How to mail a letter to an inmate at Northern Reception and Classification Center
To write to someone held at Northern Reception and Classification Center, address your envelope to the inmate's full committed name and IDOC number, Northern Reception and Classification Center, P.O. Box 112, Joliet, IL 60434. Northern Reception and Classification Center is a reception and classification center in Joliet, Illinois, operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections. Under the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC)'s rules, incoming personal mail is opened and scanned at the facility, and the inmate receives a digital scan or printout rather than your original.
Inmate mail — Northern Reception and Classification Center
[Inmate's full committed name] [IDOC number] Northern Reception and Classification Center P.O. Box 112 Joliet, IL 60434
Put the inmate's full committed name and IDOC number on the first line, and mail to the institution's inmate-mail address here — not its street address. Mail without a usable name and IDOC number is returned.
Write it now. We print & mail it for $5.
Type your letter in the browser. We print it, stamp it, and hand it to USPS — usually same business day. No printer, no stamps, no post office.
$5 flat · postage included · no account needed
- You write & pay
- We print & envelope
- USPS, next business day
- Confirmation of Mailing emailed
Your name
Your return address
Northern Reception and Classification CenterP.O. Box 112Joliet, IL 60434
Your letter, printed and mailed for you.
Key facts
- Send mail to Northern Reception and Classification Center, P.O. Box 112, Joliet, IL 60434 — the institution's inmate-mail address, not its street address.
- Illinois sends inmate mail to each prison directly. Address it to the individual in custody’s full name and IDOC number, then the facility’s own mailing address.
- Since 2025, incoming personal mail is opened and digitally scanned; the person views it electronically or can request a free physical printout. Send copies, not originals — scanned mail is not returned.
- Include your full name and return address. Mail without the IDOC number or a return address can be rejected or delayed.
- Photographs must be sent unopened, directly from an approved vendor. Legal mail is handled separately and still goes to the facility.
- Confirm the person’s current facility on IDOC’s individual-in-custody search before mailing — people are transferred between prisons without notice.
- 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 Northern Reception and Classification Center
Inmates are transferred between facilities without notice. Confirm they are still at Northern Reception and Classification Center — and double-check the IDOC number — before you mail anything, using the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC)'s official inmate locator.
- 2
Address it exactly
First line: the inmate's full committed name and IDOC number. Then Northern Reception and Classification Center, P.O. Box 112, Joliet, IL 60434. Add your full return address.
- 3
Keep the contents allowed
Plain letter-size paper is safest. Remember it will be opened and scanned, so send copies of photos or documents you are willing to lose. 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 Northern Reception and Classification Center?
Put the inmate's full committed name and IDOC number on the first line, then Northern Reception and Classification Center, P.O. Box 112, Joliet, IL 60434. Include your full first and last name and return address on the envelope.
Is mail to Northern Reception and Classification Center opened, read, or scanned?
Yes. Under the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC)'s rules, incoming personal mail is opened and scanned at the facility, and the inmate receives a photocopy or digital scan rather than your original. Originals are not returned to you.
What can I send to Northern Reception and Classification Center — photos, cards, or books?
Under the digitized-mail rules, photos must be sent unopened and directly from an approved vendor — personal photo prints tucked into a letter are not accepted. Books and magazines must come from an approved publisher or vendor (limited exceptions for used books) — they cannot be sent as personal mail.
What can't I mail to Northern Reception and Classification Center?
Do not send: Cash, checks, money orders, or postage stamps; Any item other than paper (no polaroids, laminated items, or enclosures); Photographs not sent directly from an approved vendor; Nude, sexually explicit, or gang-related photos or content; Stickers, glitter, glue, tape, perfume, lipstick, or crayon/marker. 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 Northern Reception and Classification Center before mailing, since the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) 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 Illinois inmate mail rules — what you can and can’t send, photos & more →