How to Send Packages to Someone at Auburn Correctional Facility (DOCCS vendor‑only rule)
Want to send a package to someone at Auburn Correctional Facility? Here's the key rule: it must come directly from an approved vendor. Personal packages from family and friends aren't accepted—not even if you bring them during a visit.
Auburn Correctional Facility only accepts packages and
Warning: Don’t try to bring a package to Auburn during visitation or mail a package from home - DOCCS rules say those packages aren’t allowed. Use vendor-direct shipping instead.
"Vendor-direct" means shipments that arrive through common carriers - USPS, FedEx, and UPS are the examples DOCCS lists. The vendor needs to be the sender on the label, and the package must ship straight to Auburn through one of those carriers. No forwarding from you.
These rules come from Department Directive #4911, "Packages & Articles Sent to Facilities." If you want the official wording, that directive is the reference DOCCS points to.
DOCCS also summarizes this policy on its visitors information page: Auburn only allows packages that arrive directly from vendors through carriers like USPS, FedEx, or UPS. Packages brought during visits or mailed from family and friends are no longer accepted. Between the visitors page and Directive #4911, you have everything you need to confirm your order won't get refused.
- Order from a vendor that ships direct - Choose a vendor that will ship the package straight to Auburn Correctional Facility (not to you first).
- Confirm the shipment will go through a standard carrier - DOCCS describes vendor shipments arriving via carriers such as the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS.
- Enter the recipient and facility details carefully - Provide your loved one’s information and Auburn’s shipping details exactly as required so the vendor’s label clearly shows a vendor-to-facility shipment.
- ✓ The vendor will ship directly to Auburn Correctional Facility (not to you, and not “care of” you)
- ✓ The vendor ships through a carrier channel like USPS, FedEx, or UPS (or similar)
- ✓ The order is intended to meet DOCCS package/article rules (use DOCCS resources to confirm what’s allowed)
- ✓ The vendor provides tracking or shipment confirmation so you can see whether it was delivered
Tip: Even if you’re already going to visit, don’t bring a package expecting to drop it off - DOCCS says packages brought during visits aren’t allowed.
Mail a package yourself or bring one to Auburn during a visit? It won't be accepted under current DOCCS rules. The workaround is simple: place your order through a vendor that ships directly to the facility. That way it arrives through the approved vendor package process instead of being flagged as coming from family or a friend.
Heads up: Using the wrong delivery method can mean a refused package and extra waiting. Vendor-direct shipping is the route DOCCS allows.
Before placing an order, check the DOCCS visitors page for details on the vendor package program and review Department Directive #4911 ("Packages & Articles Sent to Facilities"). These two sources spell out Auburn's vendor-only approach and are the best way to confirm you're following current rules.
- ✓ Review DOCCS guidance on the visitors page about vendor-direct packages and articles
- ✓ Read Department Directive #4911 for the official policy details
- ✓ Confirm the vendor will ship directly to Auburn using a standard carrier method
- ✓ Verify your loved one’s information and Auburn’s shipping details before you submit the order
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