GUIDE
How to send a letter to a federal inmate in the U.S.
Start with the destination facility’s current instructions. A general guide cannot guarantee acceptance of a particular letter.
Check the address before mailing
Use the current legal name, federal register number and the facility’s published inmate mailing address. The visitor entrance is not necessarily the inmate mail address. Recheck the BOP locator before each mailing; people can be transferred.
Our letter format
We print the chosen artwork and beginning of the message on one ordinary white US Letter sheet, followed by any continuation pages. The product includes up to four sheets in grayscale, inside a white envelope. No separate postcard, cardstock or objects. Exact page fit is shown in the preview; we weigh the finished packet for correct postage.
Review is not an acceptance guarantee
General correspondence is inspected by facility staff and may be read. Our service is not confidential legal mail. Content and images matter as well as formatting; staff make the final acceptance decision.
What tracking can tell you
The private order page records actual review, printing, USPS handoff and returns. Ordinary letter postage does not include delivery confirmation. Purchased carrier evidence, if available, is not proof that the named person received or read the letter. A letter that has not been returned is not automatically delivered.
Timing and international customers
We aim to print approved letters within one business day. Domestic First-Class transit generally takes 1–5 business days after mailing, plus facility screening. There is no guaranteed maximum arrival date. You can prepare a letter online from abroad; this service prints and mails in the United States.
Official sources
Common questions
- Do I need an account?
- No. Guest ordering uses a name and email, with a confirmation number and private status link.
- Can I include a photo?
- An approved image can be printed on the letter sheet. Facility acceptance is not guaranteed.
- Does $4.99 include Certified Mail?
- No. It includes ordinary letter postage, not delivery confirmation.
Write your letter to Cilita. We review, print and mail it; acceptance remains the facility's decision. Write the letter →