How to Write to a Federal Inmate at MDC Brooklyn (2026 Guide)
Facts from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (bop.gov), checked on September 28, 2026. · Español
Where is MDC Brooklyn?
The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Brooklyn is a federal detention facility run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at 80 29th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232. It holds people in federal custody awaiting trial, sentencing or transfer. It is not a state or city jail: mail follows national BOP rules.
How to address the envelope
Mail for people held there goes to the P.O. Box, not the street address:
- The register number (8 digits, for example 12345-104) is required. Look it up for free in the BOP Inmate Locator.
- Always put your own return address in the top left corner.
- Never send money through the facility mail: the BOP takes funds for all federal inmates at a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa (instructions on bop.gov).
How to contact a federal inmate: the real options
- A mailed letter: the only channel you can start yourself.
- CorrLinks email: paid and monitored; the person inside has to add you.
- Phone calls: only the person inside can place them, through the facility phone system.
- Visits: you must be on the approved visitor list; the facility sets the hours.
What you can and cannot send
Yes: plain letters and cards; a limited number of printed photos, with no explicit content.
No: stickers, glitter, perfume, lamination, staples, clips or any metal; books or magazines sent by you (they must come from the publisher or an approved vendor); cash.
Rules change and vary slightly by facility: before sending anything beyond a letter, check the facility page on bop.gov or call 718-840-4200. bop.gov · MDC Brooklyn
How long does it take?
The facility opens and inspects mail before delivering it. Allow a few days in the post plus several days of screening, and do not worry if a couple of weeks pass without a reply.
Write your letter with Escríbele
You write online; we check the letter against federal mail rules, print it and send it by U.S. mail with a correctly addressed envelope.
Start my letter →Frequently asked questions
- Where is MDC Brooklyn?
- The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Brooklyn is a Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility at 80 29th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232. Mail for people held there does not go to that street address: it goes to the facility's P.O. Box.
- What is the mailing address for inmate mail at MDC Brooklyn?
- The inmate's full name and register number, Metropolitan Detention Center, P.O. Box 329002, Brooklyn, NY 11232.
- How do I address the envelope?
- First line: the inmate's full legal name and register number. Then Metropolitan Detention Center. Then P.O. Box 329002, Brooklyn, NY 11232. Always put your own return address in the top left corner.
- How do I find a federal inmate's register number?
- Use the free BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc: search by name and it shows the register number (8 digits, for example 12345-104) and the facility.
- How can I contact a federal inmate without CorrLinks or an approved visit?
- A mailed letter is the only channel you can start yourself. CorrLinks email, phone calls and visits must be started or approved by the person inside.
- What can't I put in the letter?
- No stickers, glitter, perfume, lamination, staples or paper clips. Books and magazines must come from the publisher or an approved vendor, not from you. Never put money in the letter.
- How do I send money?
- Not through the facility's mail. The BOP takes funds for all federal inmates at a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa, or through the deposit services listed on bop.gov.
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