Penmate Inmate Support Guides

Sending Books and Magazines to PWCC: Approved Vendors, Size Limits, and Why Amazon Often Won't Work

Sending books or magazines to someone at Pocatello Women's Correctional Center (PWCC)? Who ships it matters just as much as what you buy. IDOC requires publications to come directly from the publisher or an approved vendor. Packages that don't follow this rule get rejected.

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

IDOC has a strict rule: books and magazines must ship directly from the publisher or an IDOC-approved vendor. You can't buy a book yourself and mail it from home. The seller has to be the one sending it, and the package must include a receipt or invoice inside.

Note: Amazon is not an approved vendor for sending publications to residents. Even if the title itself is allowed, the shipment can still be rejected if it comes from Amazon.

Coming from an approved source isn't enough on its own. The book also has to meet IDOC's format and size limits. Softcover only, no hardbacks. Maximum dimensions: 11 inches long, 8 1/2 inches wide, and 3 inches thick. Anything oversized or hardcover may be turned away.

  • ✓ Softcover only
  • ✓ Maximum length: 11 inches
  • ✓ Maximum width: 8 1/2 inches
  • ✓ Maximum thickness: 3 inches

Paperwork matters. IDOC requires every publication shipment to include a receipt or invoice. Before placing your order, confirm the seller will include this documentation. Missing paperwork can delay delivery or get the package rejected entirely.

  1. Choose the right shipper: Order only from the publication’s publisher or an IDOC-approved vendor so the package qualifies as a direct shipment.
  2. Avoid Amazon for publications: Amazon is not an approved vendor, so using it can lead to the package being rejected.
  3. Confirm paperwork is included: Make sure the seller will put a receipt or invoice in the shipment before it ships.
  • ✓ Check that the book is softcover (paperback)
  • ✓ Confirm the listing size is no more than 11 inches long
  • ✓ Confirm the listing size is no more than 8 1/2 inches wide
  • ✓ Confirm the listing size is no more than 3 inches thick

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