Where to Mail Letters, Photos, and Legal Correspondence for Pennsylvania Inmates

General mail doesn't go directly to the prison - it routes through PA DOC's contracted processing center, Smart Communications. Format your envelope exactly like this: Smart Communications/PA DOC; the inmate's full name and inmate number; the institution name; then the mailing address P.O. Box 33028, St. Petersburg, FL 33733. Missing any of these details - especially the name/number or institution - dramatically increases your chances of delays or rejection.

Include a complete return address with your first and last name. Incomplete return addresses can get your mail rejected.

Sending photos? PA DOC caps them at 25 per mailing, so plan accordingly.

Never send your only copy of a photo you'd hate to lose. Originals can't be returned, and after 45 days they're securely destroyed.

Format Processing

• ✓ Print general correspondence on 8½ by 11-inch paper
• ✓ Don’t bind it or make it open like a book

Here's why the format rules matter: Smart Communications opens and scans your letters and photos into electronic files. The facility mailroom then prints those files for the inmate.

This scanning process adds time. If you're sending something date-sensitive, mail it early and give yourself extra cushion.

Legal mail - called privileged correspondence - works differently. For mail to qualify as privileged, it needs a DOC-issued control number, which attorneys or verified courts request using a control number request form. Only attorneys representing inmates or verified court entities can get these numbers. Most "official" letters won't qualify unless they meet these specific requirements.

1. Get the right control number - Privileged correspondence must use the attorney or court control number connected to the sender.
2. Put the required numbers on the front of the envelope - The outside front of the envelope must display the attorney or court control number.
3. Add the secondary authentication/time code (attorneys only) - If you’re an attorney, the outside front of the envelope also needs the secondary authentication number/time code issued for that week.

Mail getting returned or stuck? Double-check the basics. Make sure you used the Smart Communications/PA DOC format, included the inmate's full name and correct inmate number, and added a complete return address with your first and last name. These small details trip people up more than anything else.