Quick facts

System

Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC)

Inmate ID

Commitment number (required in the mailing address)

General mail goes to

The incarcerated person’s facility mailing address

Recipient receives

Actual mail after inspection (some institutions may photocopy per Commissioner authorization)

Page limit

No general page cap on personal correspondence (103 CMR 481.08)

Publication clippings

Max 5 pages/day clipped from publications as mail attachments (“Excess Pages”)

Inspection

All incoming non-privileged mail is opened and inspected before delivery

Distribution

At least once daily except Sundays and postal holidays (103 CMR 481.07)

Where to send mail

Personal mail from family and friends (including printed PDFs)

Use VINELink (or call DOC) to confirm the person’s commitment number and current facility, then use Mass.gov prison locations for that site’s mailing address. The envelope must include their full name, commitment number, and the complete facility address — plus your return address.

[Full Name] [Commitment Number]
[Facility Name]
[Facility Street / PO Box]
[City, MA ZIP]

Special cases

• Books, magazines, and other publications → Publisher or vendor — not packed into personal letters

  Publications are defined separately from personal correspondence (103 CMR 481.05). Deputy Superintendents may reject publications that violate 103 CMR 481.13. Do not clip more than five pages per day from a publication and mail them as attachments — that is treated as “Excess Pages” and may be disapproved.

• Privileged / legal mail (attorneys) → Facility, with Attorney Verification System (AVS) barcodes

  Attorneys must register for an Attorney Control Number (ACN) and affix AVS barcoded labels to each envelope. Privileged mail is opened only in the person’s presence to check for contraband. AVS does not apply at MASAC @ Plymouth or Bridgewater State Hospital.

• Electronic messaging → CorrLinks Secure Mail (optional alternative to USPS)

  Family and friends can email through CorrLinks; the incarcerated person can reply after you initiate contact. Emails cost $0.25 each and are subject to DOC review — rejected messages are not refunded.

• Funds → Approved deposit channels — not cash in the envelope

  Cash, checks, and money orders found in non-privileged mail are treated as contraband under 103 CMR 481.12 and processed under inmate-property rules. Use Mass.gov deposit guidance instead of enclosing money with a PDF mailing.

Format & content rules

• There is no statewide mail-processing address — mail the packet to the facility where the person is housed. DOC opens and inspects all incoming non-privileged mail before delivery (103 CMR 481.12; Mass.gov contact guidance).
• Always include the person’s full name and commitment number in the address, plus a complete return address on the envelope. If they transfer or are released, DOC will forward mail when possible or return it to you.
• 103 CMR 481.08 places no limit on how many separate personal mailings an incarcerated person may send or receive. Printed PDF pages mailed as personal correspondence are not subject to a statewide page-count cap.
• “Excess Pages” (481.05) means portions clipped or copied from publications — an inmate may receive at most five such pages per day (except Sundays and postal holidays) as attachments to non-privileged personal mail. Do not mail magazine or newspaper clippings beyond that limit.
• At institutions where the Commissioner has authorized photocopying of all incoming non-privileged mail (481.12(4)), the person receives a photocopy or electronic copy instead of originals; color photocopies may be used for color photos, drawings, or greeting cards. Confirm with the facility if you need originals preserved.
• Publications may be rejected for security or content reasons (481.13). Sexually explicit material and most nudity are prohibited. Content can also be disapproved if it threatens security, encourages criminal activity, or falls into other categories listed in 103 CMR 481.13(2).
• Collect-on-delivery (COD) mail is prohibited unless the Superintendent approves it (481.18). Do not send padded packages or non-letter mail unless the facility allows it.

Document mailing checklist

1. Confirm the person is in DOC custody and look up their commitment number and current facility on VINELink.
2. Look up the facility mailing address on Mass.gov prison locations.
3. Print your PDF as personal correspondence; avoid mailing publication clippings beyond the five-page “Excess Pages” daily limit.
4. Address with full name + commitment number + complete facility address, include your return address, and mail via USPS.

Look up a commitment number (VINELink) →

Send with PrisonPDF

• Upload a multi-page PDF or DOCX and we print and mail it for you.
• When you select Massachusetts, you provide the facility mailing address — there is no statewide page limit to enforce for personal correspondence.
• We do not review PDFs — DOC may still reject or withhold mail that violates 103 CMR 481.00.

Official sources

• Mass.gov — Contact someone in a Massachusetts prison
• Mass.gov — Find someone housed in a Massachusetts prison
• Mass.gov — DOC prison locations
• 103 CMR 481.00 — Inmate Mail (PDF)
• Mass.gov — Attorney Verification System for Privileged Mail