To send photos to someone at Rikers Island or another New York City jail, mail them to the specific jail where the person is housed, with their full name and Book and Case number on the envelope. The NYC Department of Correction allows photographs up to 4x6 inches, but no Polaroids and no pictures of the person themselves or of other people in custody.
Rikers Island isn't one jail. It's a group of separate facilities, each with its own name and street address on Hazen Street in East Elmhurst. Getting the right facility on the envelope matters, so here's how the city's system works and how to get your photos there.
Mailing address for photos
The NYC Department of Correction (DOC) asks that mail include three things: the person's full name, their Book and Case number, and the full name and address of the facility where they're housed. For a Rikers Island jail, the envelope looks like this:
[Full name] [Book and Case Number]
[FACILITY NAME]
[FACILITY STREET ADDRESS]
EAST ELMHURST NY 11370
Here's an example for the Robert N. Davoren Center, based on our facility page:
[Full name] [Book and Case Number]
ROBERT N DAVOREN COMPLEX
11-11 HAZEN ST
EAST ELMHURST NY 11370
The DOC publishes the current list of facility addresses on its Facilities Overview page. The Rikers Island jails it lists for housing people in custody include:
- Eric M. Taylor Center (EMTC), 10-10 Hazen Street
- George R. Vierno Center (GRVC), 09-09 Hazen Street
- Otis Bantum Correctional Center (OBCC), 16-00 Hazen Street
- Robert N. Davoren Center (RNDC), 11-11 Hazen Street
- Rose M. Singer Center (RMSC), 19-19 Hazen Street, which houses women
- West Facility (WF), 16-06 Hazen Street
All of these use East Elmhurst, NY 11370. The DOC also runs secure units in city hospitals, and its list notes that mail for the Bellevue Hospital outposted units goes to a centralized mail address on Hazen Street rather than to the hospital. Facilities open, close and change use over time, so always check where your loved one is housed right before you send.
The ID number you need
NYC jails identify people by their Book and Case number. The DOC lists it as one of the three required pieces of information on any letter or package.
To find it, use the DOC's Person in Custody Lookup. It shows the current location of a person in DOC custody along with basic case information. The DOC notes that this lookup is only for people in city custody, not people held by the police, the state prison system or the federal Bureau of Prisons.
If your loved one has been sentenced to state prison, they'll move to a New York State DOCCS facility with a different ID number and different mail rules. Our post on how to find an inmate ID number explains the difference.
Photo rules
The DOC's page on mailing packages to persons in care lists photographs among the items that may be sent, with these limits:
- Up to 15 photographs.
- Up to 4 by 6 inches in size.
- No Polaroids.
- No pictures of the person themselves or of other people in custody. Skip photos taken during a visit or old photos of your loved one, and don't include pictures of friends who are also in DOC care.
The same page says all packages and items are subject to search, and that anything presenting a safety, security or contraband concern may be rejected. Our facility pages also list nudity, sexual content, gang signs, weapons, drugs and money as not allowed, which matches what jail mailrooms reject nearly everywhere.
We print every photo as a standard 4x6 and pack up to 10 per envelope, so each envelope stays inside the DOC's size and number limits.
What your loved one receives
The DOC lists photographs as an item that may be mailed to a person in care, and its published pages don't describe scanning or copying personal mail. Our facility pages note that people usually receive the photo prints themselves, and we're still confirming this for each NYC facility.
Jail mail rules can change. We show you what the person will receive before you pay, and we update our facility pages if a rule changes.
Step by step
- Look them up. Use the DOC Person in Custody Lookup to confirm they're in city custody and see which facility they're in.
- Note the Book and Case number exactly as it appears.
- Choose your photos. Pick clear, family-friendly pictures, and leave out any photo of your loved one or of other people in custody.
- Print them at 4x6 or smaller on real photo paper, not Polaroids.
- Address the envelope with their name, Book and Case number, and the facility's full name and address, plus your return address.
- Or send through InmatePics. Start an order, choose the facility, enter the number, and we print real 4x6 photos and mail them addressed the way the facility requires.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Use the facility name, not just "Rikers Island." The DOC asks for the full name and address of the facility where the person is housed.
- Re-check the location before each order. People are moved between Rikers facilities, to court, or out of city custody. A quick lookup avoids sending to the wrong building.
- Stick to 15 photos or fewer, at 4x6 or smaller. That's the DOC's published limit.
- Send photos only. The DOC says only items on its permitted list may be sent, and food and toiletries are prohibited.
- Watch the content. No photos of your loved one, no other people in custody, and nothing showing gang signs, weapons, drugs or money.
For more on this, see why prison mail gets returned.
Frequently asked questions
Can you send pictures to Rikers Island?
Yes. The NYC Department of Correction lists photographs among the items that may be mailed to a person in care, up to 15 photos, no larger than 4x6 inches, with no Polaroids and no pictures of the person or other people in custody.
What is the mailing address for Rikers Island?
There isn't one single address. Each Rikers Island jail has its own address on Hazen Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11370. Mail must show the person's name, Book and Case number, and the full name and address of the facility where they're housed.
What inmate number do I need for a NYC jail?
The Book and Case number. You can find it, along with the person's current facility, using the DOC's Person in Custody Lookup.
Can I drop off photos in person instead?
The DOC says permissible items can be delivered during in-person visiting hours at the Bail and Package Reception area next to Central Visits on Rikers Island, or sent by mail. Either way, items are searched and the same photo limits apply.
How much does it cost to send photos with InmatePics?
$0.99 per 4x6 print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription. Ten photos in one envelope cost $14.89. If the facility returns your photos, you get a full refund or a free reprint.
Find your loved one's facility in our New York directory, then send your photos. We'll print and mail them the way the facility requires.
