Mail and Photos to High Desert State Prison

The Correct Mailing Address for Letters

Address letters and cards to:

[Full Legal Name, CDCR Number] High Desert State Prison P.O. Box 3030 Susanville, CA 96127-3030

Always include the recipient’s full legal name and CDCR number. Without the CDCR number, mailroom staff may not be able to match the letter to the right person, especially if the name is common.

Don’t Send Money to the Wrong Address

HDSP uses a separate address, P.O. Box 270-249, Susanville, CA 96127, specifically for money orders and inmate trust deposits. Sending a money order to the general letters address (P.O. Box 3030) instead of the trust address can delay the deposit. See the Send Money guide for full details on funding an account.

How Mail Gets Processed

Incoming letters are opened and visually inspected for contraband before being forwarded to the recipient. HDSP handles this directly instead of routing mail through an outside scanning company, which is different from states where mail goes to a separate processing center first.

Getting Someone’s CDCR Number

If you don’t already have the recipient’s CDCR number, search for them on CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov, or call the institution’s Public Information Officer for help confirming their housing and number.

Sending Emails and Photos Through the Tablet System

As of this guide’s last verification, HDSP is still on ViaPath Technologies for tablet-based e-messages and photos, with a transition to Securus Technologies scheduled to begin July 27, 2026 for phones and July 28-31 for tablets. Check which platform is currently active before setting up an account, since the fee per e-message or photo differs slightly between the two providers.

Sending Packages

CDCR only allows quarterly packages through its approved outside vendors, not items purchased and mailed from home. Check CDCR’s current list of approved package vendors before ordering anything, since unapproved packages will be rejected and returned or destroyed instead of delivered.

What’s Not Allowed

CDCR inspects all incoming mail for contraband, including drugs, weapons, and unauthorized electronics. Sexually explicit material, material depicting or encouraging violence, and anything that could help someone escape are also prohibited. If a letter or package is rejected, the mailroom typically returns it to the sender or notifies the recipient of the rejection, depending on what it contains.

If Something Gets Rejected

If your letter or package doesn’t make it through, you can contact HDSP’s mailroom directly to ask why. Confirm you used the correct P.O. Box for what you sent (letters to 3030, money to 270-249) and included the CDCR number, since incomplete or incorrect addressing is one of the most common reasons mail gets delayed or returned.