Before You Mail Anything: Elkhart County Jail's Rejection Checklist

Mail rules feel picky, but a quick self-check beats a returned letter and more waiting. Before sending anything to Elkhart County Jail, run through the items below. Missing return info alone can get your entire letter rejected.

• ✓ Does the envelope include your FULL return name?
• ✓ Does the envelope include your FULL return address?
• ✓ Did you avoid using any address labels or stickers (handwritten/printed directly on the envelope instead)?
• ✓ If you’re sending photos, are they NOT Polaroids?
• ✓ Do the photos/contents avoid any nudity?
• ✓ If you’re sending a package, is it NOT coming from a retailer like Amazon, Target, or Walmart?
• ✓ If you’re sending books, is the shipment 5 books or fewer?
• ✓ If you’re sending books, are they being sent by a publisher (not from an individual)?

Return information isn't optional here. Elkhart County Jail rejects mail without a FULL return name and FULL return address. That means first and last name - not just a first name or nickname - plus a complete mailing address. There's a practical reason too: if the jail can't accept what you sent, a complete return address is the only way it gets back to you instead of vanishing.

Sending photos? Skip Polaroids - they're not accepted. Check every image for nudity before mailing. Even "tasteful" or partial nudity can trigger rejection, so stick with everyday, fully clothed family photos.

Don't use sticky address labels or stickers on your envelope. Elkhart County Jail returns anything sent that way. Write or print the address directly on the envelope - don't let something that small get your mail kicked back.

Packages are where mail often gets returned. Elkhart County Jail sends back packages from retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Books have their own rules: anything not shipped directly from a publisher gets rejected, and shipments with more than five books are returned too. If you're sending reading material, both the source and the quantity matter.

• ✓ Don’t ship packages from retailers like Amazon, Target, or Walmart (they’ll be returned to the sender).
• ✓ Keep book shipments to 5 books or fewer (more than 5 will be returned).
• ✓ Make sure books are sent by a publisher (books not sent by a publisher will be rejected).

When mail gets rejected, you're often dealing with a return-to-sender situation - especially for automatic flags like address labels or stickers. That's why return info matters so much: Elkhart County Jail rejects letters without a FULL return name and FULL return address, and a complete return address is the only way rejected items make it back to you. If something comes back, fix the specific issue and resend so your loved one isn't waiting longer than necessary.