Pictures and videograms must comply with the requirements for printed matter as outlined in policy 02-01-103 Offender Correspondence.
Write an Incarcerated Individual
To send mail to an incarcerated individual, you will need their full name, DOC number, and facility location.
Most facilities use a centralized mail processing center. Note: Reception Diagnostic Center has different mailing instructions.
Confirm the incarcerated individual's location using the Locate an Incarcerated Individual app
Address both the letter and envelope as follows:
Incarcerated Individual's Name, DOC#
Facility name
PO Box 460
Pheonix MD 21131
After July 31, 2026, any personal mail sent to the wrong location will be returned to sender.
Attorney-client privileged mail, or packages and parcels, should continue to go directly to the facility.
All general correspondence (not legal mail or privileged correspondence) is scanned in full color and uploaded directly to the inmate's tablet.
If your loved one does not have a tablet, they can access their mail using the facility kiosk or a loaner tablet. Mail may also be printed as needed (e.g., for those in restricted housing). Original copies will be stored for 30 days in case there are any issues with the upload (for example, if a page is missing). They will then be discarded.
Packages
For more information about offender mail/packages and restrictions, read policies 02-01-101 Offender Personal Property and 02-01-103 Offender Correspondence on our policy page.
Restricted Correspondence
An incarcerated individual must obtain prior approval from the Department to receive or send correspondence to another person if the other person is:
- Held in a correctional facility (Federal, State, or local)
- On parole
- Sentenced to a community corrections program
- Held in a county jail
- Released from a Department correctional facility to county probation supervision
- Participating in a Community Transition Program (CTP); or,
- Participating in a work release program
The facility or program indicated in A-G may be operated by, or provided through contractual services to, a county, state, province, or federal unit of government.
The burden of obtaining permission for such correspondence is with the incarcerated individual. The incarcerated individual must establish that the exchange of correspondence is in the best interests of both the confined persons and the facilities involved. This request shall be made on State Form 11985, “Request to Correspond with Another Confined Person,” and shall be directed to the Warden or designee for approval or denial.
Any incarcerated individual placed on a restrictive status for disciplinary or investigative reasons shall not be allowed to correspond with other incarcerated individuals during the restrictive status period, regardless of any prior approvals. Upon release from restrictive status, any prior approval normally will be reinstated; however, the Warden or designee may rescind the prior approval if it is felt that continued correspondence would be detrimental to the safety and security of the public, facility, staff, or the incarcerated population.
Denials of correspondence with other incarcerated individuals shall not be used as a disciplinary measure unless the denial is based upon a demonstrated abuse of this privilege by the incarcerated individual.
An incarcerated individual who is denied authorization to correspond with a person identified in A – G above, may challenge the decision in accordance with the "Offender Grievance Process." (Policy and Administrative Procedure 00-02-301 [adult] or 03-02-105 [youth]) If the request involves an agency outside the jurisdiction of the Department and the request is denied by the Warden of the outside agency, the decision of the Warden shall be final.
Privileged Correspondence
An incarcerated individual shall be permitted to mail privileged correspondence to government officials. Only correspondence sent to or received from the government officials in their official capacities as designated in these procedures shall be considered privileged correspondence. Privileged correspondence does not include correspondence mailed to the courts, attorneys, and legal organizations as this correspondence is considered legal mail. Incarcerated individuals shall be required to designate on the envelope that the correspondence is “privileged.”
Legal Mail
Incarcerated individuals shall be allowed unrestricted access to legal representatives and courts through the mail. Only that mail to or from an incarcerated individual which is clearly identified as legal mail shall be treated as such. It is the responsibility of the sender to indicate that the correspondence is legal mail. Mail from a court, an attorney, or legal organization (such as LSO, ACLU, ICLU, etc.) shall be treated as legal mail. Also, mail identified as a Tort Claim sent to the Commissioner shall be treated as legal mail.
Incarcerated individuals who are foreign nationals shall be permitted to correspond with the embassy or consulate of their home nation. This mail shall be considered legal correspondence and shall be subject to the same requirements as other correspondence designated as legal mail. Staff shall not interfere with a foreign national attempting to correspond with their embassy or consulate.
Opening of Correspondence
Incarcerated individuals shall not receive damaged or altered publications. Used books shall be inspected for modifications or alterations prior to the incarcerated individual receiving the item. If a used publication contains writing, pictures, or is otherwise altered or annotated, the item shall be rejected and returned to sender.
Incarcerated individuals may not receive packages from a third-party fulfillment service. Any item received by the mailroom with a return label belonging to a third-party fulfillment service shall be rejected. Items purchased from Amazon must be sold from Amazon and shipped from Amazon, which can be verified in the product information.