Mail & Packages in Utah (UDC)

Utah Scans All Personal Mail

Effective January 5, 2026, UDC processes all personal (non-legal) mail at its own mail processing centers. Every incoming letter is scanned and printed in color, and the printed copy — not the original — is delivered. UDC states that originals are destroyed once successfully scanned, and the scanned files are kept for 30 days.

The practical consequences:

• Nothing sent in personal mail comes back. Do not mail anything with sentimental or document value — original photos, children’s artwork on special paper, birth certificates, or any official document.
• Whatever does not photocopy well does not arrive well. Plain handwriting or type on white paper reproduces best.

Addressing Mail

UDC publishes one required format per facility. Include the person’s name and inmate ID number on the first line:

Utah State Correctional Facility (Salt Lake City): Incarcerated Person’s Name – Inmate ID # PO Box 165300 Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Central Utah Correctional Facility (Gunnison): Incarcerated Person’s Name – Inmate ID # PO Box 550 Gunnison, UT 84634

The person’s housing assignment and ID number show in UDC’s Offender Search tool.

What Can Be Sent

• Up to five pages per mailing — anything over the limit is denied
• Typed or handwritten on one side of 8.5 x 11-inch paper
• A standard #10 envelope (4 x 9.5 inches)
• Photocopies are accepted if they meet the paper size

When mail is denied, the person receives a denial slip and the envelope is returned to the sender.

What Gets Mail Rejected

UDC’s published list of prohibited items includes:

• Postcards and greeting cards of any kind (photocopies that meet the paper-size rules are accepted)
• Glitter, rhinestones, stickers, or anything glued
• Photos sent by mail (see below), shaped-cut photos or papers, and tiny papers or sticky notes
• Crystals, religious tokens, coins, toys, keychains, and similar objects
• Blank envelopes, paper, stationery, or stamps
• Stapled items; overly thick, electronic, fold-out, 3D, or pop-up cards
• Any form of money — cash, checks, coins, gift cards
• Official documents (they would be destroyed after scanning)

Photos

Photos cannot be mailed to Utah state inmates. UDC directs families to three approved services — Pelipost, Ameelio, and Flikshop — which print and deliver photos through their own channels. Each service sets its own pricing; UDC does not publish photo count or size limits for them, so check the service’s current terms when ordering.

Books, Magazines, and Newspapers

Books, booklets, magazines, and “anything spined” are prohibited in personal mail, and newspaper clippings are also on the prohibited list. UDC’s current public pages do not describe any approved channel for sending publications — there is no published publisher-direct or vendor-direct option. Inside the facilities, tablets carry library books, and religious books are obtained through Religious Services or a chaplain. A family wanting to get a specific book to someone should confirm the current options with the facility directly before purchasing anything.

Legal Mail

Privileged legal mail runs through a separate stream that is not scanned into the personal-mail system, and as of June 1, 2026, attorneys and courts must register as approved senders and attach UDC-issued digital barcodes to legal mail. This system applies to legal professionals; family letters about a legal case still travel as personal mail and are scanned.

Verify Before Acting

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