How to mail a letter to an inmate at California Institution for Men

To write to someone held at California Institution for Men, address your envelope to the inmate's full committed name and CDCR number, California Institution for Men, P.O. Box 368, Chino, CA 91708. California Institution for Men is a state prison in Chino, California, operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Inmate mail — California Institution for Men

[Inmate's full committed name]  [CDCR number]
California Institution for Men
P.O. Box 368
Chino, CA  91708

Which P.O. box you use depends on the person's housing facility (yard) at California Institution for Men — pick the box listed for their yard below, and confirm their current housing on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)'s inmate locator. Put the inmate's full committed name and CDCR number on the first line.

Verified August 2026cdcr.ca.gov cdcr.ca.gov

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California Institution for MenP.O. Box 368Chino, CA 91708

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Key facts

California Institution for Men uses a different P.O. box for each housing facility (yard), all in Chino, CA 91708: A → P.O. Box 368; B → P.O. Box 441; C → P.O. Box 500; D → P.O. Box 600. Use the box matching the person's current housing.
California Institution for Men is located at 14901 Central Avenue, Chino, CA, but inmate mail must go to the mailing address above — a letter sent to the street address can be returned.
California delivers inmate mail to each prison directly — but to the institution’s inmate-mail P.O. box, not its street address. Address it to the person’s full committed name, CDCR number, and housing/bed.
Several CDCR prisons use a different P.O. box for each housing facility (yard). Confirm the person’s current housing and use the matching box, or the letter is delayed.
Include your full name and return address. Mail without the correct CDCR number, or without a return address, can be rejected or returned.
Incoming personal mail is opened and inspected for contraband before it is delivered. Keep to plain letter-size paper; send copies of anything you are not willing to lose.
People are transferred between prisons without notice — check CDCR’s inmate locator for the current institution and housing before you mail anything.
PostPal prints and mails your letter for you the next business day for $5 — with your return address printed so the inmate can write back, and no printer, envelope, or stamp needed.

How to send your letter

1
Confirm the person is still at California Institution for Men
Inmates are transferred between facilities without notice. Confirm they are still at California Institution for Men — and double-check the CDCR number — before you mail anything, using the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)'s official inmate locator.
2
Address it exactly
First line: the inmate's full committed name and CDCR number. Then California Institution for Men, the P.O. box for their housing yard (see the list above), Chino, CA 91708. Add your full return address.
3
Keep the contents allowed
Plain letter-size paper is safest. Do not enclose cash, stamps, gift cards, or any object other than paper — prohibited items get the whole letter rejected. Check the mail rules above before adding photos.
4
Send it without a printer
Write or upload your letter to PostPal with this address prefilled, and we print, envelope, and mail it via USPS the next business day for $5 — your return address printed so they can reply.

Common questions

How do I address a letter to an inmate at California Institution for Men?

Put the inmate's full committed name and CDCR number on the first line, then California Institution for Men, P.O. Box 368, Chino, CA 91708. Include your full first and last name and return address on the envelope.

Is mail to California Institution for Men opened, read, or scanned?

Expect it to be. Incoming personal mail is opened and inspected for contraband and can be read under the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)'s rules.

What can I send to California Institution for Men — photos, cards, or books?

Standard photo prints are generally allowed, usually limited in number and no larger than 8" x 10". No polaroids, and nothing nude, sexually explicit, or gang-related. Books, magazines, and newspapers must come directly from an approved publisher or vendor — they cannot be sent as personal mail.

What can't I mail to California Institution for Men?

Do not send: Cash, checks, money orders, or postage stamps; Any item other than paper (no polaroids, laminated cards, or enclosures); Nude, sexually explicit, or gang-related photos or content; Stickers, glitter, glue, tape, perfume, lipstick, or crayon/marker; Paper treated with any substance, or anything with drug residue. Prohibited items get the letter rejected or destroyed.

What if the person has been transferred or released?

The letter will not reliably reach them or come back to you. Confirm they are still at California Institution for Men before mailing, since the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) moves people without notice.

Can the inmate write back to me?

Yes, if you include a complete return address. Inmates can send outgoing mail, though they may need to cover their own postage. PostPal prints your return address for you.

Sources

Addresses verified August 2026 against official sources. Always confirm on the official site before time-sensitive filings.

See the full California inmate mail rules — what you can and can’t send, photos & more →