Mail and Photos to Ironwood State Prison

ISP’s Mailing Address

CDCR’s facility page for Ironwood State Prison publishes one address for all inmate mail:

[Full Legal Name, CDCR Number]
Ironwood State Prison
P.O. Box 2199
Blythe, CA 92226

This single shared box covers every facility at ISP, including Facilities A, B, C, D, and the Minimum Support Facility, so you don’t need to figure out a housing-unit-specific box before you send a letter.

Don’t Confuse the Inmate Box With the Staff Box

ISP publishes a second, separate P.O. Box, 2229, Blythe, CA 92226, for general institution and staff correspondence. That box is not for inmate mail. If you write to P.O. Box 2229 by mistake, expect delays or the letter being returned instead of delivered. Always use P.O. Box 2199 for anything addressed to an incarcerated person.

Always Include the CDCR Number

Write the person’s full legal name and their CDCR number on every envelope. This is how CDCR staff route mail internally to the correct housing unit.

Confirm Before You Mail

People do get transferred between CDCR institutions. Check CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov, or ask the person directly, to confirm they’re still at Ironwood State Prison before you send a letter, especially if some time has passed since you last heard from them.

What You Can Send

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.

Photo Rules

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 Ironwood for you.

Legal Mail

ISP’s facility page doesn’t list a separate box for legal mail. If you’re an attorney or legal representative, mark your envelope clearly as legal mail and call (760) 921-3000 to confirm the current handling process and correct address for it, since legal mail is opened only in the presence of the incarcerated person to check for contraband, not read.

Mail Inspection and Rejected Mail

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.

Packages

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) 921-3000 or check CDCR’s approved vendors page for the current process.

Sending Money

Don’t mail cash. Send a money order or check payable to CDCR to the address above, or 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.