If someone you love is locked up in Kentucky, the state's mail rules are specific about what goes in the envelope and what the envelope itself looks like. Kentucky DOC does not use a centralized mail scanner - letters go directly to the facility. But the policy is detailed about what gets rejected: no colored ink, no stickers, no glitter, no homemade cards, no musical cards, non-white envelopes or paper. These restrictions trip up more families than almost any other rule in the state, and most of them involve things people add to letters out of love.
Kentucky also has a formal attorney control number system for legal mail, with secondary codes required for every piece of privileged correspondence an attorney sends.
This article covers Kentucky Department of Corrections (KDOC) state facilities. Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (LMDC) operates independently and is addressed at the end.
Governing policy: CPP 16.2 (Inmate Correspondence), effective May 15, 2024.
Sending mail - letters, cards, photos
Mail goes directly to the facility where the inmate is housed. Find the inmate's location and KDOC number using KOOL (Kentucky Offender Online Lookup) at corrections.ky.gov/Pages/KOOL.aspx. Find facility mailing addresses at corrections.ky.gov.
Address the envelope with the inmate's full name, KDOC PID number, facility name, and facility address.
Mail is delivered within 48 hours of receipt on normal workdays, excluding weekends and holidays.
All incoming mail except privileged mail is opened and inspected for contraband.
White paper and white envelopes only
This is the rule families miss most often. Kentucky DOC policy explicitly prohibits the following in incoming mail:
Non-white envelopes or paper
Address labels or stickers of any kind
Homemade cards
Musical cards
Paintings
Tracing paper
Pages from coloring books
Drawings in colored ink, marker, or crayon
Glitter
Raised decorations
Paint
White-out, glue, or any other liquid form
Letters should be written in standard black or blue ink on plain white paper in plain white envelopes. Nothing decorative. Nothing adhesive. Nothing liquid. A letter that arrives in a non-white envelope or with stickers or decals on the outside may be immediately returned to the post office without an appeal opportunity.
Envelopes inside your letter
You may include a return envelope inside your letter for the inmate to write back. It must be a standard white envelope, 9.5 by 4 inches or smaller. It may have metered postage printed on it but must not have a stamp affixed. You may include no more than three envelopes in a single mailing. No blank stationery, no blank paper beyond what you've written on.
Sender's name and address required
Every letter must include the sender's full name and return address on the envelope. Mail that does not comply with a proper address including sender name and address may be immediately returned without further process.
Sending photos
Photos may be included in general correspondence. They are subject to the same content inspection as all other mail. No sexually explicit material - this means no pictorial depictions where genitalia, buttocks, anus, or female nipples or areola are exposed. No gang insignia, no obscene drawings.
Photos must be printed on standard photographic paper. Polaroids are not referenced specifically in the policy, but photocopies of photos are implicitly covered under the prohibition on copying/reproduction stickers and decoration rules. When in doubt, send professionally printed photos.
Publications - books, magazines, newspapers
An inmate may receive publications from a mail order distributor of published materials. The publication must be prepaid by the inmate through institutional procedures and mailed prepaid by the distributor. Free publications from a legitimate publisher may be received if the inmate requests them.
Publications are rejected on a case-by-case basis. A publication will not be rejected solely because it arrived in a non-white envelope or in a package with mailing labels.
If a publication arrives in a non-white envelope: the contents are reviewed and delivered to the inmate if they don't violate policy. The inmate is not allowed to keep the envelope.
If a publication arrives in a package with mailing labels: the mailing label is removed before delivery.
Sexually explicit publications are prohibited - any pictorial depiction of nudity or actual or simulated sexual acts.
Inmates may possess no more than 10 publications at any one time. None may be more than three months old from publication date or receipt; excess or outdated items must be sent out at the inmate's expense, destroyed, or taken upon release.
Catalogs and subscribed magazines are not considered prohibited mail unless they contain prohibited content.
Legal and privileged mail - attorney control number system
Privileged mail means correspondence from a clearly identified attorney, the Department of Public Advocacy, a law school legal clinic, or a rape crisis center - but only if it concerns a challenge to the legality of the inmate's conviction or conditions of incarceration.
Attorneys must register for a Kentucky DOC Legal Mail Portal account (corrections.ky.gov/Facilities/AI/Pages/legalmail.aspx) to obtain an attorney control number (ACN). For each piece of privileged mail sent, the attorney must also obtain a confidential secondary code from the portal. Secondary codes are valid for 30 days.
Privileged mail with a valid ACN and secondary code is opened in the inmate's presence and inspected only for contraband.
