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

The simplest rule is also the most reliable: address every letter and parcel with the inmate's full name and register number. This applies whether they're at the main institution, the Satellite Camp, or the Federal Satellite Low (FSL). Skip the register number, and you're making it harder for staff to match mail to the right person - especially when similar names are involved.

Don't mail money to FCI Morgantown's facility address. If you're sending funds by mail, they must go to the designated processing center in Des Moines, Iowa - not to the prison itself. This is standard for all federal inmates, regardless of where they're housed.

Shipping freight or sending a package through a private carrier? Don't use the standard inmate mailing address. These shipments go to a staff/warehouse address instead. Format the shipping line to the warehouse attention line (for example,

1. Get the correct staff/warehouse shipping address - Contact the facility for the current warehouse address used for freight and non‑USPS deliveries.
2. Address it to the warehouse attention line - Use the “STAFF NAME ATTN: WAREHOUSE” format (and the appropriate variant if the shipment is meant for the FSL).
3. Confirm carrier details before it ships - Double-check any delivery requirements (like labeling and delivery windows) with the facility and the carrier so the package isn’t refused at the gate.

BOP mail falls into two categories: general correspondence and "special mail." If incoming mail qualifies as special mail and is clearly marked, it can only be opened with the inmate present. But "opened in their presence" doesn't mean it skips screening. Staff still inspect special mail for physical contraband and verify that everything inside - including enclosures - actually qualifies.

1. Mark it as “Special Mail” when it applies - If your mail qualifies, label it clearly as special mail so it’s handled under the special-mail rule.
2. Expect screening either way - Staff will inspect for physical contraband and review whether the contents/enclosures qualify as special mail.
3. If it qualifies, it’s opened with the inmate present - Qualifying special mail is opened only in the inmate’s presence.
4. If it doesn’t qualify, it’s treated as regular mail - Mail that isn’t accepted as special mail is processed through normal general-correspondence handling.