your letter. Include them in a standard envelope - not padded. Photos are subject to the same inspection as all incoming mail. No explicit content. No contraband concealed in photos.
Privileged and legal mail
Legal mail - correspondence between an inmate and their attorney, courts, or elected officials - is handled as privileged correspondence. Outgoing privileged mail is sealed by the inmate and cannot be opened or read by staff. Incoming privileged mail is processed separately. Mark envelopes clearly as legal or privileged mail and include the correct business address of the attorney or official.
An inmate may write to anyone except victims of their offense, persons under 18 whose parent or guardian objects in writing, inmates at other facilities (except immediate family), parolees or persons on community confinement without permission, or persons they are court-ordered not to contact.
Sending publications - books and magazines
Books and magazines can only be sent to an inmate if they are in new condition and are packaged and shipped by the bookstore, book club, or publisher from which they are purchased. You cannot mail a book yourself - it must come directly from the seller.
All incoming printed material is subject to review under CT DOC Administrative Directive 10.7. Material may be refused if it presents a security concern or meets the criteria for rejection outlined in that directive.
CDs: Approved CDs are available through commissary. Outside CDs must be educational or religious in nature and not available through commissary. They may be ordered by the inmate or a third party from a commercial distributor and shipped directly from the distributor.
Clothing: CT DOC does not allow family or friends to send in or drop off clothing packages. Clothing is provided by the agency. Additional items may be purchased through commissary.
Sending money
There is no requirement that you be on an inmate's visitor list to send money. Anyone may send funds.
Four methods are available:
By mail - money order to the Inmate Trust Fund:
Mail a money order with a completed CT DOC Remitter Form (available at portal.ct.gov/doc) to:
Inmate Trust Fund
P.O. Box 290800
Wethersfield, CT 06129-0800
Make the money order payable to the inmate and include the inmate's full name and correctional identification number. Do not include any correspondence to the inmate in the envelope - it will not be forwarded. Allow at least 10 working days for posting. Keep your purchaser copy as proof. Blank money orders and cash are not accepted.
JPay - electronic deposit at jpay.com.
TouchPay - electronic deposit at touchpayonline.com.
Western Union - electronic deposit:
Pay To: Connecticut DOC
Code City: CTDOC
Account: 8-digit inmate number followed by inmate last name (if inmate number is less than 8 digits, add two zeros at the beginning - e.g., 00123456Johnson)
Questions about the Inmate Trust Fund: call 860-692-7670.
Phone calls - free
Under Connecticut Senate Bill 972, signed into law in 2021 and effective in 2022, all phone calls from CT DOC facilities are free. Connecticut was the first state in the country to make prison phone calls free statewide.
Inmates may not receive incoming calls. They may place outgoing calls to up to 10 numbers on their approved calling list. Calls run through Securus Technologies. Inmates are permitted up to 90 minutes of call time per day, structured in six 15-minute calls.
Note on electronic messaging: As of the 2025 CT legislative session, Governor Lamont proposed eliminating the state subsidy for free electronic messaging (tablets) to save $3.5 million annually, while explicitly preserving free phone calls. The fate of that specific budget item should be reverified at publish - phone calls remain free regardless.
Securus contract: CT DOC's contract with Securus runs through August 2026.
What to know before you send anything
Mail goes directly to the facility - use the inmate's full name and inmate number. No padded envelopes.
No limit on number of letters. No visitor list required to send money.
Photos in a standard envelope are fine. No padded mailers.
Books and magazines must be in new condition and shipped directly from the bookstore, book club, or publisher. You cannot mail them yourself.
Phone calls are free - no phone account funding needed. Up to 90 minutes per day, six 15-minute calls.
Four money methods: mail to Wethersfield ITF P.O. Box, JPay, TouchPay, or Western Union.
Do not include letters or cards with money orders - they will not be forwarded to the inmate.
No county jails in Connecticut - all adults held by CT DOC under one set of rules.
Related pages:
/prisons/connecticut
How to send money to a Connecticut inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I mail a letter to a Connecticut DOC inmate?
Directly to the facility where they are housed. Find the facility at portal.ct.gov/doc/miscellaneous/facilities. Include the inmate's full name, inmate number, and the facility address. Your return address is required.
Does Connecticut have county jails?
No. Connecticut eliminated its county jail system in 1968. All incarcerated adults - pretrial and sentenced - are held by CT DOC under one unified system.
Can I send photos?
Yes - loose in a standard envelope with your letter. Do not use padded envelopes. Photos are inspected with all incoming mail.
How do I send books or magazines?
New condition only, shipped directly from the bookstore, book club, or publisher. You cannot mail publications yourself. All incoming printed material is subject to review.
Are phone calls free?
Yes. Under SB 972, all phone calls from CT DOC facilities are free since 2022. No phone account funding needed. Up to 90 minutes per day in six 15-minute calls. Inmates place outgoing calls only - up to 10 numbers on the approved list.
How do I send money?
Four options: money order by mail to Inmate Trust Fund, P.O. Box 290800, Wethersfield CT 06129-0800 (allow 10 business days); JPay at jpay.com; TouchPay at touchpayonline.com; or Western Union (Pay To: Connecticut DOC, Code City: CTDOC, Account: 8-digit inmate number + last name). No visitor list required.
Do I need to be on the visitor list to send money?
No. CT DOC explicitly states this is not required.
Can I drop off clothing?
No. CT DOC does not accept clothing sent by family or friends. Clothing is provided by the agency; additional items come from commissary. ====================================================================