Every UK prison · same-day dispatch
Send a letter to a prisoner from your sofa
A letter is still the most reliable way to reach someone inside — every UK prison accepts them. Type yours, upload it as a PDF, and we print and post it the same working day from £1.79. No printer, no stamps, no account.
How prison mail works
Mail addressed to a prisoner must carry their full name and prisoner number, followed by the prison’s name and address — without the number, letters can sit unsorted or be returned. Incoming mail is opened and screened, and many prisons now photocopy letters and hand over the copy rather than the original, a measure against paper soaked in drugs. A plainly printed letter — which is exactly what PostOwl produces — passes through that process smoothly.
Address format
John Smith, A1234BC
HMP Example
1 Prison Road
Exampletown
AB1 2CD
Full name + prisoner number on the first line. Each prison’s postal address is listed on its gov.uk page.
What you can and can’t send
Keep it to plain written content. Anything that breaches prison rules — offensive material, coded messages, escape-related content — will be stopped at screening, and policies on photographs and enclosures vary from prison to prison, so check the individual prison’s page on gov.uk before including anything beyond text. PostOwl prints your PDF on plain paper and seals it in a standard envelope, with no staples or clips.
Why a paper letter beats everything else
Email-a-prisoner style services exist, but they are not available in every prison, and replies still come by post. A physical letter can be kept, re-read on a hard day, and pinned to a cell wall. It is also the cheapest option: £1.79 with PostOwl, including printing, the envelope and Royal Mail postage — less than most competing print-and-post services charge for the same letter.
How PostOwl sends it
Write your letter, save it as a PDF and upload it. Put the prisoner’s full name and number in the name field, add the prison’s address, and pay by card or Apple Pay — £1.79 for one page second class, £2.69 first class. Order before the 3pm weekday cutoff and it is in the post the same day. Your PDF is deleted from our servers after dispatch, so what you wrote stays between you and the person you sent it to.
Prison mail FAQs
How do I find someone's prisoner number or which prison they are in?+
The prisoner number is on any letter they have sent you, or another family member may have it. If you do not know where someone is held, the free 'Find a prisoner' service on gov.uk will locate them — you will need their full name and date of birth, and the prisoner must agree to be contacted.
Will prison staff read my letter?+
Routine screening is normal: incoming mail is opened and checked, and many prisons photocopy letters and hand the copy to the prisoner. The exception is legal correspondence under Rule 39, which has special protections. Write on the assumption that staff may read it.
How long will it take to arrive?+
Second class typically reaches the prison in 2–3 working days, then goes through the prison's own mail processing before it is handed over. First class usually arrives the next working day and costs £0.90 extra (£2.69 for a one-page letter).
Someone is waiting to hear from you
Send it now → from £1.79PostOwl is an independent printing and posting service and is not affiliated with HM Prison & Probation Service.