Quick facts

System

Florida Department of Corrections (FDC)

Inmate ID

DC Number

General mail goes to

Central processing facility (Tampa) — Smart Communications

Recipient receives

Digital scan on tablet/kiosk (free printout if no tablet access)

Page limit

15 pages max without prior warden approval (FAC 33-210.101)

Page size & sides

Up to 8½″ × 11″; printing on both sides is allowed

Timing

Processed within about 72 hours of receipt (excluding weekends/holidays)

Originals

Held ~90 days then shredded; optional SASE return request to the contractor

Where to send mail

Routine / general correspondence (including printed PDFs and photos)

Use the inmate’s committed name in Last name, First name order and their DC number. USPS only — FedEx, UPS, and similar couriers are refused. Facility name and dorm/bunk are not required for the Tampa address.

[Last name, First name] [DC#]
PO Box 23608
Tampa, FL 33623

Send elsewhere instead

• Legal / privileged mail → Inmate’s facility — not the Tampa PO Box

  Attorneys must register for an Attorney Registration Number (ARN) and include a unique Legal Mail Tracking Number (LMTN) on the envelope (FAC 33-210.102, effective Aug 2025). Mail sent to Tampa in error may be opened/scanned before staff catch it.

• Books, magazines, newspapers → Facility, from publisher or approved vendor

  Publications are not routine mail (FAC 33-501.401). Do not send them to the Tampa scan center.

• Care packages → Approved package vendors only (e.g. Access Securepak)

  Individuals cannot mail care packages through USPS to FDC inmates.

Format & content rules

• Maximum 15 pages of written materials per mailing unless the warden has pre-approved more (Form DC6-236). Each page no larger than 8½″ × 11″; both sides of a page may be used.
• Nothing glued, taped, stapled, or otherwise affixed to a page.
• Standard envelopes only. Rejected unopened: padded envelopes, boxes, Priority/Express cardboard, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, multi-layer packaging, envelopes with metal parts.
• No non-paper items, stickers/stamps inside the envelope, address labels inside, laminated materials, or unused blank greeting cards. Postage stamps and address labels on the outside of the envelope are allowed.
• Photos (if enclosed): max 8″ × 10″; no Polaroids; no commercial bulk “photos”; no nudity. Do not send originals you need returned.
• Correspondence should be in English, Spanish, or Creole unless the warden has approved another language.
• Always include a complete return address and the inmate’s committed name + DC number. Unverifiable sender or recipient → rejection.

Document mailing checklist

1. Confirm the person is in FDC custody and look up their DC number.
2. Keep the PDF packet at or under 15 pages (split into multiple mailings if needed). Double-sided is allowed.
3. Print on ordinary paper; do not staple, tape, or glue pages together.
4. Address to the Tampa central processing facility using Last name, First name + DC#, then mail via USPS in a standard envelope.

Look up a DC number →

Send with PrisonPDF

• Upload a multi-page PDF or DOCX and we print and mail it for you.
• When you select Florida, we use the Tampa central processing address and enforce the 15-page limit.
• We do not review PDFs — FDC or its contractor may still reject mail that violates policy.

Official sources

• FAC 33-210.101 — Routine Mail
• FAC 33-210.102 — Legal Documents and Legal Mail
• Prison Journalism Project — Florida (address corroboration)
• FDC homepage