All personal mail goes to PO Box 23608, Tampa, FL 33623. This is the FDOC centralized mail facility. Mail is scanned and delivered digitally to the inmate's tablet.
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The Florida Department of Corrections processes all personal inmate mail through one centralized address in Tampa, Florida. Mail you send does not go directly to Lowell CI in Ocala. It goes to a processing center where it is opened, inspected, scanned, and delivered to the inmate digitally on a tablet or facility kiosk. You must use the U.S. Postal Service only. Non-USPS carriers like FedEx and UPS will be refused. Padded envelopes, boxes, bubble wrap, and multi-layer packaging will also be rejected and returned.
All personal mail for inmates at Lowell Correctional Institution must go to the FDOC centralized mailing address, not to the facility in Ocala. The address is:
[Inmate Full Legal Name, DC#]
PO Box 23608
Tampa, FL 33623
Put the inmate’s full legal name and DC number on the same line. The DC number is their Florida DOC identification number. Find it on the FDOC Offender Search at dc.state.fl.us/OffenderSearch/Search.aspx. Include your full name and return address on the front of the envelope.
Florida switched to a centralized mail processing system for all state inmate personal mail. When you send a letter to the Tampa PO Box, FDOC staff at the processing center receive it, open it, inspect it, and scan it into digital format. The digital version is then forwarded to the inmate’s account, where they can read it on a tablet or kiosk in their housing unit.
This means the inmate reads your letter on a screen, not a physical copy. The original is not forwarded to Lowell CI.
You must send mail through the U.S. Postal Service. Do not use FedEx, UPS, DHL, or any private carrier. Mail sent through non-USPS methods will be refused and returned.
Standard first-class mail is the simplest and most reliable option.
Use a standard envelope. FDOC will reject and return any mail that arrives in:
A plain white or manila envelope is fine. Do not decorate the outside of the envelope with stickers, glitter, or scented products.
Write your letter in English, Spanish, or Creole. If the inmate has received prior written approval from the warden to receive correspondence in another language, that language is also permitted. Without that approval, mail in other languages may be rejected.
All routine personal mail is opened, examined, and read by designated FDOC staff before it is scanned. Staff check for contraband, prohibited content, and coded communications. Legal mail from attorneys is handled separately. It is opened in front of the inmate, not pre-screened.
Do not include anything in the envelope other than written correspondence. Do not fold items inside letters, tape anything to the letter, or include items that might be confused with contraband during inspection.
Because Florida uses a digital mail system, physical photos sent to the FDOC centralized address will be scanned like any other mail. The inmate will see the photo on their tablet or kiosk screen.
Alternatively, you can use Securus eMessaging to send photos digitally. Register at securustech.net, purchase message stamps, and attach photos (JPG, JPEG, or PNG format) to a message. Securus staff review photos before forwarding them to the inmate. For help, call 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591.
Books and publications sent to Florida state inmates must go through the standard FDOC digital mail process or through approved vendors. Contact the facility at 352-690-8900 to confirm the current policy for books before sending.
Mail from attorneys and courts is treated as legal mail and is subject to different handling. Legal mail is opened in the inmate’s presence. Send legal mail to the facility address directly:
Lowell Correctional Institution
Attn: [Inmate Full Legal Name, DC#]
11120 NW Gainesville Rd
Ocala, FL 34482
If you are unsure whether your mail qualifies as legal mail, call the facility at 352-690-8900.
If FDOC rejects your mail, it will be returned to the sender at the return address on the envelope. The inmate may or may not be notified, depending on the reason. If your mail keeps being returned, call the facility at 352-690-8900 to ask what the issue is.
Printing through Pigeonly doesn’t change how a letter is screened. FDOC staff open and read every routine personal letter for Lowell before scanning it, checking for contraband, prohibited content and coded messages, so write it the way you would any letter they’ll review.
Securus eMessaging is one way to send photos to Lowell CI. Pigeonly is another, for families who’d like to write a letter: you type it or add photos on your phone, Pigeonly puts it on paper and mails it to the Tampa PO Box, and it’s scanned there like any personal mail headed to Ocala.
6 of 13 questions
All personal mail goes to the FDOC centralized address: [Inmate Full Legal Name, DC#], PO Box 23608, Tampa, FL 33623. Do not send mail to the Lowell CI facility address in Ocala for personal correspondence.
MailFlorida routes all personal inmate mail through a centralized processing center in Tampa. Staff open, inspect, and scan each letter, then deliver it digitally to the inmate's tablet or kiosk. The inmate reads your letter on a screen, not a physical copy.
MailNo. You must use USPS only. Mail sent through FedEx, UPS, DHL, or any non-USPS carrier will be refused and returned.
MailFDOC will return mail sent in padded envelopes, boxes, plastic bags, Priority Mail cardboard envelopes, multi-layer packaging, envelopes with metal parts, or packaging with bubble wrap. Use a standard plain envelope.
MailYes. Photos sent to the Tampa PO Box address will be scanned along with the letter and delivered digitally to the inmate's tablet. You can also send photos digitally through Securus eMessaging at securustech.net.
MailAfter USPS delivers the letter to the Tampa processing center, FDOC staff inspect and scan it before forwarding it digitally. Allow several business days from mailing to delivery on the inmate's tablet.
MailYes. FDOC accepts mail in English, Spanish, and Creole. Other languages require prior written approval from the warden.
MailSearch the FDOC Offender Search at dc.state.fl.us/OffenderSearch/Search.aspx using the inmate's last name. The DC number appears on their profile page.
MailRejected mail is returned to the sender at the return address on the envelope. If your mail keeps being returned, call Lowell CI at 352-690-8900 to ask what the issue is.
MailCall Lowell CI at 352-690-8900 to confirm the current book policy before sending. FDOC may require books to come from approved vendors or through the digital mail system.
MailYes. All routine personal mail is opened, inspected, and read by designated FDOC staff before it is scanned. Legal mail from attorneys is opened in the inmate's presence, not pre-read by staff.
MailStandard cards in plain envelopes are generally accepted. Do not use padded card envelopes, cards with glitter or attached decorations, or card stock-type rigid envelopes. When in doubt, remove the card from any specialty packaging and mail it in a standard envelope.
MailLegal mail from attorneys goes directly to the facility, not to the Tampa PO Box. Address it to: [Inmate Full Legal Name, DC#], Lowell Correctional Institution, 11120 NW Gainesville Rd, Ocala, FL 34482. Legal mail is opened in the inmate's presence.
MailSearch FDOC Offender Search at dc.state.fl.us to confirm custody and get the DC number for the mailing address.
View ArticleSat-Sun 9AM-3PM EST. Apply first, then schedule each week through FDOC.
View ArticleUse Correct Pay at CorrectPay.com/Florida or call (855) 836-3364. MoneyGram and lobby kiosk also available.
View ArticleConnectNetwork/AdvancePay. The inmate calls you. Set up at web.ConnectNetwork.com/Get-Started-FDC or call (866) 732-9098.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 6, 2026.