Prison Visitor Guide

Mail & Packages in Alabama (ADOC)

Why Alabama personal mail now goes to a scanning center in San Antonio and reaches the person as tablet images, how to address it with the AIS number, what still goes to the facility, and the publisher-only book rule.

Last reviewed: 2026-06-13

How to address personal mail

Since October 27, 2025, personal mail (letters, cards, photos, drawings) goes to ADOC’s off-site scanning vendor, not the prison:

ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing [Inmate Name] - [AIS number] P.O. Box 17339 San Antonio, TX 78217

The sender’s full name and address go in the top-left corner. The AIS number is on the ADOC Inmate Search. Personal mail sent to the prison itself is returned to sender.

What happens to your letter

The scanning center opens and scans personal mail and delivers it to the inmate as images on their tablet — the inmate does not receive the paper. Because mail routes through Texas first, delivery takes longer than it once did. ADOC’s published material does not say what happens to the paper original after scanning, so do not assume it is returned or kept — confirm with ADOC if that matters. The mail rules (in Administrative Regulation 448) still bar obscene images and certain enclosures; greeting cards are treated as ordinary correspondence.

Legal mail (from attorneys, courts, and officials) and packages still go directly to the facility, not the San Antonio box. Legal mail is opened and inspected for contraband in the inmate’s presence.

Books and publications

Books, magazines, and newspapers must be new and sent directly from a publisher, bookstore, or recognized distributor (prepaid) — generally up to two books and four magazines a month. Book clubs are not allowed. Religious materials are sent in care of the facility chaplain. ADOC also runs incentive-package programs (for eligible inmates) at limited times of year.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Staying in Touch.

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.