Mail and Photos to Durham County Detention Facility. New Address June 9, 2026

Important: Mail Address Changed June 9, 2026

If you have been mailing letters to Durham County Detention Facility at a Durham, NC address and have not updated the address since June 9, 2026, your mail has been returned.

Durham County switched to a scan-and-forward system operated by Smart Communications. Under this system, personal mail goes to a processing center in Florida, where it is scanned and delivered to the person electronically. The facility itself no longer accepts personal mail at the Durham address.

This change affects letters, cards, photos, and drawings. It does not affect legal mail, books, or packages, which still go to the Durham facility.

Personal Mail: Use This Address

For all personal mail (letters, cards, photos, drawings) sent on or after June 9, 2026, use this address:

[Recipient Name and Recipient ID Number] C/O Mail Processing Center P.O. Box 9173 Seminole, FL 33775-9173

Put the person’s full legal name on the first line. Put their inmate ID number next to or below the name. Find the inmate ID at the Durham County inmate search. Without the inmate ID, the processing center may not be able to match your mail to the right person.

Write your full return address clearly on the envelope. If there is a problem with the mail, you want it returned to you, not lost.

Legal Mail, Books, and Packages: Use the Durham Address

Legal mail is handled separately and still goes directly to the facility:

[Inmate Full Legal Name] Durham County Detention Facility P.O. Box 771 Durham, NC 27702

Legal mail addressed to an attorney or bearing an attorney’s return address is handled differently from personal mail and is typically opened in front of the person rather than scanned. If you have a question about how legal mail is processed, call (919) 560-0897.

Books and packages also still go to P.O. Box 771. Confirm current book and package rules by calling the facility before sending, since these can change.

Why the Scan-and-Forward System Exists

Scan-and-forward mail processing is a practice some county jails use to reduce contraband that enters through mail. Under this system, the processing center opens, inspects, and scans the mail. The person inside receives a digital version on a screen or kiosk rather than the physical paper. The original mail is not delivered to the person in most cases.

This means:

• Cards with glitter, stickers, or 3D attachments cannot be sent, since they do not scan meaningfully.
• Physical photos are scanned. Make sure photos are clean, appropriate, and not too dark to scan.
• Only flat, scannable content makes it through the personal mail system.

Sending Photos

Photos can be included in personal mail going to the Seminole, FL address. Keep these guidelines in mind:

• Photos must be appropriate: no nudity, no graphic content, no images of drugs, weapons, or gang-related material.
• Avoid very dark or overexposed photos that will not scan clearly.
• Standard print sizes work fine. Very large prints may be a problem.
• Polaroid-style photos with chemical coatings may not scan as well as standard prints.

If you want to confirm current photo rules, call (919) 560-0897 before sending.

What Not to Include in Personal Mail

Do not put any of the following in personal mail sent to the Seminole, FL address:

• Cash (any amount)
• Personal checks
• Money orders or cashier’s checks (use TouchPay for deposits instead)
• Cards with stickers, glitter, or attachments
• Anything that is not flat and scannable

Mailing cash or contraband through the correctional mail system is illegal and will result in serious consequences.

What Happens If Mail Is Rejected

If your mail cannot be processed (wrong address, prohibited content, unreadable scan, etc.) it will typically be returned to your return address. Make sure your return address is clear on every envelope. If mail has been returned and you are not sure why, call the facility at (919) 560-0897 to ask.

If You Are Still Using the Old Address

Stop using the old address immediately. Durham County Detention Facility no longer accepts personal mail at the Durham address. Any personal mail sent there after June 9, 2026 is being returned to sender.

Start using the Seminole, FL address for all personal mail right away:

[Recipient Name and Recipient ID Number] C/O Mail Processing Center P.O. Box 9173 Seminole, FL 33775-9173

How Long Does Mail Take?

Under the scan-and-forward system, processing time varies. The mail goes to Seminole, FL by USPS, is processed and scanned, and then delivered digitally. Allow a few business days for USPS delivery plus processing time. This is longer than it used to be when mail went directly to the facility.

Sending Pigeonly Letters and Photos

Pigeonly lets you write and send letters or photo prints from your phone or computer. Pigeonly handles the printing and mailing, and your letter or photo arrives at the correct address. Search for the person at pigeon.ly/search to get started.

Before You Mail Anything

Confirm the person is still at Durham County with the inmate search before sending mail. If they have been transferred, mail sent to the Seminole address may not reach them, and the facility can tell you where they went and how mail is handled at the new location.

Send Photos and Letters with Pigeonly

The easiest way to send photos and letters to someone at Durham County Detention Facility is through Pigeonly. Upload your photos or write your letter online, and Pigeonly prints and mails everything to the facility for you, following the mail rules listed above.