To send photos to someone held by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, mail them to the city's mail scanning center: Philadelphia IPCS, PA, [name], PPN #[number], P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. Photos must be 5x7 inches or smaller, and your loved one will see them on a tablet, because personal mail is scanned and delivered electronically.
The Department of Prisons (PDP) doesn't accept personal mail at any of its facilities on State Road, and anything sent there is returned. Below is the exact address format, how to find a PPN, the city's photo rules and how to keep your envelope from coming back.
Mailing address for photos
The City of Philadelphia's page on contacting an incarcerated person by mail gives this format for all personal mail, including letters, photos and drawings:
Philadelphia IPCS, PA
[Full name], PPN #[PPN Number]
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Add your return address in the top left corner.
The city says all personal mail must go to the mail scanning center. PDP won't accept personal mail at any of its facilities, and personal mail sent to a facility will be returned to the sender.
A few things still go straight to the facility, not to Maryland:
- Legal and professional mail, clearly marked "Legal Mail."
- Money orders and certified checks. The city says these sent to the P.O. box in Phoenix will be returned. Cash and personal checks aren't accepted at all.
- Books, magazines and newspapers, which must come directly from a seller.
PDP runs several jails on State Road in Northeast Philadelphia. Our facility pages show the latest details we have:
- Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF)
- Philadelphia Detention Center
- Riverside Correctional Facility
- Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC)
- Alternative & Special Detention Center (ASD)
For personal mail, the facility doesn't change the address: everything goes to the scanning center with the person's PPN.
If your loved one is in a Pennsylvania state prison rather than a Philadelphia jail, the rules are different. See our post on sending photos to someone in a Pennsylvania state prison or our Pennsylvania page.
The ID number you need
Philadelphia uses the PPN, which the city describes as the person's ID number. It goes right after the name on the second line of the address, written as "PPN #" followed by the number.
To find it:
- Ask your loved one for their PPN on a call or video visit.
- Use the city's official resources for finding an incarcerated person.
- Write the name exactly as it appears in jail records.
Without the PPN, the scanning center may not be able to match your mail to the right person. Our guide on how to find an inmate ID number explains official searches in more detail.
Photo rules
The city lists three photo rules:
- Size: Photos must be 5 x 7 inches or smaller. A standard 4x6 print fits.
- Content: Photos must not feature nudity, weapons, money or drug use.
- Number: Incarcerated people are allowed to have up to five pictures.
The city doesn't explain how the five-picture limit applies now that mail is scanned. To be safe, it's sensible to send no more than five photos per envelope. When you order with us, you see the number of envelopes before you pay.
The city also has rules for letters and cards that apply to anything in the same envelope:
- Write only in pen or pencil, not crayon or marker.
- Use plain white paper and a plain white envelope. Colored, construction or specialty paper isn't permitted.
- No more than two decorative stickers on the envelope.
- No glitter on cards or in the envelope.
What your loved one receives
The city says personal mail to people in PDP custody will be scanned and delivered electronically via tablets. So your loved one sees your photos as images on a tablet screen, not as the paper prints you mailed.
Pick photos that look good on a screen: bright, in focus, with faces filling the frame. Before you pay, our checkout shows what the person will receive at this facility. Our post on prison mail scanning explains more about how scanned mail works.
Step by step
- Get the PPN and confirm your loved one is still in PDP custody.
- Choose your photos, keeping the five-picture limit in mind.
- Check the content. No nudity, weapons, money or drug use.
- Use 4x6 prints, which are under the 5x7 maximum.
- Address the envelope to Philadelphia IPCS, PA, then the person's name and PPN, then P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131.
- Use a plain white envelope with your return address, and mail it.
Or let us take care of it. With InmatePics, you upload photos from your phone, choose your loved one's Philadelphia facility and enter their PPN. Our printing and mailing partners print real 4x6 photos, and every order is addressed and packed the way the facility requires and split into envelopes it accepts. It's $0.99 per print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription. We remove location data from your photos and delete them after your order is done.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Don't mail personal letters or photos to State Road. The city returns personal mail sent to a facility.
- Don't send money to Maryland. Money orders and certified checks go to the facility.
- Include "PPN #" and the number with your loved one's full name.
- Stay at 5x7 or smaller. 8x10 prints don't meet the rule.
- Keep it plain. White envelope, white paper, two stickers at most, no glitter.
- Leave out photos with money in them. It's one of the four content bans, and it's easy to miss in a casual picture.
Frequently asked questions
What is the address to send mail to CFCF or other Philadelphia jails?
For personal mail, use the scanning center for every facility: Philadelphia IPCS, PA, the person's name and PPN, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. Legal mail, money orders and books go directly to the facility.
How many photos can I send to someone in a Philadelphia jail?
The city says incarcerated people are allowed to have up to five pictures, and each must be 5x7 or smaller. Sending five or fewer per envelope is the safest approach.
Do they get the actual photos?
No. The city says personal mail is scanned and delivered electronically via tablets, so your loved one sees the photos on screen.
What if my photos are returned?
If you send with InmatePics and the facility returns your order, you get a full refund or a free reprint, your choice.
Ready to send? Check the latest details on our Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility page, then send your photos with InmatePics.
