How to mail a letter to an inmate at Pocahontas State Correctional Center
To write to someone held at Pocahontas State Correctional Center, address your envelope to the inmate's full committed name and offender number, Pocahontas State Correctional Center, P.O. Box 518, Pocahontas, VA 24635-0518. Pocahontas State Correctional Center is a state correctional center in Pocahontas, Virginia, operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections. Under the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC)'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 — Pocahontas State Correctional Center
[Inmate's full committed name] [offender number] Pocahontas State Correctional Center P.O. Box 518 Pocahontas, VA 24635-0518
Put the inmate's full committed name and offender 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 offender number is returned.
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Your name
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Pocahontas State Correctional CenterP.O. Box 518Pocahontas, VA 24635-0518
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Key facts
- Send mail to Pocahontas State Correctional Center, P.O. Box 518, Pocahontas, VA 24635-0518 — the institution's inmate-mail address, not its street address.
- Virginia sends general mail to each prison directly. Address it to the incarcerated person’s full name and offender number, the unabbreviated facility name, and the facility’s own mailing address (a P.O. box for many, a street address for others).
- All incoming general correspondence is photocopied in black and white; the person receives up to three photocopied 8.5" x 11" pages (front and back) and the originals — including photos — are shredded. Send copies, not originals.
- Include your full name and return address. Legal mail is handled separately and goes to VADOC’s central mail center, not the facility.
- Confirm the person’s current facility on VADOC’s incarcerated-lookup 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 Pocahontas State Correctional Center
Inmates are transferred between facilities without notice. Confirm they are still at Pocahontas State Correctional Center — and double-check the offender number — before you mail anything, using the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC)'s official inmate locator.
- 2
Address it exactly
First line: the inmate's full committed name and offender number. Then Pocahontas State Correctional Center, P.O. Box 518, Pocahontas, VA 24635-0518. 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 Pocahontas State Correctional Center?
Put the inmate's full committed name and offender number on the first line, then Pocahontas State Correctional Center, P.O. Box 518, Pocahontas, VA 24635-0518. Include your full first and last name and return address on the envelope.
Is mail to Pocahontas State Correctional Center opened, read, or scanned?
Yes. Under the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC)'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 Pocahontas State Correctional Center — photos, cards, or books?
Photos are photocopied in black and white and the originals are shredded, so send copies you do not need back. No polaroids, nudity, or sexually explicit images. Books and magazines must come directly from an approved publisher or vendor — they cannot be sent as personal mail.
What can't I mail to Pocahontas State Correctional Center?
Do not send: Cash, checks, money orders, or postage stamps; Any item other than paper (no polaroids, laminated items, or enclosures); Nude or sexually explicit photos or content; Stickers, glitter, glue, tape, perfume, lipstick, or crayon/marker; Original photos you want returned (only black-and-white photocopies are delivered). 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 Pocahontas State Correctional Center before mailing, since the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) 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 Virginia inmate mail rules — what you can and can’t send, photos & more →