To send photos to someone in a North Carolina state prison, mail them to the state's mail scanning center at P.O. Box 247 in Phoenix, Maryland, with your loved one's full name, OPUS number and the full prison name on the envelope. The photos are scanned, and your loved one views them on a tablet instead of receiving the prints.
North Carolina prison mail no longer goes straight to the prison. Below is how the system works, the exact address format, and how to choose photos that look good on a screen.
How North Carolina prison mail works
The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) sends personal mail for its prisons through a vendor called TextBehind. According to the NCDAC offender mail page, mail is delivered to TextBehind's facility in Maryland, where it's scanned. The digital files are then sent to the prison, and your loved one sees the content on an electronic tablet.
NCDAC has used this system since late 2021. It applies to letters, cards, photos and artwork alike.
What happens to your original photos? NCDAC says that within 30 days you can ask for the original letter and its contents back by emailing TextBehind, for a $2.50 service fee per letter. After 30 days, the originals are shredded. The department's advice is plain: don't send originals of photos that can't be replaced.
This applies at state prisons across North Carolina, including Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, Alexander Correctional Institution and Scotland Correctional Institution.
Mailing address for photos
Every NC state prison uses the same P.O. box in Maryland. The prison name on the second line tells the scanning center where to send the files:
[Full name] #[OPUS Number]
[Full prison name, e.g. CENTRAL PRISON]
PO BOX 247
PHOENIX MD 21131
NCDAC is strict about this format:
- Spell out the prison name. Don't abbreviate it. "Alexander Correctional Institution," not "Alexander CI."
- Mail not addressed this way is returned to the sender.
- Your return address needs your full first and last name, not initials.
Each prison's page in our North Carolina facility directory shows the address with the prison name already filled in.
The ID number you need
North Carolina uses the OPUS number, the ID number NCDAC assigns to each person in its custody. It goes on the first line, right after your loved one's name.
You can find it with NCDAC's offender public information search on the department's website, which lets you look someone up by name and shows their current prison. Your loved one can also give it to you on a call or in a message. Our guide to finding an inmate ID number covers state search tools in more detail.
Photo rules
Because everything is scanned, NCDAC's rules focus on what can and can't go through a scanner. The department won't accept:
- Oversized envelopes, because they can't be scanned
- Pop-up cards that can't be scanned into an image, and musical cards
- Banners or posters
- Fabric, hardware or metallic items
NCDAC's mail page doesn't list a photo count or size limit. Standard 4x6 prints fit easily in a regular envelope, and InmatePics sends up to 10 photos per envelope for North Carolina prisons.
Content still matters. Our North Carolina facility pages flag photos showing nudity, sexual content, gang signs, weapons, drugs or money, which prison mailrooms reject. For the gray areas, see what photos are allowed in prison.
Rules change, so check the prison's page in our directory before you send.
What your loved one receives
Your loved one sees a scanned image of each photo on a tablet. They don't receive the physical print.
That changes what makes a good photo:
- Bright, sharp photos scan best. Blurry or dark shots lose detail.
- Simple compositions work well on a small screen. One to three people, faces clearly visible, beats a big group photo taken from across the room.
- Send copies, not keepsakes. Originals are shredded after 30 days unless you pay to have them returned.
When you order through InmatePics, we show you before you pay that photos for North Carolina prisons are delivered as tablet scans. Our post on prison mail scanning explains how tablet delivery compares with copies and prints.
Step by step
- Look up your loved one in NCDAC's offender search to confirm their OPUS number and current prison.
- Choose your photos. Pick clear, well-lit shots that will look good on a screen.
- Check the content. No nudity, sexual content, weapons, drugs, money or gang signs.
- Address the envelope to P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131, with their name, OPUS number and the full prison name.
- Add your return address with your full first and last name.
- Use a standard-size envelope. Oversized envelopes aren't accepted.
Or let us handle the printing and addressing. With InmatePics, you upload photos from your phone, pick the prison and enter your loved one's name and OPUS number. We print your photos and mail them to the scanning center, addressed the way NCDAC requires. It's $0.99 per print plus $4.99 per envelope. Ten photos in one envelope cost $14.89, with no subscription.
Tips to avoid returned or delayed mail
- Don't mail to the prison's street address. Personal mail goes to the P.O. box in Phoenix, Maryland.
- Don't abbreviate the prison name. NCDAC asks for it spelled out.
- Include the OPUS number. Mail without the right name and number can be returned.
- Use your full name in the return address. Initials aren't accepted.
- Skip anything that can't be scanned: oversized envelopes, pop-up or musical cards, posters, fabric or metal.
- Update the prison name after a transfer. The P.O. box stays the same, but the prison line must match where your loved one is now.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I mail photos to Maryland for a North Carolina prison?
NCDAC uses TextBehind to scan personal mail before it reaches the prison, and TextBehind's mail facility is in Phoenix, Maryland. The scanned files are then sent to your loved one's prison.
Will my loved one get the actual photos?
No. They see a scanned image of each photo on a tablet. The originals are kept for 30 days, during which you can request them back for a fee, and then shredded.
How many photos can I send to a North Carolina inmate?
NCDAC's mail page doesn't set a specific number. InmatePics sends up to 10 photos per envelope for North Carolina prisons and splits larger orders across envelopes.
Does this apply to county jails in North Carolina?
No. These rules cover NCDAC state prisons. County jails set their own mail rules, so look up the specific jail in our North Carolina directory. Federal prisons, such as those in Butner, follow Bureau of Prisons rules, explained in our federal prison guide.
Send photos to a North Carolina state prison
Find your loved one's prison in our North Carolina facility directory for the current address and rules, or start your order. Delivered, or your money back.
