The Right Way to Address Mail to an Inmate at FCI Tallahassee

Correct addressing keeps your mail moving. It helps staff route letters to the right unit inside the complex and cuts down on avoidable delays. All general incoming correspondence is opened and inspected for contraband and for anything that could threaten safety or the orderly running of the institution, so consistent formatting makes that process smoother too. One common mistake to avoid: do not send money to FCI Tallahassee's facility address. Funds sent through the mail must go to the processing center in Des Moines, Iowa, not to the institution itself.

For regular correspondence and USPS parcels going to someone at the main institution, put the inmate's name and register number on the first line of the recipient block, formatted exactly like this: "INMATE NAME & REGISTER NUMBER". On the next line, use the facility's official mailing address exactly as provided by the Bureau of Prisons for FCI Tallahassee.

Sending mail to the Satellite Camp? The first line stays the same (inmate name and register number), but you need to add the unit identifier. Format it like this: "INMATE NAME & REGISTER NUMBER" on the first line, then "SATELLITE CAMP" as part of the address block, followed by the rest of the official mailing address listed for this facility.

For someone at the Federal Satellite Low (FSL), include the FSL identifier so your mail routes correctly. The format is: "INMATE NAME & REGISTER NUMBER" with "FEDERAL SATELLITE LOW" included in the address block, then the official mailing address information provided for the FSL at this location.

Freight and non-USPS deliveries follow a different format than regular mail. For the main institution, use the warehouse addressing format provided by the facility: "STAFF NAME" and "ATTN: WAREHOUSE" at the top of the label, then the rest of the institution's warehouse address details exactly as listed by the Bureau of Prisons for Tallahassee.

For freight and non-USPS deliveries going to the Federal Satellite Low (FSL), the warehouse label needs to call out the FSL specifically. Use the facility's format: "STAFF NAME", then "FEDERAL SATELLITE LOW", then "ATTN: WAREHOUSE", followed by the warehouse address details for the FSL as listed for this location.

Expect any regular letters, cards, or general correspondence to be opened and inspected by staff. In the federal system, all general mail is checked for contraband and for content that could threaten the security or good order of the institution.

Certain mail can qualify as "special mail" if it is properly marked as such. When incoming mail carries the correct special mail markings, staff can only open it in the inmate's presence. It will still be inspected for physical contraband and to confirm that any enclosures actually qualify as special mail.