To send photos to someone in a Georgia state prison, mail real photo prints to the prison's own "Mail to" address, usually a P.O. box, with the person's full name and GDC number. Georgia doesn't have a central mail center for state prisons, so each prison has its own address, and that mailing address is often different from where the prison actually sits.
The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) runs dozens of state prisons, plus transitional centers, probation detention centers and other facilities. The steps below work for all of them. The one thing to get right is the address.
Mailing address for photos
Georgia's Board of Corrections mail rules say a complete address for mail to someone in a GDC facility includes their full name, their state ID number, the institution's name spelled out in full (no abbreviations), the post office box, and the city, state and ZIP. So the format looks like this:
[Full name] [GDC Number]
[Institution name, not abbreviated]
P.O. BOX [Box number]
[City] GA [ZIP]
Where do you find the P.O. box? On GDC's Find a Location directory. Each prison's page lists its street address, and many also list a separate "Mail to" address under Contact. For example, GDC's pages show:
- Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto: Mail to P.O. Box 709, Alto, GA 30510
- Pulaski State Prison in Hawkinsville: Mail to P.O. Box 839, Hawkinsville, GA 31036
- Washington State Prison in Davisboro: Mail to P.O. Box 206, Davisboro, GA 31018
Use the "Mail to" address when a prison lists one. A filled-in envelope for Pulaski would look like this:
[Full name] [GDC Number]
PULASKI STATE PRISON
P.O. BOX 839
HAWKINSVILLE GA 31036
Our pages for Georgia prisons, like Lee Arrendale State Prison, Pulaski State Prison and Washington State Prison, say clearly when we haven't yet confirmed a prison's mailing address. If GDC's page shows a different "Mail to" address, go with GDC. All the Georgia facilities we mail to are on our Georgia facilities page.
The ID number you need
Everyone in GDC custody has a GDC number (Georgia's rules call it the state ID number). GDC's own advice for families is simple: make sure your loved one's name and GDC number are on the envelope.
To find it, use GDC's Find an Offender search. Search by name and the result shows the person's GDC number and the facility where they're housed. Our post on how to find an inmate ID number explains how to read these results.
Use the person's full name as GDC has it, and write the institution's name out in full, exactly as the rule asks.
Photo rules
Under Georgia's mail rules, incoming mail is inspected for contraband, and the warden or superintendent can reject correspondence found to be a threat to security, good order or discipline. Georgia's published mail rules don't spell out photo-specific limits, so the safest approach is to keep photos simple and family-friendly.
The rules we follow for Georgia prisons:
- Size: 4x6 prints
- Limit: up to 10 photos per envelope
- Not allowed: nudity, sexual content, gang signs, weapons, drugs or money
A few more habits that help:
- Send real photo prints, not pictures printed on plain paper.
- Skip Polaroids and instant photos. Many prison systems ban them.
- Leave out anything that could look like a gang sign, even a playful hand gesture.
- Keep the envelope plain. Just photos and a letter, nothing glued, taped or decorated.
Our post on what photos are allowed in prison has more on the gray areas.
What your loved one receives
GDC lists a separate mailing address for each prison, and Georgia's rules have mail inspected for contraband at the facility. That generally means your loved one receives the actual photo prints, though we haven't yet confirmed this for every Georgia prison, and our facility pages say so where it applies.
County jails in Georgia set their own mail rules, which can be quite different. If your loved one is still in a county jail waiting for transfer to a GDC prison, check that jail's rules. Our post on Fulton County Jail covers Atlanta's main jail.
Step by step
- Look them up in GDC's Find an Offender and note their GDC number and facility.
- Open the facility's page in GDC's Find a Location directory and copy the "Mail to" address.
- Choose your photos, checking each one against the rules above.
- Print them as real 4x6 photo prints.
- Keep each envelope to 10 photos or fewer.
- Address it with the full name, GDC number, full institution name, P.O. box, city and ZIP.
- Add your full return address in the top left corner.
- Mail it by USPS.
Or let us handle it: on InmatePics, choose the Georgia facility, enter the GDC number and upload your photos. We print real 4x6 photo prints, address them the way the facility requires and split them into envelopes it accepts. You see what your loved one will receive before you pay. It's $0.99 per print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Use the "Mail to" address, not the street address, when GDC lists one.
- Write the institution name out in full. Georgia's rule specifically says unabbreviated.
- Always include the GDC number.
- Check Find an Offender before each mailing. People are moved between facilities, and the old prison's address won't reach them.
- Include a return address. Georgia's rules require one on incoming mail.
- Don't send cash in a letter. Georgia's rules don't accept mailed cash or personal checks for inmate accounts. GDC explains the options on its send money page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one address for all Georgia prisons?
No. Each GDC prison has its own mailing address, listed on its page in GDC's Find a Location directory. Use the "Mail to" address when one is listed. It's often a P.O. box.
What do I put on the envelope for a Georgia inmate?
Their full name, GDC number, the institution's full name with no abbreviations, the P.O. box, and the city, state and ZIP, plus your own return address.
Do Georgia inmates get the actual photos?
Generally, yes. Mail goes to each prison's own address and is inspected there, so original prints are usually delivered. County jails can work differently.
How many photos can I send to a Georgia prison?
We send up to 10 photos per envelope and split larger orders into extra envelopes. You see the total before you pay.
What if my photos are returned?
With InmatePics, if your order is returned for any reason other than banned content, you get a full refund or a free reprint, your choice.
Rules change, and we keep our Georgia facility pages current. Read our guide to sending photos to an inmate, or send your photos to a Georgia prison now.
