How to send messages, photos, and packages
Phone access at Tarrant County Jail is easiest during booking. Each holding cell has a telephone so inmates can arrange bail or contact family and attorneys. Calls within the local dialing area are free. Calls outside the local area go out as collect calls billed through Smart Communications—the recipient pays. Need telephone assistance related to an inmate? Call the county operator at 817-884-1111 (listed on the inmate search page). For other communication options or vendor account setup, follow the agency and vendor instructions provided.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Sending mail to someone at Tarrant County Jail? Here's the key thing: most personal mail doesn't arrive as paper anymore. It gets scanned and delivered electronically.
The main rule for sending books to Tarrant County Jail: new, soft-backed books must ship directly from an established publisher. Doesn't matter if it's brand-new and shrink-wrapped—if it didn't come straight from the publisher, it'll get rejected.
If you're used to mailing letters straight to a jail, Tarrant County works differently. Most general mail gets sent offsite for scanning, and your loved one reads it electronically after review.
Mail rules at Tarrant County Jail are strict. A small mistake can mean your letter gets rejected or sent back. Follow these guidelines to keep your mail simple, readable, and approved.
Free calls are available only while an inmate is in the booking process. Holding cells have phones that can be used to arrange bail or contact family or an attorney.
Local dialing-area calls from holding cells are free. Calls to numbers outside the local area are processed as collect calls, and the recipient pays the collect-call fees through Smart Communications.
Call the county telephone operator number listed on the inmate search page: 817-884-1111.
Regular postcards, letters, and greeting cards are scanned and delivered electronically for inmate viewing on mobile devices. You can also sign up for MailGuard Tracker to see delivery status and download processed copies.
Send legal mail to: 100 North Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196. Legal mail is handled separately from the jail’s scanned regular mail process.
Yes, but sourcing rules are strict. New soft-backed books must ship directly from an established publisher via UPS or USPS only. Magazines and crossword puzzle books must be subscription-based from a publisher. Items brought to the jail in person won't be accepted.
Your first visit can go smoothly if you show up with the right ID and keep things simple. Here's a quick pack list for Tarrant County Jail so you don't get turned away at the door.
Visiting someone at Tarrant County Jail goes smoother when you plan around the sign-up window and processing cutoffs. Here's how to time your arrival so you don't get turned away.
Want to send books to someone at Tarrant County Jail? Here's what you need to know upfront: the jail is strict about who can ship books and which carriers can deliver them. If your package doesn't come directly from a publisher via UPS or USPS, it will be rejected.
