Mailing Letters to Inverness Jail: Address Format, Delivery Days, and What Gets Rejected
Getting a letter to someone at Inverness Jail is straightforward—use the exact address format and avoid items the jail won't accept. Here's how mail works there, when it gets delivered, and what commonly gets sent back.
Address your envelope exactly like this: INMATE MAIL FirstName LastName, SWIS #_______ Inverness Jail 11540 NE Inverness Dr. Portland OR 97220
- ✓ Write the person’s first and last name exactly as they were booked.
- ✓ Include their SWIS number on the same line as their name.
- ✓ Put “INMATE MAIL” at the top.
- ✓ Add a complete return address - mail won’t be delivered without it.
Heads up: Staff open and inspect all incoming mail, so don't send anything you wouldn't want reviewed.
Mail is delivered to adults in custody Monday through Friday only. If you mail something late in the week, it may sit over the weekend before it’s delivered inside the jail.
Delivery also depends on inspection. Staff open and check every envelope before routing it, so even correctly addressed mail can take extra time when the jail is busy.
One more thing: all mail routes through the Inverness Jail address, even if the person you're writing is housed elsewhere in the system. Use this address format regardless of their housing location.
Money is a common reason mail gets rejected. Currency and "currency equivalents" aren't allowed - that includes bus passes, phone cards, and gift cards. The one exception: government checks.
When something isn't permitted, the jail typically mails it back to you - along with everything else in the envelope. Keep your letters simple to avoid the hassle.
Warning: If an envelope contains drugs or other illegal items, they can be seized as evidence and may lead to a felony investigation and prosecution.
Want to send a book or magazine? Publications, periodicals, calendars, and notebooks are only allowed if they’re mailed directly from the publisher or an approved commercial retailer. Examples the jail gives include Powell’s Books and Amazon - so don’t mail your own used copy from home.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Use the booked first/last name and include the SWIS number.
- ✓ Address everything to the Inverness Jail mailing address shown above.
- ✓ Always include a full return address.
- ✓ If you’re sending books, magazines, calendars, or notebooks, have them shipped directly from the publisher or an approved retailer (not from your home).
- Assume your mail will be inspected - keep it simple and avoid including anything that could cause it to be held back during screening.
- Don’t include money or “money-like” items - skip cash, gift cards, phone cards, bus passes, and similar items.
- If something is rejected, expect it to come back to you - the jail typically returns the whole envelope and whatever was inside, so you can correct it and resend.
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