What You Can and Can't Mail to an Inmate at New Hanover County Detention — Quick Checklist
Mailing something to someone at New Hanover County Detention? Small formatting mistakes can get the whole envelope sent back. Use this checklist to make sure your mail actually arrives.
Stick to standard letter-size mail: 8.5 x 11 inches. Anything else won't be accepted. Plain letter paper and a matching envelope - that's all you need.
Keep it to five pages or less. Anything longer gets returned. If you have more to say, send a second letter instead of cramming everything into one envelope.
Front-side only: All mail is scanned on the front side only. Write on the back of a page, and the whole letter gets returned.
Photos are allowed - but only one per mailing. Include more than one, and the entire letter comes back. Pick your best shot and save the rest for next time.
Prohibited Items
- ✓ Greeting cards
- ✓ Anything on card stock paper
- ✓ Anything on colored paper
- ✓ Copies of photographs
- ✓ Cash
- ✓ Stamps
- ✓ Stickers
- ✓ Blank paper
- ✓ Blank envelopes
- ✓ Padded or bubble-wrap envelopes
Heads up: Prohibited paper types or extra items inside the envelope? The whole mailing may be returned. Keep it simple: letter paper, your message, and one photo if you want.
Don't try to drop off items in person. Packages, books, magazines, and other items from visitors aren't accepted for security reasons.
Pre Mail Checklist
- ✓ Address the envelope with the inmate’s name and ID number
- ✓ Include your return address on the envelope
- ✓ (Beginning December 1, 2025) Send inmate mail to: New Hanover County Detention Facility, P.O. Box 591, Longview, TX 75606
- ✓ Use only letter-size paper/mail: 8.5 x 11 inches
- ✓ Keep it to 5 pages or less total
- ✓ Write on the front side only (no writing on the back of any page)
- ✓ Include no more than 1 photo per mailing
Return Reasons
- ✓ The envelope is missing the inmate’s name and ID number
- ✓ The envelope is missing a return address
- ✓ You sent more than 5 pages
- ✓ You wrote on the back of a page
- ✓ The paper/envelope isn’t letter-size (8.5 x 11 inches)
- ✓ You used nonstandard paper (like colored paper or card stock)
Find an Inmate at New Hanover County Detention, NC
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
