Mail & Photos to Maine State Prison. Address, Paper Rules & What to Confirm First

The Correct Mailing Address

Address letters to:

[Resident’s Full Name, MDOC Number] Maine State Prison 807 Cushing Road Warren, ME 04864-4600

Including the resident’s MDOC number along with their name helps make sure mail reaches the right person. MDOC’s own published address example uses only the resident’s name, but adding the number reduces the chance of delay if more than one resident shares a similar name.

The 2021 Paper and Ink Rule

Effective April 7, 2021, MDOC requires all incoming general correspondence, meaning letters, notes, and similar written communication, to be on plain 8.5” x 11” white paper, written or printed in black or dark blue ink. This rule is designed to make mail easier to screen consistently across every MDOC facility. The full policy is published as a PDF: Policy 21.02 (AF), Prisoner Mail.

Every envelope also needs a verifiable name and return address. Mail without one may be rejected or delayed.

Never Mail Cash

MDOC’s mail and visitation policy is explicit: cash cannot be sent to a resident, under any circumstance. If you want to add funds to a resident’s account, use MDOC’s online Money Deposit Service instead. See the send money guide for the full process, daily and weekly limits, and what we could and couldn’t confirm about mailed money orders.

Where Visitor Applications Go

If you’re mailing back a completed Adult Facility Visitor Application, it goes to the same 807 Cushing Road street address, but addressed differently: Attention: Visits, Maine State Prison, 807 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864. See the visitation guide for the full application and approval process.

Photos, Books, and Packages: What We Couldn’t Confirm

Maine State Prison’s published mail and visitation page describes, in detail, how personal photos can be taken during an in-person visit (in front of a provided backdrop, subject to staff approval). It does not separately publish a policy for photos, books, or packages sent through the mail, the way it details paper and ink rules for letters. Many correctional facilities restrict things like Polaroid-style photos, glued or laminated items, oversized envelopes, or specific book vendors, but we could not verify Maine State Prison’s exact current rules on any of this from an official source.

Rather than guess, call (207) 273-5300 and ask directly what’s accepted before mailing photos, greeting cards, books, or any kind of package, so your mail isn’t delayed, rejected, or returned to you.

Legal Mail

MDOC’s published mail pages we reviewed for Maine State Prison do not lay out a separate procedure for legal or attorney mail apart from the general correspondence rule. If you’re an attorney or working with one, confirm directly with the facility how legal mail should be marked and routed so it’s handled appropriately and not opened as standard correspondence.

What Not to Send

• Cash in any form (use MDOC’s online Money Deposit Service instead)
• Colored paper, non-standard sizes, or ink other than black or dark blue, which do not meet the April 2021 correspondence rule
• Anything you haven’t confirmed by calling ahead, especially photos, packages, or items beyond a standard letter