If you want to send pictures to inmates at Avenal State Prison (ASP), you need to know how the prison system in the Golden State accepts pictures. Inmate Photos will make the process easy and headache-free.
All we do is send pictures to inmates at prisons around the country, including Avenal State Prison. We know what it takes to get your pictures to that important person who is in prison.
Avenal State Prison
Avenal State Prison is located on the south end of Avenal in Kings County, CA. It is south of Avenal off State Road 33. The prison is about halfway between San Francisco and LA and about an hour and a half northwest of Bakersfield.
The men’s prison was built between 1985 and 1987. The facility sits on 640 acres. At the time it was built, Avenal State Prison was intended to be the largest prison facility in the nation. Avenal has a history of being overcrowded. It was designed to hold 2,300 men, but that number has gone as high as 5,000.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) operates the facility. It is a low-medium security facility with 17 open dorms, six 200-bed open dorm buildings.
The physical address is:
Avenal State Prison
#1 Kings Way
Avenal, CA 93204
Pictures are not accepted for delivery at the street address. Photos must be mailed to the prison. The prison is divided into 6 units, each with its own mailing address for sending pictures to inmates. You need to know which unit your loved one is in. Envelopes must have the inmate’s name and CDCR number at the top of the address.
You can find the person’s CDCR number on their website. The inmate search will not tell you which unit the person is in. You may need to contact the prison directly at (559) 386-0587. If you call, ask for the Public Information Officer.
Unit mailing addresses are:
Facility A
P.O. Box 901,
Avenal, CA 93204
Facility B
P.O. Box 902
Avenal, CA 93204
Facility C
P.O. Box 903
Avenal, CA 93204
Facility D
P.O. Box 904
Avenal, CA 93204
Facility E
P.O. Box 905
Avenal, CA 93204
Facility F
P.O. Box 906
Avenal, CA 93204
Rules When Sending Pictures
California state law sets the minimum standards for what pictures an inmate may have. Some of these rules are:
- No nudity
- No sexual activity
- Nothing that represents a threat to the security of the facility, the staff or the inmates.
In addition, the prison administration reserves the right to determine if an inmate may have a picture. The prison staff opens and inspects all mail for contraband. Keep that in mind when sending photos.
How to Send Pictures to Avenal State Prison in 2026
- Download the Inmate Photos app from the App Store or Google Play
- Choose the prison where you want to send pictures.
- Enter in the inmate’s name, number and which housing unit he is in.
- We’ll show you the photo rules for that prison. You make sure the pictures you mail follow the rules.
- Send pictures you want to send and transfer new pics or download images from your social media accounts. Upload any images and we will mail them.
- Complete your order and we will send you a confirmation email. You never worry about hidden fees or a recurring subscription cost, and you only pay for what you use.
Sending Photos Through Email
The CDCR does allow inmates to receive emails, sort of. If you email an inmate at ASP, it goes through a private company and then to the prison. The cost to send one picture is the same as two first-class stamps. Another picture is two more stamps. You can only attach one picture per message. Each page of a message, about 5,000 words, costs about the same as a stamp.
Your loved one does not get the picture immediately. The prison staff opens all emails and reviews them for anything not allowed in the prison. Anything not allowed is removed, or in the case of pictures, trashed. If the idea of strangers looking at your pictures bothers you, do not send them.
If your picture is approved, the prison staff prints the photo on plain paper in cheap ink and delivers it to the inmate.
We print your pictures on high-quality paper with long-lasting color inks. If needed, we will send pictures in separate envelopes on different days. Some prisons only allow inmates a set number of pictures per day. In a few days, your loved one gets your pictures.
Inmate Photos has a better way to send pictures. We make the process easy.