Van Zandt County Jail Mail Rules: The 5-Page Limit, Size, Photos, and What Gets Returned

Core Checklist

• ✓ Keep it to 5 pages or less - anything over 5 pages won’t be scanned and will be returned to the sender.

• ✓ Use paper sized within 8.5 inches wide x 11 inches tall - other sizes aren’t accepted for processing through the PO Box.

• ✓ Write on one side only - mail is scanned front side only, so don’t write on the back of any page.

• ✓ Put the inmate’s name, the Sheriff’s Office booking number, and your return address on the envelope/mail.

Van Zandt County Jail allows one photo per mailing - that's it. Send more than one, and the jail returns everything. The entire letter comes back to you, and nothing gets scanned or delivered to the inmate.

Certain items won't make it through the PO Box processing system. Magazines, newspapers, bulk mail, and books sent to PO Box 591 get returned to sender - they're not accepted there. Content restrictions apply too: anything with racy or pornographic images is prohibited.

• ✓ Magazines (sent to the PO Box) - returned to sender
• ✓ Newspapers (sent to the PO Box) - returned to sender
• ✓ Bulk mail (sent to the PO Box) - returned to sender
• ✓ Books (sent to the PO Box) - returned to sender
• ✓ Racy or pornographic images - prohibited content

1. Don’t leave off the inmate’s name, booking number, or your return address - the envelope and mail must include all three so it can be matched to the right person and traced back to you if there’s a problem.
2. Don’t write on the back of any page - scanned mail is captured front-side only, so back-side writing won’t be included.
3. Don’t go over 5 pages - anything over the 5-page limit won’t be scanned and will be returned to the sender.
4. Don’t include more than one photo - if you do, the entire mailing (letter and contents) will be returned and nothing will be scanned in or delivered.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office is clear: no exceptions to these mail guidelines. If your mailing breaks the rules, don't expect staff to let it slide.

Here's why formatting matters: non-legal and non-commercial mail goes through a scanning vendor and gets delivered electronically. The original paper is destroyed. If you want your message to arrive intact, stick to the page limit, size requirements, and front-side-only writing.