How to Address Mail to an Alabama Inmate (and Why Each Line Matters)

An incomplete address or an outdated facility name can cause problems fast. In Alabama DOC, approved mail and packages for someone who has been transferred or released to a known address should be forwarded within 48 hours (not counting weekends and holidays). No forwarding address? The item comes back to you. If there's no forwarding address *and* no return address, the mail gets refused and sent back to the post office or deliverer.

Address lines also matter because Alabama routes personal mail through centralized, digital processing. To get it to the right place on the first try, include the exact processing identifier used for routing: "ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing," along with the inmate's name and AIS number.

For personal mail to reach digital processing, your envelope needs a specific line that works like a routing label. Write "ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing" and include the inmate's name and AIS number. Leaving that line off is one of the easiest ways to slow down delivery.

Personal mail is sent to the centralized processing address, not the prison’s street address. Address it to: ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing Inmate Name (with AIS number) P.O. Box 17339 San Antonio, TX 78217

• ✓ Inmate’s name
• ✓ AIS number
• ✓ Facility name
• ✓ Housing unit
• ✓ Bed assignment

Do not use the centralized P.O. Box for everything. Packages and legal mail must continue to be sent to the facility’s local (physical) address.

Here's a clean way to think about it: personal mail (letters, pictures, drawings) gets handled through digital delivery on the tablet "Facility Messages" app. The mailing address for personal mail is the centralized ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing P.O. Box 17339 in San Antonio, Texas. Packages and legal mail are different. Those still go to the facility's local address. Not sure which category your item falls into? Verify the correct address before you mail it so nothing gets delayed or sent back.

Put your full name and physical return address in the top-left corner of the envelope. That return address is what allows the mail to come back to you if it can't be forwarded or delivered.

If the person you're writing has been transferred or released and there's a known forwarding address, approved mail and packages should be forwarded within 48 hours. Weekends and holidays don't count toward that window, so a short delay around those dates is normal.

1. Check the return address on your envelope: If you did not include your full name and physical return address, the item may not be able to make its way back to you.
2. Look for any delivery notes on the returned piece: If there was no forwarding address available, mail can be returned to the sender.
3. Update the inmate information before you resend: Confirm the inmate’s current details and use your full return address so the mail can be returned if needed.

Quick Pre Send Checklist

• ✓ For personal mail, address it to ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing at P.O. Box 17339, San Antonio, TX 78217.
• ✓ Include the inmate’s name and AIS number, and include the inmate’s facility name, housing unit, and bed assignment.
• ✓ Write your full name and physical return address in the top-left corner.
• ✓ Do not include writing pads/tablets, torn-out magazine pages, news clippings, or writing instruments.