How to send messages, photos, and packages
To send personal mail to someone at the Estelle Unit, address it to TDCJ with the inmate's full name and TDCJ number. Mail it to the TDCJ Digital Processing Center: PO Box 660400, Dallas, TX 75266-0400. Texas uses centralized mail processing—most personal letters are scanned at a central facility and delivered to inmates electronically. Some items may be handled differently by the unit. Legal or privileged mail, along with publisher-sent publications, typically follow separate routing and may skip the standard scanning process. If the inmate transfers within TDCJ, mail gets forwarded to the new unit. It may also be forwarded after release if the inmate left a forwarding address.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Sending money and mail to someone at the Estelle Unit comes down to using the right channels and formatting names correctly. Here's how to deposit funds, where to send personal mail, and two common mistakes that cause delays.
Address personal mail to TDCJ, include the inmate’s full name plus their TDCJ number, and send it to PO Box 660400, Dallas, TX 75266-0400.
Yes. Mail is forwarded if the inmate transfers within TDCJ, and it may be forwarded to a released inmate if they provided a forwarding address at their last unit of assignment.
Not always. Legal or privileged mail typically follows separate routing rather than the standard central scanning process. Books and other publications usually must come from publishers or approved vendors and may be handled differently than personal letters.
Scheduling your first visit can feel overwhelming, but the online system is straightforward once you know the steps. Start at the right TDCJ page, create your account, add your loved one, and request approval—then you're ready to book.
Contact visits let you have limited physical contact with your loved one. Here's what that actually looks like at the Estelle Unit—and what to expect once you're in the visiting room.
A smooth visit comes down to one thing: showing up with the right ID and only the small, permitted items. Use the sections below as your pack-and-parking-lot checklist before heading to Estelle Unit.
