Mail Rules at Tulsa County Jail: What You Can and Can't Send

Tulsa County Jail accepts letters and postcards. If you can, use metered or preprinted postage paid envelopes, since those are preferred by the jail.

Greeting cards are allowed, but keep them simple. Cards can't be excessively large or thick, and embossed (raised) designs aren't permitted. Skip any card with a transparent overlay, ribbons, strings, sound-making devices, or a two-ply design.

Small photos are allowed, but size and format matter. Photos can't exceed 5 inches by 7 inches, and Polaroid photos won't be accepted.

Don't send mail in a padded envelope or any kind of box. The jail treats these as contraband, and the entire package can be returned or seized. The same applies to anything containing currency or negotiable items: cash, checks, and money orders are all prohibited.

• ✓ Postage stamps
• ✓ Stickers
• ✓ Stationery
• ✓ Extra envelopes
• ✓ Laminated items or pieces/sheets of plastic
• ✓ Tissue, blotter, or construction paper
• ✓ Food items

Books have to arrive the right way. Tulsa County Jail only accepts books mailed directly from Amazon Fulfillment Services or Barnes & Noble. Packages containing anything other than books are prohibited.

Be careful with photo sizes because the jail's own sources don't match. The mail rules say photos can't exceed 5" x 7". The inmate handbook says personal photographs may be as large as 8" x 10". To avoid having photos rejected, call the facility to verify the current limit before you send them.

1. Check the jail’s mail rules - Confirm what the “Sending Mail to Inmates” rules currently say about photo size (the posted mail rule lists 5" x 7").
2. Compare it to the inmate handbook - The handbook has a different size allowance (up to 8" x 10"), so you want to know which standard staff are enforcing right now.
3. Contact the facility before mailing photos - Ask which size is accepted through the mail today, so your photos are not returned or treated as contraband.

Practical Pre Mail Checklist

• ✓ Send letters and postcards only, and use metered or preprinted postage paid envelopes if you can
• ✓ Keep greeting cards simple, not oversized or thick, and skip embossing, transparent overlays, ribbons/strings, sound makers, and two-ply cards
• ✓ Do not mail anything in a padded envelope or box
• ✓ Do not include cash, checks, or money orders
• ✓ Do not include stamps, stickers, stationery, or extra envelopes
• ✓ Do not include laminated items or pieces/sheets of plastic
• ✓ Do not include tissue, blotter, or construction paper
• ✓ Do not include food items
• ✓ For photos: avoid Polaroids and keep photos within the size limit (posted mail rule says no larger than 5" x 7"); verify the correct size with the jail if you see conflicting guidance
• ✓ Do not send sexually explicit or sexually suggestive photos, publications, drawings, or writings