Calipatria splits mail into 8 different P.O. Boxes by purpose and housing facility. Sending to the wrong box can delay a letter.
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Mail at Calipatria State Prison is more complex than at some other CDCR institutions. CDCR’s official facility page for Calipatria lists 8 separate P.O. Boxes: one for general institution mail, one for legal mail, one for inmate funds, one for each of the 4 housing facilities (A, B, C, and D), and one for MSF/FH/ASU (Minimum Support Facility, Fire House, and Administrative Segregation Unit). Using the wrong box, especially sending a personal letter to the legal or funds box, can delay delivery or get it routed back through internal mail processing. This guide breaks down exactly which box to use for what.
Unlike CDCR institutions that publish one general P.O. Box for everything, Calipatria’s own facility page lists 8 separate boxes, each meant for a different purpose or housing area:
| Purpose | P.O. Box |
|---|---|
| General institution mail (personal letters, if you don’t know the facility) | P.O. Box 5001, Calipatria, CA 92233-5001 |
| Legal mail | P.O. Box 5002, Calipatria, CA 92233-5002 |
| Inmate funds (money orders and checks) | P.O. Box 5003, Calipatria, CA 92233-5003 |
| Facility A | P.O. Box 5004, Calipatria, CA 92233-5004 |
| Facility B | P.O. Box 5005, Calipatria, CA 92233-5005 |
| Facility C | P.O. Box 5006, Calipatria, CA 92233-5006 |
| Facility D | P.O. Box 5007, Calipatria, CA 92233-5007 |
| MSF/FH/ASU (Minimum Support Facility, Fire House, Administrative Segregation Unit) | P.O. Box 5008, Calipatria, CA 92233-5008 |
If you know which of Calipatria’s 4 facilities the person is housed in, address personal letters and cards directly to that facility’s box:
[Full Legal Name, CDCR Number]
Calipatria State Prison, Facility [A/B/C/D]
P.O. Box [5004/5005/5006/5007]
Calipatria, CA 92233-[matching ZIP+4]
If you’re not sure which facility the person is in, or if they’re not in one of the 4 general population facilities, use the general institution address instead:
[Full Legal Name, CDCR Number]
Calipatria State Prison
P.O. Box 5001
Calipatria, CA 92233-5001
P.O. Box 5002 is reserved for legal mail from attorneys, courts, and public officials, and P.O. Box 5003 is reserved for inmate funds like money orders and checks. Sending a personal letter or photo to either of these boxes can cause delays, since staff process each box for its specific purpose. Keep personal mail in P.O. Box 5001 or the correct facility box, legal correspondence in P.O. Box 5002, and money in P.O. Box 5003.
Regardless of which box you’re using, always write the person’s full legal name and their CDCR number on the envelope. This is how CDCR staff route mail internally, especially important at a facility with 8 different intake boxes.
People do get transferred between CDCR institutions, and they can also move between facilities within Calipatria itself. Check CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov, or ask the person directly, to confirm they’re still at Calipatria, and which facility they’re currently in, before you send a letter, especially if some time has passed since you last heard from them.
Standard letters, greeting cards, and photos are generally accepted. Keep to plain paper and cards without stickers, glitter, tape, or anything glued on, since those items get mail rejected.
Photos are generally allowed within CDCR’s limits: no Polaroids, since the backing can conceal contraband, and nothing larger than 8x10. Avoid nude or sexually explicit images, gang-related content, and anything depicting drugs or weapons, which will be rejected. There’s usually a limit on how many photos per envelope, so send a reasonable number and confirm current limits with the institution if you plan to send many. You can also send photos through Pigeonly without printing anything yourself. Upload the photos online and Pigeonly prints and mails them to Calipatria for you.
Legal mail from an attorney, court, or public official should be clearly marked as legal mail on the outside of the envelope and sent to P.O. Box 5002, Calipatria, CA 92233-5002. It’s opened only in the presence of the incarcerated person to check for contraband, not read. If you’re an attorney or legal representative, confirm Calipatria’s exact legal-mail handling by calling (760) 348-7000 ext. 5716.
Incoming personal mail is opened and inspected for contraband before delivery. If a piece is rejected, the person is typically notified and told why, and the item may be returned to sender or held. Following the plain-paper, no-attachments rules is the best way to avoid a rejection.
You can’t mail a personal package straight to the person. Approved packages, including quarterly packages, come through CDCR’s contracted package vendor, which the person or an approved family member orders from. Contact the institution at (760) 348-7000 ext. 5716 or check CDCR’s approved vendors page for the current process.
Don’t mail cash. Money orders and checks go to the dedicated inmate funds box, P.O. Box 5003, Calipatria, CA 92233-5003, not the general mail box. You can also send an electronic deposit through GTL/ConnectNetwork, JPay, or Access Corrections. See the CDCR send-money guide for the full process, fees, and how restitution affects deposits.
6 of 11 questions
It depends on the purpose. General personal mail, if you don't know the housing facility, goes to P.O. Box 5001, Calipatria, CA 92233-5001. If you know the facility, use its specific box: Facility A is 5004, Facility B is 5005, Facility C is 5006, Facility D is 5007. Legal mail goes to 5002 and inmate funds to 5003.
MailCalipatria splits mail by purpose and housing facility: general institution mail, legal mail, inmate funds, each of the 4 housing facilities, and MSF/FH/ASU. This is different from CDCR institutions that use a single general address, and using the correct box helps mail reach the person faster.
MailSending a personal letter to the legal mail box (5002) or the inmate funds box (5003) by mistake can delay delivery, since staff process each box for its specific purpose. Use P.O. Box 5001 for general personal mail if you don't know the housing facility.
MailAsk the person directly, or check CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. If you can't confirm which facility they're in, use the general address, P.O. Box 5001, Calipatria, CA 92233-5001, instead of guessing a facility box.
MailCheck CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov, or ask the person directly, especially if it's been a while since your last letter, since transfers between CDCR institutions and between facilities within Calipatria do happen.
MailYes, within CDCR's limits: no Polaroids and nothing larger than 8x10. Avoid nudity, gang references, and images of drugs or weapons, which get rejected. There's usually a per-envelope limit, so send a reasonable number. You can also send photos through Pigeonly, which prints and mails them for you.
MailNew books and magazines generally must come directly from an approved publisher or vendor, not mailed by you personally. Check CDCR's approved vendors and disapproved-publications rules before ordering.
MailNo. Personal packages aren't accepted directly. Approved packages come through CDCR's contracted package vendor, ordered by the person or an approved family member.
MailLegal mail from an attorney, court, or public official should be marked as legal mail and sent to P.O. Box 5002, Calipatria, CA 92233-5002. It's opened only in front of the incarcerated person to check for contraband, and is not read. Call (760) 348-7000 ext. 5716 to confirm the current process.
MailStickers, glitter, tape, glued-on items, cash, Polaroids, oversized photos, and any content seen as contraband, gang-related, or explicit. Stick to plain paper and cards.
MailNever send cash. Mail a money order or check to the dedicated inmate funds box, P.O. Box 5003, Calipatria, CA 92233-5003, or use an electronic deposit through GTL/ConnectNetwork, JPay, or Access Corrections. See the CDCR send-money guide for details.
MailConfirm the person is still housed here and which facility before you mail.
View ArticleGet approved with CDCR Form 106, then schedule through VSA.
View ArticleUse the inmate funds P.O. Box or an EFT vendor.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 20, 2026.