Shoes for NC Inmates: Rules, Limits, and How to Order
Want to send shoes to someone in a North Carolina prison? The state runs an official package program that lets family and friends order footwear for people in the NC Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction. Shop through the NC Inmate Package pages and you'll only see pre-approved items, so you won't accidentally pick something that gets rejected.
The footwear package program covers the entire NC Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction, not just specific facilities. Stick to the NC Inmate Package shopping pages when ordering. Everything listed there is pre-approved, which takes the guesswork out of what's allowed.
Note: “Pre-approved” applies to the items presented on the NC Inmate Package shopping pages - stick to what’s listed there when you order.
Just because you can order shoes doesn't mean there's room for them. North Carolina limits inmates to one pair of work boots, one pair of tennis shoes, and one pair of shower shoes at a time. If your loved one already owns the same type, sending another pair could cause a property issue.
- ✓ Ask what they already have before you order, since they can only possess one pair each of work boots, tennis shoes, and shower shoes at a time.
- ✓ Match the shoe type to what they actually need (work boots vs. tennis shoes vs. shower shoes) so you don’t accidentally duplicate something they already own.
- ✓ If you’re adding other items in a package, confirm they’ll work at that facility - some prisons may not support rechargeable electronic devices, and it’s on the customer to confirm compatibility with the facility’s conditions and restrictions.
- Start on the NC Inmate Package shopping pages - those pages are where family and friends can order a Footwear Package for someone in the NC Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction.
- Choose only items shown on the shopping pages - the items presented there are pre-approved for purchase, so you’re ordering from what the program has already cleared.
- Place the order through the package program - sticking with the official package process helps avoid delays and rejected items.
"Approved for purchase" doesn't mean "works at every facility." The package program notes that some prisons lack infrastructure for rechargeable electronics, and buyers are responsible for confirming items are compatible with a specific facility's conditions and restrictions. If you're ordering anything beyond basic footwear, double-check that it's usable where your loved one is housed.
Worried their status might change? If the incarcerated person gets placed on HCON, MCON, ICON, or Safekeeper status before the package ships, Union Supply Direct cancels the order and refunds you minus a $5.00 restocking fee.
- ✓ Shop only from the items presented on the NC Inmate Package shopping pages, since those items are pre-approved for purchase.
- ✓ Before ordering, confirm the facility can support and allow any non-footwear items you’re considering - some prisons may not support rechargeable electronic devices, and you’re responsible for confirming compatibility with that facility’s conditions and restrictions.
- ✓ If there’s a chance their custody/status could change soon, consider waiting until things stabilize; if they’re placed on HCON, MCON, ICON, or Safekeeper status before shipping, the order is canceled and refunded minus a $5.00 restocking fee.
- ✓ Review the package program’s cancellation/refund terms before you place the order so you know what happens if the order can’t ship.
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