How to mail an inmate in Virginia

To write to someone in Virginia state custody, address the envelope to the inmate's full committed name and offender number, then the facility’s own mailing address. Each facility has its own mailing address, listed below. Run by the Virginia Department of Corrections.

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The mailing address

[Inmate's full committed name]  [offender number]
[Facility name]
[Facility mailing address — see the facility page]

Replace the bracketed lines with the person's details and their facility (pick it below for the exact wording).

How Virginia inmate mail works

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.

What you can't 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)

Photos: 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 & magazines: Books and magazines must come directly from an approved publisher or vendor — they cannot be sent as personal mail.

All 35 Virginia facilities

Common questions

What is the mailing address for an inmate in Virginia?

Address the envelope to the inmate's full committed name and offender number, then the facility’s own mailing address. Use the specific facility’s mailing address, listed on its page below.

Is inmate mail in Virginia opened or scanned?

Yes. Under the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC)'s rules, incoming personal mail is opened and scanned, and the inmate receives a copy rather than your original.

What can't I send to a Virginia inmate?

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.

How do I find which facility someone is in?

Use the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC)'s official inmate locator, then open that facility's page below for the exact addressing. People are transferred without notice, so confirm before mailing anything important.

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Type your letter, pick the facility, and PostPal prints and mails it via USPS — with your return address so they can write back. No printer or post office.

Mail a letter to an inmate — $5

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