Mail from courts, government officials, and the Parole Board is only treated as privileged mail if it carries a valid ACN and secondary code. Otherwise it is processed as general correspondence.
Inmate email
Inmate email is processed as regular incoming mail - it is not treated as privileged mail and will not be printed unless required by law. Outgoing inmate email credits must be pre-purchased by a non-incarcerated person.
Phone calls - Securus Technologies
Kentucky DOC uses Securus Technologies for phone services. Friends and family can set up an account at securustech.net or by calling 1-800-844-6591. Calls are made to people on the inmate's approved calling list.
Sending money - Access Corrections
Kentucky DOC uses Access Corrections for inmate deposits. The daily deposit limit is $300.
Online or mobile app: accesscorrections.com or the free Access Corrections app (Android/iOS). Funds available within 24 hours.
Phone: 1-866-345-1884, live bilingual agent, 24/7. Funds within 24 hours.
Walk-in cash (CashPayToday): Register at cashpaytoday.com for a barcode. Make cash deposits at Dollar General, Family Dollar, CVS, 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Walgreens. Funds within 24 hours.
Money order: Fill out the Kentucky deposit form and mail to:
Access Corrections - KY DOC Offender Trust
P.O. Box 12486
St. Louis, MO 63132
Money orders take up to one week to process. Include the inmate's first and last name and PID number, and your full name and return address.
Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (LMDC)
LMDC is a county facility operated by Louisville Metro Government, separate from KDOC. If your person is held at LMDC, the rules for mail, deposits, and phone are different. Check LMDC directly at louisvilleky.gov or call the facility.
Kentucky county jails: different rules
Kentucky has 120 counties, each with its own jail under the county jailer. County jails operate independently from KDOC. Verify current mail rules and deposit vendors directly with each county facility.
What to know before you send anything
Mail goes directly to the facility - find the KDOC number and current location at KOOL (corrections.ky.gov/Pages/KOOL.aspx).
White paper and white envelopes only. No stickers, labels, decorations, colored ink, markers, crayons, glitter, paint, white-out, glue, homemade cards, or musical cards.
Include the inmate's full name and PID number, and your full name and return address on the envelope.
You may include up to three plain white return envelopes (9.5x4 max, no stamps) inside your letter.
Publications: prepaid by inmate, mailed prepaid by distributor. No sexually explicit material. Max 10 publications, none older than 3 months.
Phone: Securus Technologies at securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591.
Money: Access Corrections - online, app, phone (866-345-1884), CashPayToday walk-in, or money order to PO Box 12486, St. Louis MO 63132. $300 daily limit.
LMDC and county jails operate independently - verify separately.
Related pages:
/prisons/kentucky
How to send money to a Kentucky inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I mail a letter to a Kentucky DOC inmate?
Directly to the facility where they are housed. Include the inmate's full name and KDOC PID number, facility name, and facility address. Find their location at corrections.ky.gov/Pages/KOOL.aspx.
What kind of paper and envelopes can I use?
White paper only, white envelopes only. No colored paper, no non-white envelopes. Use standard black or blue ink.
Can I decorate my letter or put stickers on the envelope?
No. Stickers, address labels, glitter, paint, colored ink drawings, markers, crayons, homemade cards, musical cards, white-out, and glue are all prohibited. Letters with prohibited items on or in them may be returned immediately.
Can I include a return envelope?
Yes - one standard white envelope per letter, 9.5x4 inches or smaller, no stamps. Up to three envelopes per mailing total.
Can I send books or magazines?
Publications must be prepaid by the inmate through institutional procedures and mailed prepaid directly from the distributor. Sexually explicit material is prohibited. Inmates may have up to 10 publications, none older than 3 months.
How does legal mail work?
Attorneys must register through the Kentucky DOC Legal Mail Portal to get an attorney control number (ACN) and request a secondary code for each mailing. Both are required on every piece of privileged mail. Secondary codes expire in 30 days.
How do I set up phone calls?
Through Securus Technologies at securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591.
How do I send money?
Through Access Corrections - online at accesscorrections.com, by phone at 866-345-1884, by cash at a CashPayToday retailer, or by money order to Access Corrections - KY DOC Offender Trust / P.O. Box 12486 / St. Louis, MO 63132. Daily limit $300.
What if my person is at Louisville Metro Corrections?
LMDC is a separate county system - not part of KDOC. Contact LMDC directly at louisvilleky.gov for their specific mail and deposit rules. ====================================================================
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