Mail goes directly to the facility, unlike Pennsylvania's state prison system.
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Unlike Pennsylvania’s state prisons, which route mail through a third-party scanning center, mail to FCI McKean goes directly to the facility’s own PO Box. Include the inmate’s full name and BOP Register Number on every piece, and confirm whether he’s at the main facility or the satellite camp, since camp inmates use a different address line.
Address letters, cards, and photos like this:
[Inmate's Full Name, BOP Register Number]
FCI McKean
PO Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701
Every piece needs the inmate’s full name and BOP Register Number so it reaches the right person. This is different from Pennsylvania’s state prison system, where mail routes through a third-party scanner in Florida, at FCI McKean, mail goes straight to the facility’s own PO Box.
FCI McKean has a co-located minimum-security satellite camp. Inmates there use a “SATELLITE CAMP” designation added to the address instead of the standard FCI address line. Confirm which one applies to your family member before mailing, since sending it to the wrong line can delay delivery.
Incoming general correspondence is opened and inspected by mailroom staff before it’s delivered to the housing unit, this is standard practice at every BOP facility, not something specific to FCI McKean. Staff check for prohibited items and contraband hidden in envelopes, cards, or photos. This inspection is why a letter can take a few extra days to reach an inmate after it arrives at the PO Box, and it’s also why heavily decorated envelopes or anything with a thick, non-flat texture is more likely to get held up or rejected outright.
Photographs are generally accepted through the mail, subject to standard federal content restrictions. Avoid anything that could be considered explicit, gang-related, or otherwise inappropriate, since these will be rejected. Stick to standard photo prints rather than oversized prints, collages glued to cardstock, or anything laminated, since mailroom staff need to be able to handle and inspect each item individually. Polaroid-style instant photos are sometimes restricted at federal facilities because the chemical backing can be used to conceal contraband, if you’re not sure whether that applies here, call ahead and ask before mailing a batch of them.
Federal Bureau of Prisons policy requires that books, magazines, and other publications come directly from the publisher, a bookstore, or an approved distributor, not from a personal mailing. A used paperback mailed from home, even brand new and still shrink-wrapped, will typically be rejected and returned. If you want to send reading material, order it online and have it shipped directly from the retailer to the PO Box 8000 address with the inmate’s name and Register Number in the shipping address field.
Personal packages generally aren’t accepted through the mail at FCI McKean. Clothing, electronics, food, and other physical items outside of publisher-shipped books typically have to come through the commissary system or an approved outside vendor rather than a mailed package from a family member. If you’re unsure whether a specific item is allowed, call (814) 362-8900 before shipping anything, since a rejected package usually gets returned to the sender at your expense.
Correspondence from an attorney, marked as legal or privileged mail, follows different handling procedures than general correspondence. It’s opened only in the inmate’s presence, typically by a staff member who checks for contraband without reading the contents, and it isn’t read or copied the way routine mail can be. For this protection to apply, the envelope needs to be clearly marked as legal mail and show the attorney’s name, bar information, and return address.
For faster, routine back-and-forth, CorrLinks is the BOP’s approved electronic messaging system and works alongside physical mail rather than replacing it. An inmate has to add your email address to his approved contact list from his end before messages can go through, and each message is still reviewed under the same general correspondence rules as a paper letter. CorrLinks is a good option for quick updates between physical letters and photos, but it can’t attach photos the way regular mail or Pigeonly can.
Keep letters and enclosures reasonably simple. Avoid stickers, glitter, and other add-ons that could complicate mailroom screening, and don’t send cash through the mail, use one of the approved money transfer methods instead. Write the return address clearly on every envelope, mail without a legible return address is more likely to be held for extra scrutiny or rejected outright since staff can’t verify the sender.
Mail processing can slow down around major holidays, when facilities see a spike in incoming cards and letters, and the same inspection process has to work through a larger volume with the same staffing. If you’re mailing something time-sensitive, like a card for a birthday or holiday, send it seven to ten days ahead of the date rather than mailing it the week of.
Call FCI McKean directly at (814) 362-8900 if you’re unsure why something didn’t reach the person you sent it to. Ask specifically what was rejected and why, since the answer (a prohibited item, a used book, a package outside the approved vendor process) tells you whether it’s worth resending in a different format.
BOP mail can take longer than expected if something gets flagged during the standard inspection process. Allow at least a week or two before assuming something is lost, then call FCI McKean at (814) 362-8900 to check whether anything was held up. It’s also worth confirming the inmate is still at FCI McKean and hasn’t been transferred, since a transfer without your knowledge is a common reason mail seems to stop arriving.
You can also send photos and letters digitally through Pigeonly, which skips mailing and delivery time entirely. This can be a useful backup when you want a photo or note to arrive quickly, alongside the physical mail you’re already sending.
Never mail cash directly to an inmate, use one of the approved deposit methods (MoneyGram, Western Union, or a USPS money order) instead. Avoid including anything that could be mistaken for a prohibited substance, since it risks the entire mailing being rejected and can create legal exposure for the sender. Don’t mail used books, magazines, or personal packages, these have to come through an approved publisher, distributor, or vendor instead. Skip anything laminated, heavily scented, or covered in stickers and glitter, since these commonly get flagged during mailroom inspection regardless of what’s actually inside.
6 of 14 questions
Address mail to the inmate's full name and BOP Register Number, FCI McKean, PO Box 8000, Bradford, PA 16701. Camp inmates need a 'SATELLITE CAMP' line added, confirm which applies first.
Mail & PhotosNo. Unlike PA DOC's Smart Communications system, mail to FCI McKean goes directly to the facility's own PO Box.
Mail & PhotosYes, FCI McKean's satellite camp uses a 'SATELLITE CAMP' designation added to the standard address. Confirm which one applies before mailing.
Mail & PhotosYes, photographs are generally accepted, subject to standard federal content restrictions against explicit or inappropriate material.
Mail & PhotosYes, correspondence marked as legal or privileged mail from an attorney follows different rules and is typically only opened in the inmate's presence.
Mail & PhotosNo. Use one of the approved deposit methods, MoneyGram, Western Union, or a USPS money order to the BOP's centralized address, instead of mailing cash.
Mail & PhotosAllow at least a week or two, since BOP mail can be delayed if something gets flagged during inspection. If it's been longer, call FCI McKean at (814) 362-8900 to check on it.
Mail & LettersYes. You can send photos and letters digitally through Pigeonly without mailing anything, which skips delivery time entirely.
Mail & LettersGenerally not through regular mail. Physical items like books and magazines usually have to come from an approved publisher or vendor rather than being mailed directly. Call (814) 362-8900 to confirm what's currently allowed.
Mail & LettersNo. Never mail cash directly to an inmate. Use MoneyGram, Western Union, or a USPS money order instead.
Mail & LettersThey go through the same inspection process as regular letters and photos. There's no separate procedure for cards or drawings, just keep the same content restrictions in mind.
Mail & LettersNo. Federal Bureau of Prisons policy requires books and magazines to come directly from the publisher, a bookstore, or an approved distributor. A used or personally owned book mailed from home will typically be rejected and returned.
Mail & LettersMailroom staff open and inspect incoming general correspondence for prohibited items before it's delivered to the housing unit, adding a few days to delivery. Legal mail is handled separately and only opened in the inmate's presence.
Mail & LettersYes. CorrLinks is the BOP's approved electronic messaging system for routine correspondence, though the inmate has to add your email to his approved contact list first, and it doesn't support photo attachments the way physical mail does.
Mail & LettersConfirm his current facility before mailing anything.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 13, 2026.