North Dakota stopped accepting personal mail at its facilities on June 1, 2021. All personal letters, photos, and drawings now go to a Securus Digital Mail Center in Tampa, Florida, where they are scanned and delivered digitally to the resident's player. Facilities continue to accept legal mail, publications from approved vendors, and certain certified documents.
North Dakota DOCR refers to incarcerated people as "residents."
Sending mail - letters and correspondence
Personal mail goes to the Securus Digital Mail Center - not to the facility. The address format is:
[Resident Name and Number]
Securus Digital Mail Center - ND Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 21408
Tampa, FL 33622
A return name and address must be on every envelope. Mail without a proper return address will be returned to the sender.
Once received at the Securus Digital Mail Center, mail is digitally scanned and made available on the resident's player. Pictures, drawings, and other visual content are accepted for scanning.
To get the original pieces back, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the original mail before sending.
Limits per envelope:
- Maximum 30 pictures per envelope. You can send more than one envelope per day, each with up to 30 pictures.
- Maximum 10 pages of non-personal correspondence per envelope. You can send more than one envelope per day, each with up to 10 pages.
Third-party mail: Mail from a different person than who is listed on the return address will be rejected. Exception: children or individuals living at the same address may add a letter inside the envelope.
What happens when mail is rejected
The resident receives a rejection notice and has 7 days to appeal. If they choose not to appeal, nuisance contraband is returned to the sender at the resident's expense, or disposed of at the resident's instruction.
What still goes to the facility
The following items continue to be sent directly to the facility - not to the Securus Digital Mail Center:
Legal mail: Send directly to the facility's address.
Publications: New publications may be accepted if sent directly from an approved publisher or vendor and they do not violate DOCR policy. See the Facility Handbook (available at docr.nd.gov) under "Publications" for details.
Mail from other agencies: Child support and similar agency correspondence goes to the facility.
Visitation applications: Sent directly to the facility.
Certified mail: No personal correspondence. Accepted only for identification documents for the resident's release or documents requiring the resident's signature. The resident must work through their case manager, and the Deputy Warden must give prior approval. Items received without prior approval in place will be rejected.
Facility mailing addresses (for legal mail, publications, and certified documents):
NDSP (North Dakota State Penitentiary) and MRCC (Missouri River Correctional Center):
Resident Name and Number
North Dakota State Penitentiary
P.O. Box 5521
Bismarck, ND 58506-5521
JRCC (James River Correctional Center) and JRMU (James River Minimum Unit):
Resident Name and Number
James River Correctional Center
2521 Circle Drive
Jamestown, ND 58401
HRCC (Heart River Correctional Center):
Resident Name and Number
Heart River Correctional Center
701 16th Avenue Southwest
Mandan, ND 58554
Electronic mail - Securus
Securus provides an online platform for sending electronic mail to residents. Visit securustech.net to purchase stamps and send e-mail. Electronic mail is fast and does not require physical processing.
Sending money - JPay
Money is not accepted in person or by mail at NDSP, MRCC, JRCC, HRCC, or BTC WTRU. Use JPay for all deposits.
Online: JPay.com
Mobile app: JPay app (free download)
Phone: 800-574-5729 (live agent, 24/7)
MoneyGram: receive code 1304
Money orders: Complete the Money Order Deposit Form (available at docr.nd.gov or on request). All boxes must be filled out completely and correctly - incomplete forms will result in the money order being returned. Make payable to JPay and mail to:
JPay
P.O. Box 822700
Pembroke Pines, FL 33082
Phone calls - Securus
Residents purchase telephone time from their commissary account. Approved callers can also fund calls by setting up a collect account through Securus Technologies.
Set up or fund a collect account: securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591
Rate: $0.079 per minute (7.9 cents per minute)
New residents: Receive 2 initial 5-minute telephone calls free upon arriving at NDSP for orientation. All subsequent calls must be paid.
Telephone Application required: Family and friends must be on the resident's approved calling list. Submit either an Electronic Telephone Application (forms.nd.gov) or a printed/mailed PDF application. For HRCC, JRCC, MRCC, and NDSP: mail the application to Securus per the address shown on docr.nd.gov. For DWCRC: mail directly to DWCRC.
DOCR does not have a messaging line - staff will not take or relay messages to residents.
Finding a resident
Resident Lookup: docr.nd.gov/resident-lookup (for individuals currently incarcerated in a ND DOCR facility)
North Dakota county jails
North Dakota's 53 counties operate their own jails under county sheriffs. County jails are not part of DOCR and have their own mail and deposit rules. Contact each county facility directly.
What to know before you send anything
Personal mail goes to Securus Digital Mail Center in Tampa, FL - not to the facility. Include the resident's name and number, plus your full return address on the envelope.
Max 30 pictures per envelope; max 10 pages of non-personal correspondence per envelope. Multiple envelopes per day are allowed.
Mail from someone other than the person listed on the return address is rejected (exception for children or same-address household members).
Legal mail, publications from approved vendors, and certified documents go to the facility directly - see facility addresses above.
Money: JPay only (jpay.com or 800-574-5729). No money accepted at facilities in person or by mail.
Phone: Securus at securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591. Rate: 7.9 cents/minute. Telephone Application required.
County jails: contact each directly.
Related pages:
/prisons/north-dakota
How to send money to a North Dakota inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I mail a letter to a North Dakota DOCR resident?
To the Securus Digital Mail Center: [Resident Name and Number] / Securus Digital Mail Center - ND Department of Corrections / P.O. Box 21408 / Tampa, FL 33622. Find the resident's number and facility at docr.nd.gov/resident-lookup.
How many photos can I include?
Maximum 30 photos per envelope. You can send multiple envelopes in a single day, each with up to 30.
How many pages can I include?
Maximum 10 pages of non-personal correspondence per envelope. Multiple envelopes per day are allowed.
Can I include letters from my kids in the same envelope?
Yes - children and individuals living at the same address as the sender may include letters in the same envelope.
Can I send a package?
Direct packages from family and friends are not described as an accepted route. Publications (new, from approved publishers/vendors) may be sent to the facility address. Contact the facility directly for package information.
How do I send money?
Through JPay at jpay.com, the JPay app, by phone at 800-574-5729, via MoneyGram (code 1304), or by money order mailed with the deposit form to JPay / P.O. Box 822700 / Pembroke Pines, FL 33082. Money is not accepted at the facilities.
How do I set up phone calls?
Through Securus at securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591. A Telephone Application is required before calls can be made; submit online or by mail. Rate: 7.9 cents/minute. ====================================================================
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