Quick facts

System

Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC)

Inmate ID

MDOC Number

General mail goes to

The incarcerated person’s facility mailing address (include housing unit)

Recipient receives

Photocopy of letter and envelope (originals retained ~14 days, then shredded)

Page limit

No published page-count cap for general correspondence

Paper & envelope

White paper and white envelope only — no colored paper or envelopes

Photos

Up to 7 photos per letter, max 5″ × 7″; all persons fully clothed

Address must include

Name, MDOC number, current housing unit, facility name, and facility address

Where to send mail

Personal mail from family and friends (including printed PDFs)

Use MDOC Inmate Search for the MDOC number and current facility, then confirm the facility mailing address (often a PO Box) on mdoc.ms.gov/facilities. MDOC requires the person’s current housing unit on every envelope — ask the incarcerated person or call MDOC at 601-359-5600 if you do not have it. Include your full return name and address.

[Full Name] [MDOC Number]
[Current Housing Unit]
[Institution/Facility Name]
[Facility PO Box or street address]
[City, MS ZIP]

Send elsewhere or use different rules

• Books, magazines, and newspapers → Publisher, distributor, or authorized vendor only

  Soft-cover books must be pre-paid (limit of 3 per month). Subscriptions and newspapers must come from the publisher, distributor, or vendor — not packed into a personal letter. Walnut Grove Correctional Facility does not accept books or magazines from outside vendors.

• Legal / official mail → Facility, under privileged-mail procedures

  Outgoing legal or official mail from an incarcerated person is sealed and generally not opened unless staff suspect contraband from a visual/electronic inspection. Incoming privileged/legal mail follows separate MDOC procedures — confirm current requirements with the facility or ILAP office.

• Regional facilities → County-operated regional facilities

  Regional correctional facilities are operated by local authorities and may have different mail practices than state facilities. Contact the specific facility before mailing.

• Funds and contraband → Approved deposit channels — not in the envelope

  Do not enclose cash, money orders, stamps, writing materials, food, packages, or other prohibited items. Writing materials must be purchased through the facility canteen.

Format & content rules

• Personal correspondence — including printed PDF pages — is mailed to the facility where the person is housed. Mailroom staff search incoming mail; approved contents (including photographs) are photocopied, and the incarcerated person receives the copies in a reusable facility envelope.
• The front of your outer envelope is also photocopied so the person has your return address. Original mail is retained about 14 calendar days, then shredded.
• Use a standard legal- or letter-size white envelope with white paper only. Colored envelopes or paper of any kind are not allowed.
• Always include the person’s full name, MDOC number, current housing unit, full facility name, and facility address. Mail without a complete return address is sent to the mail recovery center unopened.
• Up to seven (7) photographs per letter, no larger than 5″ × 7″. All persons must be fully clothed. Polaroid photos, nude or sexually explicit images, photos of other inmates, and similar prohibited content will be rejected.
• Newspaper clippings are limited to six (6) per mailing, with no more than two (2) pages of internet printouts. These limits apply to clippings — not necessarily to ordinary typed/printed correspondence.
• Do not send padded, security, or homemade envelopes; stickers or address labels inside the envelope; blank greeting cards; packages; hardback books; or other items listed in MDOC’s prohibited-mail guidance.
• Content can still be rejected if it threatens security, contains contraband instructions, coded content, or other material prohibited under MDOC policy.

Document mailing checklist

1. Confirm the person is in MDOC custody and look up their MDOC number and current facility on Inmate Search.
2. Obtain the person’s current housing unit and the facility mailing address (PO Box if listed on the facility page).
3. Print on white paper only; use a plain white envelope with your full return address.
4. Address with name + MDOC number + housing unit + facility name + facility address, then mail as personal correspondence.

Look up an MDOC number →

Send with PrisonPDF

• Upload a multi-page PDF or DOCX and we print and mail it for you.
• When you select Mississippi, we print on white paper in a white envelope; you provide the facility mailing address and housing unit.
• We do not review PDFs — MDOC may still reject or withhold mail that violates policy.

Official sources

• MDOC — Sending Mail to an Inmate
• MDOC — Family & Friends Guide (PDF, includes mail section)
• MDOC — Inmate Search
• MDOC — Facilities (mailing addresses)