Tehama County Jail Mail Rules: What You Can't Send (Checklist)

Tehama County Jail enforces strict mail rules to keep contraband and unknown substances out of the facility. That covers obvious threats like drugs, weapons, and hazardous materials, but also things that seem harmless: lipstick smudges, perfume, or any unidentified residue. Mail that doesn't follow the rules can be returned or confiscated, meaning your loved one may never receive it.

Common Prohibitions

• ✓ Any contraband, including drugs, weapons, hazardous materials, or spills/unknown substances (like lipstick or perfume)
• ✓ Stationery items included inside the mailing, such as extra stamps, envelopes, or post-its
• ✓ Nonstandard paper, including construction paper, drawing paper, cardstock, tracing paper, hobby/craft paper, or felt-type paper
• ✓ Any cards of any kind (musical cards, greeting cards, postcards, index cards, and plastic cards like ID, phone, credit, or medical cards)
• ✓ Any adhesives on the inside or outside of the envelope or letter (stickers, tape, glue)
• ✓ "Mail within mail" (an envelope that contains other mail)

Specific Bans

• ✓ Stickers, tape, glue, or any other adhesives on the envelope or paper
• ✓ Cards of any kind, including greeting cards and postcards
• ✓ White-out, glitter, glitter ink, crayons, colored pencils, colored markers, paint, string, and similar materials
• ✓ Children’s art or drawings

Decorations and craft-style materials might seem like a nice touch, but they make mail harder to inspect and easier to tamper with. Tehama County Jail bans glitter, paint, string, and children's drawings. Keep your message simple: plain paper, standard ink, nothing extra.

Tehama County Jail does not allow "mail within mail." You can't place other letters or envelopes inside the one you're sending. Bubble wrap and plastic packaging are also banned. These extra layers complicate inspection and can be used to hide contraband.

There is one clear exception: color copies made on a copy machine using standard copy paper are allowed.

Quick Checklist

• ✓ Use plain copy paper (color copies from a copy machine on copy paper are allowed)
• ✓ Keep it simple: one letter in one plain envelope
• ✓ Check that there is no plastic, bubble wrap, or extra mail tucked inside

• ✓ Don’t send contraband of any kind, including spills/unknown substances (like lipstick or perfume)
• ✓ Don’t include extra stationery items inside the mailing (stamps, envelopes, post-its)
• ✓ Don’t use construction/drawing/cardstock/tracing/hobby/craft/felt paper
• ✓ Don’t send any cards (greeting cards, musical cards, postcards, index cards, or plastic cards)
• ✓ Don’t use stickers, tape, glue, or any other adhesives on the envelope or paper
• ✓ Don’t use white-out, glitter/glitter ink, crayons, colored pencils/markers, paint, string, or similar materials
• ✓ Don’t include children’s art or drawings
• ✓ Don’t send “mail within mail,” bubble wrap, or plastic packaging
• ✓ Don’t assume it will “probably be fine.” Unacceptable or improperly addressed mail is returned to sender