Sending Books to Someone at Comal County Jail: Amazon, Carriers, and Label Rules

Comal County Jail only allows inmates to receive publications (books, magazines, newspapers) that come directly from a publisher or an established bookstore. This "direct from the source" rule is the foundation for everything else. If a shipment doesn't come from a recognized bookstore or publisher, it will almost certainly be treated as unauthorized and sent back.

Stick to paperback books with a perfect binding. Don't try to mail a book yourself, and don't have a friend or family member ship one either. Books and other publications sent from individuals, or purchased through third-party sites and vendors (including eBay and other third-party book sellers), are prohibited. They'll be returned to the sender.

Amazon orders can work, but only under specific conditions. The book must be sold by Amazon itself (not a third-party seller), and it must ship through a public carrier: USPS, UPS, or FedEx. Avoid Amazon Same Day delivery. It uses a contract carrier, and the jail will reject the package and return it.

Even if you order the right item from the right source, delivery timing matters. Comal County Jail accepts deliveries for inmate items Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. No deliveries are accepted on County-approved holidays. When choosing a shipping speed, aim for a weekday arrival during that window so the carrier isn't showing up when the jail won't take it.

Third-party sellers and person-to-person shipments are the most common reason book orders get rejected at Comal County Jail. The jail only authorizes paperback books with perfect binding, and it prohibits any publications coming from family, friends, or third-party sites and vendors (including eBay and other third-party book vendors). If a shipment comes from one of these sources, it won't be accepted and will be returned.

This ties back to the "direct from the source" rule. Publications must come directly from a publisher or an established bookstore, which is different from a marketplace seller, reseller, or someone shipping from home. If you're placing an order, keep the seller and shipper as close to the original bookstore or publisher as possible.

Troubleshooting and Checklist

• ✓ Book is a paperback with perfect binding (no other formats)
• ✓ Shipment is not coming from family or friends
• ✓ No third-party book vendors or third-party sites (including eBay)
• ✓ If ordering on Amazon, the item is sold by Amazon (not a third-party seller)
• ✓ Delivery carrier is USPS, UPS, or FedEx (avoid Amazon Same Day/contract carriers)
• ✓ Shipping label includes the inmate’s SPN number
• ✓ Delivery is scheduled for Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (not on County-approved holidays)

1. Check the most likely rejection points: Confirm the shipping label included the inmate’s SPN number, the order was sold by Amazon (not a third-party seller), and it was shipped by a public carrier (USPS, UPS, or FedEx), not Amazon Same Day.
2. Fix the source of the shipment: If the book came from a third-party vendor (or from family/friends), reorder so it ships directly from an authorized source and meets the paperback, perfect-binding requirement.
3. Resubmit with corrected labeling and delivery method: Place the replacement order only after the label details and carrier method match the jail’s requirements, since incorrect shipments are rejected and returned.