Sending Mail & Photos to FDC Houston

The Right Mailing Address

This is the most common mistake: sending mail to the street address. Inmate mail for FDC Houston goes to:

[Inmate Full Legal Name] [Register Number] P.O. Box 526255 Houston, TX 77052

Do not send mail to 1200 Texas Avenue. That address handles staff operations. Mail sent there for inmates may not reach them.

What to Put on the Envelope

Every envelope must include:

• The inmate’s full legal name (as it appears in the BOP system: not a nickname)
• Their 8-digit register number (XXXXX-XXX format)
• Your full name and return address in the top left corner

Missing the register number delays processing. Missing the return address risks the letter being destroyed rather than returned if there’s a problem.

Letters and Cards

Standard letters and cards go through with no special requirements beyond the address format above. Cards with glitter, raised surfaces, or attachments (stickers, metallic elements) are frequently rejected: keep it plain.

Longer correspondence: multiple pages, photographs included: all goes in the same envelope. There’s no page limit for letters, but excessive bulk may trigger additional screening.

Sending Photos

You can send standard photo prints. A few hard rules:

• Standard prints only , 4x6 or similar. No Polaroids, no instant film.
• No printing at home on regular paper: inkjet-printed “photos” on regular copy paper are treated as documents, not photos, and the color may blur or smear. True photo paper prints (from a lab, Walgreens, CVS photo, etc.) are the standard.
• Quantity limits. BOP policy allows photos, but some facilities cap the number per envelope. If you’re sending more than a few at once, confirm with FDC Houston whether there’s a per-mailing limit.
• Nothing on the back of photos: writing on the reverse can flag a photo for additional review.

Books and Magazines

Books and magazines must come directly from the publisher or an approved commercial vendor. Amazon and Barnes & Noble are both accepted. You cannot hand-deliver a book or bring one to the facility.

The vendor must ship directly to the inmate’s mailing address (PO Box 526255). Packages shipped from your home address: even if they contain only books: will likely be rejected as unauthorized packages.

What Happens to Rejected Mail

Mail that violates BOP policy is returned to the sender or destroyed: it is not held for pickup at the facility. If you don’t include a return address and the letter is rejected, it’s gone. Always include your return address.

If a specific piece of mail seems to have not arrived, contact FDC Houston at (713) 221-5400. Don’t resend the same item before confirming it was rejected: you don’t want to create a pattern that flags your mail for review.

Legal Mail

Correspondence from attorneys is treated separately: it’s marked “Special Mail / Open Only in the Presence of Inmate” and handled with different protocols. If you’re an attorney or are sending legal documents, mark the envelope accordingly.