Penmate Inmate Support Guides

Sending Books and Magazines to Someone at Montgomery Pretrial: The Complete Guide

Getting books or magazines to someone at Montgomery Pretrial Detention Facility means following specific rules. Here's exactly what you need to know about approved sellers, formats, mailing addresses, and quantity limits.

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

Montgomery Pretrial Detention Facility only accepts paperback books shipped directly from Amazon, Books-A-Million, or Barnes & Noble. Hardbacks are not allowed. The facility also limits what someone can have in their possession: up to two paperback books and four periodicals at a time. Sending more than that can cause problems, even if everything was ordered correctly.

Two rules cause most rejections. First, the book must be a paperback. Second, it must ship directly from an approved retailer (Amazon, Books-A-Million, or Barnes & Noble). Orders from other sellers or used copies you mail yourself will likely be rejected. Hardbacks are prohibited, even brand new ones from major retailers.

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  • ✓ Periodicals/publications: limit of four in possession
  • ✓ Paperback books: limit of two in possession

Send all reading materials to the facility itself, not to a central or off-site mail processing center. This applies to magazine and newspaper subscriptions, periodicals, and paperback books. The same rule applies to legal mail. If something is time-sensitive, double-check that you're using the Montgomery Pretrial Detention Facility address before mailing. Sending to the wrong location can cause significant delays.

  1. Skip boxes: Mail packaged in boxes will not be accepted.
  2. Keep the envelope size at 8 ½” x 11” or smaller: Oversized envelopes can be rejected.
  3. Do not alter the envelope: Altered envelopes are not accepted and will be returned to the sender.

Common rejection triggers: Hardback books, paperbacks not shipped directly from Amazon/Books-A-Million/Barnes & Noble, and mail sent in boxes or oversized or altered envelopes. Stick to approved paperback sellers and plain envelopes no larger than 8 ½" x 11".

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