How to Send Mail to Santa Rita After Feb 23, 2026: Pigeonly System Steps

Starting February 23, 2026, all non-privileged mail for Santa Rita Jail must go through Pigeonly Corrections' mail processing center. Send letters the old way after that date, and they likely won't reach your loved one.

There's also a hard cutoff. Any non-privileged mail received at Santa Rita Jail after March 25, 2026 gets returned to sender. To avoid interruptions, switch to the Pigeonly process by February 23 - or sooner.

Required Fields

• ✓ Incarcerated person’s full name
• ✓ PFN number (double-check it before you mail - an incorrect PFN can lead to delays or returns)

Not everything goes through Pigeonly. Privileged (legal) mail still goes directly to Santa Rita Jail. Same with publications - books, magazines, or newspapers mailed directly from a publisher or distributor to a named incarcerated person skip Pigeonly entirely.

Checklist Before Mailing

• ✓ Confirm the incarcerated person’s name is spelled exactly the way the jail has it on file
• ✓ Confirm the PFN number
• ✓ Double-check the PFN one more time before you seal and send (mistakes here are a common reason mail gets kicked back)

1. Switch to Pigeonly starting Feb 23, 2026 - from this date forward, send all non-privileged mail to Pigeonly Corrections’ mail processing center.
2. Stop sending non-privileged mail to the jail address before the cutoff - any non-privileged mail received at Santa Rita Jail after March 25, 2026 will be returned to sender.
3. Build in extra time - using a mail processing center can add handling time, so send early when you can (especially for time-sensitive personal mail).

Follow the official Pigeonly instructions for the exact mailing address and envelope format. The Sheriff's Pigeonly announcement and any Pigeonly flyers spell out exactly how to address your letter - stick to those word-for-word.

Send non-privileged mail to Santa Rita the old way during the transition, and it may not get through. After March 25, 2026, any non-privileged mail arriving at the facility gets returned to sender. Switch to Pigeonly by February 23, 2026 to avoid lost time and frustration.

Gaps Verify

• ✓ The exact Pigeonly mailing address and the required envelope/address format
• ✓ Whether you need to register or take any setup steps with Pigeonly before sending
• ✓ How long Pigeonly processing typically adds before mail reaches the jail

Not sure about the vendor instructions, or worried your mail is being returned? Check the Sheriff's Pigeonly announcement materials for the current process. You can also reach the Santa Rita Jail Ombudsperson by submitting the online form or leaving a voicemail at 510-667-4373.