How to Send Mail to Someone at Santa Rita Jail (Pigeonly process, Feb–Mar 2026)

Starting February 23, 2026, all non-privileged mail for Santa Rita Jail must be sent to Pigeonly Corrections' mail processing center. The Sheriff's Office made this change after multiple fentanyl exposure incidents linked to mailed substances. The goal: reduce contraband risks while keeping mail flowing so people in custody can stay connected with family and friends.

Not everything is routed through Pigeonly. Privileged (legal) mail is treated differently, and publications - books, magazines, or newspapers - mailed directly from a publisher or distributor to a named incarcerated person continue to be sent directly to Santa Rita Jail.

Regular personal mail - anything non-privileged - is what changes. Starting February 23, 2026, it must go to Pigeonly Corrections' mail processing center. If you keep addressing personal letters directly to the jail, expect delays or returned mail once the grace period ends.

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• ✓ Include the incarcerated person’s full name
• ✓ Include the incarcerated person’s PFN number

February 23, 2026 marks the start of the new process. From that day forward, non-privileged mail should go to Pigeonly's mail processing center. There's a short grace period while people adjust, but after March 25, 2026, any non-privileged mail that arrives at Santa Rita Jail will be returned to sender.

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• ✓ Use Pigeonly for personal mail starting Feb 23, 2026 - non-privileged mail must go to Pigeonly’s mail processing center.
• ✓ Double-check the name + PFN - all non-privileged mail must include the incarcerated person’s name and PFN number.
• ✓ Keep sending legal mail and publisher-direct publications the usual way - privileged (legal) mail and books/magazines/newspapers sent directly from a publisher or distributor to a named incarcerated person continue to go directly to Santa Rita Jail.

Sending privileged mail? Build in extra time for Pigeonly's required authentication. The policy states that attorneys and privileged mail senders must authenticate through Pigeonly Corrections, but the specific steps aren't spelled out. Confirm the current requirements with Pigeonly before sending anything time-sensitive.

Here's the key point on privileged mail: even though legal mail still goes directly to Santa Rita Jail, attorneys and privileged mail senders must authenticate through Pigeonly Corrections first. "Authenticate" typically means a verification step to confirm the sender is legitimately privileged. The policy notice doesn't detail the exact process, so verify Pigeonly's current authentication requirements before mailing confidential or deadline-driven documents.